Taking place along the shores of beautiful Waskesiu Lake, the Waskesiu Lakeside Music Festival offers a fun weekend experience for the whole family. Get ready to dance or just to sit back and watch the entertainment and musical performances. A packed festival schedule will ensure that there is almost always something fun going on.

The festival starts on Friday, August 23rd at the Waskesiu Community Hall with a “Kick-off Cabaret” at 8:30 pm. The event is hosted by Friends of the Park and will require a cover charge.

The next day’s main festivities along the lakeshore are all completely free of charge and begin at 10 am with Indigenous Games for Kids. During the day, there will be a whole host of additional children’s activities, including a bouncy castle, face painting, Lego building, educational nature games, and more. At 11 am, make sure you catch the Indigenous Ensemble Music Showcase on the main stage.

Free live music will begin on the festival main stage at 1 pm, and performances will be taking place over the course of the entire day. Talented musical acts from a wide variety of genres are set to take the stage.

The Waskesiu Lakeside Music Festival is headlined this year by Bombargo, a high-spirited and soulful indie rock band from Saskatoon. Other musical acts that you will also get to see up on the main stage include The Steadies, Velvet Hand, Corner Grass, Lisa Moen, The Strong Sisters, The Great Fuss, and Raven Reid.

Food vendors and a beer gardens area will be set up on the festival grounds for treats and refreshments, including burgers, baked goods, ice cream, candy, and soda. Once the music has wrapped up for the day, there will be a paid after party held at Terrace Gardens until 2 am.

The final day of the Waskesiu Lakeside Music Festival will begin with an Indigenous Talent Showcase on Waskesiu Drive across from the Twin Pines Theatre. At 1 pm, you can also head to the Grey Owl Centre to enjoy some more live music. Don’t forget that the Twin Pines Theatre will be showing an 8 pm screening of the new Elton John biographical musical film Rocketman every night of the festival.

The hamlet of Waskesiu Lake is uniquely situated in the middle of Prince Albert Provincial Park, making it a top destination among outdoor enthusiasts looking to hike or explore the park’s numerous lakes and rivers. Waskesiu Lake itself is Prince Albert Provincial Park’s most developed lake, meaning you won’t even have to leave town to go for a swim or take a boat out.

Whether you stay for the whole festival or just come for a day or two, the Waskesiu Lakeside Music Festival is a great chance to get in some final relaxation time or some final adventuring before fall.