Top Ontario musicians in two genres will be honoured this year in Mississauga

Mississauga will host two major music awards festivals this year as it continues efforts to position itself as a music hot spot in both Ontario and Canada.

Canada’s seventh-largest city will host Folk Music Ontario’s 2024 conference and awards show taking place Oct. 3-6, City of Mississauga officials announced today.

The weekend-long event, which is the largest gathering of Canada’s folk music industry, will take place at the Living Arts Centre and other venues in Mississauga’s downtown core.

In addition to live music and the awards show, the Folk Music Ontario event will also feature professional development and networking opportunities for artists, organizers say.

“We are excited to welcome Folk Music Ontario to Mississauga this year,” acting Mayor Joe Horneck said in a news release. “As 2023’s Music City of the Year, our lively music scene is thriving and draws many talented artists from across the country. We look forward to spotlighting Ontario’s folk music talent and inviting them to our vibrant city this fall.”

Named 2023 Music City of the Year by the Canadian Live Music Association and Canadian Music Week, Mississauga is also hosting the Country Music Association of Ontario’s 2024 CMAOntario Festival and Awards, taking place May 31 to June 2.

It marks the first time Mississauga has hosted the event, which will take place at various venues before concluding the final night at the LAC.

And they’ll do it all over again two years later, in early 2026, as Mississauga and the CMAO have also struck a deal for a repeat performance of the country music event.

The Folk Music Ontario conference and awards show, meanwhile, will showcase Mississauga’s live music venues and it also aligns with the city’s recently developed Music Strategy, said Visit Mississauga CEO Victoria Clarke. Visit Mississauga is the city’s tourism wing.

“Kudos to our team for securing this event and thank you to Folk Music Ontario for partnering with us. We look forward to amplifying Mississauga’s talented music scene to celebrate and support our local artists with these type of event opportunities,” said Clarke.

In selecting Mississauga as 2023 Music City of the Year, the Canadian Live Music Association and Canadian Music Week noted the city was recognized for its efforts in establishing its Music Strategy with a goal of positioning Mississauga “as an incubator for top musical talent and a national destination for live music events and festivals.”

The city’s Music Strategy was created in 2022 and identifies 32 actions through 2026 to support the growth and development of Mississauga’s music industry.