The Sound of Music Festival is the country's largest free admission music festival, running for roughly two weeks each June with concerts spread across Spencer Smith Park and other downtown venues. Headliners on the main stage span Canadian and American touring acts — past lineups have included Tegan and Sara, Sam Roberts, the Beach Boys and Sloan — and most of the supporting stages are dedicated to emerging local acts.
The festival opened its first edition in 1979 with a single afternoon street party and has grown steadily ever since. Most of the daytime programme is family-friendly; evenings on the main stage tend to draw larger crowds. Bring a blanket; lawn space fills early for the better-known acts.