Escapade Music Festival celebrated its 15th anniversary in style with a weekend packed full electrifying performances, vibrant crowds, and more.

Escapade Music Festival returned for its 15th anniversary with a massive celebration, marked by a brand-new venue, genre-spanning lineups, and unforgettable energy across three days of music and connection in Ottawa.

This year, Escapade moved to the expansive RA Centre Grounds, offering a more accessible and immersive experience with larger stages, improved flow, and upgraded production. The new layout gave festival-goers more room to dance, explore, and soak in the summer vibes, making 2025 the biggest and boldest edition to date.

The House Party Stage was the heartbeat of the underground, with deep grooves and hypnotic rhythms all weekend long. Loco Dice brought raw, stripped-back techno with a signature punch. Green Velvet kept the crowd in high spirits with his quirky charisma and relentless house heaters. Disclosure’s performance stood out as a highlight of the weekend, blending UK garage, live instrumentation, and crowd-favorite hits like “Latch” and “You & Me.”

Over on The Great Lawn (Mainstage), big-room energy and melodic builds took center stage. MORTEN, known for pioneering the Future Rave sound with David Guetta, brought peak-time energy to his set. DVBBS fired up the local crowd with a mix of festival anthems and high-octane electro. Chris Lake delivered a masterclass in tech-house with thumping basslines and crowd-control finesse. Closing out with style, The Chainsmokers returned to Ottawa with a cinematic set that blended their pop-crossover catalog with live vocals and visual storytelling.

credit Chris Nino

The Lot (Bass Stage) was the sanctuary for bass lovers, where the ground-shaking low end and intense visuals stole the show. Subtronics delivered a barrage of dubstep and riddim, packed with unreleased edits and crowd eruptions. Excision brought his full-scale production to the capital, turning the bass stage into a dystopian rave experience. DJ Snake introduced his darker alias “The Outlaw,” dropping hard trap, global bass, and dubstep in a surprise-heavy set that had fans buzzing for days after.

credit Chris Nino

Beyond the headliners, the festival featured standout performances from Kygo, RL Grime, Kaskade, Galantis, Gryffin, Gorgon City, Vintage Culture, and an Anjunabeats 25 takeover from Above & Beyond. Canadian talent was also well represented with appearances from HNTR, Rose Motion, Laura Scavo, and Sheva, cementing Escapade’s reputation as a launchpad for both international and local stars.

This year’s improvements didn’t stop at the lineup. Fans praised the enhanced layout, better crowd management, and the expanded space that allowed each stage to feel like its own distinct world. Escapade continues to evolve into more than just a festival—it’s a celebration of dance music culture and community.

For those who couldn’t make it or are already planning their return, Escapade 2026 is gearing up to be even bigger. Tickets and pre-sale registration are available now at escapademf.com.

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