Smash Mouth to play at Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival this September

Hot air balloons lift off from Parc de la Baie during the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. (Shaun Vardon/CTV News Ottawa)

It may be months away, but the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival is already walking on the sun with an all-star announcement.

The annual festival in Gatineau, Que. announced Monday that California-based hitmakers Smash Mouth will be performing at the festival on Sept. 3.

“Bursting onto the global stage in the late 1990s, the band helped define a generation of pop culture,” festival organizers said in a news release. “Smash Mouth quickly became a household name with chart-topping hits like All Star, Walking on the Sun, and their iconic re-imagining of I’m a Believer. Their music dominated radio and major film soundtracks, like the Shrek franchise.”

The band is currently fronted by singer Zach Goode, following the departure of the late Steve Harwell, who retired in 2021 and died in 2023. Canadian-born bassist Paul De Lisle is the last original member of the group, which was formed in 1994.

Organizers say the festival will announce more of its lineup on March 23.

The 39th edition of the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival runs Sept. 2 to 6.

Full details are at montgolfieresgatineau.com.

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