March 27, 2026
Golden ticket MC? Three-time award winners? Check out Festival artist lineup
For our main stage, we will have returning favourites and a number of first timers who will join us in our main U荔枝视频Strong stage, located in the Jack Simpson Gymnasium from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
"Playing" it forward
Every year, U荔枝视频Strong Festival hosts a talented group of emerging artists in collaboration with .
Prophets of Music (POMS) is a community outreach group consisting of music enthusiasts and industry professionals. They were founded in 2015 in honour of Joshua Hunter, who was a U荔枝视频 Business student and member of local band Zackariah & the Prophets before his tragic passing in 2014.
POMS has witnessed the power of music as part of Joshua鈥檚 legacy and recognises how it can inspire hope and creativity in others as an intrinsic part of their lives. Their music initiatives include scholarships and fundraising activities, facilitating opportunities for talented artists to gain access to career development.
Like earlier years, the POMS lineup offers diverse sounds across genres with impressive music trajectories.
The Prophets of Music Emerging Artist Award 2025 recipient sits by the river.
Photography by: Megs Engel
Irene Poole | 11:30鈥11:50 a.m.
For our main stage, we will kick off with soft tunes from Irene Poole (she/her), whose hopeful indie-folk will captivate audiences and transport them into nature, for all the camping enthusiasts in the audience.
Born in Banff and based in 荔枝视频, Irene embraces the intimacy of live performance. To see her perform is to feel connected with her, with other members of her audience and with her music.
Robert Adam is ready to bring heart, imagination and community to U荔枝视频Strong Festival.
Photography by: Brandynn Leigh
Robert Adam | 12:10鈥12:30 p.m.
For those of you who can't wait for Stampede stages, 鈥淐anada鈥檚 Dream Angel Cowboy鈥 Robert Adam (they/them) will be delivering an amazing performance of the same calibre as their most recent nine-stop Japan tour.
In their music, Robert encourages audience members to celebrate their identity and embrace emotion. This is clear through the versatility of Robert themselves, and how they bring their creative love for show and fashion to the stage.
Three-time YYC Music Award winner Tea Fannie brings genre-bending music to this year鈥檚 Festival.
Photograph by: Latoya Elle of 3rd Verse Studios
Tea Fannie | 12:50鈥1:20 p.m.
Midway through the main stage line-up, Tea Fannie (she/her) will bring equal parts party, comedy and therapy. There鈥檚 a reason she鈥檚 so beloved in 荔枝视频鈥檚 local music scene, while also captivating hearts worldwide at Prague Pride and Tokyo.
Tea Fannie鈥檚 performances cement her as an artist worth watching. Come by for some fun dances, groove to her hip-hop and rap songs and leave changed.
Kaiya Gamble is one of the up-and-coming artists of our generation.
Photography by: Theo Kristik
Kaiya Gamble | 1:40鈥2:10 p.m.
Kaiya Gamble is returning this year to Festival, but this time around, she will take on the role of Festival MC. Kaiya was recently recognised as a contestant on American Idol, the first Albertan in the history of the show to win a golden ticket.
With her extensive experience opening for artists like JP Saxe, it鈥檚 exciting to have Kaiya back at U荔枝视频 as an example of the rising and successful performers we have in our city. Kaiya鈥檚 honest vulnerability in her music appeals to listeners and lets them feel seen, sure to resonate with student listeners.
Members of local band Velvet pose in the woods.
Photograph by: Lucy Kern
Velvet | 2:20鈥3:00 p.m.
Velvet is a young 荔枝视频 rock band who recently formed in the summer of 2023. They鈥檝e perfected their lineup with guitarist Aiden Evangelista, Lola Tipouikidis on bass, Finley O'Reilly on vocals, Laine Jeffery on drums and Andrew Michalchuk on keys.
Velvet is the perfect example of how U荔枝视频Strong Festival has performers for fans of all genres. A promising wave of new local talent, their creative and unique brand of music is the perfect way to end this year鈥檚 lineup.
Want to learn more about our Prophets of Music stage or get ready for their performances? We curated a Spotify playlist with our picks from each of the artists! .
Supporting fellow student artists
In addition to the POMS lineup, our two side stages will show off student talent. Come by the Gold Gym to enjoy 10-minute massages while listening to some relaxing fingerpicking and warm acoustic guitar songs with students Ashita Karim and Manjaap Sangha participating.
If you鈥檙e looking for something more active, come by the Red Gym and join in on the fun by playing some mini-golf while also supporting a music ensemble brought by Schulich Soundstage members. Performing students include Julianna Garcia, Tusher Rashid, Daniel Sanguinetti, Gavin Grubert, Bilal Ahmed and Rodrigo Cortez.
Volunteers at U荔枝视频Strong Festival 2025
Photography by: Adrian Shellard
Volunteer with U荔枝视频Strong Festival
If you鈥檙e excited to take part behind the scenes, you can also volunteer for the Festival!
Volunteer shifts will have different tasks, including event setup and takedown, serving food at the pancake breakfast, supporting activity stations, greeting participants and tracking attendance, helping manage lines, answering questions and assisting festival attendees.
As a volunteer, you will receive an exclusive U荔枝视频-branded hat to wear and keep, refreshments, lunch and for those who sign up for two or more shifts, entry into a prize draw. Prizes include a Nintendo Switch, Amazon Movie Projector, Amazon Fire Stick and Lululemon swag.
Your support helps bring this event to life. Make friends, bond with classmates, build your own resum茅 and be part of one of U荔枝视频鈥檚 most energizing events!