The upcoming 55th Juno Awards will be taking place in Hamilton later this month, offering a plethora of music-related events throughout March. In addition to the grand finale at TD Coliseum on March 29, various Juno-related activities are set to unfold in the city.
To kick off the Junos celebration, Tourism Hamilton is organizing a sequence of six surprise pop-up concerts in Hamilton and nearby cities during March. Each concert will feature a different artist, announced 24 hours in advance on the organization’s Instagram account. The concert series kicked off with LØLØ performing at Sonic Hall in Guelph on March 1, followed by upcoming shows in St. Catharines on March 7, Hamilton on March 14, Paris on March 15, and Burlington on March 16, with no confirmed date yet for the Mississauga show. Additionally, an Indigenous-led multi-artist concert named Dwadę’nyŏta’ Shęh nigaęno’dę:s or We Celebrate Our Music will take place in Six Nations, with more details to be announced soon on the Tourism Hamilton website.
Tourism Hamilton is also hosting an exhibit called “Punching In” at its visitor center, showcasing the local music scene. Furthermore, a lineup of local concerts and events will be held at various restaurants, cafes, and venues around Hamilton from February 21 to March 27. Some of these events are ticketed, while others are free, featuring artists like Alfie Smith, Brad James, The Dunlop Brothers, Tung Le, Evan Rotella, Astrid Young, and Samantha Ava.
On March 11, CBC Music will present the CBC Classical Road to the Junos concert at McMaster University’s L.R. Wilson Concert Hall, highlighting musicians and composers with connections to Hamilton. This ticketed event, postponed due to weather, will be recorded for broadcast on March 29.
For comedy enthusiasts, the Juno Comedy Show is set for March 26 at Levity Comedy Club in downtown Hamilton, featuring comedians like Adam Christie, Charlie Demers, and Dave Merheje in two separate shows.
Another highlight is the Juno Kickoff Concert at The Music Hall on March 26, featuring performances by James Barker Band, Robyn Ottolini, Sacha, Kalsey Kulyk, and The Redhill Valleys. The event will commence at 8 p.m.
As the Juno week unfolds, various other events will take place, including the live audience taping of CBC Radio’s Q at Theatre Aquarius, a storytelling event at the Sheraton Hotel, Junofest across multiple Hamilton venues on March 27-28, the Juno Songwriter’s Circle at FirstOntario Concert Hall on March 27, and the Honouring Ceremony on March 28, paying tribute to Indigenous creatives.
The pinnacle of the celebration will be the Juno Awards on March 29 at Hamilton’s TD Coliseum, hosted by Mae Martin. The star-studded lineup of performers includes Allison Russell, Arkells, The Beaches, Daniel Caesar, Sarah McLachlan, and William Prince. The show will be broadcast live on various CBC platforms at 8 p.m. ET.
After the awards show, attendees can join the Juno Awards After Party at The Music Hall, a ticketed event for individuals aged 19 and above starting at 11 p.m. on March 29. Proceeds from the event will support MusiCounts charity’s school music funding programs.
These events promise an exciting and diverse celebration leading up to the prestigious Juno Awards ceremony, showcasing and honoring Canadian music talent.