Ottawa Bluesfest, the city's largest summer music festival, returns for its 32nd edition from July 9 to 19, 2026, at LeBreton Flats Park and the Canadian War Museum. Organizers expect over 250,000 attendees across nine days, matching pre-pandemic levels. A major change this year: the new Foodie Way food vendor area along Kichi Zibi Mikan, designed to ease congestion at the RBC Main Stage.
Foodie Way Relocation to Reduce Crowding
Previously, food vendors occupied the main concert bowl near the entrance. Now, they line the street-side of the site. "We want to maximize the experience for everybody," said Monahan, a festival organizer. "It didn’t really make sense to have them in the prominent spot they were, right when you come in the gates." The shift aims to prevent bottlenecks and improve flow for the expected crowds.
Stages and Venues
Bluesfest features four live music stages and two DJ stages. Outdoors: the RBC Main Stage in front of the museum, the newly named Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa Stage (formerly River Stage) behind the museum, and the LeBreton Stage under a tent on the western end. DJs perform at the Spin Stage and Crazy Horse Saloon. Indoors, the Barney Danson Theatre offers air-conditioned intimacy. Also returning is the Casa Loco cantina on the street.
2026 Headliners and Lineup
More than 100 acts perform, headlined by Gen Z pop icon Conan Gray, country stars Ella Langley and Cody Johnson, plus millennial favorites Limp Bizkit, Gwen Stefani, and the Lumineers. Main-stage schedule:
- July 9 – Cody Johnson
- July 10 – Limp Bizkit
- July 11 – HARDY
- July 12 – The Lumineers
- July 15 – Conan Gray
- July 16 – Lord Huron
- July 17 – Ella Langley
- July 18 – Gwen Stefani
- July 19 – The Guess Who
Why "Bluesfest" Without Blues?
Despite few blues acts, organizers maintain the name for brand consistency. The festival started blues-focused in the 1990s but expanded genres. "It’s a music festival that features many different types of music, up to and including the blues," they advise.
New Sponsor and Capacity
The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa now sponsors the former River Stage, a multi-year deal. This stage holds about 5,000 spectators and features diverse genres, not just hard rock.
