Spring and summer is music festival season in the greater Kingston area. From grassroots community fairs, like Skeleton Park Arts Festival, to multi-day dance campouts, like the Cloud 9 Festival of Electronic Music & Eco-Art, the abundance of live music experiences in or near Kingston during warmer months offers something for everyone.

Kingston music festivals are also where local bands and artists can win new fans by performing on larger stages to bigger audiences. Case in point: The Wilderness. This Kingston band built their local reputation performing at Kingston music festivals; a reputation they've expanded across Canada and even south of the border.

Following their recent performance opening for The Trews at The Grandstand (web link), and ahead of their July 22, 2023 performance at Howe Island Rockin' the Rock (web link), we asked members of The Wilderness (web link) to name their favourite Kingston music festivals. Here's their picks…

Nick Lennox: Limestone City Blues Festival web link

Limestone City Blues Festival is a great opportunity to hear some really killer players close to home. The festival often features a lot of local musicians, and Kingston has some real talent to boast in the funk/jazz/blues realm. Henry and I happen to be performing at this year's Limestone city Blues Festival as Fakejazz Orchestra, so we'll see you there!

Max Tinline: Back To The Farm web link

Every summer at the MacKinnon Bros. brewery, this day is ultra-dialled! There’s thousands of people, and really good beer and music, and the vibe is unmatched. It’s one of those days where you get there early in the morning and just send it all day long while listening to Canadian rock bands. 10/10

Jonas Lewis-Anthony: Spring Reverb web link

On top of being one of the most exciting music festivals in Kingston, Spring Reverb is a really great opportunity for Kingston to showcase the kind of talent and professionalism that exists within the Kingston music scene, and the talent and professionalism that we can attract. It was an honour to be involved, and a really informative experience for us!

Karl Tombak: Blue Skies Music Festival web link

For a 100% volunteer-run festival, Blue Skies really knocks it out of the park! And the fact that it’s been happening for 50 years is really incredible!

Liam Neale: Skeleton Park Arts Festival web link

It's like a big party for the artistic community. With killer live music, workshops, and art displays, Skeleton Park Arts Festival really is the best place to see how creative Kingston can really get! Definitely not one you want to miss!

Hank Lawrence: HomeGrown Live Music Festival web link

No other music festival in Kingston does a better job showcasing the breadth and depth of Kingston musical talent than the annual HomeGrown Live Music Festival. I'd bet that any band or artist who's called Kingston home at some point has performed as part of HomeGrown Live. For many new bands, HomeGrown Live is their first real gig in front of a decent audience. The best part is, the entire festival is a fundraiser for Joe's Musical Instrument Lending Library in Kingston (web link), which loans gear to professional and amateur musicians alike – it's an essential pillar of our music community here in Kingston.

Photo credit: Kris Dunford Posted: Jul 19, 2023 Originally Published: Jul 19, 2023