This September, Ontario's Hope Fest will aim to fill the KOI Fest-sized hole left in Kitchener-Waterloo, as something of a spiritual successor to the alternative festival that ran for eight years and wrapped in 2017.
The event features a pair of headliners who share the 519 area code, with London punks Single Mothers and hometown nu-metalcore heroes Exalt topping the bill, alongside reunions from local metalcore bands the Intake of Glass and Three Crowns.
Also joining them on the bill are Rarity, Heavy Hearts, Heart Attack Kids, Letdown, Could Shoulder, Voltang, Romancer, Goldfinch, Silver Age, Among Legends, the Essential Letdowns, the Theoretically Nameless Band and the Alpines.
Festival founder Kyle Wappler and his company Have Hope, which co-organized KOI's final edition, says he wanted to "give young artists an opportunity to play a big stage for a big crowd," noting the ending of KOI, Warped Tour and Riot Fest in Toronto as driving forces.
"Have Hope has always been about bringing great live music to the city and giving developing artists an opportunity to showcase their art," he said in a statement. "Hope Fest is an extension of this mentality, bringing some of our favourite and the best up-and-coming acts from around Ontario to our neck of the woods for one giant celebration of alternative music, art and culture."
The inaugural Hope Fest will take place September 22 at Maxwell's Concerts & Events in Waterloo. The event will also feature an acoustic stage and DJs, in addition to a pair of pre-parties.
Further festival details can be found through Hope Fest's Facebook event, while tickets (that will run you $25 in advance or $35 at the door) are available here.
The event features a pair of headliners who share the 519 area code, with London punks Single Mothers and hometown nu-metalcore heroes Exalt topping the bill, alongside reunions from local metalcore bands the Intake of Glass and Three Crowns.
Also joining them on the bill are Rarity, Heavy Hearts, Heart Attack Kids, Letdown, Could Shoulder, Voltang, Romancer, Goldfinch, Silver Age, Among Legends, the Essential Letdowns, the Theoretically Nameless Band and the Alpines.
Festival founder Kyle Wappler and his company Have Hope, which co-organized KOI's final edition, says he wanted to "give young artists an opportunity to play a big stage for a big crowd," noting the ending of KOI, Warped Tour and Riot Fest in Toronto as driving forces.
"Have Hope has always been about bringing great live music to the city and giving developing artists an opportunity to showcase their art," he said in a statement. "Hope Fest is an extension of this mentality, bringing some of our favourite and the best up-and-coming acts from around Ontario to our neck of the woods for one giant celebration of alternative music, art and culture."
The inaugural Hope Fest will take place September 22 at Maxwell's Concerts & Events in Waterloo. The event will also feature an acoustic stage and DJs, in addition to a pair of pre-parties.
Further festival details can be found through Hope Fest's Facebook event, while tickets (that will run you $25 in advance or $35 at the door) are available here.