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Hot Summer Guide: These out of town fests are worth the trip

Music fests worth travelling for

There are music festivals aplenty in town these days, but sometimes you just want to hit the road and take in sounds by your favourite bands farther from home. Plus, several out-of-town festivals offer totally unique, site-specific experiences. 

Take the long-running, Canadian-focused, green-minded Hillside, just a short drive away in Guelph. Three days, five stages, including one for kids, water-bottle-free (you bring your own cups) and set on Guelph Lake Island (a conservation area), its 33rd edition has drumming, dancing, camping and most excellent music programming. 

Buffy Sainte-Marie pairs up with the Sadies for what’s sure to be a performance jaw-dropping in its ferocity. PUP will bring the punk, Holy Fuck the noisily deconstructed electronica, Old Man Luedecke the banjo goodness, SUUNS the psychedelic groove, Kid Koala the vinyl vaudeville, Land of Talk the indie pop passion…. we could go on. July 22 to 24. hillsidefestival.ca.

Further north, you can catch the much younger WayHome in Oro-Medonte (also happening July 22 to 24). Art installations speckle the sprawling Burl’s Creek grounds, which has three stages, and myriad camping options and food trucks. Its first year knocked it out of the park with headliners Neil Young and Kendrick Lamar, and this year is also pretty hot. 

Like: a returned LCD Soundsystem and Wolf Parade, the always popular Arcade Fire and the Killers, oddball sister trio HAIM, quirky singer/songwriter FKA Twigs, T.O. buzz acts BADBADNOTGOOD and Tory Lanez, psych rock stoners Black Mountain, All Them Witches and Kurt Vile, the fearsome Savages, French electronic dream-poppers M83, hip-hop hitmakers Rae Sremmurd, bluesy Austin guitar-slinger Gary Clark Jr. and many others. 

And speaking of hot, the site lacked shade and quick access to drinking water last year, so bring visors and thirst quenchers. wayhome.com.

Alice In Wonderland - Tara Rosling (left) and Donna Belleville - Shaw, 2016 - photo by David Cooper.jpg

David Cooper

Alice In Wonderland’s Tara Rosling (left) and Donna Belleville

Hit the road for great theatre 

Whether you’re seeking entertainment or provocation, the summer stage festivals, large and small, are worth the drive out of town.

The big hitters, of course, are Shaw and Stratford. At the former, Jackie Maxwell closes out her tenure as artistic director with a variety of shows, including a version of Alice In Wonderland, adapted and directed by Peter Hinton (through October 16), who’s helmed fascinating productions of Cabaret and Lady Windermere’s Fan. Maxwell directs Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya (through September 11) and the company’s big musical, Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (July 17 to October 19).

There’s a buzz, too, around the lunchtime show, Lisa Codrington‘s adaptation of Shaw’s story The Adventures Of The Black Girl In Her Search For God, directed by Ravi Jain (June 10 to September 11). 1-800-511-7429, shawfest.com.

Over at Stratford, Jillian Keiley gives Newfoundland flair to her staging of one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, As You Like It (to October 22), a production that allows audience members to be part of the performance, while fans of the film Shakespeare In Love will flock to the North American premiere of the stage version, led by Declan Donnellan (to October 16).

A season highlight will be Breath Of Kings: Rebellion and Redemption, Graham Abbey‘s two-part adaptation of the Bard’s Richard II Henry IV, Part I Henry IV, Part II and Henry V, directed by Mitchell Cushman and Weyni Mengesha (to September 24). 1-800-567-1600, stratfordfestival.ca.

Want a grassroots show? The Blyth Festival offers The Last Donnelly Standing, by Paul Thompson and company artistic director Gil Garratt, which continues the story of the Donnelly clan, involved in the area’s most bloody historic episode (August 4 to September 2). 1-877-862-5984, blythfestival.com.

THE BEST OF THE REST

Kawartha Craft Beer Festival Beer sampling from breweries and local food offerings outdoors with live music. $20, adv $15, passes $25-$35. Millenium Park, 120 King. 705-874-5743, kawarthacraftbeerfestival.com. Jun 10 to 11

Sound Of Music Festival Concerts include Jun 11 with The Cult, Headstones, Pop Evil, The Glorious Sons, The Watchmen and more ($75) and free concerts Jun 16-19 with Mother Mother, Soul Asylum, I Mother Earth, Jess Moskaluke, Lighthouse, Hawksley Workman and others. Concerts at Spencer Smith Park on the waterfront and downtown Burlington. soundofmusic.caJun 11 to 19

New Vintage Wine Festival Wine tasting, culinary pairings, vineyard celebrations and more. Several venues in Niagara region. $30-$80. Colaneri Estate Winery, 348 Concession 6 Rd. 905-688-0212, niagarawinefestival.comJun 11 to 19

Sunfest Festival of international and Canadian music including Cardboard Fox, Eida Almeida, Nils Fischer & Timbazo, Five Alarm Funk, Lazo, Heavyweights Brass Band, Gabrial Palatchi Trio, Nano Stern, and many others, new music and dance component Afrikalia, food & craft vendors. Free. Victoria Park, 500 Clarence (London). sunfest.on.caJul 7 to 10

Mariposa Folk Festival Outdoor folk music festival with performers The Good Family, Rita Coolidge, The Milk Carton Kids, Catherine MacLellan, Colin Linden and many others. See website for schedule and prices. Camping available. Tudhope Park, Atherly Rd. mariposafolk.com. Jul 8 to 10

Elora Festival Choral and classical music including world music and jazz in the heart of Elora and Fergus. See website for details. Gambrel Barn, 7454 Wellington County Rd 18, No 21. elorafestival.comJul 8 to 24

UpTown Waterloo Jazz Festival Three days of live music with jazz for kids, workshops and more. Free. Waterloo City Centre, 100 Regina S. uptownwaterloojazz.caJul 15 to 17

Festival Of The Sound Classical music festival with jazz and chamber music by renowned artists, concerts, cruises and films on Georgian Bay. See website for detailss. Charles W Stockey Centre for the Performing Arts, 2 Bay (Parry Sound). festivalofthesound.caJul 15 to Aug 7

Lakefield Literary Festival Literary heritage festival created to celebrate the work of Catherine Parr Trail, Susanna Moodie and Margaret Laurence, all of whom lived and wrote in Lakefield. Participating authors include George Elliott Clarke, Pamela Mordecai, Bill Richardson, Cordelia Strube and many others Various venues. lakefieldliteraryfestival.comJul 15 to 17

Collingwood Elvis Festival Elvis impersonator and tribute artist competitions and concerts, street dances, gospel brunch concerts, storytelling event and more all weekend at the Gayety Theatre and other venues. collingwoodelvisfestival.comJul 20 to 24

Boots And Hearts Music Festival Country-rock music fest on Lake Simcoe w/ Blake Shelton, Jake Owen, Kaitlin Kozell, JoJo Mason, The Reklaws, Autumn Hill, River Town Saints and others. Festival pass $270-$600. Burl’s Creek Park, 8th Line S (Oro-Medonte). bootsandhearts.comAug 4 to 7

Center Of Gravity: Tiësto, Ice Cube, Ty Dolla $ign, Hardwell, Atmosphere, Showtek, Cash Cash, Dragonette, Morgan Page, Mother Mother, Sharamj, Bit Funk, Hunter Siegel, Joe Ghost, SNBRN, Mike Williams, Party Favor, Peking Duck, Troyboi!, Unlike Pluto, Vicetone and many others. Wasaga Beach, Georgian Bay. centerofgravity.ca/wasaga. Aug 19 to 21

Riverfest Elora Dilly Dally, CHROMEO, The Sheepdogs, Kardinal Offishall, Hey Rosetta!, Matthew Good, Wintersleep, Bry Webb and many others at this outdoor music festival. Wknd pass $140, Fri $55, Sat $80, Sun $65. Camping available. Bissell Park, 127 E Mill. riverfestelora.comAug 19 to 21

Get more event listings here and don’t miss the rest of this year’s Hot Summer Guide!

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