Boots and Hearts comes to a bittersweet end

Boots and Hearts comes to a bittersweet ending Canada’s largest camping and music festival came to a close on Sunday in Oro-Medonte.

Canada’s largest camping and music festival came to a close on Sunday in Oro-Medonte, as Boots and Hearts was capped off by headliner Jason Aldean’s performance on the main stage.

"We’ve got more than 25,000 [people],” said Todd Jenereux, executive vice-president for the festival and Republic Live as Burl’s Creek Event Grounds were being packed up on Monday. “This was by far our best execution year [and] the most fun we’ve ever had.”

After Thursday’s kickoff party, 30 performers took the stage from Friday to Sunday.

Saturday evening was headlined by Thomas Rhett’s performance, which was followed by a handful of Canadian artists taking the stage on Sunday. Among them, Elmvale’s Dayna Reid and Innisfil’s Brian John Hardwood, who both performed at Boots and Hearts for the first time after previously attending for many years as fans.

"I’ve came every year in the audience, just praying that one day I’d be on stage,” said Hardwood. “I just worked me butt off and kept going,”

Hardwood and Reid also confirmed they had plenty of family and friends in the crowd.

"It’s my hope that I can motivate some other small town kid just like from Elmvale Ontario to chase their dreams too,” said Reid.

Avril Lavigne was a surprise guest for Nate Smith’s performance Sunday evening. Before headliner Jason Aldean, Alberta-based band Emerson Drive performed for what will likely be their final time at Boots and Hearts, as it was a stop on their farewell tour that was announced in 2023.

“I think this is extra special for guys like us that understand that it’s a unique experience to be able to play the festivals that we do have up here [in Canada],” said Brad Mates, the band’s lead singer.

Officials say planning for next year’s Boots and Hearts festival got underway months ago, and that they are currently focused on booking their headline performers. The All Your Friends Fest takes place at Burl’s Creek the weekend of August 23-24.