As one of the country's top heavy-hitting summer festivals, it's no surprise that this year's Festival d'été de Québec lineup boats the names of myriad national treasures — like Shania Twain, Avril Lavigne, Glass Tiger and Simple Plan — and global superstars alike, from the internet's newest crotch-grabbing, backflipping sensation Benson Boone to civil servant Sir Rod Stewart.
It goes without saying, then, that FEQ certainly has something for everyone. Running from July 3 to 13 in Quebec City's Plains of Abraham, here are just five selections from the massive array of acts that we've deemed to be unmissable at the 2025 edition. Tickets are on sale here.
April Wine
Who amongst us is immune to nostalgia? If you think you are, you're wrong! It's going to be a wonderful time to fall (back) in love with some twinkling CanCon classics as the East Coast classic rock staples hit the Bell Stage.
Corridor
We here at Exclaim! really loved the Corridor album (the disgruntled cat artwork certainly didn't hurt its case) that came out last year, Mimi. Post-punk and psych pop merge seamlessly with electronic flourishes for a rollicking sound that feels unpredictable yet never beyond grasp.
Men I Trust
If the Montreal DIY trio weren't world-renowned before, they certainly are now that the lounge-y bass groove of "Show Me How" is popping up all over everyone's TikTok For You pages. They're having a particularly prolific year between last month's release of Equus Asinus and the forthcoming Equus Caballus, so this is your chance to see a homegrown indie institution at the top of their game.
Katie Tupper
The hype for the Saskatoon native's honey-sweet brand of neo-soul has been growing since 2021, and her songs just keep getting better. Look no further than sultry latest single "Original Thoughts" and its irresistible bounce below sky-written lines: "Never heard a word from God / Must speak through you."
Remi Wolf
It's impossible to have a bad time when you're listening to Remi Wolf. This much has been scientifically proven, and if you're feeling experimental, there's probably also no better way to embody the carefree spirit of summertime than moving your hips from left to right to her funky pop jams.