Edgefest

Edgefest
Genre	Rock
Location(s)	Toronto, Ontario
Years active	1987 to present
Founded by	102.1 the Edge
Website
www.edge.ca

Edgefest, a yearly outdoor rock concert festival held on Canada Day in Toronto, Ontario that primarily promotes Canadian rock music. It was founded by staff members of Toronto radio station 102.1 the Edge. During its 30 year operation, the festival has featured more than 300 bands in five locations; Molson Park in Barrie, Ontario, the Ontario Place Forum, the Molson Amphitheatre, Downsview Park, and most recently TD Echo Beach. As of 2016 it is the longest running rock show in Canada.

Edgefest began in 1987 as a conversation between CFNY-FM 102.1 the Edge staffers Kneale Mann, Alan Cross, Earl Veale, and Phil Evans. The station had launched ten years earlier in 1977, and in order to celebrate their tenth birthday and Canada Day, the staff took the financially risky decision to throw a large outdoor rock festival.

A lineup, including Blue Rodeo, The Pursuit of Happiness, Teenage Head, and the first foreign act, The Saints, was soon arranged, but finding an appropriate location proved to be difficult. A farmer's field in Oakville, Ontario was considered, but would have involved complications with staging, electricity, bathrooms and parking. Other suggestions included Mosport International Raceway and Cayuga Speedway, but as they were unavailable, Molson Park in Barrie was chosen. Organizers worried that fans would not want to drive from Toronto to the relatively unknown location in Barrie (approximately 90 km [55 mi]), but after purchasing tickets through Pizza Pizza locations for just $1.02 per ticket, 25,000 people arrived for the inaugural Edgefest, Wednesday, July 1, 1987.

...
Wikipedia