Country music takes over Oro-Medonte again this month. Boots and Hearts Music Festival runs Aug. 7-9 at Burl's Creek Event Grounds, and organizers have packed the weekend with some of the biggest names in country music today. Three stages, three days, and a lineup built to keep fans on their feet from the first note to the last. Whether you go for the headliners or the newer acts on the rise, there is a lot to see this year.
Friday belongs to the Jonas Brothers. The pop-rock trio is not a typical country booking, but that is part of the fun. They headline the main stage at 9:30 p.m., following a strong lineup that includes Russell Dickerson, Brett Kissel, and Dasha. Dasha, still riding the wave from her recent breakout hit, kicks off the main stage at 5:50 p.m. Emily Ann Roberts and School House round out the Front Porch Stage that afternoon. It is a night built for singing along, whether you know every word to a country radio hit or you are just there for the Jonas Brothers nostalgia.
Saturday is where things get loud. The Chicks headline the main stage at 9:15 p.m., closing out a day stacked with talent. Jessie Murph, Sam Barber, and Waylon Wyatt bring newer sounds to the mix, while Carolyn Dawn Johnson offers a dose of country history. Over on the Front Porch Stage, look for Thelma & James, Tony Stevens, and the Jack Wharff Band. Saturday's lineup covers a lot of ground, from radio hits to rising stars, and there should be something for every kind of country fan on the grounds.
Sunday closes the weekend with Rascal Flatts. The band headlines the main stage at 9:30 p.m., a fitting way to wrap up three days of music. Tucker Wetmore, Max McNown, James Barker Band, and Ashley Cooke fill out the rest of the day, along with Kaitlin Butts, Mitch Zorn, and Savannah Jade on the Front Porch Stage. By the time Rascal Flatts takes the stage, festival-goers will have already seen a weekend's worth of music. But there is nothing wrong with saving one of country's biggest bands for last.
Friday afternoon also features something a little different: the Emerging Artist Showcase. Running from 2:30 to 5 p.m. on the Front Porch Stage, it gives newer performers a shot at a festival crowd before the big names take over. It is worth an early arrival if you like discovering artists before they hit the mainstream.
For anyone planning to camp, gates open Friday, Aug. 7 at 10 a.m., and both RV and tent camping run twenty-four hours a day once open. Tent camping and accessible camping sites are located at 191 Line 7 South. RV camping is at 340 Line 9 South. Non-reserved camping works on a first-come, first-camp basis, so early arrivals get the better spots. One steering wheel is allowed per campsite, and extra vehicles need their own parking pass.
Getting to the grounds does not have to mean driving. Shuttle routes, both one-way and round-trip, start at thirteen dollars and can be booked online. Rideshare, taxi, and pedestrian drop-offs are all directed to 301 Line 7 South, a dedicated zone built to keep traffic moving. GO Transit riders can also make the trip, with the grounds located about twenty minutes from the Barrie South and Allandale Waterfront GO stations, plus a shuttle connection from Allandale Waterfront. One important note for drivers: there is no access to Line 8 from Highway 11 this year. Ridge Road is the route in.
Boots and Hearts is cashless again in 2026. The entertainment area accepts all major credit cards, Interac debit, and mobile payments, so leave the cash at home unless you are camping and might need ice, water fill-ups, or an RV pump-out, all of which still run on cash. Festival-goers are also asked to download the event app and register their wristband ahead of time, which speeds up entry and helps with everything from schedules to emergency alerts.
Packing smart makes a big difference once you are through the gates. Small bags like purses and fanny packs are allowed, along with folding chairs, blankets, and small towels. Refillable water bottles are fine as long as they are empty and under one litre when you arrive. Sunscreen and cosmetics are permitted too, as long as they are not aerosol, and prescription medication is allowed if it is in a labelled container. Disposable cameras and mobile chargers are also welcome; just leave the professional camera gear at home unless you are credentialed media.
The prohibited list is worth a close look before you pack. Large bags and backpacks are not allowed in the entertainment area, and neither is outside food or drink. Drones and professional camera equipment are banned, along with lawn games, balloons, balls, and frisbees. Glass of any kind, hard coolers, and aerosol containers round out the list. Security checks bags at the gate, and anything on the banned list either goes back to your car or campsite, or gets left behind.
Sustainability gets some attention too this year. The festival's Trash Trading program asks campers to pack out what they pack in, with a trading post open all weekend for anyone who wants to trade collected trash for a shot at prizes and meet-and-greets. It is a small touch, but it fits a festival that has built a loyal following over the years, one that treats the Burl's Creek grounds like a second home every August.
By the time the weekend wraps up, Boots and Hearts will have delivered three headliners from three very different corners of country and pop music, plus dozens of supporting acts across two stages. Add in the camping, the community feel, and the size of this year's crowd, and it is easy to see why the festival keeps growing. For fans across Southwestern Ontario and beyond, Aug. 7-9 is circled on the calendar for a reason. Burl's Creek is ready, and so, it seems, is everyone heading there.
Tickets are on sale now, with weekend passes, single-day passes, and VIP packages all still available through bootsandhearts.com. Camping and parking passes are sold separately, so festival-goers planning to stay on-site should lock those in ahead of time rather than hoping for space at the gate. With a lineup this deep and a location built for exactly this kind of weekend, seats will not last long. Anyone still on the fence should not wait too much longer to grab a spot in the fields at Burl's Creek. Visit bootsandhearts.com for more.
