Tottenham Bluegrass Festival: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go

If you’ve ever wanted to experience the raw, soul-stirring sound of live bluegrass music in one of Ontario’s most scenic outdoor settings, the Tottenham Bluegrass Festival 2026 belongs at the top of your summer calendar.

Now returning for its remarkable 41st year, the festival runs June 26–28, 2026, making it one of the longest-running celebrations of bluegrass music in all of Canada.

For a genre rooted in community, storytelling, and the joy of acoustic sound, Tottenham delivers year after year. The festival continues to draw bluegrass fans from across Ontario, the wider Canadian Prairies, and the northeastern United States for a weekend that goes well beyond the main stage.

Have You Ever Been to the Tottenham Bluegrass Festival?

The Tottenham Bluegrass Festival is three days of bluegrass music set in the natural amphitheater of the Tottenham Conservation Area, by the waters of the village pond.

It’s the kind of setting that festival producers spend fortunes trying to replicate and here, it’s simply the natural landscape of Simcoe County doing what it does best.

What sets this festival apart from larger summer music events is its intimacy. Unlike mega-festivals where you’re watching your favorite artists on a jumbotron, Tottenham puts you close to the performers. That is, close enough to watch a fiddler’s fingers dance across the strings in real time. This is what continues to bring people back for their fifth, tenth, and even twentieth consecutive year, and it’s what makes the Tottenham Bluegrass Festival one of Ontario’s most cherished summer traditions.

The Tottenham Bluegrass Festival 2026 Lineup: Who’s Playing This Year?

The festival brings together an outstanding lineup of award-winning bluegrass artists from across Canada and the United States.

Volume Five: Soulful Bluegrass From the Heart of Mississippi

Volume Five began as a casual jam band in 2008 and has grown into one of bluegrass music’s most popular and distinctive acts. Led by Mississippi fiddler and soulful lead vocalist Glen Harrell, the band’s tight instrumentals and rich vocal harmonies have earned them two International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Awards and numerous nominations from organizations including the Gospel Music Association‘s Dove Awards and the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America. The current lineup features Glen Harrell on lead vocals and fiddle, Chris Wade on banjo, Nick Keen on mandolin, Wyatt Harman on bass, and Jared Hensley on guitar and vocals. Their highly anticipated 2025 album Leave a Light On, released on Mountain Fever Records, is a heartfelt collection reflecting the band’s deep musical roots and forward-thinking artistry, with the title track receiving high rotation on Sirius XM’s Bluegrass Junction.

Nick Chandler and Delivered: Hard-Driving Tradition From the Carolina Mountains

Nick Chandler and Delivered is a hard-driving traditional bluegrass band from Western North Carolina known for their high-energy performances and authentic mountain sound. The band features Nick Chandler on mandolin and lead vocals, Gary Trivette on bass, Jake Burrows on banjo, and Spencer Atkinson on guitar, a lineup that delivers both technical firepower and tight vocal chemistry. Signed to Pinecastle Records, the band has built a strong following through relentless touring and a string of charting radio singles. They recently released a dual single, “Hazel Creek,” an original penned by the legendary Tom T. Hall and Dixie Hall, paired with “Follow the Leader,” a moving Gospel anthem – both available now on all digital platforms. Nick Chandler and Delivered prove that hard-driving traditional bluegrass storytelling and heartfelt gospel uplift are not competing impulses, but interlocking strengths in their musical identity. They are currently in the studio completing a full-length album.

The Blackwell Bluegrass Band: Roots-Deep Acoustic Music Done Right

The Blackwell Bluegrass Band is a celebrated Canadian acoustic group with deep roots and a long-standing reputation on the bluegrass circuit. Established in 1984, the band features musicians Jacques Brousseau, Robin Thompson, Brian Abbey, and David Jack, and over the decades has continued to perform bluegrass music in both Canada and the USA. Known for tight vocal harmonies and expert instrumentation, they bring a blend of traditional and contemporary bluegrass to every stage they grace, the kind of seasoned, no-frills musicianship that only comes from over forty years of playing together. In the summer of 2026, the band is set to perform at both the Tottenham Bluegrass Festival and the Mud Creek Bluegrass Festival, sharing stages with fellow festival acts like Volume Five, Highbanks, and Rescue Junction. A true institution in the Canadian bluegrass scene, The Blackwell Bluegrass Band remains a must-see act for anyone who appreciates the craft, history, and heart of acoustic string music.

Tyler Comeau & Highway 10: Quebec’s Finest Bringing Bluegrass Across Borders

Tyler Comeau & Highway 10 are bluegrass musicians from Austin, Quebec, with an international footprint that has made them one of the most sought-after Canadian bluegrass acts on the festival circuit. The band features Tyler Comeau on banjo, Joey Dingman on mandolin, Reg Dingman on guitar, and John Cameron on bass, a tight, road-hardened unit that brings traditional bluegrass to life with infectious energy and technical precision. Performing across Quebec, Ontario, and beyond, the group has become a staple at regional festivals like the Galop Canal Bluegrass Festival and the South Grenville Bluegrass Festival. Their music draws from the roots of country, folk, and traditional styles, brought to life through the distinctive voices of mandolin, fiddle, guitar, and upright bass in the pure American bluegrass tradition, delivered with an unmistakably Québécois passion and warmth.

Rescue Junction: Ontario Gospel Bluegrass With a Pure Heart

Rescue Junction is an award-winning Canadian bluegrass band based out of Millbank, Ontario that has been travelling and performing together since 2009, originally formed by brother and sister Kyle and Kaitlyn Gerber on mandolin and guitar, respectively. The band has grown to include Roger Martin on banjo, Dallas Roth on upright bass, and Nick Huber on dobro, combining a wide range of musical influences with their passion for bluegrass to create a unique, refreshing style that moves from gospel quartet numbers to traditional and contemporary bluegrass to original compositions. Having received numerous nominations at the Central Canada Bluegrass Music Awards, including Album of the Year for On Any Road, Rescue Junction has taken home awards for Most Promising Group (2013) and Gospel Group (2014). Kaitlyn Gerber has also developed into a gifted songwriter, composing original material that is both musically compelling and spiritually resonant, giving Rescue Junction a distinctive voice in the crowded field of contemporary Canadian bluegrass gospel.

Montreal Bluegrass League: A City’s Love Letter to Bluegrass

The Montreal Bluegrass League is a collective assembled by banjoist Guy Donis, who gathered 14 singers and musicians from the Montreal scene who share a deep passion for bluegrass music. Regrouped for live performance around three of those collaborators – Léandre Joly-Pelletier on guitar and voice, Tommy Gauthier on violin and mandolin, and Joémi Verdon on upright bass and voice – the League presents a sweeping, historically informed journey through the evolution of bluegrass, from its Bill Monroe and Earl Scruggs origins to its modern-day expressions. Guy Donis also hosts a monthly bluegrass concert and jam night in Montreal, nurturing the local scene at every level, making the Montreal Bluegrass League as much a community institution as a performing act. Their 2021 self-titled album on Bandcamp remains a vibrant showcase of the breadth and depth of bluegrass talent thriving in Quebec.

Duke Street Turnaround: Toronto’s Own Blend of Banjos and Canadiana

Duke Street Turnaround is a six-piece bluegrass and Canadiana band based in Toronto, showcasing tight vocal harmonies and skilled acoustic playing, with a repertoire that spans traditional bluegrass, Canadian folk classics, fiddle instrumentals, and original material. The band has carved out a distinct identity that leans into the humour and humanity naturally present in the bluegrass genre, bringing an old-timey aesthetic to modern stages across Ontario and beyond. Their original material includes songs like “Spanish River Wreck,” a piece rooted in real northern Ontario lore, which the band plans to bring into the studio soon. Duke Street Turnaround has performed at notable Toronto venues and festivals alike, building a devoted local following while continuing to develop new original content that reflects their Canadian roots. With their blend of storytelling, instrumental chops, and crowd-pleasing charisma, they are one of Toronto’s most energetic acoustic acts.

HighBanks: Award-Winning Picking and Harmonies From Hamilton

HighBanks is one of the most entertaining bluegrass bands on the Canadian circuit, drawing from a wide variety of material including traditional bluegrass, pop and show tunes, country, and original compositions, delivered with outstanding instrumental talent and tight vocal harmonies. The band features Denis LePage, a multi-award-winning banjoist and one of Canada’s best-known five-string banjo players; Eric Brousseau, considered one of Canada’s most outstanding guitar instrumentalists, singers, and entertainers; and Moe Juteau, a veteran of the Canadian bluegrass scene on mandolin, harmonica, and vocals. Their EP First Impressions – featuring six songs, including three originals – is available now on all major streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Music. Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Highbanks had a packed summer 2025 schedule of shows and festivals across Ontario, including stops at Palmer Rapids, River Valley, Fergus, and Norfolk County.

Beeton Creek Rising: Campfire Bluegrass Rooted in Central Ontario

Beeton Creek Rising is a five-piece bluegrass ensemble from Tottenham, Ontario, featuring Jerry on lead and multiple instruments, Doug Cornish on banjo, Sharon Niederhuber on vocals and guitar, Jan Reimers on mandolin, and Gray Niederhuber on bass. At the heart of the group is an accomplished lifelong musician who picked up his first guitar in his early teens and also plays banjo, dobro, and fiddle, bringing a remarkable multi-instrumental depth to the band’s sound. Rooted in the grassroots spirit of Canadian bluegrass, Beeton Creek Rising embodies the festival jam culture that defines the genre north of the border, performing regularly at festivals across the province of Ontario. Their music reflects a love for the traditions of the form – the kind of picking that happens just as naturally around a campfire as on a stage – making them a beloved fixture in the Central Ontario bluegrass community.

Tottenham Bluegrass Festival Tickets, Pricing, and How to Plan Your Visit

One of the most practical advantages of the Tottenham Bluegrass Festival is its genuinely accessible ticket pricing, especially when compared to the eye-watering costs that now accompany most major Canadian summer festivals.

Daily admission is priced at $35 for Friday, $60 for Saturday, $40 for Saturday after 6pm, and $20 for Sunday. Weekend Passes are available at an advance price of $135 (including HST), rising to a full price of $150 closer to the event.

The Weekend Pass is, without question, the best value on offer. At $135 in advance, you’re getting three full days of live music plus the added bonus of on-site camping, an arrangement that eliminates hotel costs entirely and puts you at the heart of the festival experience around the clock.

Purchasing a Weekend Pass grants access to all performances and includes complimentary camping for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, along with the beloved tradition of campfire picking. Informal jam sessions around the fire are a cornerstone of bluegrass culture, and at Tottenham, they happen organically every night.

Tickets are issued as eTickets, which can be printed directly from Ticketscene, the official ticketing platform for the festival. It’s also worth buying early: advance pricing closes well before the festival gates open, and given the loyal returning audience this event attracts, sellout risk for Weekend Passes is real.

Have You Been to the Venue: Tottenham Conservation Area

The festival is set against the scenic backdrop of the Tottenham Conservation Area, located at 6787 4th Line, Tottenham, Ontario.

The Conservation Area functions as a natural amphitheater, with gentle slopes providing sightlines to the stage from virtually anywhere on the grounds. There’s no concrete underfoot, no overwhelming PA rigs, and no corporate signage blocking the treeline.

For first-time attendees, understanding the layout of the grounds before arriving makes a significant difference. Camping is integrated into the festival site, which means that unlike many events where camping is a shuttle ride away from the action, Tottenham lets you roll out of your tent and walk to the stage in minutes. Families in particular tend to appreciate this setup, as it removes the logistical friction that can make multi-day festival attendance feel stressful rather than joyful.

The village of Tottenham itself is a short distance away and worth exploring during any quiet gaps in the schedule. The community has a warm relationship with the festival that has built over four decades, and local businesses – from bakeries to farm stands – tend to gear up for festival weekend.

If you’re driving in from the Greater Toronto Area, Tottenham sits roughly an hour north of the city along Highway 400, making it eminently accessible for a day trip or weekend escape.

The Campfire Picking Tradition and What You Can Expect in Tottenham

Anyone who has attended a bluegrass festival and experienced spontaneous late-night jamming around a fire understands that the scheduled performances are only part of the story.

Campfire picking – informal, unscheduled, and utterly unpredictable – is where the genre’s communal soul really lives.

It’s where you might find a touring professional sitting in with a weekend hobbyist, where songs get deconstructed and rebuilt from the ground up, and where the line between performer and audience dissolves entirely.

The Tottenham Bluegrass Festival has always understood this, which is why on-site camping with campfire picking privileges is bundled directly into the Weekend Pass rather than treated as an afterthought.

For bluegrass newcomers, participating in or even simply observing a campfire session is often the moment the genre truly clicks.

Tottenham Bluegrass Festival Sponsors & Partners

A festival that has run for 41 consecutive years doesn’t sustain itself on goodwill alone. Behind the music is a robust network of local, regional, and national sponsors whose financial commitment makes the entire weekend viable.

Platinum Sponsors

• Norus Packaging Ltd.
• The Town of New Tecumseth

Vintage Sponsor

• Trevor’s Roof Repairs

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

Practical Tips for First-Time Attendees of the Tottenham Bluegrass Festival

Getting the most out of the Tottenham Bluegrass Festival requires a little preparation, particularly if you’re planning to camp on-site.

The Tottenham Conservation Area is a natural setting, which means weather can shift unexpectedly, packing layers and waterproofs is always sensible for a late-June Ontario weekend. Good footwear matters, too; the grounds can be uneven and, after rain, genuinely muddy in certain areas.

Bring cash for vendors, as not every food and craft stall will have reliable card terminals. The festival draws a rotating selection of local vendors selling food, artisan goods, and instrument accessories, and browsing the vendor area between sets is a pleasurable way to fill the time.

If you’re an instrument player, bringing your own guitar, banjo, mandolin, or fiddle for campfire sessions is strongly encouraged. The Tottenham Bluegrass Festival is one of the few festivals in Canada where showing up with an instrument strapped to your back is considered entirely normal and warmly received.

Whether you join for a single day or make a full weekend of it, the Tottenham Bluegrass Festival promises unforgettable music, welcoming vibes, and memories that will last long after the final note is played.

Day tickets offer genuine flexibility for those who can only break away for part of the weekend, but if your schedule allows, the full three-day experience is the one that tends to stay with people for years.

Buy Your Ticket to the Tottenham Bluegrass Festival 2026 and Enjoy the Weekend

The Tottenham Bluegrass Festival has a 41-year track record.

Events don’t survive four decades without consistently delivering on their promises. The formula here – exceptional artists, a beautiful natural venue, affordable tickets, on-site camping, and a culture of genuine musical community – isn’t complicated.

For bluegrass devotees, casual roots music fans, families looking for a meaningful summer experience, and anyone who has simply never had the chance to discover what all the banjo fuss is about, the 2026 Tottenham Bluegrass Festival is an opportunity.

Mark June 26–28 in your calendar and secure your Weekend Pass while advance pricing is still in effect. Buy your tickets here, pack your camp chair, and let the music do the rest.