SPILL NEWS: WAVELENGTH MUSIC TURNS 25 | ANNOUNCES 2025 ‘SUMMER THING’ FESTIVAL LINEUPS AT ONTARIO PLACE AND NEW VENUE IN SCARBOROUGH

WAVELENGTH MUSIC TURNS 25 | ANNOUNCES 2025 ‘SUMMER THING’ FESTIVAL LINEUPS AT ONTARIO PLACE AND NEW VENUE IN SCARBOROUGH

TORONTO’S BELOVED INDEPENDENT MUSIC NON-PROFIT CELEBRATES A MAJOR MILESTONE WITH TWO FREE OUTDOOR FESTIVALS THIS JULY AND AUGUST

Wavelength, Toronto’s beloved indie music non-profit, celebrates 25 years uplifting the independent music scene and announces two free outdoor music and arts festivals this summer: the return of its lakeside Summer Thing at SummerSeries in Trillium Park at Ontario Place on August 9–10, and a special east end edition, Summer Thing Scarborough  at Prairie Drive Park in Scarborough’s Oakridge neighbourhood on July 19th. Both Wavelength Summer Thing 2025 weekends will showcase a diverse lineup of musical talent, immersive art installations, and curated indie market experiences from local artisans and zine-makers to diverse and delicious food and drink options including Caribbean and Ethiopian food — bringing the organization’s signature curatorial spirit to both the waterfront and the heart of a vibrant neighbourhood in the city’s east end.

Since 2000, Wavelength has championed Canadian independent music through an artist-run model, putting creativity, community, and accessibility first. Its year-round programming spans monthly concerts, its flagship Winter and Summer festivals, and a talk series that explores the intersections of music, culture, and city-building. These two free summer events — part celebration, part community offering — showcase what Wavelength does best: create inclusive spaces for discovery and connection.

“Reaching 25 years as a non-profit music presenter in Toronto is no small feat,” says Wavelength founder and director Jonathan Bunce. “We’ve supported so many artists at pivotal moments, often before they hit the national stage, and built something that’s always been about people and possibility. This summer, we’re celebrating not just the past, but a future that includes new communities, new partnerships, and a new chapter for independent music in this city. There is a lot more to come from Wavelength this year!”

The 2025 edition of Wavelength Summer Thing is especially meaningful, as it doubles as both a cultural celebration and a stepping stone toward the future. As part of its 25th anniversary year, Wavelength has launched a new all-ages community arts space, Wavelength @ St. Anne’s, in the west end at 651 Dufferin Street (in partnership with St. Anne’s Parish Hall). It was a response to the growing loss of small venues in Toronto — a problem the organization highlighted in its 2023 Reimagining Music Venues research report — and a bold step toward a more sustainable grassroots music ecosystem.

Over the past two and a half decades, Wavelength has built a strong reputation for discovering and nurturing talent. Artists like Feist, Broken Social Scene, Peaches, Kid Koala, Julie Doiron, Grimes, Born Ruffians, The Rural Alberta Advantage and Haviah Mighty all performed at Wavelength events early in their careers. That legacy of discovery continues at this summer’s festivals — both of which are open to all, with no barriers to entry.

SUMMER THING SCARBOROUGH

In Scarborough, Wavelength’s inimitable programming touches down at Prairie Drive Park on Saturday, July 19 for a free, all-ages celebration of music, art, and community as part of Arts in the Park. This first-ever East End edition features artists across genres — from electronica to hip-hop to jazz — with drag-poetry-electronic act ROSINX, indie electro-pop duo ZINNIA, soul-rap powerhouse DYNESTI (presented by R.I.S.E. Edutainment), Ethio Jazz presented by Hirut Cafe, DJ More Or Les, and Brazilian percussion led by Aline Morales, presented by SoundLife Scarborough. Visual artists including Stephanie Avery (The Artist Project “Best in Show” winner 2025) and Roxanne Ignatius (Dora Award winner 2025) will transform the park, while indie vendors and local food round out the neighbourhood block-party feel.

WAVELENGTH SUMMER THING: SCARBOROUGH EDITION TICKETS

SUMMER THING DOWNTOWN

Then, on August 9 and 10, Wavelength returns lakeside for its annual Summer Thing as part of Ontario Place’s SummerSeries at Trillium Park. With capacity crowds in 2024, this year’s event has been expanded to two full days. On Saturday, acclaimed performer Rich Aucoin closes out the night with his multi-sensory spectacle, joined by synth-pop dance duo Moonbean, poetic rapper Odario, yacht-rock favourite Marker Starling, and party-starting DJ Nico (With It), and exciting special guest,  Montreal dream-pop artist, Thanya Iyer. On Sunday, the spotlight turns to indie songwriting and gritty harmonies with Charlotte Cornfield, Chicago’s Finom (fka Ohmme), local goth-rockers Ace of Wands, Montreal’s Le Ren, rising indie-rockers Baby O, and DJ Vas from Higher Heights HiFi. The site will be animated with immersive art installations, an indie market, food vendors, and a mobile sauna by Public Sweat.

WAVELENGTH SUMMER THING 2025: DOWNTOWN EDITION NIGHT ONE TICKETS

ABOUT WAVELENGTH

Celebrating 25 years, Wavelength Music is a non-profit arts platform that presents concerts, festivals, and conversations about music and city-building in the Toronto area. Established in 2000 by a collective of indie musicians, Wavelength supports emerging and under-recognized artists across diverse genres, curates immersive event experiences, and leads transformative research and development projects.

Artists like Feist, Broken Social Scene, Peaches, Kid Koala, Julie Doiron, Grimes, Born Ruffians, The Rural Alberta Advantage and Haviah Mighty have all graced Wavelength stages early in their careers.

EVENT LISTINGS

Wavelength Summer Thing: Scarborough Edition
Saturday July 19, 2025
Arts in the Parks @ Prairie Drive Park, 70 Prairie Dr.
3-10PM – FREE & All Ages
RSVP link: https://bit.ly/WLSTS25

ROSINX (electronica meets drag + poetry)
ZINNIA (indie electro-pop plus contemporary dance)
R.I.S.E. Edutainment presents: DYNESTI (hip-hop soul queen)
BEAMS (psychedelic folk rock)
Hirut presents: ETHIO JAZZ (quintet curated by local cafe/concert space)
SoundLife Scarborough presents: BRAZILIAN PERCUSSION WITH ALINE MORALES (workshop & performance w/ Brazilian music troupe)
+ MORE OR LES (DJ)
++ Art Installations by Stephanie Avery (The Artist Project “Best in Show” winner 2025), Roxanne Ignatius (Dora Award winner 2025) & more
+++ Indie market, food vendors & more

Wavelength Summer Thing: Downtown Edition
Saturday & Sunday, August 9-10, 2025
SummerSeries in Trillium Park @ Ontario Place, 955 Lake Shore Blvd. W.
5-11PM (both days) – FREE & All Ages
RSVP link: https://bit.ly/WLST25

Night One:
RICH AUCOIN (Halifax // multi-sensory spectacle)
MOONBEAN (Guelph // live synth dance party)
ODARIO (Toronto // soulful hip-hop)
MARKER STARLING (Toronto // yacht-rock art-pop)
THANYA IYER (Montreal // meditative dream-pop)
+ DJ NICO (With It, ‘60s soul party)

Night Two:
CHARLOTTE CORNFIELD (Toronto // singer-songwriter & urban poet)
FINOM (Chicago // gritty harmonizers & Wilco collaborators)
ACE OF WANDS (Toronto // gothic rock)
LE REN (Montreal // contemporary folk)
BABY O (Toronto // scrappy indie-rock)
+ VAS OF HIGHER HEIGHTS HIFI (reggae & dub)
++ Mobile Sauna by Public Sweat, Art Installations by Stephanie Avery, Roxanne Ignatius & more
+++ Indie market, food vendors, campfire & more

Festival Links