The economy is not the main concern
People who have attended festivals like Osheaga and Îlesoniq in the last decade used to consider them a somewhat affordable way to see multiple artists live and have fun with friends. Now, it has turned into more of a luxury with significantly higher prices. How could this be?
The state of festival prices
With the specific case of Osheaga, the city’s most mainstream music festival, one might see oneself spending more on the ticket as years go by. As of April 2026, the three-day pass is listed for $425 on Ticketmaster, which is a $50 increase since 2023 and a $105 increase since 2017.
Moshe Lander, an economics professor at Concordia University, explained that the reasoning for the price increase is caused more by demand and fan interest rather than inflation. “I think that there’s this generational shift where younger people are much more interested in experiences rather than acquisitions,” he said.
Even though Osheaga is known for its large range of genres and artists, it has a pattern of booking names appealing to the younger mainstream in the last couple of years. To compare the festival ten years apart, the 2016 lineup had The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lana Del Rey and Radiohead headline the festival. This year has Twenty One Pilots, Tate McRae and Lorde, who are more pop-leaning compared to 2016. The 2016 lineup is still. considered as a pop lineup, but is more appealing to the alternative pop fans rather than the mainstream pop fans.
While Osheaga is raising its ticket prices, it is still seen as a more affordable alternative to Lollapalooza, a festival in Chicago set the same weekend with overlapping big names every year. Lollapalooza’s four-day pass is set at $600.
According to a study by FinanceBuzz from 2024, the rise of festival ticket prices is a universal experience in the industry. The study says that the general admission prices for big music festivals have increased by 55 per cent since 2014, which is greater than the inflation rate of that period of 32 per cent.
How can there be so many?
Historically, Montreal has a lot of significance when it comes to its festivals. Some might even call it Canada’s festival capital. It is home to hundreds of festivals, with a selection of them being dedicated specifically for music. The most notable ones being Jazz Fest, with over 2 million annual attendees, and Osheaga, with over 150,000 annual attendees.
Out of the numerous music festivals, a handful of the big ones (Francos de Montréal, Jazz Fest, Osheaga, Îlesoniq, Lasso and Fuego Fuego) are owned by the same promotion company: Evenko, each one of those having a unique niche and price set for them. For example, Îlesoniq is set at $150 for a day pass and is meant for EDM lovers, meanwhile Jazz fans can get a Jazz Fest unlimited pass for all shows at MTELUS or Gesù for that same price.
“A festival like Osheaga can charge more because it’s positioned as a premium, once-a-year event with major international headliners. Smaller or newer festivals often price lower to build loyalty or attract curious first-timers,” said Steve Gerrard, a music blogger and owner of the Montreal Rocks! blog.
The lifestyle of attending multiple
With the amount of music festivals, fans of different genres or niches may find themselves attending multiple festivals. Depending on their taste or general interest, it can get quite pricey.
“For the other festivals I don’t spend that much. However, for Osheaga, it’s worth the hassle that I have to put money aside for each month to save up,” says Audrey Caron, a lover of live music from Quebec.
Festival tourism vs normal tourism
Throughout Montreal’s major festivals, 40-45 per cent of the attendees come from outside the city. Out of these tourists, around half of them are from within Canada, the rest being nearly an even split between American and international tourists.
“I check if they can hold my luggage so I could explore the city a little bit,” said Aleisha Ciphery, a visitor from Ottawa who comes to Montreal for the occasions of going to live shows.
With tourists that had to take a long drive, bus, train or flight to get to Montreal, the accommodation demand gets stacked throughout the festival season and could increase their prices up to 60 per cent. For example, the top result for Airbnb rentals averages at $1,400 total for Osheaga weekend, whereas the top result averages at $800 for an average July weekend (as of April 2026).
Lander said that with the fact that the summer in Montreal already attracts visitors, festivals drawing tourists might cause accommodation issues. “For every tourist that’s coming in for the festival […] they are displacing another tourist that might be coming in to enjoy the old city.”
How does one budget?
Other than the price spent on a festival ticket, additional purchases of food, drinks, transportation, merch and even pre-shows/after-parties can quickly double the expenses one might originally aim for.
Ciphery said that she prioritizes the essentials when budgeting. “So the hotel transportation, getting there, the metro passes, food, everything like that. Then merch and the extra stuff is always the lowest on my budget and it’s just kind of like the leftover of the budget.”
What’s next?
With the creation of newer niche festivals, such as Palomosa (in its third year) and Tempéo (hosting its first one in September), people find deeper connections to the ones they identify with their music taste.
“I feel like there’s a need in the community in Montreal, that really values and enjoys music, for more niche festivals that showcase smaller artists that draw, not necessarily smaller crowds, but crowds that feel a little bit more purposeful,” said Peggy Ethier, a 20-year-old festival attendee living in Montreal.
Gerrard agrees with ethier. “I think we’ll keep seeing more niche or boutique events alongside the big ones, and probably a stronger focus on experience and identity rather than just stacking lineups. At the same time, pricing will be something to watch. There’s a point where even loyal audiences start to pick and choose more carefully,” he said.