Experiences
Boots and Hearts: A Canadian Summer Music Festival Under the Stars
Celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2026, the Boots and Hearts Music Festival has grown into Canada's largest country music and camping festival. For many travellers, though, it's the road trip, the campsite and the sense of community that turn one summer weekend into an annual tradition.
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All images courtesy of Boots and Hearts Music Festival
The best summer road trips rarely start with a destination. They start with a cooler in the trunk, a playlist everyone has an opinion on and a group chat that's finally become a plan.
Every August, thousands of Canadians make that drive north through Ontario, trading busy highways for quieter country roads as they head toward Boots and Hearts at Burl's Creek Event Grounds in Oro-Medonte. Some are there for a favourite artist. Others are curious about the festival friends have been talking about for years.
By the time the weekend is over, the stories people take home usually have very little to do with set lists.
Celebrating its 15th anniversary from August 7 to 9, Boots and Hearts has become Canada's largest country music and camping festival. That's an impressive milestone, but it doesn't fully explain why people keep returning. The draw isn't just the lineup. It's the feeling of stepping away from everyday routines for a few days, sleeping under the stars, discovering new music and settling into a tradition that many begin planning again before this year's tents have even come down.
THE JOURNEY IS PART OF THE EXPERIENCE
The journey is part of the appeal. The drive north gradually trades traffic for rolling farmland and quieter roads as Ontario cottage country begins to unfold around you. Camp chairs appear beneath pop-up canopies and music drifts across the grounds long before the first headliner walks on stage. It doesn't take long to settle into the rhythm of the weekend.
Unlike an arena show, nobody seems to be in a hurry. Campsites fill throughout the afternoon. For three days, a stretch of farmland becomes a small town with its own rhythm.
Neighbours introduce themselves. Someone lends a mallet to help pitch a tent. A group of campers from Calgary swaps road trip recommendations with a couple from Michigan and a family from just down the road in Barrie. Before long, complete strangers are chatting as though they've been camping beside each other for years.
It all unfolds against one of the strongest country music lineups in North America. This year's headliners include Jonas Brothers, The Chicks and Rascal Flatts, joined by Russell Dickerson, Jessie Murph, Tucker Wetmore, Sam Barber, Dasha, Brett Kissel, James Barker Band and dozens more artists performing across multiple stages. Explore the official 2026 artist lineup.
The music is the reason many people make the trip. Everything around it is what gives the weekend its character.
There's no single way to experience Boots and Hearts, either. Some visitors come for the day with a General Admission pass, while others settle into the campground for the entire weekend. Those looking for a few extra comforts can choose from several VIP experiences, which include dedicated viewing areas, private entrances and access to the SiriusXM Barn, where intimate artist interviews and acoustic performances offer a very different atmosphere from the main stage. New for 2026, Daisy Duke's Deck VIP+ gives groups of four a reserved viewing table overlooking the Main Stage, complete with dedicated food and beverage service and other premium touches.
DISCOVERING CANADA'S NEXT COUNTRY STARS
Not every memorable performance happens on the main stage.
One of the pleasures of arriving early is wandering toward a smaller stage without knowing much about the artist who's about to perform. Sometimes that's where the weekend's biggest surprise is waiting.
That's the thinking behind the Boots and Hearts Emerging Artist Showcase, one of Canada's most respected launchpads for new country music talent. Since 2012, the program has helped introduce audiences to performers including James Barker Band, Josh Ross, Jade Eagleson, Owen Riegling and Robyn Ottolini long before they became some of the biggest names on Canadian country playlists.
For festival-goers, it's one of the most rewarding parts of the weekend. Sometimes the performance you'll remember most isn't the one printed in the largest type on the schedule. It's the artist you happened to wander over to see, then found yourself listening to all the way home.
WHY PEOPLE COME BACK YEAR AFTER YEAR
By Saturday morning, the campsites have taken on a life of their own. Coffee is brewing, breakfast is on the barbecue and conversations pick up right where they left off the night before.
It's that sense of community that has helped turn Boots and Hearts into a Canadian summer tradition. Still Canadian owned and independently operated, Boots and Hearts continues to champion emerging Canadian artists while supporting local organizations through initiatives like the annual Boots and Hearts Barn Burner charity hockey game.
A few days later, the tent has been packed away and the cooler is back in the garage. The songs that soundtracked the weekend are now part of the everyday playlist. Before long, someone sends a message to the group chat.
βSame time next year?β
PLAN YOUR VISIT
When: August 7 to 9, 2026
Stay: On-site tent and RV camping are part of the signature Boots and Hearts experience. Nearby Barrie and Orillia also offer a wide range of accommodation options.
Where: Burl's Creek Event Grounds
Festival information: Official festival website
Lineup: 2026 artist lineup
Camping: Camping information
Tickets: Ticketmaster Canada
Go Canada Staff
Editorial
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