It’s no secret that Canadians know music and know how to celebrate it accordingly, but while we’ve touched on the topic of summertime festivals previously, you’ve been without a detailed list of where to be, when to go and what you shouldn’t miss.  Therefore, here’s our guide to the Canadian summer festivals that you need to check out.

Halifax Rocks 2010

A little mainstream, but a promising party nonetheless, this year’s Halifax Rocks lineup includes The Black Eyed Peas, Weezer, Kid Rock, the Counting Crows and Hot Hot Heat who will appear from July 23 – 24 at the Halifax Common.  Early bird tickets are currently on sale for one or two days (ranging from $99 – $101), or you can look into general weekend admission for $169 until June 30.  Sure, your Top 40 quota will be filled for some time, but live music on a weekend in July can hardly be beat.

Osheaga

We may have already mentioned why Osheaga’s set to dominate the landscape of Canadian music festivals this year, but with a lineup that includes the Arcade Fire, Pavement, The National and Sonic Youth, it’s a hard statement to refute.  From July 31 to August 1, bands will be taking to Montreal’s Parc Jean-Drapeau on Île Sainte-Hélène in droves, while more acts will be partaking in Osheaga in the City from July 28 – 31.  With weekend passes currently going for $120, and single day general admission tickets on sale for $65, it’s pretty obvious that this event can hardly be missed.

NXNE

It may not be your token outdoor festival, but the NXNE Music and Film Festival Conference is one of the most highly anticipated events of the summer, with 650 bands performing across 50 venues in Toronto from June 14 to the 20^th.  By purchasing the $50 five-day wrist band, you’re guaranteed no cover to NXNE club shows and screenings from the 16^th to the 20^th, or you can commit to one day only for $25 with a 1-day wristband.  With artists ranging from Iggy Pop to K-OS to Cold Cave to Warpaint, NXNE is the pinnacle of summertime music events, promising to be unique, memorable and everything Canadian festivals are expected to be.

Hillside

From July 23 to 25, Guelph Lake will be transformed from a spacious conservation area to a Mecca of musical darlings, with artists like Shad, Stars, Jason Collett, Sarah Harmer and Gord Downie scheduled to appear on various stages across the island.  Environmentally-conscious, eclectic and extremely community-oriented, Hillside is anxiously anticipated every year, with camp sites selling out 364 days before the event, and weekend passes going just as quickly after their release.  However, Friday night passes can still be picked up for $49, while Saturday and Sunday are going for $69, still making it possible for you and your pals to soak up the annual awesome.

Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest

In the spirit of music fests that span days, feature countless acts and one-up the events of the year before, comes the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest, the two-week festival that’s set to feature the likes of the Arcade Fire, the John Butler Trio and Passion Pit from July 6 to 18.  With an early bird two-week Festival Passport going for $255, week one passports going for $140 and week two priced at $150, you’re guaranteed to get a lot of “bang for your buck” – especially since one-day tickets are no less than $40, and the lineup appears to get better by the day.

Winnipeg Folk Festival

Maintaining a communal vibe similar to Guelph’s Hillside is the Winnipeg Folk Festival, the five-day event that will feature Delhi 2 Dublin, The Cat Empire and The Rural Alberta Advantage in Birds Hill Provincial Park from July 7 to 11.  With camping options available and an eclectic mix of artists, musicians and attendees, five-day passes are on sale for about $200 with day passes priced at roughly $70.

Calgary Folk Music Festival

Evidently, summertime and folk music go hand in hand in Canada – particularly in Calgary, where thousands flock to Prince’s Island Park from July 22 to the 25 to catch artists like St. Vincent, Stars and Roberta Flack, who are heading this year’s lineup.  With early bird four-day passes available for $135 and one-day passes ranging from $47 to $57, the festival is impressive on both musical and financial scales, with attendees faithfully returning every year to bask in the music of their favourite artists.