CityFolk 2026: Where it is, who's playing and how to get there

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Or, to arrive by bicycle, you can travel along the Rideau River pathway and lock up at an outdoor rack at the RA Centre.

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What’s not so great about the site?

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It’s not a grand destination like Lansdowne Park with countless shops, bars and restaurants within a stone’s throw. As mentioned, it is close to Billings Bridge Shopping Centre, but the mall closes by 8 p.m.; the Walmart Superstore by 10 p.m.

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It’s also possible that traffic may be an issue. During previous events at the RA Centre, such as Escapade, the traffic on nearby streets was congested, and rideshares only added to the chaos. In that case, consider biking or taking public transit.

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What else is happening at CityFolk this year?

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In addition to the two stages (one in a tent), Monahan said other “activations” are planned, including the festival’s first Vintage Village, presented in collaboration with 613Flea, the popular Lansdowne Park biweekly vintage market. The CityFolk version runs from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. each night.

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Returning to the festival is the Thirsty Dog, a British-style pub that was created last year to salute the British acts on the program and show off some vintage Ottawa bar fixtures. The  on-site watering hole will serve draft beer and mixed drinks.

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Third Eye Blind will take the stage at CityFolk 2026 on Sept. 18. Photo by Michelle Berg /Postmedia

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Who’s playing the TD Main Stage at CityFolk 2026?

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Sept 16: Alabama Shakes; Marcus King Band; Steph Strings

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Sept. 17: Cameron Whitcomb; Stella Lefty; Sam Drysdale

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Sept. 18: Third Eye Blind; Switchfoot; The New Hires.

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Sept. 19: Of Monsters and Men; Angus & Julia Stone; Ken Presse.

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Sept. 20: Alice Cooper; Sex Pistols (with Steve Jones, Paul Cook, Glen Matlock and featuring Frank Carter); Bad Nerves.

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Where’s the folk at CityFolk?

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While there are a handful of folk acts, including singer-songwriter Stella Lefty and Australian phenom Steph Strings, among the rockers on the TD Main Stage, most of the folkier fare can be found on the Westside secondary stage.

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Here’s a selection of daily highlights:

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Sept. 16: Cape Breton fiddler Ashley MacIsaac, 7:50 p.m.

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Sept. 17: Deep-voiced, dark folk singer-songwriter The White Buffalo, 7:45 p.m.

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Sept. 18: California’s emotional folk songstress Jensen McRae, 7:45 p.m.

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Sept. 19: Canadian multi-instrumentalist and folk traditionalist Teilhard Frost, 6:30 p.m.

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Sept. 20: Modern folk troubadour Amigo the Devil, 7:45 p.m.

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Remind me: What happened to the Ottawa Folk Festival?

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Founded in 1994, the Ottawa Folk Festival was facing a significant budgetary shortfall when it was bailed out by the Bluesfest team in 2010. The following year, they moved the event from its longtime home at Britannia Park to a new site at Hog’s Back Park, where it stayed for four years. The Great Lawn at Lansdowne Park became available in 2015, and the festival moved to the Glebe. With the shift to Centretown, organizers changed the event’s name to CityFolk.

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Lynn Saxberg is the arts reporter at the Ottawa Citizen. For years she has been covering music festivals like Bluesfest, performances at the National Arts Centre and Canadian Tire Centre, as well as art exhibitions, comedy shows, the club scene and more. Sign up to receive weekly updates from Lynn Saxberg.

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