Big FiRes 2026
BIG NEWS! We’re delighted to welcome Slake Brewing as this year’s Premier Season Sponsor AND we’re having an epic party to celebrate! Mark your calendars for BIG FIRES, a Solstice party at Slake Brewing on Saturday June 20. Eight hours of music, family-friendly activities, delicious food and drink and all the groovy festival vibes you can handle as we celebrate the longest day of the year and raise some money for The Department of Illumination.
BIG FIRES - JUNE 20, 2026
SCHEDULE:
1 PM - 4 PM Kids costume-making
1 PM - 6 PM Make a flower crown
1:30 PM - 2:10 Andy Forgie (Special Performance for the Young and the Young at Heart)
2:10 - Race of the Mythical Creatures
3 PM - 3:40 Matthew “Doc” Dunn (Roots and Blues)
3 PM - 6 PM Typewriter Poetry
4 PM - Costume parade
4 PM - DJ Ombudsman (Global Grooves)
4:30 - PM Race of the Mythical Creatures
6 PM - MaSHeNKa (Dream Pop)
7 PM - Hayley and The Pirate Queens (Punky Roots)
8 PM - Sandwich Spirits (Psychedelic Jams)
Andy Forgie
Andy Forgie is a beloved Belleville, Ontario-based musician, entertainer, and arts educator. Active since the mid-70s, he is best known as the lead vocalist for the Capitol Records band Photograph, as the frontman of the international Beatles tribute All You Need Is Love. Additionally, Andy is widely respected for his therapeutic music sessions for seniors and for delivering experiential learning and arts education to elementary students.
Matthew “Doc” Dunn
Matthew Dunn is a revered name in underground music circles. A relatively recent PEC transplant, The polymath multi-instrumentalist has toured the globe while appearing on countless recordings and producing a prolific body of work spanning solo releases, as well as collaborations with Jennifer Castle, Kevin Morby, Sunburned Hand of the Man, Woods, Lido Pimienta, Sandro Perri, John Zorn and many more.
DJ Ombudsman
An active DJ for over 20 years, Ombudsman has played venues as diverse as the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (M.O.C.C.A.), the Solstice Festival (OM Reunion Project), the Firelight Lantern Festival (Department of Illumination), The Commissary at Base 31, and Decoy Bar (Toronto). Ombudsman is celebrated for his eclectic, multi-genre sets that seamlessly transition between various global and electronic sounds. Their musical repertoire spans House, Reggae, Funk, Jazz, Rock, Disco, Downtempo and Global Grooves.
maSHeNKa
maSHeNKa splits her time between PEC and Montreal, where she writes, records, and self-produces her original music. MaSHeNKa blends dream pop and alternative textures with cinematic electronic production, creating eclectic songs that explore themes of altered states and psychedelia in a style that is hypnotic and easy to get lost in.
Hayley and The Pirate Queens
Hayley Austin, a native of Portsmouth England, has been writing and refining her songs for many years now. She has joined forces with bassist Tim Hadley and drummer Nathan Mahaffy to form Hayley and the Pirate Queens. They are working hard, carving out a unique place in the alt-roots landscape
Sandwich Spirits
Sandwich Spirits is an instrumental jam band based out of Belleville, ON, heavily active in the Prince Edward County and Bay of Quinte music scenes. Every Sandwich Spirits show is unique, combining ambient soundscapes, psychedelic jams, and funky grooves. The band frequently integrates light and art into their performances. When you attend one of their shows, you are always guaranteed to be asked their signature, defining question: "What's your favourite sandwich?"