Creed and Three Days Grace to Headline Second Annual Rockin' Thunder Festival in Edmonton

After a successful debut in 2025, Rockin' Thunder Music Festival returns to Edmonton's Exhibition Lands Racetrack on July 11th and 12th, 2026 with a stat studded lineup of rock and roll spanning the 80's to now. Creed and Three Days Grace will headline, along with support from The Glorious Sons, Mammoth, Buckcherry, Bif Naked, Grandson and Paul Langlois of the Tragically Hip.

Gerry Krochak, Director of Corporate Partnerships and one of the events organizers is excited about this year's lineup. "You're always wanting the biggest and best headliners available as well as heritage acts who have stood the test of time, and hot up and comers. To land Creed was big, and Three Days Grace are enjoying a big career resurgence, they're an arena band in the US again. It's a straight up rock festival, and something that was lacking in a great rock city."

One of the most talked about artists since the festival was announced is Paul Langlois who just released his latest album "Smooth Rock Falls" in February. Most notably, Langlois spent 30 years writing, recording and touring as a member of The Tragically Hip which will certainly play a role in his set list.

"I haven't I haven't seen him in this configuration, but I've known Paul for a long time", says Krochak". "And I know that he's going to do this in a way that's going to capture the imagination of Tragically Hip fans and pay tribute to probably Canada's greatest rock artist."

Krochak also highlights the newer artists on the lineup, particularly Grandson and Mammoth.

"You want something for everyone, and discovering your new favourite, Grandson's probably the greatest example of the potential to that. I just saw Mammoth in Florida opening for Bush, and everyone knows the bloodlines of Wolfgang Van Halen but they've also put together three really consistent records and that's going to be one that not everybody in Western Canada's had a chance to see that I think is going to have some jaws on the floor."

Last year's festival, uniquely, added a second stage for local bands to perform on in between main stage sets, and Krochak was excited to see Calling All Captains (who also played Rock the Rails in Fort McMurray in 2021) graduate to the main stage. "It's a big opportunity for them but make no mistake they earned the opportunity. The things that give any festival it's personality are the connections to the community so we're thrilled to hook up with the Rock and Roll Society of Edmonton again to be able to present these opportunities".

Another opening spot will be offered to the winner of "Rock the Slot" a partnership with 100.3 The Bear. "It's amazing what you can see just by looking in your own backyard and when we do these types of programs we want to make sure these bands don't look out of place on a big stage. Krochak emphasizes the importance of not missing bands, saying "A big part of these festivals and going early in the day to see some of those bands at 1, 2 or 3 o'clock is you have the chance to discover your new favourite band and if they're from your backyard that's how you build communities and the local scene"

"You don't get goosebumps watching concert footage on YouTube, you get them by being in the first ten rows at a festival or a concert", Krochak adds. "I've always said music and sports are the things that bring people together, and festivals like this are no better examples of that."

Single day and weekend passes are available at rockinthunderfest.com