Intimate Nashville-style concerts are coming to the Kawartha Lakes next summer as the Backyard Music Co. brings its Nashville Takeover songwriters festival to Bobcaygeon and Fenelon Falls.
Kawartha Lakes is one of 13 locations across Canada that will host the three-day music festival, which will see 15 emerging songwriters from Nashville and Canada performing country, Americana, pop, and folk in “writers round” style at various intimate venues and unexpected spaces.
Backyard Music Co. was founded by Waterloo native and Billboard-charting and award-winning artist Scotty James and his partner Andrea Watson. While living and performing in Nashville during the pandemic, James began performing impromptu concerts for his neighbours and friends in his own backyard, inspired by Nashville’s iconic Bluebird Café.
The 90-seat cafe and music venue is known for its “In the Round” format, where three to four songwriters perform together in the centre of the cafe, playing their songs and telling the stories behind them, creating an intimate experience for the audience. The Bluebird Café was featured regularly in the hit ABC drama Nashville, whose musical director was Canada’s own Colin Linden.
The success of his pandemic-era backyard concerts led James and Watson to establish Backyard Music Co. in 2023, which strives to capture the essence of Nashville’s intimate songwriter experiences and bring them to backyards across the United States and Canada.
Backyard Music Co. first brought the Nashville Takeover festival concept to Port Stanley and Collingwood this past June and, based on the success of those events, is expanding it nationwide in 2026.
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Along with Kawartha Lakes, selected locations in Ontario include Burlington, Collingwood, Essex County, Orangeville, Orillia, Port Stanley, Prince Edward County, Sarnia, and Stratford, as well as Terrace in British Columbia, Cochrane in Alberta, and Moncton in New Brunswick.
Every artist performing during the festival will be a surprise until they step on stage, and each day and night will feature rotating performances, songwriter rounds, and exclusive after-parties.
For Kawartha Lakes, the festival will take place from Friday, July 24 to Sunday, July 26, with announced venues so far including Grâz in Bobcaygeon and The Grove Theatre in Fenelon Falls.
“Picture cozy rooms, candlelit stages, lively patios, and tucked-away venues filled with raw stories, laughter, and connection,” Backyard Music Co. states. “You won’t be watching from a distance, you’ll be part of it. Meet the artists. Swap stories. Discover the songs that haven’t even hit the radio yet, and some that have.”
Tickets are available now at luma.com/yicfthzt, priced at $99 for a weekend pass, $59 for a Saturday pass, and $249 for a founders pass, which includes exclusive access to VIP areas at most venues, private events not open to general admission, and complimentary light apps and drinks at select locations throughout the weekend.
The location with the highest ticket sales will also host a special guest from Nashville who’s written multiple #1 songs.
