The Vans Warped Tour 2026 moshes back to Montréal
Music Festivals and events
Anyone who attended the Vans Warped Tour’s first stop at Montréal’s Hippodrome (a.k.a. the Blue Bonnets horse racing track) in 1996 will remember the towering tornado of dirt and dust that emerged from the mosh pit every time a band took the stage. Soon-to-be monumental artists like Blink-182, Beck, Deftones, NOFX, Pennywise and Mighty Mighty Bosstones set the stage, literally, for a primal celebration of all things punk, ska, hardcore, skate-punk, metal, pop-punk and more. Now, 30 years later and after a lengthy hiatus, the action-packed Vans Warped Tour returns to Montréal in the summer of 2026.
Let’s do the Vans Warped again
The Warped Tour launched in 1995 and became the longest-running touring music festival in the United States by far. After calling it a day in 2019, the tour roared back to life for its 30th anniversary last year with a limited run of shows. The fan response was off the chart, and now the Vans Warped Tour is back in action for a five-city North American run in 2026, hitting Washington D.C., Long Beach, Orlando, Mexico City and, of course, Montréal at Parc Jean-Drapeau on August 21 and 22.
Montréal takes its place among a select few
That Montréal, thus far, is the only Canadian date on the Vans Warped Tour is special testament to the depth and diversity of the city’s music fanbase, a sentiment echoed by the tour’s creator.
“Bringing Warped back to international stages is an exciting milestone,” said Kevin Lyman, founder of the Vans Warped Tour, in a press statement. “Montréal and Mexico City are home to some of the most dedicated music fans in the world, and expanding into these cities lets us share the Warped spirit with even more people. It’s the perfect time to grow the tour and celebrate the global community that’s been with us from the beginning.”
Bringing Warped back to international stages is an exciting milestone
Kevin Lyman, founder of the Vans Warped Tour
It’s safe to expect the unexpected
While the official tour lineup won’t be announced until the beginning of 2026, Vans fans can be confident in expecting a mix of legends, returning festival favourites, ascendant artists and likely a few surprises, bringing together musicians spanning rock, punk, alternative, pop-punk, rap, emo, hardcore, ska and more. And the action offstage is also guaranteed to please.
Concertgoers will be able to take advantage of a number of fan experiences, including an artist alley (where bands will be selling merch out of their own booth), a sponsor village (featuring DIY-style pop ups, acoustic sets and product giveaways), extreme sports demos (BMX and skateboarding), a record label row (merch and potential artist signings) and much more.
Jamie O'Meara
Jamie O'Meara was the Editor-in-Chief at C2 Montréal and the former Editor-in-Chief of alt-weekly newspaper HOUR Magazine.