Osheaga

Osheaga is a three-day music festival held at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal, Canada. Founded in 2006, it is one of Canada's largest music festivals, drawing over 45,000 attendees per day across six stages. The 2026 edition runs July 31 to August 2 with headliners Twenty One Pilots, Tate McRae and Lorde.

How Osheaga Works

Osheaga runs Friday through Sunday at Parc Jean-Drapeau, an island park in the St. Lawrence River accessible by metro from downtown Montreal. The festival operates across six stages, each with a distinct programming focus.

Key operational details:

1. Stages and Programming: The Bell River Stage hosts the biggest headliners. The Coors Light Mountain Stage features alternative and indie acts. The Coca-Cola Island Stage programs electronic and dance music. The Scotia Forest Stage showcases emerging and mid-tier artists. The belairdirect Valley Stage hosts hip-hop, R&B, and electronic acts. The Backyard Sessions SiriusXM stage features local and emerging Quebec artists.
2. Ticketing: Single-day tickets and three-day passes are sold through the Osheaga website. Tickets are available in general admission, VIP, and Backstage (VIP+) tiers. VIP includes express entry, exclusive viewing areas, VIP bars, and street food. Backstage adds dedicated fast-track entry, luxury toilets, and covered seating areas.
3. Venue and Access: Parc Jean-Drapeau is accessible via Montreal Metro (Jean-Drapeau station on the Yellow Line, one stop from Berri-UQAM). The island setting provides a self-contained festival environment with camping accommodation options available on-site.
4. Programming Mix: Osheaga is known for booking a mix of international headliners and Canadian talent. The 2026 edition includes Quebec artists like Super Plage, Moses Belanger, and Berlam alongside global acts like The xx, JID, and Yoasobi.

Real-World Example: Osheaga 2026

The 2026 edition runs July 31 to August 2. Twenty One Pilots headline Friday night on the Bell River Stage, with The Neighbourhood and Wet Leg as support. Tate McRae headlines Saturday, with The xx closing the Coors Light Mountain Stage and Amelie Lens closing the Coca-Cola Island Stage. Lorde closes the festival Sunday night on the Bell River Stage.

The Coors Light Mountain Stage features Blood Orange, The xx, and Wolf Alice on Friday. The Coca-Cola Island Stage programs Amelie Lens, Brutalismus 3000, VTSS, and Bob Moses. The Scotia Forest Stage features Geese, Yoasobi, and Max McNown. The belairdirect Valley Stage hosts JID, Billie Marten, and Jim Legxacy.

The Backyard Sessions SiriusXM stage is the most accessible entry point for independent and Quebec-based artists. It programs local emerging acts like Berlam and Lou Val, serving as a pipeline to larger stages in future editions.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

Osheaga books across multiple genres and stages, with dedicated slots for Canadian and Quebec-based artists. If you are building a following in the Canadian market, an Osheaga slot is one of the highest-profile festival bookings available. The festival's Montreal location also means your set reaches an international audience, with many attendees traveling from the northeastern United States.

The strategy for getting booked:

1. Build a strong live reputation in Montreal and Toronto. Osheaga bookers track artists selling out venues in both cities.
2. Target the Backyard Sessions SiriusXM stage first. It programs emerging Quebec and Canadian acts and serves as a pipeline to larger stages.
3. Work with a booking agent who has relationships with evenko, the festival's organizing company. Most slots are filled through agent submissions.
4. Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to track your streaming growth in the Canadian market, as festival bookers look at regional streaming data.

Read our music festival strategy guide for a deeper dive on getting booked at major festivals.

Related Resources

• Music Festivals Directory - Explore other Canadian and international festivals
• Streaming Royalty Calculator - Track streaming growth that attracts festival bookings
• Tour Revenue Calculator - Plan your North American festival tour budget
• Music Festival Strategy: Get Booked and Make It Count
• Official Osheaga Website