RBC Bluesfest launches fall festival alongside CityFolk

RBC Bluesfest is making a return to Ottawa at the end of September, to run alongside CityFolk Festival.

CityFolk will run from September 16 to 18, before Bluesfest takes over for the weekend of September 23-25.

Concert-goers will have the chance to take in a full line-up of Canadian bands and artists like Jann Arden, Tokyo Police Club, Charlotte Day Wilson, Tom Cochrane, Our Lady Peace, April Wine and the Barenaked Ladies. 

Bluesfest Coordinator Mark Monahan says each night will carry its own theme.

“Normally at our events, it's a multi-stage, multi-genre event. And that's every day,” explains Monahan. “We simplified it and said, 'Look, let's just do one genre per night, keep it simple, but try to hit a bunch of different genres.'”

CityFolk Festival will run on the same dates, featuring artists like 

Bluesfest was cancelled in July of 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19.

Tickets for this fall edition of the festival go on sale Thursday, August 26, at 10 a.m.

Attendance each night will be maxed out at 5,000 people.

For more on this year's line-up and ticket information, visit ottawabluesfest.ca.