The second North of Nowhere Music Festival has come and gone, and it was one to remember.
Held in Lindsay, Ontario, this year’s festival was headlined by Kameron Marlowe and Muscadine Bloodline, with lots of familiar faces taking the stage all weekend long.
From great music to good food, the festival brought people together for an amazing weekend of country music!
Festival Review Criteria
As always, I’m breaking down the festival experience into five categories:
- Venue & Organization – How the space is laid out, how smoothly things are run, and overall logistics.
- Food – Looking at the variety, quality, pricing, and availability.
- People & Vibe – What’s the crowd like? General atmosphere, how people are interacting, and the age/demographic mix.
- Bathroom Situation – Yep, we’re going there. Are there enough toilets? Cleanliness, access, all that.
- Performances – Not just who’s playing (since taste varies), but how good the sound is and how the acts deliver live.
RELATED: Check out our podcast episode from North of Nowhere 2024 …
Venue & Organization
The festival takes place at the Lindsay Exhibition, which is a cute little fairground on the outskirts of town with tons of space for camping and parking.
Right away, we noticed how much bigger and better the festival was this year. There were way more camping spots, parking areas, clear signs, and the check-in and security felt way more organized. Everything ran super smoothly for us!
They also rearranged the festival layout, making room for more vendors, fun activations, and even a new VIP area. The whole space felt more open and full of things to check out.
Check out our recap of day 1 to see more about the activations/venue
And, in true country fashion, there was actually a cow show happening next door… waking up to the sound of mooing just made the weekend feel even more on-brand.
Food At North Of Nowhere Music Festival
My first impression of the food was: holy poutine!
Almost every other truck was serving fries of some kind, which honestly felt very on-brand for a Canadian festival like North of Nowhere.
That said, there was a pretty solid mix of food options. You could grab everything from cone-shaped pizza to loaded bowls, ice cream, mini donuts, and more. Whether you were craving something savoury or needed a sweet fix between sets, there was something for everyone.
Prices were fair for a festival. Not super cheap, but not outrageous either. I paid $6 for an ice cream sundae and $8 for a generous serving of fries.
On top of the food, there were lots of fun extras scattered throughout the grounds. In the camping area, people were handing out free Red Bull, and there were plenty of chances to sample products or check out branded booths. It added a fun, interactive layer to the weekend, and who doesn’t love free stuff?
Fresh cut fries…always the best.
People & Vibe
The crowd and overall vibe covered a pretty wide range.
The majority of people were definitely in the younger crowd (think ages 15 to 25), but there were also plenty of older folks who rolled in with their lawn chairs and camped out in front of the stage all day, catching every act from start to finish.
I didn’t notice as many young kids or families as I have at other festivals, but there were definitely a few running around. That said, North of Nowhere feels more like a party festival than a family event, with lots of energy, dancing, and good times going well into the night.
During the day, the vibe was more laid-back and chill with people wandering between vendors, relaxing at activations, or casually catching sets. But as the evening rolled in, more people started making their way over from the campground and the energy picked up fast.
Bathroom Situation
There definitely seemed to be more porta potties this year compared to last, which is always a win.
I never had to wait in line, and luckily every one I used was clean.
They felt like saunas in the heat, but that’s just the weather…nothing the festival can control.
Performances
North of Nowhere definitely leveled up this year when it came to the stage, performances, and sound quality.
The lineup was stacked, with headliners Kameron Marlowe and Muscadine Bloodline, and strong direct support from Morgan Evans and Bryan Martin. The weekend also featured familiar faces like Elyse Saunders, Haley McNeil, Buck Twenty, and more.
I’ve got to be honest…I was beyond excited to see Muscadine Bloodline. They could’ve completely sucked and I still would’ve had a great time.
Thankfully … they did not suck.
They put on an awesome show that was genuinely so much fun.
Kameron Marlowe, in my opinion, has the most underrated voice in country music. I was in awe the entire time he was on stage.
Each act brought something different to the table and was honestly just a blast to watch.
One performer who really stood out to me was Bradley Hale. He and his band were clearly having the time of their lives on stage, and that energy totally rubbed off on the crowd, it was infectious in the best way!
So… Is North of Nowhere worth your money?
If you’re wondering whether North of Nowhere is worth your money, the short answer is: absolutely.
This is only their second year running, which makes it even more impressive how far they’ve come. Everything felt like a serious upgrade, from the stage setup to the sound to the overall experience.
You can tell they’ve been listening to feedback and making the festival better with fans in mind.
Whether you’re posted up all day in front of the stage or rolling in from your campsite as the party picks up at night, it’s a weekend that feels worth it.
For only being in its second year, they’ve done an unreal job, and it already feels like a must-go festival for me.
North of Nowhere worked with Adaptive Media Management Group to capture incredible content all weekend long!
From live sets to behind-the-scenes moments, check out their socials to see the highlights and relive all the fun!
Instagram – @northofnowhere_musicfestival
Facebook – North of Nowhere Music Festival
TikTok – @northofnowhere.mf
Lily Braendle
A seasoned concertgoer and festival enthusiast who was raised on country music. With passions for writing, storytelling, marketing and content creation.
