Line Spike - Year One Setting The Stage

Jeff Green | Jun 05, 2025

Between navigating the schedules of ten touring bands, arranging for a stage, ticket sales, porta-potties, security, among dozens of other tasks, It is a hectic time for Jeremy Campbell, as he works put together a first time major concert event in South Frontenac.

None of this has dampened his enthusiasm for the project, however. That is a good thing because it is now crunch time, three weeks before the first annual Line Spike weekend concert event.

The concerts take place on the weekend before Canada Day, June 28 and 29, and feature an all-Canadian line up. In keeping with the times, Campbell said that he sees this “as a positive celebration of Canadian culture and spirit.” 

Some of the specifics of Line Spike have been refined in the months since the launch of the promotional campaign in April.

The lineup still features Burton Cummings, Walk Off The Earth, Chantal Kreviazuk, and Alan Frew (from Glass Tiger). In addition, five other artists have been added, including: Kelsi Mayne, Madison Galloway, Tom Green, and Kingston-based Kasador and Lucious.

“One more band will be announced on June 15,” said Campbell, "but I can say that one of the band members' names will be familiar to most people.”

The concert venue is the Day farm, located on the Harrowsmith-Sydenham Road, at Babcook Lane.

The site hosted the Mud Drag races years ago. It is a large, flat farm site. The concert stage, the largest outdoor stage in Frontenac County history, will be in the field to the east of the farmhouse, and to the west, the vendor village, and food court, will be set up. 

“All the food and vendor trucks are lined up,” said Campbell.

Parking will all be located on site, accessed from the entrance off of Babcock Road. This is a change from the original plan.

“We are expecting about ten to twelve thousand people,” said Campbell, “and we can handle that number with parking on site, so we are no longer planning shuttle buses and offsite parking.

Tickets for Line Spike are $149, and they cover the two days of concerts, which will start at about 2pm each afternoon and run until 11pm. Parking for both days will cost $30 per vehicle.

“We are priced a lot lower than similar events this summer, in other parts of Ontario, and that’s to make it a more affordable experience for people, and also because one of our biggest goals is to show off South Frontenac, and everything that is available here. If this is the first time people come here, they will see what we all know about the beauty of the area. It will also help all the businesses, which is good for everyone.”

The concert schedule will not be announced until June 15, but it is easy enough to determine some of the timing, by looking at the websites of the different bands. 

For example, Burton Cummings is performing on the 29th, where he will be the Sunday headliner and closing act. Chantal Kreviazuk is playing on the Saturday, as is Walk Off The Earth.

Originally, there were plans for a two-stage setup, but that has been changed to a one stage setup, with time between sets, that will be a boon to the many vendors who are coming, as well as the food truck operators.

“There is massive variety among the vendors,” said Campbell, “the co-ordinator has done a great job.”

As the concert approaches, a larger group is coming on to take on different roles, from site and stage and parking setup, and beyond, freeing up Jeremy Campbell’s time a little bit.

“I think we have almost everything sorted out at this point,” he said.

This includes fire and safety coordination with the township and Public Health.

“This year is the template that we will build on for future years,” he said, “and I am really happy with where we are now. Now all we need is a good long-range forecast for that weekend, to help sell tickets, and of course, good weather on the 28^th and 29^th.

For further information and to purchase tickets and parking, go to LineSpike.ca