Canada Day Comes Early for Thousands at the 'All Your Friends Fest' 2025 at Burl's Creek
- jaybroderick
- Jul 1
- 4 min read
By: Michael Drukarsh
Oro-Medonte, Ontario - Normally my reviews focus on the band. Today, I'm focusing on the experience of shooting my very first festival (full disclosure, I kinda cheated and only attended the second day).
Arriving mid-morning on Sunday to the All Your Friends Fest at the Burl's Creek Event Grounds, I was very excited to pick up my media credentials for the day. The place was still quiet, with campers/concert goers recovering from yesterday's full lineup. I wander my way through the backstage areas, past trailers and over to the media pavilion amazed at the scope of this event. Two huge stages, a main and second were set up with crews already in action getting everything ready for the day's concerts.
The media pavilion was made up of various areas for band interviews, which I got to use, in my interview with Hamilton’s Rarity (coming soon) and photos along with a tent for media personnel complete with snacks, beverages, wifi and power for charging and working. As a festival newbie I felt I hit the big time, taking my seat in the tent and helping myself to the free snacks and beverages.
The tent quickly filled with various media outlets, all coming together, some greeting each other like old friends, others, like myself, introducing themselves for the first time. I must admit there was certainly some camera envy going on, watching as photographers were pulling out twos and threes of cameras and lenses along with laptops and other fancy-schmancy doodads. But, I had no doubt I could hang with the best. And I did!
Schedules of the day's events including set and photo call times were posted throughout the pavilion, with the first call at 1:55 from there it was go go go! The crew of the Red Umbrella P.R. group was phenomenal, keeping the gaggle of 20+ photographers in check as we made our way to the front of stage for the day's opening band Con the Artist. Despite security and photographers outnumbering the audience 30:4, Con (Conan Karpinski) accompanied by a dummer and an AI computer named Con Puter put on a fantastic show. It was truly evident how appreciative Conan was of playing his very first festival!
Once the bands started playing things moved quickly. Like a well oiled machine we moved from stage to stage, the envy of all who watched our train of photographers glide seamlessly through security gates and to the front of the stage. When I arrived, I was really only familiar with two bands, Montreal's Simple Plan and headliner Napane's very own Avril Lavigne! With the rest of the lineup heavy on Can-con, I was very impressed with the talent I covered, including three bands that really blew my mind, Taylor Acorn, Anberlin, and Rarity. The second stage headliner, State Champs, also killed it, owning the stage and bringing the hundreds deep sea of people standing shoulder to shoulder into a punk rock frenzy.
Closing the festival was Simple Plan followed by Avril Lavigne. Simple Plan brought the energy to a crowd that had been standing in the hot sun all day. Lead singer and bass player Pierre Bouvier didn’t hold back as he flew around the stage. Encouraging the sea of fans to jump during their hit “Jump”, Bouvier’s feet barely touch the stage as the entire Burl’s Creek grounds seemed to tremble under the bouncing crowd. Throughout the day I caught glimpses of Scooby-Doos wandering the concert grounds. People in full costume who must have been roasting under the cloudless sky. For many though, the dedication paid off as a pack of Scoobies joined Simple Plan on stage for “What’s New Scooby-Doo” from the 2002 live action film. It was also awesome to see Derke DiScanio from State Champs join the band on stage for "Where I Belong".
Headliner Avril Lavigne closed the night’s festivities with an incredible set that not only featured songs from her entire career but was backdropped by incredible video montages highlighting the amazing journey she took including her first big break with Shania Twain in Ottawa. Paying tribute to her fellow Canadian, Avril performed a jaw dropping, attitude filled rendition of "Man, I Feel Like a Woman" that will no doubt make Shania proud.
The crowd, young and old came together and sang along with every song, including her first big hit "Sk8er Boi" with many fans wearing the signature breakout fashion trend of loose fitting ties started by Avril in her early days.
The night ended with a beautiful, tear jerking rendition of "I'm With You", complete with video wall montage. The crowd sang along to every word, hands and cell phones waiving in the air.
The All Your Friends Fest was an incredible experience, one that will hold a very special place in my photojournalist career. The venue, the organizers, the new friends, and of course the bands made this one hell of a way to celebrate Canada Day, a little early.
Concert Photo Gallery
All Your Friends Fest Online
Event Date: June 29, 2025
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