By Will McGuirk

Oh I cannot wait for those heady heavy days of summer and nights at Hillside cool breeze blowing and this year the sleepy sounds of Cowboy Junkies - the slide, the glide, the ride, - a Hillside lullaby - oh man can you imagine, and is that not just what we need - a gentle envelope of a hug. Hillside runs July 17-19 2026 on Hillside Festival takes place on Guelph Lake Island in Guelph Lake Conservation Area, on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and Neutral peoples.

Along with Cowboy Junkies the line-up this year includes Mad Professor, Matt Mays, Stars, Mar Martin recently off hosting the Junos, Charlotte Cornfield, Donovan Woods. Housewife, Piqsig, plus a gathering of global artists including Elida Almeida of Cape Verde and Fulu Miziki of the Democratic Republic of Congo, plus obv so many many more rad, interesting, exciting, challenging, entertaining artists. Like you just have to go. I had to miss last year due to health issues but thems the only thing that would stop me from the highlight of the summer, Hillside!!

Early bird tickets close Mar 31 so git on it but if not believe me its all so well worth it all.