Northern Lights Festival Boréal turns 54 this summer, and it’s arriving at Bell Park in Sudbury, Ontario with one of the most ambitious lineups in the festival’s history. Running July 10–12, 2026, NLFB 2026 brings together Sarah Harmer, Begonia, and Terra Lightfoot as headliners, backed by a program that spans folk, roots, indie, hip hop, afrobeats, and global music, plus a classical crossover collaboration that nobody is going to see coming.
This is also the first lineup curated by incoming Artistic Director Kerri Stephens, and she wasted no time making a statement. “Every artist was carefully chosen to complement the lineup as a whole,” Stephens explains. “I can’t wait for attendees to rediscover old favourites and fall in love with new ones.”
Sarah Harmer opens Friday night, one of Canada’s most respected singer-songwriters, with decades of luminous folk and roots music behind her. Also on the Friday bill is a bold classical crossover concert pairing 2V+ with the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra, weaving 3 centuries of music into a single set.
Saturday belongs to Sarah Harmer and Dan Mangan, whose deeply human songwriting has long bridged folk, indie rock, and orchestral textures. Mangan’s presence here is exactly the kind of mid-card anchor that elevates an entire day’s programming.
Sunday closes the weekend with Begonia and Foxwarren. Fronted by Winnipeg vocalist Alexa Dirks, Begonia brings soaring, soul-infused indie pop built on fearless emotional honesty. She’s a JUNO Award winner and one of the most compelling live performers working in Canadian music today. Foxwarren, the celebrated collective led by Andy Shauf, rounds out the day with their signature blend of folk storytelling and experimental production.
Terra Lightfoot anchors Friday as a headliner, and her reputation as a commanding guitarist and powerhouse vocalist makes her a natural closer. Gritty blues-rock energy, sharp songwriting, magnetic stage presence: Lightfoot delivers every time.
Beyond the headliners, the full lineup stretches across genres and generations. Mattmac, Logan Staats, Okavango African Orchestra, Charlotte Cornfield, Petunia & The Vipers, Duane Andrews & The Hot Club of Conception Bay, Nikki D & The Sisters of Thunder, and more than a dozen additional artists fill out a schedule that genuinely rewards festival-goers who arrive early and stay late.
Full Festival Passes are on sale now at nlfbsudbury.ca. Full Pass $145, Youth $110. Kids 14 and under get in free with a ticket-bearing adult. Gates open at 5pm on July 10 and 11am on July 11 and 12. An accommodations package including 3 nights at the Best Western and 2 full festival passes is also available.
2026 Festival Dates:
Friday, July 10 @ Bell Park, Sudbury, ON
Saturday, July 11 @ Bell Park, Sudbury, ON
Sunday, July 12 @ Bell Park, Sudbury, ON