Hillside Festival sold out for first time in 14 years

Hillside Festival in Guelph on July 20, 2025. (Hannah Schmidt/CTV News)

For the first time in 14 years, Guelph’s Hillside Festival has sold out.

The three-day event at Guelph Lake Island features music across three stages, dancing, drumming, food and crafts. It’s also billed as “one of Canada’s most progressive, environmentally conscious, non-commercial community celebrations.”

The festival’s lineup this year includes Cowboy Junkies, Mae Martin, Stars and more.

The festival’s sold-out status may be linked to one specific act.

Angine de Poitrine will be taking the stage, just weeks after bringing in a record-breaking crowd at the Montreal Jazz Festival.

Hundreds of thousands of people packed downtown streets to watch the masked Quebec duo perform. Organizers of that event said it was a feat the city had not seen since Stevie Wonder’s appearance in 2009.

The music of Angine de Poitrine has been described as microtonal or math rock.

The pair are also riding high on the success of their sophomore album Vol. II, which is a finalist for this year’s Polaris Music Prize.

Hillside Festival

Hillside Festival runs from July 17 to July 19, marking the 43rd year of the homegrown concert series.

Tickets are sold out for all three days, including weekend passes.

Organizers said tickets will not be available for purchase at the gate.

“This sellout is an incredible milestone for Hillside,” Kate Johnston, the festival’s executive director, said in a media release. “After more than a decade, to once again see every ticket claimed before the festival begins is a testament to the passion of our community, the strength of this year’s lineup, and the dedication of the hundreds of volunteers, staff, artists and supporters who make Hillside possible. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome everyone to the island this weekend.”

More information on this year’s festival can be found here.