Lawn Chairs at the Ready: Music on the Barge Returns to Gull Lake for Summer 2026
There are few summer traditions in cottage country quite as special as a Sunday evening at Gull Lake in Gravenhurst. As the sun starts setting, hundreds of Muskoka residents, cottagers, and visitors settle onto the banks of Gull Lake Rotary Park — lawn chairs out, coolers open — and watch a live band take the stage on one of the most unique performance venues in the country: a stage, moored in the water, with the whole lake as its backdrop. This is Music on the Barge — the largest outdoor concert series north of Toronto, and one of the most beloved community traditions anywhere in Ontario.
More Than 75 Years and Still Going Strong
Music on the Barge dates back more than 75 years and has grown into the largest outdoor concert series north of Toronto — drawing thousands of people on any given Sunday evening throughout the summer. Families have been attending for generations. The admission model has remained refreshingly democratic throughout: entry is by free will offering, ensuring the concerts remain accessible to absolutely everyone.
One of the event’s great unsung heroes is Fred Schulz, who began working at the barge in 1972 collecting donations, became coordinator in 1985, and dedicated more than 50 years of Sunday summers to keeping the magic alive — arriving at 8am every show day and not leaving until everything was packed away. A commemorative plaque at the park recognises his extraordinary contribution.
Battle for the Barge
One of the most exciting additions to the series in recent years is the Battle for the Barge — a community vote that gives local and regional bands the chance to earn a spot in the season lineup. This year, you chose three winners: Symply Skynyrd took first place, The Sandra Good Band came in second, and Todd & Robyn took third. All three join the main programme — proof that the community’s taste in music is impeccable.
The 2026 Lineup
All Sunday evening concerts take place at Gull Lake Rotary Park. June and July shows start at 7:30pm; August and September shows start at 7pm.
June 28 — Gravenhurst BiFocals Concert Band The season opens with a hometown favourite. The Gravenhurst BiFocals Concert Band bring their signature community spirit and musical chops to the barge for what promises to be a warm and welcoming start to the summer series.
July 5 — Taylor’s Story: Unofficial Tribute to Taylor Swift The Eras come to Gull Lake. Taylor’s Story brings the glitter, the anthems, and the full emotional sweep of Taylor Swift’s extraordinary catalogue to the barge stage — and if the crowd arrives already knowing every word, that’s entirely by design.
July 12 — Copy Cash: A Johnny & June Tribute from Gavan Rousseau A beautiful tribute to the legendary love story of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, performed by Gavan Rousseau. Country music, timeless storytelling, and the songs that defined one of music’s great partnerships — on a summer evening by the lake, this one will be hard to beat.
July 19 — Symply Skynyrd — Battle for the Barge First Place Winner! The people have spoken — and they wanted Southern rock. Symply Skynyrd, your 2026 Battle for the Barge first place winners, bring their Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute to the floating stage. Sweet Home Alabama, Free Bird, Simple Man — a huge night of classic rock on Gull Lake.
July 26 — New Rodeo as Blue Rodeo One of Canada’s most beloved bands gets the tribute treatment as New Rodeo channels the lush, country-tinged rock of Blue Rodeo for an evening of Try, 5 Days in May, Bad Timing, and all the songs that have soundtracked Canadian summers for decades. A perfect fit for a Muskoka Sunday night.
August 2 — My Life: The Billy Joel Experience A double bill of piano-driven legends. My Life brings the full Billy Joel experience to the barge, with Elton Lammie Music adding a layer of Rocket Man magic to the evening. Piano Man, Crocodile Rock, We Didn’t Start the Fire — a crowd-pleasing night of songs that everyone in the park will know.
August 9 — The Sandra Good Band with Todd & Robyn — Battle for the Barge 2nd & 3rd Place Winners A community night to celebrate the bands the people chose. The Sandra Good Band — your second place Battle for the Barge winners — headline, with Todd & Robyn, your third place winners, opening the evening. Local music, community pride, and a stage that belongs to everyone.
August 16 — Get Yachty: The Smooth Sounds of the 70s and 80s Formerly known as The Yachty Boys, Get Yachty deliver the smooth, sun-soaked sounds of yacht rock — the mellow, melodic, impossibly feel-good genre that was made for exactly this kind of evening. Soft rock, blue skies, and Gull Lake — it doesn’t get more summer than this.
August 23 — Lightfoot: The Legend Lives On A moving celebration of Gordon Lightfoot’s extraordinary catalogue — Sundown, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, Carefree Highway, If You Could Read My Mind — performed in tribute to one of Canada’s greatest musical storytellers, and a particularly poignant programme given Lightfoot’s deep roots in cottage country.
August 30 — Trilogy Classics Live: Foreigner, Styx & Journey The summer season winds down with a monster night of classic rock as Trilogy Classics Live brings the anthemic catalogues of three of the genre’s biggest names to the barge in one spectacular evening. Don’t Stop Believin’, Mr. Roboto, I Want to Know What Love Is — the kind of night where every single person in the park is on their feet singing along.
September 6 — Mountain Music & Chicken Fried: The Ultimate Country Music Experience The perfect finale. Mountain Music & Chicken Fried close out the 2026 season with the ultimate country music celebration — big hats, bigger hooks, and all the songs that make country music memorable. A toe-tapping, boot-stomping send-off to another unforgettable season on the barge.
All concerts take place at Gull Lake Rotary Park, 405 Brock Street, Gravenhurst. June and July shows start at 7:30pm; August and September at 7pm. Admission is by free will offering. In the event of rain or lightning, concerts are cancelled — check the Town of Gravenhurst’s Facebook and social channels for updates by 5pm on show days.