OSHEAGA is a centrepiece moment of the best things to do in Montreal during the summer. A music festival to many and a rite of passage for others, it's a seasonal staple that brings more than 140,000 people onto Île Sainte-Hélène over one weekend for a three-day marathon of music.
This year? Lorde. Tate McRae. Twenty One Pilots. The xx. Turnstile. Three days of music and unrelenting vibes on Parc Jean-Drapeau. You either prep smart or get swallowed whole.
This guide is for first-timers and seasoned pros alike. Here's everything you need to know to survive (and maybe even enjoy) OSHEAGA 2026.
The basics: When, where, and who
The 19th edition runs July 31 to August 2, 2026, with headliners Twenty One Pilots (Friday), Tate McRae (Saturday), and Lorde (Sunday). Expect 89 artists across six stages, tens of thousands of people a day, and acts ranging from international legends to homegrown discoveries.
Gates open at 1 p.m. and music starts at 2 p.m., so pace yourself. The main stages—Bell River and Coors Light Mountain—sit side by side, while the belairdirect Valley, Scotia Forest, Coca-Cola Island (EDM central), and the SiriusXM Backyard Sessions are scattered across the park. Read on for set times below.
Ticket-wise, single-day general admission starts around $185 and three-day passes from $440, climbing through Party Deck, Casino de Montréal Gold, and Platinum tiers if you want shade, better sightlines, and shorter bar lines. One nice detail: $1 from every ticket goes to the evenko foundation to put instruments in Québec schools.
Osheaga's 2026 headliners + afterparties
In 2026, OSHEAGA has range. Twenty One Pilots close Friday on the Bell River Stage (9:05 p.m.) in their first OSHEAGA appearance since 2015. Tate McRae takes Saturday night (9:20 p.m.)—her only Canadian festival date of the year, no less. And Lorde wraps the whole thing Sunday (9 p.m.), her third Osheaga after 2014 and 2017.
Around them? The xx return for their first shows since 2018, Major Lazer are back on the road for the first time since 2019, and Empire of the Sun make their long-overdue Montreal debut. Add Turnstile, Gunna, Clipse, Kehlani, JID, Little Simz, Zara Larsson, Franz Ferdinand, Wet Leg, Viagra Boys, Sombr, Geese, YOASOBI, and—yes—Finn Wolfhard's band, and you've got a lineup that spans pop, indie, rap, hardcore, R&B, and electronic.
If you like a map with your music: the Bell River Stage carries the headliners plus The Neighbourhood, Mt. Joy, Zara Larsson, and Mother Mother. Coors Light Mountain leans pop and rap with Kehlani, The xx, Sombr, Gunna, and Clipse. The belairdirect Valley is your spot for JID, Turnstile, and Subtronics. Scotia Forest brings Geese, Empire of the Sun, Major Lazer, and Franz Ferdinand. The Coca-Cola Island is DJ country—Amélie Lens, KETTAMA, VTSS, and HorsegiirL—and the SiriusXM Backyard Sessions is where you'll catch Canadian talent up close, like Billie du Page, Lou Val, Virginie B, and Tia Wood.
Download the app (Google Play or the App Store) to build a schedule and avoid those "wait, they're on now?!" moments. Don't sleep on the undercard, either; some of OSHEAGA's best moments aren't headliners, but the random sets you stumble into.
As for afterparties? OSHEAGA nights don't end at 11. This year's official OSHEAGA After runs at MTELUS and New City Gas, with a free option thrown in:
- Friday, July 31: Bob Moses (club set) at MTELUS, 11 p.m.; VTSS at New City Gas, 10 p.m.
- Saturday, Aug 1: Odd Mob at MTELUS, 11 p.m.; Lavern at New City Gas, 10 p.m.; Mike Clay & DJ BeerWolf at Riverside, 10 p.m. (free)
- Sunday, Aug 2: Diplo at MTELUS, 10:30 p.m.; Drama (DJ set) at New City Gas, 10 p.m.
How to get to OSHEAGA (and back)
Take the metro.
The Yellow Line gets you directly to Jean-Drapeau station. Bixi stations and limited parking exist, but trust that transit is your best friend. The STM's Unlimited OSHEAGA Pass ($20.50) covers the bus, métro, and train networks across all zones from 5 a.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday—grab one at any métro station in the days before the festival. If you're in town longer, the regular Unlimited Weekend pass works too.
Leaving the festival? Unless you want to deal with a crowd of 10,000 people trying to funnel into one metro stop, leave before the headliner encore or prep for a long wait. Alternatively, walk across the Concordia Bridge for an unbeatable skyline view and less chaos.
Keep reading “Your OSHEAGA 2026 Survival Guide to the Lineup, Logistics, and Late Nights”
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