PREVIEW: CityFolk Festival Shines a Spotlight On Emerging Female Artists
PREVIEW
PREVIEW
☆ BY ELLA ASSELSTINE ☆
Photo by Anastasia Turetska
THE FINAL MUSIC FESTIVAL OF OTTAWA’S SUMMER SEASON—CityFolk Festival saves the best for last, with an electrifying lineup stacked with female singers and musicians. From Jensen McRae to Panic Shack, the five-day music event is a win for fans of a range of genres.
The open-air festival spans five days, from September 16-20, in the heart of Canada’s capital. CityFolk offers a variety of passes, making it easy to mix and match to make sure you can take in all your favourite artists. Local vendors provide the between-sets entertainment: 613flea’s Vintage Village has you covered for last-minute concert outfit selections, while you can head to Dominion City’s hangout for a beer and bean bag toss or Little Victories Coffee Roasters for an espresso martinis with the girls.
The festival starts off with a bang. Four-time Grammy-winning act Alabama Shakes takes to the stage on opening night to perform their new album “I Must Be Dreaming”—a soulful collection of psychedelic jazz- and funk-inspired songs, perfect for a cool September night.
The next four days of the festival are equally as exhilarating, featuring a slew of must-see acts that include Fine Food Market, a Montreal-based folk-pop project headed by Sophie Perras. Perras will perform tracks from her upcoming album “Alas Time Has Passed,” which will be released in November.
If country is more your scene, rising star Stella Lefty hits the stage on September 17, to play tracks from her recent debut country-pop album “Long Way Home” featuring the viral track “Boston”.
Jensen McRae comes to town for the third day of the festival, CityFolk being one of two Canadian stops on her God Has A Hitman tour. The acoustic-pop singer-songwriter is definitely an artist to watch—she opened for Brandi Carlile in August and heads out in March 2027 to open for Gracie Abrams.
To spice up things with a bit of rock, Panic Shack—a band just announced as the opening act for the first part of The Sex Pistols’ 2026 North America tour—will perform on the final day of the festival. The Welsh band is unapologetically loud, rebellious, and feminist—and a must-see for anyone looking for a good time.
Whether you want to relax with a martini and listen to some folk, or grab a beer and jump around to a punk band, CityFolk has it all. Make sure to grab a last-minute ticket before they sell out: https://cityfolkfestival.com/
