Sled Island

The full music lineup for Sled Island 2025 has arrived, with over 150 more artists set to join this year's festival!

New additions include captivating singer-songwriter Zola Jesus (returning to Sled Island for a special solo piano performance at Central United Church), LA-based electronic musician Baths, Austrian electro-pop artist Sofie Royer, contemporary composer Kara-Lis Coverdale, Montreal psych punks PYPY, the new cold wave solo project from Annie-Claude Deschênes (of Duchess Says and PYPY), San Francisco experimental sound artist evicshen, Canadian indie pop duo Bibi Club, Berlin-based post-punk outfit Liiek, South Carolina experimental R&B singer/producer Niecy Blues, and the final selection from 2025 guest curator Otoboke Beaver, Japanese classic rock group DMBQ, which includes guitarist Shinji Masuko of BOREDOMS.

On top of that, the festival has announced an outstanding collection of emerging artists joining this year’s lineup, including blind trap artist and producer Mattmac, indie surf four-piece Sea of Lettuce, alternative pop act Laraw, hardcore-meets-folk outfit Truck Violence, Denver-based indie group Barbara, edgy pop project SHY FRiEND, Montreal singer-songwriter KT Laine, indie rock ensemble Thomas Thomas, Vancouver R&B artist Lowkita, neo-soul group ZENON & The 64, Calgary math rock trio Oranje, and many, many more.

To celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day this year, Sled Island has once again partnered with two Indigenous-led organizations — Moments Fest and Drum Beat Entertainment — who have helped curate two separate events on Saturday, June 21. At the Ship & Anchor, the Moments Fest showcase will feature an incredible lineup of heavy acts including SMUTHER, Feartilizer 1492, No More Moments, and Void of Mood, while the Drum Beat Entertainment showcase will present an exciting collection of electronic performers, including LVL Collective, Creeasian, BLKFT and DJ Blexxy on the King Eddy rooftop patio.

Sled Island’s complete 2025 lineup and schedule will be announced shortly, including comedy, art, special events and conference programming.

Passes and tickets are on sale now. A limited number of single show tickets to newly announced Sled Island 2025 shows will go on sale this Friday, April 18 at noon MDT.

For more information and to see the full music lineup, visit SledIsland.com.

Shout out to Becca Lowe for this year's artwork!

Thank you to our funders and sponsors at Servus Credit Union, Calgary Downtown Association, Eighty-Eight Brewing Company, Dandy Brewing, The Beltline BLOX, Confluence Distilling, Structured Abstraction, Calgary Economic Development, Government of Canada, Calgary Arts Development, City of Calgary, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Rozsa Foundation, SOCAN Foundation, Factor Canada, and Venture for Canada.

 

RSVP FOR FREE!

Join us on Saturday, April 26 for the Sled Island Student Mixer! Come meet like-minded people to sled with and catch some secret shows from Sled Island 2025 artists!

Please note, while this event is catered towards students, ALL ARE WELCOME!

From 7pm - 11pm at BLOX Arts Centre, this free event is an opportunity to connect with fellow students who share a love for music and the arts. Whether you're a longtime festival-goer or new to Sled Island, the Student Mixer offers a chance to build community and get excited for the season ahead.

Enjoy free food, cheap drinks and music from our DJ while you mingle. Not to mention, three surprise performances spread out throughout the evening!

RSVP HERE to receive a free beer from our friends at Dandy and Eighty-Eight Brewing!  

Thanks to Rozsa Foundation for their support with this new initiative, and to BLOX Arts Centre, Dandy Brewing, Eighty-Eight Brewing, CJSW and NUTV for their help in making it all possible.

Props to Helen Arias for the awesome poster art!

Please note, this is an all-ages event.
 

ABOUT SLED ISLAND

Sled Island is an annual five-day independent music and arts festival in Calgary, Alberta that brings together a community of music, comedy, and art with nearly 30,000 attendees in multiple venues across the city. Since 2007, Sled Island has produced a thoughtful, eclectic and one-of-a-kind festival that earns rave reviews from attendees, artists and media across the globe. Visit SledIsland.com for more information.

 

The first wave of Sled Island 2025 artists is here! 

Joining our previously announced guest curator, Otoboke Beaver, is Brooklyn-based R&B Queen Yaya Bey, Canadian synth-pop heroes TOPS, trailblazing Australian psych rock outfit Tropical Fuck Storm, celebrated hip-hop collective Oddisee & Good Compny, Boston slowcore trio Horse Jumper of Love, experimental noise rock group Xiu Xiu, breathtaking ambient harpist Mary Lattimore, and outlandish egg punk band Snõõper.

Also included in the first wave lineup is genre-defiant Chicago drummer Makaya McCraven, Portland-based black metal project Mizmor, Canadian-Filipino experimental rap artist Kimmortal, legendary Indigenous folk rock duo Willie Thrasher & Linda Saddleback, Arabic post-folk group SANAM, and adventurous art rock three-piece Motherhood. 

Each year, Sled Island's guest curator helps to shape the festival's programming. This year, Otoboke Beaver has handpicked an incredible collection of artists, including fabled garage punk group The Mummies, Japanese-American “action comic punk band” Peelander-Z, “gunk pop” trio Black Ends, DIY pop-punk outfit LEMON BOY, Seattle sludge metal three-piece MUÑECA, experimental glockenspiel musician and synth pop artist Glockabelle, Taiwanese indie punks BB BOMB, and more still to be announced.

Rounding out today’s announcement are some very exciting Canadian artists, including acclaimed indie rock group jo passed (returning after a seven-year hiatus), pop-infused indie artist Rae Spoon, electric hip-hop collective K-Riz & The Family, spellbinding electronic duo CHXMERAS, scrappy punk rock foursome Brass Lip, chamber pop project Victrix, thought-provoking hip-hop artist Arlo Maverick, maximalist noise-punk quartet NATLAK, dream pop five-piece Babe Corner, and grrrl gang punk band PERRA.

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We're very excited to announce that Japanese punk rock four-piece Otoboke Beaver will be joining us as guest curator for Sled Island 2025, running June 18 - 22! The group's fast, fierce and sincere approach to punk is met with unmatchable style, quick humour and feminine rage, making them the perfect guest curator for next year's festival. 

PASSES and TICKETS are available now!

Along with guest curator duties, Otoboke Beaver will perform at The Palace Theatre (219 8 Ave SW) on Saturday, June 21, 2025. Sled Island passes grant access to this show (subject to capacity). 

Each year, Sled Island’s guest curator puts their stamp on the festival through special programming choices and their presence at the event. Otoboke Beaver’s curatorial selections will be announced in the coming months, along with 200 additional bands, comedy, visual art and conference programming chosen by the festival in multiple venues across Calgary.

Passes will be available for a limited time at an early bird rate of 20% off. All-ages passes will also be available, giving attendees under the age of 18 access to all events open to minors. 

New this year, payment plans will now be available for purchases of $50 or more! That's right! Now you can buy multiple single show tickets or an early bird pass, and have the option to pay in installments! 
 

Unfamiliar with Otoboke Beaver? Check out one of their KEXP performances for a taste of the raw energy and sheer musicianship they bring to their live shows, which has garnered them heavy praise from renowned artists like Iggy Pop, Tom Morello, Jack White, Dave Grohl and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. 

Thank you to our sponsors and funders at connectFirst Credit Union, Eighty-Eight Brewing, Dandy Brewing Company, The Beltline BLOX, Calgary Arts Development, The City of Calgary, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, SOCAN Foundation, Structured Abstraction, and the Government of Canada.
 

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Sled Island is a registered charity, and we are dedicated to nurturing the music and arts community, working hard to provide unique, accessible events and artistic opportunities year-round.

With that said, none of this can be accomplished without the generous support of donors! As the holidays approach, we are asking for your help to reach our $30,000 fundraising goal which will be invested into our programming initiatives in 2025!

50% of donations made before the new year will be matched by the government, making your contribution even more impactful!

Show your support by donating at SledIsland.com/Donate!

If you’re unable to donate, you can still help us by bidding on our silent auction items, or by sharing our message with your friends, family and employers.