Thunder Bay’s biggest music festival returned for its seventh year. This year’s Wake the Giant brought in some millennial heavy hitters, including Flo Rida, The Wallflowers, and Plain White T’s, plus Tia Wood, Shawnee Kish, Lov, and Juno Award winner Sebastian Gaskin. Check out the photos below for a feel of the day from the music, culture and tradition, and fun times in the crowd.

To geek or not to geek, that is the question. And at Thunder Bay’s favourite convention, the answer is always yes—and to the fullest!

A festival that was never actually intended to become a festival at all, originating as a ragtag family-and-friend pig roast that took on a mind of its own and snowballed into something widely beloved and inconceivably extravagant: Tumblestone Music & Art Festival.

“No one is going to believe what’s happening,” is what Lyndon Paavola remembers thinking as he saw the towering wall of forest fire flame and smoke as he and other community members of Namaygoosisagagun First Nation (also known as Collins) fled in small boats.

I was warned that Thunder Bay could be cliquey. I was warned about the neverending winters. But no one warned me about the housing crisis.

After taking a few years off due to COVID and increased shipping expenses, and eliciting community feedback, Thunder Bay’s outdoor beer fest, BrewHa, is back and better than ever with BrewHa 2.0! 

Renowned Canadian pianist Bruce Vogt is coming to Thunder Bay for a unique musical experience, bringing his exceptional skill at silent movie piano accompaniment to his appearance here in September.

Our city has a fascinating history of local shipbuilding that is not as well known as it should be. A new book by Barbara Yurkoski brings this story to life and while reading it, I was quite struck by the ingenuity and vision of the early entrepreneurs who both built and repaired these massive vessels right here.

In an effort to make their presence more well known and to help to financially support their initiatives, the RMYC will be hosting a concert fundraiser this September 6 at the City and District of Thunder Bay Youth Wellness Hub.

Deep in the heart of Thunder Bay’s downtown, you’ll find brothers Ryan and Nic MacDonald’s recording studio and jam space, the place where The Honest Heart Collective has spent over a decade making music. Now, the Thunder Bay based band is returning with their newest album Sheer Will, scheduled to release on September 18. 

There was nothing “blue” about last weekend.

Blues in the Ballpark came to Port Arthur Stadium, bringing two unforgettable days of world-class blues and blues rock to one of Thunder Bay’s most unique concert venues. Previously held as Bluesfest at Marina Park, it had been seven years since the city hosted an event of this scale dedicated to the genre.

When we talked to Killswitch Engage lead singer Jesse Leach last month ahead of their Thunder Bay tour stop, he said he’s only heard “legends and stories” about how rowdy a Thunder Bay metal show gets.

We think it’s safe to say he found out firsthand just how legendary a Thunder Bay crowd is.

The me of old

Blinded to the energies

swirling and eddying

Apathy doesn't usually announce itself. It just shows up disguised as being busy, as needing a break, as “someone else will do something.” Complacency is what happens between crises—in the blue sky moments, it's easiest to assume the problem solved itself. It didn't. The budget is still cut. The next fire season is still coming. And Doug Ford is still in power, doing photo ops until we’re tired enough, or comfortable enough, to stop paying attention. 

Port Arthurians, rejoice: Dough Bagel Co has brought the city’s favourite bagels closer to the waterfront, opening a second location inside Goods & Co. last month.

I am so incredibly impressed with this album. The 16 songs off Fabricated Worlds feel like an epic journey that explores a new sound with each track, traversing genres you’d never have expected to hear.

Szturm’s debut solo exhibition, Discrepancies, intends to examine our preference for manicured versions of the natural world as it confronts viewers with dirt, pests, and what we leave behind—whether that’s intentionally or not. 

Killswitch Engage is spending plenty of time on Canadian highways this month, but for lead singer Jesse Leach, it’s not long enough. The American metal band is on a two-month tour, with the first couple of weeks seeing them hit stages across Canada (including a return to the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium).

Inspired by his childhood love for Nintendo 64, adventures with his siblings in “the magic field” by his house, the thrill of seeing Jaws for the first time, and struggles with anxiety, local filmmaker James Livitski created his first short film, Lasagna Run. 

“Everywhere you’d look, there'd be smiling faces. Lots of people really loved having it because they actually remembered when it happened in the 90s.” With all that being said, last year was just a warm-up; Harbourfest has even more in-store for the whole family this time around.