Prepare the Ground 2026 announces initial line up

Prepare the Ground, Toronto’s heavy music and arts festival, will be taking place May 29 - 31 2026 for its third annual incarnation. The initial group of artists have been announced and three day passes are now available.

The initial lineup includes two sets, heavy and acoustic, from Belgian doom luminaries Amenra, a special set from Finnish avant garde black mettalers Oranssi Pazuzu, the first and last North American performance from the UK’s Svalbard, and full album playthroughs of two landmark albums, Pallbearer’s Foundations of Burden and …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead’s Source Tags & Codes. Minsk, Habak, Malevich, the Keening, Unholy Altar, & Wrekmeister Hamonies performing a film score round out the first offering of bands.  

Prepare the Ground is a three day arts and music festival taking over two full blocks of downtown Toronto. Containing an outdoor arts market, four music venues (Trinity St. Paul’s Church, Lee’s Palace, the Cave, Transac) and a dedicated theatre for movie scores amongst so much more. If the first year drew the blueprint and the second year laid the foundation, year three promises to establish and adorn its walls to make this festival the home for challenging, promising art for years to come.

Three day passes are now on sale as well as a limited number of Under-19 passes at a reduced rate for the two venues that will admit those under the age of 19, including the legendary church venue Trinity St. Paul’s. 

FULL LINEUP TO DATE:

Amenra (two sets, heavy and acoustic)

…And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead (Secret of Elena’s Tomb and Source Tags & Codes)

Habak

The Keening

Malevich

Minsk

Oranssi Pazuzu

Pallbearer (Foundations of Burden)

Svalbard ( First/Last North American Show)

Unholy Altar

Wrekmeister Harmonies (scoring their original film Flowers in the Spring)

Many more TBA