Simple Plan and Smash Mouth are set to headline the 2026 Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival, which runs September 2 to 6 in Gatineau. The five-night event pairs its usual balloon launches with a nightly run of concerts, with the first wave of artists now confirmed.
Simple Plan will play Friday, September 4. The Montreal band has spent more than 20 years on the road and still draws a crowd here, especially when those early songs come out. Tracks like I’m Just a Kid, Welcome to My Life, and Summer Paradise have never really left rotation, and they tend to land the same way live, loud and immediate.
Smash Mouth headlines Thursday, September 3, bringing a set built around All Star, Walkin’ on the Sun, and I’m a Believer. The band is also touring with new material expected in 2026, adding a current thread to a catalogue most people already know by heart.
Opening night on Wednesday, September 2 goes to Quebec country artist Matt Lang, whose audience has grown steadily through touring and radio play. DJ Mike Demero is also on the bill Friday ahead of Simple Plan, shifting the energy toward a more electronic set before the guitars take over again.
The concerts sit alongside the festival’s core programming, which still revolves around the balloon launches. Evening flights are scheduled around 6:30 pm from Wednesday through Sunday, with morning launches starting Thursday, weather permitting. The Night Glow returns each evening, lighting up the site before the fireworks close things out.
A midway setup will run throughout the week, filling in the space between shows and launches. More artists are expected to be announced as the full schedule comes together.
Five-day passes are on sale now starting at $69.99 plus fees, with prices increasing in stages as each batch sells out.
Fans are encouraged to buy early to secure the best rate at fmg2026.ca.
