NXNE 2026 once again proved why it remains one of Toronto’s most important music festivals. Even with the city buzzing from FIFA festivities, NXNE stood strong and delivered another week packed with incredible performances, emerging talent, and unforgettable moments.
Running from June 10–14, the festival brought together more than 300 artists across 30+ venues throughout the city. If there’s one thing NXNE has never struggled with, it’s scale.
The TIMVF team kicked off our NXNE journey on Wednesday, June 10, at Dina’s Tavern for the “Outtaline” showcase hosted by Conor Dunner. The evening featured performances from Ley Vara, Lauren Kovacs, Chai Sully, and Frank, creating a showcase that felt both intimate and heartfelt. Between songs, the artists shared lighthearted banter with the crowd, making the night feel less like a concert and more like a gathering of friends.
As always, the TIMVF team split up throughout the evening to see as much of the festival as possible. Some of us left Dina’s around 10:30 PM to catch additional performances while others stayed for the entire showcase. One can dream of seeing every NXNE performance, but that’s a challenge no one has truly mastered yet.
Elsewhere that night, our team caught the always energetic and TIMVF concert alumnus Melo Griffith at Trinity Commons. Bringing the energy level to eleven, Melo had the crowd moving from start to finish, including a surprise mosh pit sparked by dancing sensation Unsighted. The evening concluded with a performance from SRE, an artist who will undoubtedly be on many people’s radar in the near future.
Before calling it a night, some of our team squeezed into the packed Supermarket crowd to catch Bitch Stick. It was a rowdy and unforgettable good time.
Unfortunately, camera issues cut our visual coverage short after the first day. The remainder of our NXNE experience will have to be told through words alone, but we’ll do our best to paint the picture.
Thursday saw our team head to Division 88, one of Toronto’s most exciting creative hubs for music, film, and everything in between. Throughout the evening, we caught performances from Lex Leosis, B1G Juice, Who Shot Scott, Nilo Blues, and Montreal’s rising rap group Drunk Cat.
Every artist kept the audience engaged and vibing throughout the night, but Drunk Cat closed things out with a particularly memorable performance. The chemistry and kinetic energy between the group’s three members is something that truly needs to be experienced firsthand. It’s nearly impossible not to bob your head while watching them perform.
Following a much-needed rest day, the team returned on Saturday, once again hopping between venues across the city. The standout performance for us came from Micah Sage, whose songs felt like a beautiful closing chapter to the weekend. It was the perfect soundtrack to the final stretch of another NXNE adventure.
What continues to make NXNE special is its ability to transform Toronto into a citywide celebration of music. Whether you’re discovering your next favourite artist in a small bar or catching a packed showcase with hundreds of fans, the festival consistently reminds us just how vibrant and diverse the music community can be.
Until next time, NXNE. We’ll be counting down the days and, hopefully, we’ll have our camera issues sorted out by then.
