We made it down to Murphys Wharft, where our whale watching tour was to begin. My hangover was consuming me. I told Justin, my roommate, that chances were good that I was going to upchuck on a whale, or possibly a small child. He gave me one last way out, “You don’t have to do this man”. I lifted my face out of my hands, “Yes Justin, I must!”

We all boarded Murphys Tour boat, a collosal looking thing with chairs lining the outer-upper deck and theatre-esque seating in the main cabin. I found a sweet looking seat right beside the edge of the starboard side of our tour boat. If I was going to be sick, I didn’t want to be running for a garbage or bathroom. Plus the fresh air distracted me from how many shots of whiskey I shouldn’t have partook in.

The tour boat set off toward the sea while the tour guides gave us an in-depth history lesson on Point Pleasant Park, Pier 21, and the Halifax Harbour. I took in as much as I could under the circumstances. That is, until one of the Murphys Tour Guides mentioned on the P.A system that there was a bar in the cabin. My guts said no, but my logic said yes. The only way to cure (or at least delay) this hangover was to drink through it. Hair of the dog. Thankfully, Justin and his old man were happy to join me for beers.

My thoughts were finally tuning into the beauty of Halifax’s harbor. The second largest in North American, next to New Yorks. As of yet, we hadn’t seen much in terms of wildlife, aside from some seabirds. The history lessons continued, when finally some harbor seals swam by far enough away to look indistinguishable from some of the waves. The Murphys tour guides informed everyone on boat that they were going to pull a lobster trap out to let us touch (and annoy) some crustaceans.

As they hauled up the heavy looking wooden box, I had to laugh a bit. It was almost empty. There were a few little guys in there, along with some stone crabs and a very pissed off fish. This was by all means nothing like “The Deadliest Catch”. Thankfully, Murphys Gang had a backup plan, they ran to their tank in the cabin and pulled out their domesticated lobster and crab to let the kids (and me) hold. We grabbed a second round of beers and took our seats to enjoy the sun as it faught its way through the clouds. My hangover would come back every so often, or maybe it was seasickeness. Regardless, I held strong.

We’d been on the boat almost an hour with still no sight of whales. I was beginning to think we might be the unlucky group of the day when suddenly crowds of children and a few eager photographers ran to the port side of the ship to see something. The Murphys Whale Watching crew announced that they’d found a Minke Whale, but warned we might not see it for a bit as it looked like it was diving. I figured I should get up to see if I could see anything. Then on the starboard side two more whales surfaced, where they proceeded to show off a bit. One minke whale waved its tail as it dove deeper, while the other was just surfacing.

After watching for 15 to 20 minutes, one last whale, or possibly the first one, surfaced again on the port side. Unfortunately, unless you have a telescopic lens with a trigger finger and some serious high shutter speed, you may have a heckuva time catching any pictures of whales. As you can see, I didn’t. But I think that’s what a lot of people seem to forget. Its a Whale Watching Tour, not a Whale Photo Shoot. After realizing I wasn’t going to be able to get much of a shot, I put the camera away for a while, and just watched the whales. Its incredible how much faster the human eye is than the camera.

The Whale watching tour finished with some bird feeding and a few more historical stories, including the famous Halifax Explosion. As I snapped a few last photos of the Halifas Skyline, I realized my hangover was gone. Then I got off the boat and realized I was perhaps a bit dunk. “Hair of the dog, you’ve done it again!” And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you go whale watching hungover!

A Smoky Morning

The boys and I dragged our feet and collapsed off the dock into the boat. Still too tired to function. The old man had a childish smile on his face as he gave the pull-start a yank and let the engine purr back to life. The boat was going in a north-easterly direction, headed towards an area we skipped the day prior. I looked towards the horizon, and commented on how smoky it looked up that ways. One of the boys mentioned that ‘Smoky the Bear’ must be slacking off. We chuckled and continued driving ahead. We had heard reports of forest fires getting pretty nasty way up North but that we were in the clear. Good thing too, as we had some fish to catch.

Trolling, Trolling, Trolling, Rawhide

We started the morning off with some serious trolling, which for you non-fishermen, is when you drag your lines through the water while the boat is gently moving through the waters. You cover more territory this way, and have to cast less, the perfect type of fishing while recovering from a mild hangover. We trolled for maybe 15 minutes when the fish woke up. We began pulling out fish after fish, finding the occasional hot spot where we’d stop for some casting. The fish were practically jumping in our boat. And who could blame them, we had cold beer, a full bag of Sunflower seeds, and a great sense of humour.

Underwater wishes and northern pike fishes

My underwater camera proved useful for fishing. Whenever we’d get a bite, someone would reach for the camera and try to snap a picture or video of the whole event, and if possible, a picture of the battle underwater. We were lucky to get a few good shots. However I should give props to the clear waters up North too. Most of the fishing done in lakes elsewhere would be way too murky to grab a photo of anything but algae.

Lake McLennan Waterfalls

Vince and Tamara, the owners and operators of Bears Camp, mentioned that there were waterfalls nearby. Saskatchewan Waterfalls just has the ring of an oxymoron. But we went along with it, expecting to find some sign laughing at us, or maybe just a small drainage pipe from a nearby cabin. After tripping over a couple of fallen trees, we heard the hiss of water falling and the recognizable splash caused by waterfalls. Holy crap, they weren’t kidding. They’re no Niagra Falls, but this is is photographic proof that Saskatchewan is not flat. Well, not completely.

She’s Gonna Be Cold

We made our way back onto the lake and caught some more fish, had a couple laughs as a few got away. My hangover was just about gone. Knowing perfectly well that cold water almost instantly cures hangovers, I notioned to a nearby crop of rocks. “It’s time”, I told my Dad. He laughed and pulled into a bay where some rocks dropped off into about 12 feet of water. I climbed out of the boat gently and watched as my brothers followed behind. “She’s gonna be cold” yelled the old man. I laughed nervously. I jumped from the edge giving one semi-girlish scream before entering the cold waters of Lake McLennan.

A Cold Dip in the Lake

The cold water stole my breathe, my survival skills kicked in. Don’t breathe in yet, too cold. I began treading water, my temperature cooled, but my breathe came back. Now to just let my body adjust to the water. My older brother Logan jumped in and soaked me, the splash on my face was incredibly cold. We laughed and egged our youngest brother to give’r a go. He laughed and called us idiots, and chose to continue fishing instead. We harassed him until our chattering teeth wouldn’t let us speak anymore. He then brought up what Vince had said about the “One Inch Lake”. He got the last laugh. This time.

Race to the Rocky Island

Logan and I saw a small rocky island in the middle of the lake. We hollered to the old man, “We’re swimming for it”. He laughed, probably preparing to drag at least one body out of the water. Through luck, fate, or possibly our healthy diet (not likely), we both managed to make it to the rocky island. The old man maneuvered the 16 foot tin water chariot close enough to the island that we could step off the rocky ledge, back onto our seats. We swiftly grabbed our towels and a beer. Hangover cured.

The Best Shore Lunch. Ever

It was getting close to 1:00pm when all the bellies on board were loudly telling us that food would be appreciated. We met up with Erik’s boat, the old man’s comrade, and yelled “Shore Lunch”. We followed Erik’s boat to a secluded firepit near a slow moving river and a bearproof cabin. The old man cleaned fish as I dangled my feet from the small bridge that crossed the river. I complimented on the finished fillets. “Nice cutting pops.” I said. He replied in his farmers accent, something he’ll never shake,”This ain’t my first rodeo.”

Butterflies are too manly!

Hot dogs were brought out of the food cooler, along with all the condiments. Ketchup, mustard, and relish, each a necessity for any good fishing trip. We breaded some more fish, buttered a skillet, tossed it on the fire and let the fish cook as we roasted hot dogs and inhaled trail mix by the handful. While the fish was finishing, I did a quick walk around the old bearproof cabin and managed to find a butterfly who was willing to do a photo-op with me. I walked back to the fire, and devoured some of the tastiest Northern Pike and Lake Trout I’d ever consumed.

Last Sunset in Northern SK

We managed to get a few more hours of fishing in before the sun began its descent into the clear glass-like waters of Northern Saskatchewan. We would be leaving early the next morning back to Regina, so we had lots of packing and cleaning up to do. We took a few pictures, watched the sunset in the middle of the lake, and enjoyed the peace and quiet that this remote part of Canada has to offer.

Henry David Thoreau once said “Many men go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.” I think those words tie our little adventure together perfectly. We met some great people, who found a passion, followed it, and now call it their life. We made some great memories, escaped the day to day routine, and had a few laughs. It’s memories like this that make fishing what it is.

Check out Bears Camp at Lake McLennan, Saskatchewan, for more information on fishing, boating, and experiencing an affordable Northern getaway.

Why Lake McLennan?

The Arrival at Bears Camp

The valuable Old man

Sunset in Northern Saskatchewan

Wake up, we’re going fishing!

Sunny Day for fishing

Oh BBQ, how I love you.

Campfires, Beers, and conversations with a local

Check out Bears Camp at Lake McLennan, Saskatchewan, for more information on fishing, boating, and experiencing an affordable Northern getaway.

Explosions at Citadel Hill

I woke up with 7 minutes to make it 6 blocks to Citadel Hill for the 21 gun salute. Yes, I slept in til 11:53am, do I regret it? Not a chance. I threw on a semi-clean Tee and commenced running with perfect form. Some might say I looked like a gazelle as I passed families covered in temp tattoos of maple leafs, with red shirts, red hats, and Canadian flags hanging from any nook and cranny they could find. I made it there with less than a minute to spare. The canons exploded violently, shaking the everything and everyone near. As the 21st shot went off, the crowd lining Citadel Hill cheered.

Big ships on the Boardwalk

I walked back to my apartment leisurely, high fiving families and drunks decked out in red & white. It was already 12:15pm, I had to catch up to these animals. That wasn’t hard. After consuming a fair amount of drinks with my friend slash roommate, we decided to check out what was going on down at the boardwalk. Rumour had it that there were still a bunch of Navy ships kicking around from the Queens recent visit. The ships still in harbour during Fleet Week were awesome. Coming from SK, where the biggest boat you can hop on is your cousin Jeds 12 foot tin can fishing boat, these ships blew me away.

The Battered Fish

After checking out some of the ships the smell of salty and savory food was luring us in. The boardwalk is notorious for amazing little food stands, as well as some of its more high end restaurants. We chose the food stands. The Battered Fish was pretty lined up, but the sign above where they were taking orders greeted us with warm words, such as Poutine, and Fish ‘n Chips, and other sexy words, like “side of Gravy”, and “Made with real cheese curds“. The food was in our hands in minutes, and in our guts in seconds. Why does everything taste so much better when you’ve got a good buzz on?

A Quick Nap

I ended up walking up to Citadel Hill again to see what was going on. Which as it turned out at that moment, wasn’t much. I starfished on the grass, enjoying the bright blue sky we were given on this fantastic day. Next thing I know I wake up to the sun setting. Must have passed out there for a minute. Classic whiskey.

Wake up for round 2

Justin and I made it back to our apartment for some coffee, followed by more drinks. That quick passout kicked our butt, so getting back into the swing of things the second time around was tough. However thanks to the invention of the shotglass, we were properly intoxicated in a short time. We ran down to the harbour and barely caught the fireworks. We oo’d and ah’d for a couple of the big ones, then began planning our night.

Initially we had planned on catching the ferry to Dartmouth to catch Joel Plaskett, but those plans never panned out unfortunately. Instead we ended up bar hopping for most of the night. We met some cool people, high fived a few thousand hands, and listened to some live bands at various drinking establishments. All in all, good Canada Day. Bad hangover, but good Canada Day.

Stay: Most of the city’s hostels are found downtown. Some top rated ones include: Backpackers on Dundas, Clarence Castle and the Canadiana Backpackers Inn.
Visit: Walk to the CN Tower, Hockey Hall of Fame, ROM, AGO, see the Blue Jays, Raptors or the Leafs depending on the season.
Shop: Check out the Eaton Center or if you prefer shopping outside Queen West has many big chains like Club Monaco, Zara and Gap. Chinatown and Kensington Market are great for cheap finds and vintage. Bloor street is for label hounds and designer divas.
Food & Entertainment: The Entertainment district is downtown with the main strip on King West. Check out a musical or grab some dinner all on King or hit a club.  Grab some Indian buffet on Queen Street and stop in at Horseshoe Tavern for a live show. If you want to be seen and spot celebs head up to Yorkville and try Sassafraz, the rooftop patio at Hemmingway’s or the street level patio at One Restaurant.

Toronto West End

Stay: Although there are mixed reviews you can stay in the West end at Marigold International Travellers Hostel
Visit: The Art & Design district is found in West Queen West and there are plenty of galleries including the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art.
Shop: West Queen West is littered with boutiques, keep walking up Ossington to find vintage shops like I Miss You Vintage or keep heading west into Parkdale Village for local jewellery designers at Made You Look.
Food & Entertainment: Get some fish & chips at Chippys across from Trinity Bellwoods Park or head up Ossington for some of the city’s hottest restaurants, and then dance the night away at Sweaty Bettys. Parkdale Village has a few theme bars like Stones Place; get cheap beer at the Rhino.

Toronto East End

Stay: There are a couple of top rated B&Bs just before you cross the Don River, but if you are looking for hostels you can try the Leslieville Home Hostel.
Visit: Once you cross the DVP there are few touristy sights, but you can see the Ashbridges family home and Riverdale farm. Or visit two of Toronto’s multicultural neighbourhoods, Greektown and Little India. Even grab some groceries at East China Town.
Shop: Check out The Danforth for boutiques like Tabula Rasa and Social Butterfly. Or stay along Queen Street for more boutique shopping from Riverside, Leslieville and the Beach. I recommend Studio We in Leslieville there are 2 locations one for women and one for men.
Food & Entertainment: Try Lynn Crawford’s restaurant Ruby Watch Co and live entertainment at the Opera House, both in Riverside. Have an afternoon beer on the Patios in Leslieville and the Beach or ice cream and gelato from Eds Real Scoop.

This guest post was provided by Jane from torontoShopoholic.com. torontoShopoholic.com is one shopoholic’s guide to shopping in Toronto, neighbourhood by neighbourhood. Check out the neighbourhood shopping guides, store reviews, giveaways and style guides.

It’s been over a decade since I’ve spent any significant amount of time in Northern Saskatchewan. Through luck, fate, or just sheer coincidence, my Dad and two brothers and I have all managed to find enough time off to make the 12 hour drive up north to McLennan Lake for some fishing, camping, and some good old fashion wholesome outdoor activities. Chances are  I’ll be incommunicado during this time, but should hopefully have something very Saskatchewan-ish to show by the end of the week.

In the mean-time I’d like to introduce you to Crabman. One of my familys cats. He enjoys escaping from our house and wandering into neighbours houses for naps.

The roadtrip

30 minutes out of the city

License and registration, please

High fives

You don’t have to live like a refugee

The weather was hovering around 25 degrees celcius all weekend, I needed to get out of my cramped apartment, and was itchin’ to see something new. After getting lost a couple times and nearly dieing as I struggled up every hill, I finally managed to find it. Point Pleasant Park.

One might wonder, how Pleasant is this Park? Well, as a matter of fact, I can proudly vouch for the name, this park is all sorts of pleasant. As soon as you walk through the first couple hundred feet of the footpaths, you begin to forget how close you really are to downtown Halifax, to the hustle and bustle of life in a metropolitan city.

The first thing I noticed upon walking into the park was the fragrance of the woods and flowers, combined with the chirping sounds of birds and the occasional blast of warm air, I began to wonder how in the hell this park had escaped me for this long.

After making a quick stop at Blackrock Beach, I was fortunate enough to catch one of the massive cargo ships leaving the Halifax Harbour. This was by far one of the coolest things I’d seen that day, however it was clear that myself and the cute asian girl standing a few feet away were the only ones who thought so, on account of us being the only two people snapping pictures and starring at this massive piece of machinery gracefully float back out to sea.

After hiking further through the park I began to find a whole bunch of WWI and WWII memorials. It was a surreal sight seeing people bathing in the sun just a few feet from this massive 25 foot Cross with the names of hundreds of men and women etched in it. Unsure of whether this was disrespectful or not, I made sure to pay a few minutes of attention to the memorial before grabbing a piece of grass and laying starfish as I watched the clouds go by.

Once my imagination gave out and the clouds began to simply look like clouds again, I hiked further into the park. After coming across a “You are here” sign, I began to realize how little of this park I had seen so far, despite spending almost 2 hours in it already. Turns out this monstrous park I was just meandering through is a total of 186 acres. So I decided to make use of what little energy I had left to see a little more of it. The canons only a few hundred feet from me, seemed like the next stop.

Hiking turned into walking, which then turned into “Holy crap I’m out of shape“. Thankfully I found the right trail that lead to somewhere I could rest. Price of Wales Tower. From far away it didn’t look like much, but as I got closer it became apparent how well made this thing was.  As I snapped some pictures, I did a quick 360 to see if I was getting in the way of somebody else’s picture. Turned out I was the only one in this part of the park. This gave me plenty of time to walk around this big brick tower and read all the signs before carrying on. Turns out this giant brick tub-stopper was built in 1794 through to 1799 as a means to protect the Halifax against seaborne attack  from the Northwest Arm. It must have worked, because Halifax still exists today. Thank you Tower.

As I finished the last of my water, I realized how incredibly hungry I was. I never argue with my stomach, so I decided to call it quits for the day. Point Pleasant Park was a great place to spend a hot spring day, and is well worth more than just a quick stroll through. You can’t beat the price (Free), and if you’re a history buff, I’m sure you’ll find something that interests you. If you’re a nature lover, the wooded areas and scenic vistas will make you right at home, and for those just in need of a quiet place to unwind, theres a good hundred acres or so for you to find a spot of your own.

Photo by nowhere3

NXNE – North by North East

June 14 – 20 – Toronto, ON

http://nxne.com/

North by Northeast, as you may have guessed it, was based on the South by Southwest festival in Texas. NXNE is a yearly festival in Toronto, Ontario that brings five days of live music, film festivals, and conferences to keep that artistic monster you keep trapped inside at bay. The festival is held each year in June and brings about some of the most creative bands, writers, film makers, and people from all over the wrold. NXNE relies heavily on volunteers for their operations to be a success, so if you’re looking for work, or just to make some friends, you might want to look into this. If you’re big into the arts scene, you’d have to be higher than a kite to think about skipping this one.

Note: Virgin Mobile announced they’re sponsoring a free show with Iggy Pop & The Stooges alongside a huge lineup. Click here for the 2010 NXNE Lineup

Photo by Kweezy McG

Pemberton Festival

Unfortunately cancelled this year – Pemberton, BC

The Pemberton Festival is slash was slash might be again a massive three day summer music festival. Unfortunately festival organizers, Live Nation, have cancelled the last 2 years in a row. However With any luck, the Pemberton Festival might play zombie and RISE FROM THE DEAD! The Pemberton music festival is/was/hopefully will be again a primarily rock and indie rock show, with a dash of hip hop to keep the thugs in harmony. Headlining the 2008 show was Coldplay, Tom Petty, Jay-Z, Nine inch Nails, The Hip, Flaming Lips, and about a billion other bands I feel deserve more credit than the headliners, such as Wintersleep, Death Cab for Cutie, Wolfmother, Sam Roberts Band, Vampire Weekend, Metric, Interpol, Grand Ole Party, MSTRKRFT, and many many more. Despite 2010 being a write-off for this summer festival, maybe, JUST MAYBE, 2011 will have better luck.

Photo courtesy of Cavendish Beach Music Festival

Cavendish Beach Music Festival

July 7 – 11 – Cavendish Beach, PEI

http://www.cavendishbeachmusic.com/

Between July 8th and 11, on the small island of P.E.I, semi trailors full of music gear heard towards the small town of Cavendish to put on a massive country festival. Country music’s favourite TayTay aka Taylor Swift will be there on Saturday, July 10th, while guitar slinging Keith Urban will be bustin chops on Thursday, July 8th. Emerson Drive, The Roadhammers, Little Big Town and Collin Raye are also performing this weekend. The whole shindig takes place between July 7th and 11th.

Photo by Troy Fleece

Craven Country Jamboree

July 15 – 18 Craven, SK

http://www.cravencountryjamboree.com/

Craven Country Jamboree… home of fond memories, blurs, and the occasional hangover. This little prairie town in the middle of Qu‘Appelle Valley becomes one of the largest cities in the province during the weekend of July 15 – 18. Craven is always a sell-out show, so prepare for loads of people, some competitive beer darts, and some honkin tonkin country music. Hands down one of country musics biggest Canadian festivals, and by far its funnest. You don’t have to enjoy country music to fall in love with this festival, if you happen to own a cowboy hat, or fancy yourself a borderline alcoholic, you’ll find plenty to do during Saskatchewans largest summer festival.

Note: Buy the taco-in-a-bag at the Grand Stands, it will sexify your tastebuds like no other.

Photo by  coaxeus

Virgin Festival

Multiple Dates – Multiple Locations

http://www.virginfestival.ca/

Virgin Festival is another annual event that typically takes place across Canada. The festival is North Americas take on the UK’s V Festival. They typically aim at bringing in as many big names in pop, rock, and hip hop to center stage in Canada’s largest cities. Strange thing about this one though is I’m not even sure if it’s still going on anymore. I have yet to find a bit of information regarding a 2010 show, so for all I know this one could be done. Then again, many of these so-called “annual” festivals end up taking a year off… *Cough* Pemberton Festival *Cough*. Whatever the case may be with Virgin Festival 2010, if you hear they’re going to be playing in town, be sure to look into it. Last year Toronto’s Virgin Festival had Ben Harper, the Pixies, Franz Ferdinand, Paulo Nutini, Nine inch Nails, The Von Bondies, and a whole bunch more. So keep your eyes and ears peeled.

Photo by Heavymetalmomma

Halifax Rocks

July 24, 25 – Halifax NS

http://www.halifaxrocks.ca/

A newbie but a goodie. Halifax Rocks is coming on it’s second year, and should be a blast. They’ve already announced that The Black Eyed Peas, along with Weezer will be performing this year, as well as a whole bunch of other artists to be announced. This music festival takes place in the Halifax Commons, which to those who’ve never been, is this cool massive park in downtown Halifax. Apparently it’s also the oldest urban park in Canada. This ones definitely one to keep your eye on, if not it, then watch what’s going on in the Commons. For the last few years there’s been a steady stream of concerts and festivals showing here, including Paul Mcartney, The Rolling Stones, KISS, Keith Urban, Sloan, Wintersleep, Joel Plaskett, amongst many more.

Photo courtesy of Evolve Festival

Evolve Festival

July 23, to 25 – Antigonish, NS

http://www.evolvefestival.com/

Evolve festival started off in 2000 as a music and cultural festival, aimed at bringing awareness to sustainable living and current environmental issues. This mega-eco-music-fest takes place in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, just a couple hours drive north of Halifax. Big acts who’ve played here include, K-os, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Xavior Rudd, The Trews, Hey Rosetta!, and many more. Tickets start at $110 for early bird tickets, and what’s a good hippie project without a tree getting planted for every ticket! Woop Woop!

Photo by Doog

Shambhala Music Festival

Augst 6 – 9th – Salmo River Ranch, Kootenay Mountain Range

http://www.shambhalamusicfestival.com/

Photo by dragswolf

Osheaga

July 31 – August 1 – Montreal, Quebec

http://www.osheaga.com/

The Osheaga Music & Arts Festival is a two day festival in the beautiful french metropolitan city of Montreal. It’s held each year on Ile Sainte-Helene in the Parc Jean-Drapeau. Osheaga Festival, and Montreal in general, always seem to be able to bring in some superb acts. 2010 Osheaga takes place between July 31st and August 1, and will feature Arcade Fire, Weezer, Metric, The Black Keys, Pavement, The Nationa, and Gaslight Anthem. Is there a reason not to go? Heck no!

Photo by quack.a.duck

Calgary Stampede

July 9 – 18 – Calgary, AB

http://calgarystampede.com/

The Calgary Stampede is a big one, but a good one. Considered by some as a drinking marathon, the Calgary Stampede runs for 10 days every summer, typically the first or second week of July. The Calgary Stampede is a massive combination of Music Festivals, Parades, Rodeos, and exhibitions of Alberta culture. It is the worlds largest outdoor rodeo and features an internationally recognized competition to boot. If you’ve never done a rodeo, this is where it should be done. Queue the country music, find yourself a cold brew, and be prepared for Chuckwagon Races, Cowboy hats, Yeehaws, and a whole buncha live music. The Calgary stampede attracts over a million visitors to Calgary, and usually has just over 300, 000 in attendence. The Calgary stampede has been going on in one form or another since 1886, so they’ve had well over 100 years to get it right. If you had started to think that the farmlands of Canada have little for culture, arts, and community spirit, chances are the Calgary Stampede will trample those thoughts. Then poo on them. Go cow patties!

Photo courtesy of Dawson City Music Festival

Dawson City Music Festival

July 16 – 18 – Dawson City, YK

http://www.dcmf.com/

Dawson City Music Festival has been bringing tunes way up North since 1979. If you were planing on doing the Yukon, this is a great way to start it all off. With three days of music, many in different venues, you’ll get a good tour of the city, along with hearing some superb Canadian and international acts. This remote part of Canada has an exciting history behind it, plenty to see and twice as much to do. Dawson City Music Festival kicks off on Friday afternoon with a free concert at the Gazebo on Front street, and closes Sunday Eve at Minto Park.

Folk on the Rocks

July 16 – 18 – Yellowknife, NWT

http://www.folkontherocks.com/

Every Summer, on the shores of Frame lake, Folk on the Rocks sets up six stages and puts on one of the biggest festivals in the North West Territories. For three days, festival go-ers are treated with world class music from all over Canada and the world, along with a cultural area, where you can check out the local arts scene. Food-lovers shall rejoice as international and traditional food find their way into the festival. Wash down the music, food, and art with a cold one at the fan favourite Beer Gardens, where you can try some of Canada’s favourite beers. Each year Folk on the Rocks brings roughly 25 artists to put on this massive show. Recent artists who’ve set foot on stage include Buck 65, Sam Roberts, Digawolf, Old Man Luedecke, and many more.

Photo by Quiplash!

Winnipeg Folk Festival

July 7 – 11 – Winnipeg, MB

http://www.winnipegfolkfestival.ca/

In the early weeks of July, hype around the Winnipeg Folk Festival rises and rises. The tension is instantly blissfully released as the first chords are struck on the festivals stage. Located in Birds Hill Provincial Park, the Winnipeg Folk Fest brings music performances, a folk school, programs for young artists, a food village which specialize in the use of local, organic, and fair trade products. Come evening, thousands of people find their way to the main stage to partake in some world class music, while taking in the prairie heat Manitoba so generously offers each summer. On top of the great music, great food, and great people, the Winnipeg Folk Festival was the first event to be officially certified by the Canadian Environmental Choice Program as an eco friendly festival. To even consider naming some of the artists in this festival would be next near to impossible, as there’s been hundreds of superb artists to have played over the years. There’s plenty of volunteer opportunities around the Winnipeg Folk Fest too, so if you’re looking for a way to see the festival without having to pay for the ticket, theres a good chance your hard work can get you in.

Photo by Kronick_

Ottawa Bluesfest

July 6 – 18 – Ottawa, ON

http://www.ottawabluesfest.ca/

If the upcoming 2010 lineup isn’t enough to bring you to this summer music festival, I don’t know what is. The 2010 lineup includes heavyweights RUSH, Weezer, Keith Urban, Santana, Arcade Fire, The Flaming Lips, The B-52s, Great Big Sea, and a whole slew more. The Ottawa Bluesfest is a 3 day festival with multiple stages, showcasing everything from pop, rock, blues, r&b and just about every other genre in between. They aim at bringing a diverse variety of music to the festival, which in turn brings in people from all walks of life. This massive shindig takes place in downtown Ottawa Ontario, in LeBreton Flats Park. The Ottawa Bluesfest is the largest blues festival in Canada, and second largest in all of North America. If you’re anywhere near Ottawa during the second week of July, you’d be off-your-rocker crazy not to to look into tickets.

Photo courtesy of Hillside Festival

Hillside Festival

July 23 – 25 – Guelph Lake Island, ON

http://www.hillsidefestival.ca/

Another three day, multiple stage event (5 to be exact), that takes place during the summer in the fine city of Guelph, Ontario. The festival takes place near the shores of Guelph Lake, and apparently this festival is one of the reasons why Guelph is in the big list of Top Ten places to live in Canada. Due to the insane amount of success the Hillside Festival has had in recent years, the Festivals committee started a second annual festival, Hillside Inside. However, the REAL meat and potatoes still takes place during late July at the Hillside Festival, so by all means aim for the summer festival, your party bones won’t regret it.

Photo by Earle Macdonald

New Glasgow Riverfront Jubilee

July 31 – Aug 2 – New Glasgow, NS

http://www.jubilee.ns.ca/

Find your way to the picturesque scenery of Pictou County, Nova Scotia, in the middle of summer, a festival of massive proportion is constructed, showcasing the talent of East Coast Musicians, Canadian Artists, and International acts. For those who have trouble coughing up $200+ dollars for a weekend festival, cringe not fellow cheap friend, for the Riverfront Jubilee weekend pass’s go for a mere $45! This festival takes place on the East River, and promises to deliver some great music, and great fun, without the huge dent in your bank account. On top of the cheap tickets, somehow the New Glasgow Riverfront Jubilee still manage to bring in big names, along with some mega talented up & comers.

The Havelock Country Jamboree

August 19 – 22 – Havelock, ON

http://www.havelockjamboree.com/home.html

The Havelock Country jamboree is another big ol’ fashion ho-down gone extreme. This massive country music jamboree is held annually on the third weekend of August between Thursday and Sunday. Some big names who’ve played include Randy Travis, The Road Hammers, Corb Lund Band, George Canyon, Travis Tritt, Clint Black, Aaron Tippin, and a whole slew of other cowboys. The Havelock Country Jamboree is one of Canada’s largest country music festivals, come rain or shine, sunburndt or muddy, you’ll have a riot here.

Whats your favourite summer festival in Canada? If I’ve missed any crucial or memorable festivals, please be sure to comment!

This four storey hostel

The New HI-Whistler Hostel opens July 1st, so book soon to beat the summer rush! Shared rooms start at $30, and private rooms at $99.

Map to the New HI Whistler Hostel