Orillia to host Nashville Takeover Aug. 28-30

Orillia is one of just 13 communities across Canada selected to host a three-day Nashville Takeover, Aug. 28-30, featuring intimate songwriter performances at venues across the city.

Orillia has been chosen as one of only 13 communities in Canada to host a Nashville Takeover this summer, a three-day series of intimate songwriter performances set to fill restaurants, breweries and performance spaces across the city Aug. 28-30.

The announcement comes from Backyard Music Co., an Ontario-based entertainment company that has shifted entirely to the takeover model after successful runs in other communities, according to a report from OrilliaMatters.com.

Founder and CEO Scotty James said Orillia earned its spot through a national Facebook campaign in which towns competed for the experience by showing their enthusiasm online.

Whoever made the most noise, whoever sent us the most DMs and comments, would be the towns we selected, and Orillia was one of those towns that made the most noise. We felt the love when we visited in person, too.

James told OrilliaMatters the event should pack local businesses beyond even their busiest days, calling the impact both economic and cultural.

I can't remember an event we've done that didn't sell out. We bring a lot of people through town. We pack businesses even busier than they might be on their busiest day. It has a huge economic impact, but also a cultural one. We're the only company in Canada doing this, and it brings the community together in a really unique way.

Lineup kept secret until showtime

Unlike a typical music festival, the Nashville Takeover is built around listening rooms, personal storytelling and spontaneous discovery. Organizers deliberately never announce the lineup in advance, aiming to recreate the feeling of walking into a Nashville bar and hearing a songwriter for the first time.

Most of the shows feel like you're at the Bluebird Café. You're up close and personal, you can almost touch the artists. You can talk to them after the show and really get to know them. It feels like you're discovering these artists in the moment.

James said the performers range from emerging songwriters with millions of streams to established hit-makers.

You might feel like you're watching the next Luke Combs or Morgan Wallen. Then there are artists who've written big hits or are already at the top. But it's always a surprise, you never know what you're going to get.

Venues and tickets

The takeover will unfold across several Orillia and area venues. Brewery Bay Food Co. and Quayle's Brewery are already advertising the event online, with more locations to be announced closer to the date. Local businesses and tourism partners can contact organizers through the company to get involved.

Tickets are on sale now. A full three-day weekend pass costs $99, a Saturday pass is $59, and a VIP Founder's Pass with premium access and other perks is $249. James said capacity will be limited to keep each performance intimate.

We can only take a certain number of people. We try to keep it as intimate as possible.

The takeover model began in Port Stanley, which James calls the original location, before expanding to Collingwood, where it grew even larger. He said the company has since moved away from other formats to focus solely on the takeovers.

James said he hopes Orillia residents bring the same enthusiasm to the event that won the city its selection in the first place.