Three Days, Three Themes, One Massive Celebration
Toronto’s Downsview Park once again played host to VELD Music Festival over the Civic Holiday long weekend. Across three stages, thousands of fans gathered for a lineup featuring artists including Armin van Buuren, Charlotte de Witte, FISHER, Illenium, KX5, Above & Beyond, Sara Landry, Subtronics, and more. The grounds also featured dozens of food vendors, a towering Ferris wheel, and a massive Circle K activation that remained busy throughout the weekend.
This year’s edition also embraced themed experiences. Friday brought Y2K-inspired outfits, Saturday leaned into Enchanted Forests, and Sunday unleashed Thunderdome. Everywhere you looked, festivalgoers fully committed to the themes and added even more personality to an already colorful weekend.
Three Stages, Endless Choices
One of my favorite things about VELD is that everyone finds their place. Main Stage fans chased festival anthems and fireworks, techno lovers packed into Sirkus, and bass heads spent their days throwing down at Bass Stage. A quick walk across the grounds could take you from melodic singalongs to warehouse-style techno and straight into a wall of dubstep.
Above & Beyond Bring the Magic Back
My favorite set of the weekend came from Above & Beyond.
The timing could not have been better. As the sun slowly began to set over Downsview Park, Jono Grant and Paavo Siljamäki guided the crowd through an emotional journey that felt effortless. The warm evening light, packed Main Stage crowd, and signature Above & Beyond sound created one of those festival moments that stays with you long after the weekend ends. Of course, they continued their beloved “Push the Button” tradition and invited fans onstage to take part. It remains one of dance music’s most unique moments. Every time it happens, the crowd reacts like it’s seeing it for the first time.
For Toronto fans, the set felt especially meaningful. Jono and Paavo returned carrying the same energy that made last summer’s Budweiser Stage performance so memorable. Their VELD set blended tracks from their newest album with fan favorites that have soundtracked dance floors for years. The result felt both familiar and fresh, exactly what Above & Beyond do best.
Illenium Delivers an Emotional Saturday Finale
If Above & Beyond owned the sunset, Illenium owned the closing chapter on Saturday. His set felt very similar to the nostalgic approach that made his recent Tomorrowland performance resonate so strongly. Rather than relying solely on new material, he pulled from tracks that introduced many fans to electronic music years ago. He blended those familiar moments with his signature melodic bass style and gave them new life.
The crowd responded exactly how you would expect. Fans sang every word. They threw their hands in the air during emotional breakdowns. Minutes later they switched gears and headbanged through massive drops. The performance constantly balanced heart and energy without ever feeling forced. More than anything, it was the people that stood out. Everywhere across the field, groups of friends stood in their own little circles wearing huge smiles. Some sang every lyric. Others simply wrapped their arms around each other and took it all in. For a few hours, nobody seemed concerned about the mud beneath their feet or the rain that had rolled through earlier. Those are the moments that stick with you.
Sunday’s Rain Creates the Weekend’s Defining Moment
Sunday’s rain created some of the weekend’s most memorable moments. Heavy rain rolled across Downsview Park and turned much of the festival grounds into a sea of puddles. Despite the weather, performances continued as scheduled, and fans fully embraced the conditions.
Sara Landry and KX5 ultimately closed out VELD under rain-soaked skies. At the Sirkus Stage, Sara Landry’s relentless techno soundtrack felt perfectly matched to the storm. The pounding kicks, flashing lights, and steady rainfall created one of the weekend’s most intense atmospheres. Meanwhile, over at the Main Stage, KX5 delivered a euphoric finale as deadmau5 and Kaskade soundtracked the final hours of the festival. Rather than leaving early, fans danced through puddles, raised their hands to the sky, and soaked in every last moment.
What could have dampened the mood became one of the defining memories of VELD 2026. Groups splashed through muddy pathways. Friends danced in soaked outfits. Strangers laughed as the rain intensified around them. By the end of the night, the weather had become part of the experience. Watching Sara Landry and KX5 close out the weekend in the rain felt like the perfect ending to a festival that refused to slow down.
Veld 2027
The countdown to next summer has already begun. VELD returns to Downsview Park from July 30 to August 1, 2027, and Early Bird tickets are available now. VIP Early Bird passes have already sold out, showing that after another unforgettable Civic Holiday weekend, plenty of fans are already locking in their return.
Between the singalongs, muddy shoes, surprise rainstorms, and endless smiles across the crowd, VELD 2026 reminded us why we keep coming back year after year. The music might bring us through the gates, but it’s the memories we make with our friends that stay with us long after the final track ends. If this year was any indication, we’ll be counting down the days until we do it all again next summer. We can’t wait to see you next year, until then stay tuned to EDMTunes.
