The Festival d’été de Québec has unveiled the lineup for its 2026 edition, scheduled for July 9 to 19 across Old Québec. Over eleven days, the event will present more than 175 performances, once again combining major international headliners with a wide cross-section of Canadian and Québec artists.
Among the most prominent names on the bill is Gwen Stefani, whose career spans three decades, from her early success with No Doubt to a string of global solo hits in the 2000s. British rock band Muse will also return to the festival, nearly a decade after closing the event in 2017 with one of its most widely attended performances. Electronic music will be represented at the top of the lineup by Dutch DJ Martin Garrix, a regular fixture on the world’s largest festival stages.
The program also draws on acts from the late ’90s and early 2000s wave of alternative rock and rap. Limp Bizkit, whose blend of rap and metal defined an era of mainstream rock radio, appears among the headliners, alongside hip-hop pioneers Cypress Hill. Pop singer Kesha also joins the lineup, bringing a catalogue of dance-driven hits that helped define the early 2010s.
Several other acts reflect the festival’s interest in artists with broad crossover appeal. Folk-rock group The Lumineers, known for arena-sized sing-alongs built around acoustic songwriting, will be part of the program. Canadian vocalist Michael Bublé is also scheduled to perform, offering a set rooted in pop standards and jazz traditions. Meanwhile, American artist Jelly Roll, whose mix of country, rock and hip-hop has propelled him to major chart success in recent years, will close the run of shows on the Plains.
Québec artists continue to play a central role throughout the festival. The local rap scene will be highlighted with a program led by Souldia, joined by fellow rappers Koriass and FouKi. Elsewhere in the lineup, several prominent voices from the province’s songwriting and indie scenes will appear, including Patrick Watson, Klô Pelgag, Lou-Adriane Cassidy, Les Louanges and Ariane Roy.
The festival also includes a number of international artists connected to more specialized musical scenes. In electronic music, Brazilian producer ALOK will present a large-scale performance concept, while Canadian DJ WHIPPED CREAM and British producer D.O.D. also appear in the lineup. Reggae and Afro-Caribbean sounds will be represented by artists such as Sean Paul, Danakil and Tiken Jah Fakoly, while other nights highlight styles including cumbia, afrobeat and global pop.
To see the full lineup and to buy passes and tickets, head to the FEQ website.
Maria-Juliana Rojas for Rolling Stone
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