FERGUS – Meadows Music Festival will be returning to Fergus for its third year on May 30 and 31.
Owner and festival director Collin McKinnon said organizers have secured the two headliners fans have been asking for most: The Reklaws and The Glorious Sons.
He said festival officials frequently reach out to mailing lists and make social media posts asking who fans want to see play, and The Reklaws and The Glorious Sons were the two most requested bands over the last two years.
“I couldn’t believe they were both available,” McKinnon said.
“It worked out great.”
The Reklaws will headline on Friday night, after a day of country music, and the Glorious Sons will headline on Saturday, when the music is rock and alternative.
There are two stages at the festival, one for “larger, touring, nationally relevant performers,” McKinnon said, and a secondary stage to highlight local performers.
“Last year was the first time having a secondary stage,” he said, which “was amazing.”
Overall, there will be about 25 performers throughout the weekend, McKinnon noted.
The festival has grown exponentially since its inception, expanding by about 50 per cent annually, he added.
“We’ve continued to roll out a bigger and bigger space to take over at the sportsplex.”
Last year, the festival was a sold-out show at about 10,000 people. This year, the capacity will be up to 15,000 over the two days.
At its heart, it is still the same festival, it’s just growing in size, McKinnon said.
“Our whole goal of it was to create a festival that felt like the community it is in,” he said.
“It’s a really comfortable and easy going festival. Nothing is overwhelming. And you can set your chair in one place and watch all the music.”
McKinnon is from Rockwood and “grew up spending a lot of time in Fergus – it’s where a lot of my family and friends lived, and where they all kinda live now.
“I feel like I’m a degree of separation from almost every attendee,” he said.
Eight-year-old Tommy Kirkpatrick threw his hands up in the air when he saw the camera pointed at him during the Meadows Music Festival. The sign he’s making can represent rock’n’roll and also means ‘I love you’ in American Sign Language. Advertiser file photo
Running the festival is a childhood dream come true for McKinnon, who “always wanted to run my own festival, and always wanted to do it at that property.
“I think it’s one of the best properties for music festivals in Canada,” he said.
The vendors are local – from “within a 40-kilometre radius, if not closer,” he said.
And all of the musicians playing on the secondary stage are from “within a 30-minute radius of the festival grounds,” including Wellington County, Guelph and Waterloo Region.
It’s a family-friendly event for all ages, with lots of child- and family-centred activities planned for 2025, explained McKinnon.
“We’ve been working with local vendors to create more and more fun things for families to do,” he said, including “entertainment and games and child areas where kids can go inside to play.”
There will also be kids’ performers this year, though McKinnon notes all of the music at the festival is family-friendly.
There will be art installations that involve performances too, McKinnon added.
And the expanded space means room for more food vendors, he said.
Organizers are working to make sure there are enough options to “keep people on site for the whole day.
“The property is so spacious and comfortable,” he said. “People can bring wagons, chairs, set up for the whole family.”
A crowd enjoys Crown Lands’ set at Meadows Music Festival on June 1. Advertiser file photo
Also new this year is camping.
There will be about 150 fully serviced campsites on site, McKinnon said – the same campsites as those used for the Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games.
The festival runs from 3 to 11pm on May 30 and 12 to 11pm on May 31.
McKinnon said some attendees have a preference for either country or rock so only attend that day, while others get weekend passes and enjoy the full weekend.
Organizers are aiming to release a full lineup and schedule by mid-January.
Volunteer applications will also go up in January. Volunteers get free admission to the festival.
Single day, general admission tickets are $70 each, and weekend admission tickets are $130.
For those who want to ensure they get the best view at the festival, VIP tickets are available for $160 per day.
McKinnon calls the VIP area “the best seats in the house,” but notes there’s no actual seating – guests should bring their own.
VIP tickets offer access to the front row and a special bar, washroom and food program. “You get the best view while also never waiting on line,” he said.
To purchase tickets or apply to volunteer, visit meadowsfest.ca.
