This summer, Sappyfest is returning to the tiny town of Sackville, NB to commemorate its 20th year of being a vibrant hub in the East Coast music and arts scene. From August 1 to 3, the festival will host an outstanding lineup of Canadian acts, ranging from renowned Grammy nominees to notable up-and-comers. As the festival proudly celebrates creativity in many forms, other enticing performances will include a literary reading and a puppet show.
Between performances, festivalgoers can check out Sappyfest's Street Market, which will take over Bridge Street for the duration of the weekend, as well as a zine fair, which will pop up for one day only on August 2.
Tickets for the festival are available here. Below, check out Exclaim!'s five must-see acts headed to the East Coast this August.
The Burning Hell and Shotgun Jimmie
Ariel Sharratt, Mathias Kom, Shotgun Jimmie, and their robot drummer Pepper are generously time travelling back from the year 2072 to make their appearance at Sappyfest 2025. The garage rockers from the future will be performing tracks from last year's collaborative Hardly Working EP, which offers up a playful and observational study of 21st-century work culture.
Ghostkeeper
The Calgary-based experimental pop-rock band's most recent release — last year's album Cîpayak Joy — masterfully blends pop, trap, and psychedelic influences with an awe-inspiring and haunting effect.
Lido Pimienta
The Colombian-Canadian musician's third record La Belleza arrived May 16, and it's a stunning follow-up to 2020's Grammy-nominated Miss Colombia. Her commanding vocals flirt with ambitious choral and orchestral arrangements, producing a transportive journey into the world of an artist who knows exactly what she wants to accomplish.
TEKE::TEKE
The Montreal band's epic psych-rock sound recently landed them a spot composing for the Assassin's Creed Shadows game soundtrack, with Kage No Iro released in March this year. You won't want to miss the opportunity to experience this group's magnetic energy during their performance at Sappyfest.
Bry Webb
If you found yourself disappointed after the Constantines frontman had to cancel his solo performance at Sappyfest last year, you're in for a treat this time around. The folk singer-songwriter will be making up for lost time with this year's triumphant return to the festival.