Gussapolooza Music & Arts Festival returns to the Georgian Bay Steam Show Grounds in Cookstown, Ontario on August 21–23, 2026 for its fifth annual edition. What started as a backyard gathering has grown, year after year, into one of Southern Ontario’s most distinctive independent music weekends — three days of live music, original art, and community built entirely from the ground up. 

Built by musicians, for musicians — and the community that keeps showing up for them. 48 acres of open grounds, three stages, and a lineup drawn entirely from the independent Canadian music scene. 

2026 Lineup 

Headlining Saturday night is Feral Minks — the Kitchener rock outfit who have been building serious momentum across the Canadian independent scene. Produced by Jay Emmons of The Glorious Sons, their breakout single “Matador” cracked the Top 25 on the Canadian Active Rock charts, and the band earned HTZ FM’s Rock Search title in 2024, joining a lineage that includes Finger 11, The Trews, and The Glorious Sons. Multi-year Gussapolooza alumni and the festival’s 2025 Band of the Year, the Feral Minks return to close out Saturday night and receive a gold vinyl award on stage. 

Also on the 2026 bill: Propter Hawk — the Toronto five-piece fronted by Malorie Jo Blake, whose horn-drenched rock and roll has earned features in the Toronto Star and placement on Sportsnet’s Hockey Night in Canada; Taming Sari, the bilingual Ontario-Atlantic rock outfit whose single “Crazy” hit 50,000 Spotify streams and 50,000 YouTube views within weeks of release; HARKNESS, Toronto’s psych-pop solo artist known for a commanding live presence and building a loyal following across Canada and beyond; Cabin Fever, the southwestern Ontario folk/roots trio whose single “Devil Is A Friend” was featured on Season 3 of “The Trades” on CraveTV, and whose music has landed on CBC’s Alt Country and Canadian Country playlists and drawn coverage from outlets in the UK and New Zealand. Returning to the Gussapolooza stage: The Manic Boys and Girls Club — the Toronto alt-pop/rock sibling duo whose EP was produced by Gavin Brown, the award-winning producer behind Billy Talent, Metric, and The Glorious Sons. 

The full 40+ artist lineup spans rock, country, folk, and alternative, and includes Tony Rust & the Mudhorses, The Thick, Feura, Suzi Kory, Dumb Crush, Kill/Death Radio!, Black Paint, Coco Rose, The Meringues, Joanna Bronson, The Connors Brothers, and many more. Full lineup and schedule at gussapolooza.com. 

About the Festival 

Gussapolooza is an all-ages, three-day independent music and arts festival rooted in community, creativity, and connection. Since 2022, it has created a gathering space where independent and emerging Canadian artists play to the families, music lovers, and loyal regulars who have made this weekend part of their summer. 

Programming spans three music stages — the Main Stage, Barn Stage, and Side Stage — alongside a dedicated Kids Zone, Health & Wellness Zone, Vendor Village, Creator’s Convention (an outdoor podcast and media activation space), and Artist Alley. 

New in 2026: WonderGround, an immersive art zone featuring large-scale installations. 

A Platform for Independent Canadian Music 

At a time when independent artists face shrinking venue circuits and consolidating festival rosters, Gussapolooza represents something built differently. The festival was started by a musician who wanted to create a stage worth playing — and has grown entirely on word of mouth, community investment, and a commitment to keeping the lineup independent. 

For many artists on the 2026 bill, Gussapolooza is one of their largest stages of the year — and the crowd that fills those grounds came specifically to find them. 

Festival at a Glance 

• Dates: August 21–23, 2026
• Location: Georgian Bay Steam Show Grounds, Cookstown, Ontario
• Format: All-ages, three-day outdoor music & arts festival with camping
• Stages: Main Stage, Barn Stage, Side Stage
• New in 2026: WonderGround — immersive art zone
• Tickets: Available at gussapolooza.com