Peterborough Musicfest has announced the final concerts in this summer’s lineup, with brass funk band My Son The Hurricane performing in July and blues rocker David Wilcox in August.
The two Canadian musical acts complete Peterborough Musicfest’s 39th season featuring 16 free-admission concerts every Wednesday and Saturday night at Del Crary Park in downtown Peterborough, starting with Gowan at 8 p.m. this Saturday night (June 27) and ending with The Dreamboats on Wednesday, August 19.
“We’re thrilled to finally share the complete season 39 lineup with our community,” said Peterborough Musicfest executive director Tracey Randall in a media release.
“This season brings together an incredible mix of artists, genres, and live music experiences,” Randall added. “Whether you’re singing along to a favourite song, discovering a new artist, or simply enjoying an evening by the lake with friends and family, Musicfest is all about creating shared experiences, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back to Del Crary Park this summer.”
While My Son The Hurricane is no stranger to Peterborough, having performed several times at both the Peterborough Folk Festival and at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, they will be making their Peterborough Musicfest debut on Saturday, July 25.
Known for transforming stages into dance floors, the Niagara-based 12-piece brass-funk collective blends funk, jazz, hip hop, ska, reggae, and rock into a sound built around driving rhythms, bold horn arrangements, and crowd-focused performances.
VIDEO: “Return to Sender” – My Son The Hurricane
The band’s lineup features trumpets, saxophones, trombones, drums, guitar, keys, percussion, and vocals, giving My Son The Hurricane the force and movement of a full brass-dance crew. The group has toured internationally and performed at major festivals across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Belgium, Mexico, Lithuania, and France.
My Son The Hurricane has built a reputation as one of Canada’s most explosive live acts, with sold-out shows and a growing online following helping to spread its music beyond the festival circuit.
In 2023, a video clip of band members dancing — notably pink-shirted and eccentric frontwoman Kindree — as they performed their tune “Mr. Holland’s Locust” went viral as a social media meme, further raising the profile of a group whose performances are designed to get audiences moving.
As for David Wilcox, he will be making his third Peterborough Musicfest appearance when he performs on Saturday, August 8.
The Montreal-born and Toronto-raised blues-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter first emerged in the early 1970s as a member of Ian and Sylvia Tyson’s country-rock band Great Speckled Bird before launching a solo career that has made him one of Canada’s most recognizable roots-rock performers.
Known for his distinctive guitar style, baritone vocals, and sly and often humorous songwriting, Wilcox built a national following with a string of albums beginning with his 1977 debut Out of the Woods. His best-known songs include “Do the Bearcat,” “Bad Apple,” “That Hypnotizin’ Boogie,” “Downtown Came Uptown,” “Riverboat Fantasy,” and “Layin’ Pipe.”
Wilcox’s music blends blues, rock, boogie, country, and roots influences, anchored by his expressive guitar work and charismatic live performances. Over the years, he has earned gold and platinum album sales in Canada and is a favourite among Musicfest audiences.
VIDEO: David Wilcox live in Hamilton (2024)
Below is the festival’s full lineup of mainstage concerts:
- Saturday, June 27 – Gowan (Pop)
- Wednesday, July 1 – Neon Nostalgic (Retro Rock Tribute)
- Saturday, July 4 – Good Lovelies (Folk/Country)
- Wednesday, July 8 – Sass Jordan (Rock)
- Saturday, July 11 – Lighthouse (Rock)
- Wednesday, July 15 – Tyler Joe Miller (Country)
- Saturday, July 18 – Julian Taylor (Soul/Roots/Blues)
- Wednesday, July 22 – Matthew Good and His Band (Rock)
- Saturday, July 25 – My Son The Hurricane (Brass Funk)
- Wednesday, July 29 – Dwayne Gretzky (Canada’s Greatest Party Band)
- Saturday, August 1 – Garth Brooks + Shania Twain (Tribute)
- Wednesday, August 5 – Crash Test Dummies (Alt Rock/Folk)
- Saturday, August 8 – David Wilcox (Blues Rock)
- Wednesday, August 12 – Trans-Canada Highwaymen (Canadian Supergroup)
- Saturday, August 15 – Crystal Faith (Bon Jovi/Styx Tribute)
- Wednesday, August 19 – The Dreamboats (’50s & ’60s Rock N Roll)
In addition to the mainstage performers, Peterborough Musicfest is hosting the Cogeco-sponsored Future Sound Series that features emerging musical artists who are all from Peterborough and the Kawarthas region, with the exception of two Indigenous performers who are appearing with the support of the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund.
The performances take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. near the food trucks at the George Street entrance to Del Crary Park.
Here’s the complete lineup of performers for the Future Sound Series:
- Saturday, June 27 – Irish Millie (Celtic/Folk)
- Saturday, July 4 – Ty Wilson (Alt-Country)
- Wednesday, July 8 – Lotsy (aka Sarah Jayne Riley) (Rock N Roll)
- Saturday, July 11 – Carling Stephen (R&B/Alt-Rock/Reggae)
- Wednesday, July 15 – Joanna Bronson (Country)
- Wednesday, July 22 – Graeme Jonez (Alt-Folk)
- Saturday, July 25 – Alycia Hebert (Country)
- Wednesday, July 29 – JJ Thompson (Folk-Rock)
- Saturday, August 1 – Georgia Rose (Indie-Pop)
- Wednesday, August 5 – Jeff Biggar (Soft-Rock)
- Saturday, August 8 – James N. Wilson (Singer-Songwriter)
- Wednesday, August 12 – Vancamp (Indie-Folk)
- Saturday, August 15 – The Colton Sisters (Folk)
- Wednesday, August 19 – Jeanne Truax (Rockabilly)
As a headline sponsor of Peterborough Musicfest, kawarthaNOW is giving away VIP seats to every concert this season.
While Musicfest concerts are free to all, VIP seats are only available to festival sponsors. You are guaranteed seats near to the stage for the best view, courtesy of kawarthaNOW.
To qualify for the giveaways, sign up to kawarthaNOW’s weekly enews at kawarthanow.com/subscribe.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a headline sponsor of Peterborough Musicfest’s 2026 season.
