Tag Archives: Gussapolooza 2026

LISTEN: Shoemaker Levee Soars into the Stratosphere with ‘Flying’

Posted on by Leave a comment

It’s the peak of the summer, and it’s just about time to venture out of our cozy confines of the Creator Lab and go on an adventure.

We’re looking forward to the road ahead which, of course, includes a trip up to Cookstown, ON for this year’s Gussapolooza Music Festival. It takes place from Aug. 21-23 at the Georgian Bay Steam Show Grounds, and it features three days of music, art, food, camping, and community. You should do more than think about joining us, and grab your passes here.

This will be our third year in attendance. In that time, one of the artists we’ve become acquainted with is a band by the name of Shoemaker Levee. The former Gussapolooza headliners have been making a splash around Greater Toronto for quite some time, performing at a who’s who list of legendary downtown venues including El Mocambo, Supermarket, The Reverb, The Opera House, The Horseshoe Tavern, Lee’s Palace and the Rivoli.

While we were tending to the ranch here in Nashville this spring, the guys were getting busy releasing new music. Their latest single, “Flying” (released May 1), is as bright and breezy as the Ontario countryside during the golden hour, complete with warm acoustic guitar tones, a soaring melody, and lush vocal harmonies. It’s the perfect song to listen to on a long summer’s drive, as you leave the world’s chaos in the rearview in favor of the precious here and now.

Wherever you’re “Flying” to this summer, keep this one on your playlist!

Gussapolooza Reveals Full 2026 Lineup

Posted on by Leave a comment

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

Vote Now to Shape This Year’s Gussapolooza Lineup!

Posted on by Leave a comment

While we’re on the topic of exciting, community-based August music festivals, we’ll also be taking our third trip up to Ontario for Gussapolooza, the three-day extravaganza featuring some of the best up-and-coming talent from across Canada — and the globe!

Our friends up there have received so many submissions this year that they need a little bit of help sorting through them. That’s where you come in!

Introducing Sound Check, a chance to discover new artists and help shape the Gussapolooza 2026 lineup. Every few days, they will be unveiling a new genre category with a fresh batch of artists from around the world. Your job is to head over here, listen, and vote for the artists that you want to see perform at Gussapolooza. The artists with the most fan support move forward in the selection process.

Want your vote to go even further? You can access 3x voting power by purchasing a Gussapolooza Insider Pass. The Insider Pass costs only $25 CAD, lasts throughout the 2026 Gussapolooza season, and includes even more perks, including giveaways, exclusives, and more.

It’s all in the name of creativity and community, as Gussapolooza comes our way August 21-23 at the Georgian Bay Steam Show Grounds in Cookstown, Ontario. Get those tickets here!

Want to Play Gussapolooza 2026? It’s Your Last Chance!

Posted on by Leave a comment

Pictured: You, possibly.

You already know that we’re planning to make a return trip to the beautiful Canadian province of Ontario for this year’s Gussapolooza. Canada’s premier indie music festival will take place this year August 21-23 at the Georgian Bay Steam Show Grounds in Cookstown, just an hour or so north of Toronto. Three days of camping, community, arts, culture, and incredible live music will ensue.

About that “incredible live music” part: you still have a chance to be a part of this year’s Gussapolooza lineup — but only if you apply by this Saturday, January 31 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

After that, submissions will be closed, and the festival braintrust will begin crafting this year’s lineup. If you want to be a part of the magic with us and the whole Gussapolooza family, we encourage you to apply here!