As summer quickly approaches, another of Victoria’s most beloved festivals has announced this year’s lineup.
At Harbour Blues ‘n Roots Festival 2025, some of the biggest names in the business will be coming down to Victoria’s Ship Point in the Inner Harbour from Friday, August 22nd to Sunday, August 24th.
The big names who will be gracing the stage at Ship Point will be The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer, Shemekia Copeland and Bywater Call. Those prestigious acts will be joined by local bands Wet Future, James Vickers Band and Slim Sandy’s Atomic Cocktails.
The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer are known as relentless touring artists and for their high-energy performances, Shemekia Copeland is an American blues vocalist who possesses one of the most instantly recognizable and deeply soulful roots music voices of our time and lastly, the Toronto-based seven-piece supergroup Bywater Call is known for their unique blend of southern soul, blues and roots music.
The above bands will be playing Friday through Sunday nights, with admission to the shows costing $42 per person, per night. For those hoping to catch all three performances, Harbour Blues ‘n Roots is offering a price of $99.
There will also be free shows taking place at Ship Point on Saturday and Sunday, between noon and 5 p.m.
The free acts playing on Saturday are the Tom Lang Band, Blackfish, the Bill Johnson Band and Don Peterson & The Tone Rangers. On Sunday, the free bands will be Becky Prokova, Big Hank & The Smokin’ Hot Toasters, Paul Black Band and the James Vickers Band.
In addition to the Ship Point shows, there will be one special performance with blues icon Walter Trout playing at Wicket Hall after all the commotion of the festival is over.
Walter Trout is known as a prolific American blues-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter. Trout started as a band member for legendary acts such as John Lee Hooker, Percy Mayfield and Big Mama Thornton.
From there he made a name for himself as the lead guitarist for Canned Heat and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, before forming the Walter Trout Band, Walter Trout and the Radicals and finally performing simply as Walter Trout.
The Walter Trout show is scheduled a couple weeks after the Harbour Blues ‘n Roots Festival, on Friday, September 12th.
Tickets for both the festival and the Walter Trout show will go on sale beginning on Friday, May 30th.
Harbour Blues ‘n Roots Festival 2025
- Where: Ship Point, Wharf Street
- When: Friday, August 22nd to Sunday, August 24th
- Tickets: Available online, starting May 30th
