The lineup for Rotaryfest's music stages started rolling out on their website earlier this week! While we await the Saturday lineup on Stage 2, the full lineup of bands on the main covers-centric Stage 1 at Clergue Park is now viewable at this link, and if you're curious, an expanded lineup of EDM artists are scheduled at the Downtown Plaza on the Friday for the returning Stage 3. Today's post will focus on the main stage action, back at the familiar pop-up blue & yellow stage beside the Centennial Library, marking 25 years since the modern format for Stage 1 debuted in 2001. 20 bands will take part on Stage 1 once again, half being returnees from last year, though historically speaking, this is a much different lineup than what is common. Only one band this year has played Stage 1 five+ times in the past, and this is the first ever Rotaryfest with this format without either Mustang Heart or The Northern Jazz Ensemble.
The Thursday, July 16th lineup is devoid of hard rock acts, and will be headlined by classic rock veterans Encore at 9:30 PM in their fifth Stage 1 set, with pop rock cover quartet Lime co-headlining at 8:00 PM in their third straight year and fifth since 2019. Local yacht rock cover band The Lock City Rollers will return from debuting last year at 7:00 PM, while the only newcomers on Thursday are debuting local country/southern rock band The Range Lights (who I know little about) at 6:00 PM.
Heavier acts will play on the other two days, but on July 17th, the Friday lineup will feature a touring headliner for just the second time, namely North Bay classic rock quintet Just Press Play at 10:20 PM in their local debut. Long-time Rotaryfest sound tech Dan Belanger will reportedly guest with them that night, as you may have seen him do with That's Chester and Obsession in the past decade. Co-headlining that night are classic/hard rock cover quintet Headrush (last year's Saturday closers) at 9:00 PM, so if you want some heavier covers, they'll be the likely best bet that day! Classic rock trio and 2023 Stage 1 performers The Sidekicks will return to Rotaryfest in the 8:00 PM timeslot, while after playing Stage 1 the last three years with country band The Way Backs, members Jeffrey Wright & Meggy Lee will take the stage for a pared down duo set at 7:00 PM. 2025 newcomers The online page-less Jazz Cats will bring their complex stylings back at 6:00 PM.
Kicking things off on Friday the 17th are newer local Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute quartet Mellowship Slinky, who have been making solid noise in the Soo over the past year, and there are hard rock-leaning early Peppers songs to draw from, so don't miss their Rotaryfest debut at 5:00 PM!
As for the closing day's program on Saturday, July 18th, two tribute bands will close the 10 band program, with this year's featured touring band being London-based Led Zeppelin tribute band Zed! Long-time fans may recall seeing a different Southern Ontario-based Zeppelin tribute here in 2014 (Michael White & The White), and while part of me is surprised that Mothership have never been booked on Stage 1 given who their singer is, Zed deliver the goods for fans of Led Zeppelin's hard rock classics of the late 1960s and 1970s! Their set is slated for 8:30 PM, while local Tragically Hip tribute band The Luxury will close out the festival for 2026 at 10:30 PM, after previously debuting at Rotary in 2024. This is a key timeslot, so kudos to this local supergroup for getting the honours! Alternative/punk cover sextet BookcluB will continue their march up the Saturday schedule with a 7:00 PM set in their fourth straight year on Stage 1 and first with Carmen Muto on guitar.
The 6:00 PM band this year are classic rock cover veterans Mid Life Crysis in their first Stage 1 set since 2022, but tenth total since debuting here in 2006, making them this year's Rotaryfest iron men (and woman). Fellow local classic rockers RPM will play Rotaryfest for the fifth straight year and sixth total at 5:00 PM, while Spyder's Web's Mark Allemang & Encore's Janet Brown (half of Abba Soo) will play as their new 1970s classic rock duo Just J&M on Stage 1 at 4:00 PM. Pop rock cover quintet Bourbon Blue will return to Rotaryfest for a second straight year at 3:00 PM, while Superior Heights Collegiate student rock band Steel Rock are back on Stage 1 for a third straight year at 2:00 PM. New local multi-genre classic rock band Hush (who I know as little about as I do The Range Lights) will debut on Stage 1 at 1:00 PM, and blues rock veterans Rusty McCarthy & The Soft Parade will kick things off at 12:00 PM after debuting at Rotaryfest in the rain last year.
Other notable recent bands to not return to Stage 1 in 2026 include Flathead Ford, Generations, The Rhythm Junction, and Silent 9, but there's a good array of newer and established faces, especially if you've complained about them allegedly booking the same bands year after year! Of course, hopefully the weather cooperates in five weeks. All days' music programs at Rotaryfest are FREE & ALL AGES, and be sure to visit the official website for full non-musical details, plus the eventual reveal of the Saturday schedule on Stage 2. See above for more on what to look for next month! Thanks everyone!
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