Honey jam
The annual showcase for emerging female music artists has been a staple in Toronto for over 25 years, with Nelly Furtado, Haviah Mighty and Jully Black among its notable alumni. Founded in 1995 by Ebonnie Rowe, Honey Jam was originally an expansion of an all-women edition that Rowe published on hip-hop magazine Mic Check. Since then, it has grown into a non-profit mentoring program that nurtures talent through workshops and networking, and serves as a career launch pad – Rowe has just received the CIMA Trailblazer Award for her contributions to the independent music scene. 2021 will be Honey Jam Live stream from El Mocambo on August 12th.
TD Ottawa Jazz Festival
Established over the past 41 years as one of the most prestigious jazz festivals in the country, the annual TD Ottawa Jazz Festival offers both personal and virtual program for the festival run from August 19th to 22nd. The virtual series will feature live sets from artists such as soul and R&B singer Tanika Charles, and tickets allow access to performances after the initial broadcast. The personal concert series that illuminates bands such as hip-hop, funk, rock and the soul collective BLAKDENIM will be held in different locations in the city.
Golden Hour Festival
It’s itching to go to outdoor events again, but still not quite comfortable doing it all? This drive-in micro festival offers a great experience for in between. Held in picturesque Prince Edward County, Ontario in the Mustang Drive-In for two days from August 21 to 22, Golden Hour Festival features a curated line-up with iskwē and Tom Wilson (they just collaborated on a cover of Misha Bower’s “Starless Nights”), William Prince and Hannah Georgas. And since it’s a drive-in theater, the festival is a dry event with no alcohol allowed on-site.
INDIGIFEST
This celebration of indigenous music features Performances across British Columbia, from the northern Kwadacha Nation in Fort Ware to Nuučaan̓uł (Nuu-chah-nulth) Territory on Vancouver Island. The concerts are free, virtual and easily accessible, Livestream every Thursday in August directly on the INDIGIFEST website. You won’t want to miss the exciting line-up of emerging and established artists like Quanah Style, Hasaatuk and Quinn Pickering.
Vancouver Mural Fest
Since its inception in 2016, the Vancouver Mural Festival has helped promote the arts and culture in the city. Live music has always been a cornerstone of the festival and is running this year from August 4th to 22nd, the VMF will host over 40 live shows featuring emerging local artists from marginalized communities. The music events take place on the festival’s pop-up terrace and feature DJs, drag performers, singer-songwriters, hip-hop artists and more.
Against the current
An intimate series of concerts by the water? It sounds dreamy. The first part of the Contre Courant in Québec takes place August 11-14 in the spectacular Kiamika Regional Park, just outside of Montréal. Enjoy the park’s natural amenities, where you can paddle, kayak, canoe, or swim in the reservoir while artists such as BEYRIES, Geoffroy, and Jesse Mac Cormack soothe your soul. The second half of the series takes place at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montréal. instead of from September 1st to 4th, with performances by Lido Pimienta, Dan Mangan, Ariane Moffatt and others.
Concert series together again
The Together Again Concert Series runs from August to early September and features an impressive list of performers from hip-hop icons Cardinal Offishall, Salt-N-Pepa and Maestro Fresh Wes to CanCon alt-rock royalty like Our Lady Peace and Bif naked. The series will take place outside on the Racetrack Infield at Edmonton Exhibition Lands and is described as Canada’s first dedicated socially distant concert venue where concertgoers can enjoy the festivities from their private reserved table.
Electric Sky Music Festival
Electric Sky, which will host turntables such as DJ Dopamine and The Gaff, has been carefully organized to meet provincial safety guidelines: masks are mandatory in all public spaces and when campers are camped they must sleep with their bladder from two to four. The Saskatchewan Electronic Music Festival returns August 27-29 with a great line-up of drum and bass, house and breakbeats against the lush backdrop of Ness Creek.
The Burt Block Party
On two weekends –August 20-21 and August 27-28-outdoors Burton Cummings Theater in downtown Winnipeg, The concert series Burt Block Party is open to all vaccinated people. Attendees are invited to bring their own lounge chairs while they enjoy food, drinks, and performances by some of Canada’s most popular rock bands such as The Sheepdogs, Said the Whale, and 54-40.
to create a big stir
Relocated from Wentworth Park in accordance with Nova Scotia safety regulations, Makin ‘Waves is now held at Steelmen’s Memorial Field – Open Hearth Park in Sydney from August 5th to September 2nd. The music festival caters for all ages Live performances every Thursday evening, with a feel-good lineup including Canadian R&B icon Jully Black, psych-country rockers The Sadies, and alt-pop duo Neon Dreams. Festival goers will enjoy the show from a 10’x10 ‘pod that can accommodate up to six people. Admission is free, a deposit is required to reserve a seat.
