2016 brings another Bluesfest to Ottawa, sponsored by the RBC, over the week of July 7th to July 17th.

The Initial lineup includes Red Hot Chili Peppers, Wolf Parade, Schoolboy Q, Duran Duran, Brad Paisley, Future, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Earl Sweatshirt, City and Colour, Bryan Ferry, the Lumineers, Billy Idol, Sam Hunt, Alessia Cara, Joe Jackson, Thomas Rhett, Nelly, the Cult, Madeon, the Head and the Heart, the Monkees, Brandi Carlile, John Fogerty, Half Moon Run, Zeds Dead, Awolnation, the Decemberists, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, Coeur De Pirate, Cashmere Cat, Jeff Ross, Lindsey Stirling, Xxyyxx, the Tallest Man On Earth, Coleman Hell, Freddie Gibbs, Peter Bjorn And John, Son Little, Holy Fuck, Amos the Transparent, Amanda Rheaume, Boy & Bear, PUP, Brock Zeman, Yukon Blonde, the Wicked Mercy, DZ Deathrays, San Fermin, the Paul Deslauriers Band, Debauche, Wild Child, Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar, the Peptides, Pierre Kwenders, Lindsay Ferguson, Bombino, Jill Zmud, Tal Wilkenfeld, Harrison “Sweettaste” Kennedy, the London Souls, the Jimmy Tri-tone Band, Archer, Gingkoa, Pith and the Parenchymas, Tyler Kealey, David Gogo, Monday I Retire, the Paper Kites, Grand River Ramblers, Meghan Patrick, the Jesse Greene Band, Craig Cardiff, Cashtro Crosby and Dj Mes, Paul James, Steamers, Jack De Keyzer, Brothers Dube, and Pandaléon.

Head to OTTAWABLUESFEST.CA for the final lineup, festival FAQs, travel advice, and tickets.

According to their site:

The mandate of the Ottawa Bluesfest organization is to provide a world-class event that showcases local, regional, national and international musicians. The objectives of the Ottawa Bluesfest are:

• to maintain one of Canada’s foremost music festivals, in the City of Ottawa;
• to support and sustain the growth of emerging and diverse musical genres, including the Blues, World Music, Alternative, Rock, Jazz, Funk, Soul, Rap, Folk, Urban, and other forms of music that develop from time to time;
• to produce and present the art of music to the public, including new audiences, and to sustain a vibrant music community for local, regional, and nationalartists/performers/composers and songwriters;
• to provide professional local, regional, and national artists/performers/composers and songwriters with substantial exposure to new audiences;
• to provide an educational program within schools in the Ottawa region for the purpose of promoting among students the appreciation of Blues music as an art form and its impact on various genres while advancing and developing the careers of local and regional artists and educators;
• to support other charitable organizations, institutions, events or activities where the subject is related to the above objectives.