HAMILTON’S CELEBRATION OF SOUND
2026 will be a history-making year in the city’s music sector and will chart the course for an amplified future.
Hamilton is a city of music and 2026 will be a history-making year that will give music lovers plenty of reasons to celebrate.
It all begins with the reopening of TD Coliseum and some monster shows it will host, kicking off with Sir Paul McCartney on opening night.
It continues with the JUNO Awards coming back to Hamilton in March and the recent announcement that Folk Canada’s annual conference is coming to our city in 2026.
And, of course, adding in Hamilton’s great musical traditions of It’s Your Festival, Festival of Friends, the Brott Music Festival, and Supercrawl, the programming of our musical powerhouses in the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, Theatre Aquarius, the Bach Elgar Choir, and the Hamilton Children’s Choir, and the emergence of The Music Hall to add to a long list of performing arts venues, and 2026 will be a truly memorable year in music in Hamilton.
Think of it as Hamilton’s music moment.
To mark this incredible year of music ahead, the City of Hamilton’s Tourism and Culture Division will shine a spotlight on Hamilton’s long history as a city of music, and celebrate the breadth of music and diversity of musicians and industry professionals who call Hamilton home.
“It’s going to be an unforgettable year for music in Hamilton,” says Lisa Abbott, Director, City of Hamilton’s Tourism and Culture Division.
“We wanted to make sure we were recognizing, celebrating, and amplifying all these music milestones to establish a legacy as a city of music that stays with us long past the end of the year.”
2026 will be a celebration of sound, increasing awareness of Hamilton as both a welcoming home for musicians, and a vibrant destination for music fans.
“Hamilton isn’t just a stopover — it’s a launchpad,” says Sherry Sinclaire, a member of the Hamilton Music Advisory Team (HMAT).
“We’re home to world-class talent, genre-defying creativity, and award-winning artists. Visitors might expect steel and grit, but they’ll find soul, innovation, and a music community that’s as bold as it is collaborative. Many — locals and visitors alike — don’t realize how many Hamilton artists are shaping national conversations, from songwriting to festival lineups.”
Music has been woven into the cultural fabric and identity of Hamilton since its founding. Hamiltonians are deeply proud of this musical legacy, which has built a thriving music industry in a city that has revitalized around arts and culture.
You are invited to join in the City of Music fun by hosting your own community concerts, events and workshops, helping to leave a lasting legacy in Hamilton.
Let’s kick things off with a look at what music lovers can look forward to next year!
10 reasons Hamilton sounds good in 2026
1. New TD Coliseum
After a $300-million transformation, the much-anticipated opening of TD Coliseum will put Hamilton on the map as a world-class destination for music and live entertainment. The music-first venue now features all-new concourses on three levels with concessions, innovative premium suites, clubs and lounges, and state-of-the-art amenities for touring stars and crews. It opens Nov. 21 with Sir Paul McCartney, followed by tour stops by Andrea Bocelli, Brad Paisley, Jonas Brothers, Rod Stewart, Nine Inch Nails, TWICE, and Cardi B.
2. 2026 JUNO Awards
Canada’s Biggest Night in Music returns to Hamilton March 26-29. The 55th Annual JUNO Awards will mark the first time in 10 years that the national music awards are coming to Hamilton and the seventh time overall. The JUNOS, organized by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), begins with the jam-packed JUNO Week, including live music showcases, a songwriter’s circle, comedy, and community events. It culminates in the national awards being broadcast live on CBC TV and CBC Gem from TD Coliseum, and globally on CBC Music’s YouTube. Fun fact: Hamilton has hosted The JUNOS more than any other city outside of Toronto.
3. Folk Canada
Folk Canada’s annual music conference will be hosted in Hamilton in 2026 and 2027. Next October will mark the 40th conference and performer showcase, the largest gathering of the professional folk, roots, and traditional music community in Canada. In addition to panels, performances, mentorship sessions, and professional development workshops, the conference will also include the Ontario Folk Music Awards.
4. Punching In Exhibit
Punching In: The Work Behind Hamilton’s Music, celebrates Hamilton’s vibrant music scene and the people who make it possible. Curated by Hamilton Civic Museums with the local music community, the exhibit will feature nostalgic gig posters, iconic photos, recording equipment, and unique memorabilia, all set to a custom Hamilton soundtrack. Events and workshops throughout 2026 will further explore the city’s creative rhythm. It will be on display in the Visitor Experience Centre (28 James St. N.) starting late January and runs all year.
5. Theatre Aquarius
Hamilton’s professional theatre house continues to add to its credentials as a hub for musical theatre in Canada. Theatre Aquarius has debuted original musicals by country music star Johnny Reid in Maggie, as well as Beautiful Scars, by Hamilton’s own musical bright light Tom Wilson. That will become a hat trick when It’s a Good Life if You Don’t Weaken, a new musical featuring the music of the Tragically Hip, has its world premiere in Hamilton in April. Theatre Aquarius has built on that success with the creation of the National Centre for New Musicals and will host the inaugural National Musical Theatre Summit in January 2026.
6. Musical institutions
Hamilton is home to foundational musical institutions, including the iconic, 140-year-old Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, the internationally acclaimed Hamilton Children’s Choir, the 120-year-old Bach Elgar Choir, the Hamilton All-Star Jazz Band, Sinfonia Ancaster, Chorus Hamilton, Musicata, and many community orchestras, concert bands, and vocal ensembles. The Hamilton Music Collective, Tune In Foundation, and the hArt Music Series give access to music opportunities to young and diverse artists.
7. Homegrown festivals
Music is the heart and soul of made-in-Hamilton festivals, including: the massively popular three-day Supercrawl on James Street North that has featured well over 700 musical performers since it began in 2009; Festival of Friends, which will celebrate 50 years in 2026; It’s Your Festival, the city’s annual Canada Day party; and the Brott Music Festival, founded in 1988 by the late, great conductor Boris Brott, now Canada’s largest orchestral music festival. Also don’t miss AGH art+music+food Festival, a 21-day arts collision happening in November.
8. Halls and studios
Hamilton’s music industry is built on the backbone of great places to hear and record music. Adding to the well-regarded acoustics of FirstOntario Concert Hall, the renovation of The Music Hall will create a state-of-the-art 1,000-seat venue in a historic downtown church. Magnolia Hall will also host music events in a reimagined church. The Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, in a repurposed school, is now a thriving hub of music performance. Mohawk College’s McIntyre Performing Arts Centre and McMaster University’s L.R. Wilson Hall bring music to our campuses. On the studio and rehearsal side, the iconic Grant Avenue Studio turns 50 in 2026, producing great music alongside Catherine North, Halo, Threshold, and Boxcar. Main Stage Rehearsal Studios provides crucial practice and performance space for local and touring musicians.
9. Repurposed spaces
There are plenty of renewed Hamilton places to get your musical fix: Bridgeworks and Mills Hardware; The Mule Spinner in a former stable at the historic Cotton Factory; The Gasworks, The Staircase, and The Westdale all host live music in buildings that have found new life. Add to that Crown & Press in a former Woolworths, Henry’s on James in a historic bank, and The Powerhouse, which once powered trains. And then there are the pubs that have been musical all along: the iconic Corktown Pub, the reborn Cat & Fiddle, and Stonewalls.
10. Growing the Local Scene
This year of music will feature multiple opportunities for career growth and development among professional and non-professional musicians and music presenters, both veteran and emerging. Hamilton’s music industry is the sixth-largest cluster of music businesses in Canada, employing close to 8,000 workers and supporting 550 businesses. Attracting, developing, and retaining talent is a key priority of the City of Hamilton, working in collaboration with the Hamilton Music Advisory Team (HMAT), a collective of industry professionals.
