Pleasant weather, consistent crowds add up to Bluesfest success

Ottawa Bluesfest executive and artistic director Mark Monahan at LeBreton Flats during Ottawa Bluesfest on Sunday, July 19, 2026. “Every night has been very successful,” he said as the festival wrapped up for another year. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

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In a year when festivals around the world are paring down or going under, Ottawa Bluesfest has just wrapped up one of the most successful editions in its 32-year history.

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“Every night has been very successful,” said Bluesfest CEO and co-founder Mark Monahan, giving credit to his staff of highly experienced full-timers who look after every detail of Ottawa’s biggest live-music event, and pull it off with the help of some 2,000 volunteers.

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“It looks like another great year for the team,” he added.

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Ottawa Bluesfest CEO and co-founder Mark Monahan, centre, credits the Bluesfest team for the event’s ongoing success. They were photographed at LeBreton Flats Park on July 19. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

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The main source of complaints this year was the unannounced deployment of the Canada Day fireworks on July 9, Bluesfest’s opening night. The city got complaints about the noise and disruption, while the festival got complaints from people upset at missing the show.

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Unexpected fireworks near Bluesfest on July 9. Photo by Submitted

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Otherwise, it was smooth sailing for the Bluesfest operation, with Mother Nature on their side. Except for a couple of brief but torrential downpours and a stretch of sweltering heat, the evenings were pleasant, resulting in a consistent turnout each night.

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Fans grooved to Jamaican reggae star Shaggy who performed on the RBC Stage during Bluesfest. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

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It’s no secret that Ottawans love to go to Bluesfest, but attendance surged to a new high with the Friday-night triple bill of Ella Langley, Sheryl Crow and viral sensations Angine de Poitrine on July 17. From the stage, Langley trumpeted the crowd size that night at 40,000, which may have been a bit of an exaggeration.

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Country star Ella Langley, captured here on a big screen, headlined one of Bluesfest’s biggest nights. Photo by Spencer Colby /POSTMEDIA

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“I think it was definitely one of the biggest nights we’ve ever had,” said Monahan. “We’re not publishing specific numbers, but it was over 30,000 for sure.”

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Other shows that likely went over the 30,000 mark included the nights headlined by The Lumineers, Limp Bizkit, Gwen Stefani, Cody Johnson and Hardy. Country music in particular has been a big draw at Bluesfest in recent years, pulling in fans from across the Ottawa Valley.

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Cody Johnson performed at Ottawa Bluesfest at LeBreton Flats on Thursday, July 9, 2026. Photo by Spencer Colby /Postmedia

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“It’s stronger than ever and we were lucky to get some great country headliners this year,” Monahan said. “I think people really came out for that.”

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One of the less-attended nights featured Gen-Z pop star Conan Gray, but it was a show that drew teens who had never been to Bluesfest before, including a large group of young, female fans who arrived from the United States at 3 a.m.

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The security guards let them spend the rest of the night in the VIP section, Monahan said, and rejoin the line at the main gate in the morning. “It just shows the power of social media and music tourism,” he added. “People will travel to see their favourite bands.”

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People make their way toward security during the opening night of Bluesfest at LeBreton Flats on July 9. Photo by Spencer Colby /Postmedia

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As for the site itself, crowd flow was better this year, thanks to a reconfiguration of the main plaza that shifted most of the food vendors out of the middle of the field. With the food located on the street instead, Kichi Zībī Mīkan became a lively zone where big screens and speakers ensured you could see and hear the stage, whether in line for coffee, food, beer or porta potty.