Harbourfront Centre Unveils Free Summer Music Lineup with Vibrant Performances by Internationally Celebrated Artists


June 9, 2022

Presented by TD Ready Commitment, singer-songwriters from across the country and around the world, including Indigenous and Nordic acts, will invigorate  
Toronto’s downtown waterfront 

TORONTO, ONHarbourfront Centre announces the long-awaited return of free, live music with Summer Concerts and Island Soul. Summer Concerts will feature more than 40 performances from July 124, kicking off Harbourfront Centre’s ambitious summer season. The beloved Island Soul rounds off in July, returning with the rich legacy of Caribbean music, comedy and interactive programming to its original stomping grounds from July 29August 1. The acts will take place on Harbourfront Centre’s Concert Stage and Stage in the Park where visitors can savour in-person concerts while soaking up the sun on Toronto’s serene (and TTC-accessible) waterfront. Summer at Harbourfront also reflects its commitment to diversity across all programs, demonstrating its pledge to the KeyChange initiative that champions gender parity in the music industry.

Platinum-selling artist Serena Ryder will launch Summer Concerts with her powerhouse voice returning to the Concert Stage 20 years to the date since her Harbourfront Centre debut. Following her performance, additional artists include JUNO Award winners  Cœur de pirate, Allison Russell, Begonia, Rose Cousins, Sammy Jackson, Caity Gyorgy and Choir! Choir! Choir!. Island Soul, a four-day weekend festival, will be no different. It features award-winning talents like Jamaica’s Exco Levi (who broke records when winning five JUNO Awards for Best Reggae Artist), Elaine “Lil’Bit” Shepherd, Kairo McLean (who won a JUNO Award for Reggae Recording of the Year) and the legendary Jay Douglas hitting the stage alongside The All Stars ft. Nana McLean.

Indigenous voices and stories take centre stage throughout the summer with the JUNO Award and Western Canadian Music Award winner Celeigh Cardinal, Sapmi/Finland’s VILDÁ, Sapmi/Norway’s ISÁK and Greenland’s Nive and the Deer Children bringing international Indigeneity to the forefront of summer programming.

Other Nordic Spotlight presentations at Summer Concerts include renowned artists and emerging stars GusGus and Vök (Iceland), Nordic Council Music Prize winner Eivør (Faroe), leoblu (Åland Islands), who will be making her North American debut, and Sara Ajnnak (Sapmi/Sweden). Nordic Spotlights are part of Nordic Bridges, a year-long initiative that will connect hundreds of creators from Canada and the Nordic Region throughout 2022 to exchange art, culture and ideas from coast to coast.

“It’s time to celebrate the warmer weather and share our beautiful lakeside venues with our local and global communities once again,” says Iris Nemani, Chief Programming Officer, Harbourfront Centre. “We have always been Toronto’s favourite gathering place in the summer and we take pride in making bold and diverse programming accessible through our free offerings.”

To learn more about programming and for tickets, visit harbourfrontcentre.com.

SUMMER CONCERTS

July 1

9:45–11pm: Serena Ryder – Concert Stage

12–1pm: Nastasia Y – Stage in the Park

5–6pm: Chynna Lewis – Stage in the Park

6:30–7:30pm: Adria Kain – Stage in the Park

8–9:15pm: Tanika Charles – Concert Stage

July 2

9:45–11pm:  Cœur de pirate – Concert Stage

5–6pm and 6:30–7:30pm: Lucas Silveira and leoblu – Stage in the Park

8–9:15pm: Celeigh Cardinal – Concert Stage

July 3

4:30–5:30pm: Jenie Thai – Stage in the Park

6–7pm: Housewife – Stage in the Park

July 8

9:30–10:45pm: Begonia – Concert Stage

7–7:30pm: VILDÁ – Concert Stage

8–9pm: ISÁK – Concert Stage

July 9

9:30–10:45pm: Allison Russell – Concert Stage

5–6pm: Desiree Dawson – Stage in the Park

6:30–7:30pm: Madison Violet – Stage in the Park

8–9pm: Leyla McCalla – Concert Stage

July 10

4:30–5:30pm: Holy Hum – Stage in the Park

July 15

9:30–10:45pm: Tami Neilson – Concert Stage

7–7:30pm: Sara Ajnnak – Concert Stage

8–9pm: Nive and The Deer Children – Concert Stage

July 16

9:30–11pm: Choir! Choir! Choir! – Concert Stage

5–6pm: Caity Gyorgy – Stage in the Park

6:30-7:30pm: Sammy Jackson – Stage in the Park

8-9pm: Lydia Persaud

July 17

4:30–5:30pm: Moskitto Bar – Stage in the Park

6–7pm: Ramon Chicharron – Stage in the Park

July 22

9:30–10:45pm: Rose Cousins – Concert Stage

8–9pm: Alysha Brilla – Concert Stage

July 23

9:30–10:45pm: GusGus – Concert Stage

8–9pm: Eivør – Concert Stage

7–7:30pm: Vök – Concert Stage

4–5pm: Emily Jane White – Stage in the Park

5:30–6:30pm Lindy Vopnfjörd – Stage in the Park

July 24

4:30–5:30pm: Evangeline Gentle – Stage in the Park

6–7pm: Tafari Anthony – Stage in the Park

ISLAND SOUL

July 29

8–11pm: Comedy Night with Trixx and Friends, featuring Ty Davis, “Big Irish” Jay Hollingsworth and Marlon Palmer – Harbourfront Centre Theatre

9:30–11pm: Elaine “Lil’Bit” Shepherd – Concert Stage

8–11pm: Silent Disco – South Lawn

July 30

8–11pm: Comedy Night with Trixx and Friends, featuring Ty Davis, “Big Irish” Jay Hollingsworth & Marlon Palmer – Harbourfront Centre

9:30–11pm: Jay Douglas & The All Stars ft. Nana McLean –  Concert Stage

8–9pm: The Arsenals – Concert Stage

5–5:45pm; 6:30–7:15pm: Afiwi Groove Dance Workshops – Stage in the Park

4–10pm: Silent Disco – South Lawn

July 31

8–11pm: A Black Girl in Love with Herself: Let your Breakdown be your Breakthrough: Trey Anthony – Harbourfront Centre Theatre

9:30–11pm: Exco Levi – Concert Stage

8–9pm: Kairo McLean – Concert Stage

6–8pm: Pan Fantasy – Stage in the Park

2-4pm: Jesse Ryan – Stage in the Park

4–10pm: Silent Disco – South Lawn

August 1

5–8pm: A Black Girl in Love with Herself: Let your Breakdown be your Breakthrough: Trey Anthony – Harbourfront Centre Theatre

3–6pm: Calypso Stars – Concert Stage

12:30–3pm: Pan Fantasy – Stage in the Park

About Nordic Bridges 

A year-long national initiative led by Harbourfront Centre in Toronto, Nordic Bridges fosters cultural exchange between the Nordic Region and Canada and is supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers. Working with partners across Canada, Nordic Bridges will present contemporary art, culture and ideas throughout 2022. NordicBridges.ca.

About Harbourfront Centre

Harbourfront Centre is a leading international centre for contemporary arts, culture and ideas, and a registered, charitable not-for-profit cultural organization operating a 10-acre campus on Toronto’s central waterfront. Harbourfront Centre provides year-round programming 52 weeks a year, seven days a week, supporting a wide range of artists and communities. We inspire audiences and visitors with a breadth of bold, ambitious and engaging experiences. We champion contemporary Canadian artists throughout their careers, presenting them alongside international artists and fostering national and international artistic exchange between disciplines and cultures.