Guitars and Gasoline Music Festival attracts thousands to Calabogie area

The inaugural Guitars and Gasoline Festival in Calabogie brought out thousands to the race track for a weekend of Canadian music. CTV’s Dylan Dyson reports.

Thousands of people converged on the Calabogie area this weekend for the inaugural Guitars and Gasoline Music Festival.

Being held at the Calabogie Motorsports Park, it’s a two-day music festival spread over Friday and Saturday, featuring artists Blue Rodeo, Theory of a Deadman, Joss Ross and The Headstones.

“I have an attachment to anywhere around Ottawa or the Ottawa Valley,” Headstones lead singer Hugh Dillon told CTV News.

“When I was a kid, I would come to Calabogie.”

The lineup and festival was put together with an all-Canadian theme in mind.

“I learned a lot about rock and roll when I was a kid,” said Dillon.

“I saw my first shows in Ottawa, and we played Barrymore’s a million times. It’s just that the audiences, for whatever reason, kill. So anytime we can play Ottawa or anywhere around Ottawa, we’re down.”

Opening the show on Saturday was local country artist Alexa Goldie.

“I’m originally from Kingston, so not that far from home. I saw the turnout last night, it was amazing. So, I’m just excited for another night. They’re doing an awesome job for the first year,” Goldie said.

This is the first such festival being held at the racetrack in Calabogie, which is allowing festival goers to camp out directly along the more than five-kilometre-long track, Canada’s longest speedway.

Festival promoter Ken Craig says that was a big reason the festival was able to sell roughly 15,000 tickets in its first year.

“It’s the camping. People love camping,” said Craig. “82 per cent of my ticket buyers also bought camping, and that’s why it’s so beautiful because of the surrounding.”

The artists were impressed with the set up.

“I think it’s so cool,” said Goldie.

“I’ve never played on a racetrack. Usually, I’m in the middle of a field or in the middle of the parkway.”

With the first year just wrapping up, festival organizers say they plan to make Guitars and Gasoline a staple at the Calabogie Motorsports Park for years to come.

“We have a business plan that we are moving forward with,” said Craig.

“We’re going to make the site bigger. Our capacity is going to increase every year, and we’re really excited to keep on going in 2026, ‘27 and ‘28.”