DevFest will return to Cornwall, Ontario on June 26 and 27 with The Strumbellas and The Trews set as co-headliners, expanding its second edition into a two-day event on the grounds of the DEV Hotel and Conference Centre.
The festival runs on a 70-acre waterfront property along the St. Lawrence River, about an hour from Montreal. Organizers are building the weekend around a smaller-capacity format, with hotel rooms, indoor spaces, and on-site amenities positioned as part of the experience rather than an add-on. The model avoids camping and large-scale crowd density, keeping attendance closer to a few thousand.
Saturday’s mainstage will include sets from Luscious, The County Lads, and Harry Lee Follen, alongside the headliners. Friday opens with a regional showcase led by Angelique Francis Band, Chambers Deslaurier, and the Trevor Walsh Group, tying the lineup to local acts from Eastern Ontario.
The shift to a two-day schedule follows a 2025 debut that featured 54-40 and drew early interest from attendees looking for a lower-pressure alternative to major summer festivals. Organizers have expanded capacity slightly for 2026 while keeping the layout centred around proximity, with stages, accommodation, and facilities within walking distance.
Ticketing reflects that scale. Two-day passes are priced at $64.95, with single-day options available, while VIP packages include food, beverages, and a dedicated viewing area. On-site hotel rooms start at $179 per night, reinforcing the festival’s positioning as a stay-over event rather than a day trip.
The timing places DevFest the weekend before Canada Day, a slot typically dominated by larger urban festivals. For Montreal audiences, the appeal is logistical as much as musical, a short drive, a contained site, and a schedule that avoids the usual congestion of the season.
With early-bird tickets and a significant portion of VIP passes already sold ahead of the full announcement, the event is entering its second year with demand in place.
