Toronto Urban Roots Festival 2016 announces first wave of artists

By: Staff –

Toronto Urban Roots Fest (TURF) returns to Fort York from September 16th-18th.

Today the festival announced that Death Cab For Cutie, James Bay, Barenaked Ladies, Dropkick Murphys, Explosions in the Sky, Matthew Good, Jake Bugg, The Sheepdogs, Lush, The Hives, Lake Street Dive, Matt Andersen and The Bona Fide, Drive By Truckers, Guided By Voices, Matt Mays, Rheostatics, Okkervil River, Corb Lund, The Felice Brothers, The Mekons, Marlon Williams, Julien Baker, John Moreland, Skinny Lister, and MidnightShine, are all set to perform at the festival. TURF will be announcing 19 more artists, including other headliners, in June.

Passes go on sale tomorrow (Friday, May 27th) at noon. Fans can purchase a “Master Pass”, which includes VIP access to the festival with exit and re-entry privileges, and guaranteed admission to all TURF Club Bonus Series shows at The Horseshoe Tavern, and Lee’s Palace, a 3-day GA pass, or a 3-day VIP pass, which includes access to an enclosed VIP area located in front of three stages, excellent views of the stage from the ‘Front of Stage’ area, festival Exit/Re-Entry privileges, access to private washroom, private bars, shaded area, access to free water refill stations, free re-fillable TURF water bottles, and access to the GA grounds.

Purchase a “Master Pass” here, 3-day passes here, and 3-day VIP passes here.

This year the festival will expand to four stages for the first time with its first partially tented stage named the Battle of York, and an invasion to inside the museum grounds with the new Rebellion Stage.

TURF will also have a new VIP area this year, which gives patrons all the usual amenities plus the front of stage experience at three of the four stages. In past years, TURF artist guests, sponsors and upgrades got the same VIP amenities. In 2016 these folks will get their own VIP but not any front of house privilege. This means that this year the VIP area will be smaller and more exclusive to actual VIP ticket holders.