For years, we in world Diary have felt the singular OSHEAGA energy. We’ve heard the lore, seen the clips, and itched for a bona fide Osheaga immersion. Enter summer 2025 when all the stars aligned and Osheaga x Diary Of a Social Gal became a reality at last.
And, let me tell you, it did not disappoint.
From the moment you arrive on site, you’re greeted by dozens of fellow festival goers dressed to the nines in everything from boho chic to coquette to grunge. You walk through the grounds to see food stalls, bars, and brand activations at every turn—if running to catch all your favourite artists’ set wasn’t enough fun, you could never run out of things to do, see, and eat with all these various tents and installations.
Lest we forget the sound system: spectacular. No matter where you’re standing, sitting, or dancing, you can hear the performances perfectly. The screens are ginormous, the stages are substantial, and the options for viewing are near endless. Whether you like to be at the barricade, mosh in the crowd, hang back and dance, or sit and listen, Parc Jean-Drapeau has a spot for you. This makes OSHEAGA the perfect place to discover new music; you don’t even have to be actively attending a set to eavesdrop on some incredible tunes.
We had the pleasure of watching many sets throughout our 3-day OSHEAGA adventure.
Day 1:
- Damiano David, who brought the European vibes
- Finneas, our ginger king, who sang his own amazing songs as well as those of his new band with singer Ashe, The Favors
- Lucy Dacus, whose sound can always make you pause
- Dominic Fike, who brought a fish tank onto the stage (that was a practical effect, no CGI here!) and sung his hits as well as Coldplay’s Yellow (to make up for the fact that we didn’t get a Montreal Coldplay date, perhaps)
- Glass Animals, who teared up from gratitude at the crowd’s enthusiasm
- Barry Can’t Swim, who made it impossible not to dance
- Doechii, whose stage presence is as magnetic as her discography
- And last but not least, the Friday headliner, The Killers, who started out with the electric Mr. Brightside!
Day 2:
- Alex Warren, TikToker turned musician
- BBNO$, our Canadian rising star!
- Shaboozey, who has incredible stage presence. He sang his ultra popular hit song A Bar Song twice in a row to an insanely hype crowd
- Gracie Abrams, who dazzled until the lightning and thunder storm cut her set short (yes, I got drenched, and yes, I loved every second of it—nature’s way of cooling us down from the heat!)
- The Chainsmokers, who returned from the storm even more excited to play their hits
- And Tyler, The Creator, whose production value is unmissable!!!
Day 3:
- Gigi Perez sang her viral Sailor Song
- The Beaches cursed out all our exes and thanked their Québécois manager!
- Royel Otis, whose Aussie accents are as charming as their vocal talent. Add a cover of Linger by The Cranberries, and the crowd was alllll over it
- Cage The Elephant, who were beaming for their whole set
- And finally, to end off an extraordinary weekend with a bang, the one and only Olivia Rodrigo, who kind of changed my life with her performance
The truth is, OSHEAGA is the epitome of what we love about Montreal. It’s a celebration of community, dancing, music, fashion, and culture—everything that this city does best!
Now onto what you’ve been waiting for… the premium experiences that OSHEAGA has to offer. As first time festival goers, we were lucky enough to get a taste of not only General Admission—which is amazing in its own right—but also the VIP and Platinum experiences. Let me break it down for you:
In the VIP experience, you have access to a private deck with private bars, a private restaurant, private bathrooms, and a private pit area for concert viewing. The deck has seating, fans and mist, shaded areas, and lots of room to move and schmooze. The floor area has lots of space to dance and get so close to the main stage where the headliners perform! Watching the performances from here was truly next-level.
In the Platinum experience, these premium offerings are taken to another level. There are more private decks throughout the festival grounds—not just at the main stages, but at nearly every stage in the park. The platinum lounges offer drinks, food, shade, seating, and an even closer view of the main stage, where you are stood directly in front of the left side of the stage, where no one can block your view. Behind the scenes, there are spots to receive a mid-day massage treatment, to get your makeup touched up, and to relax and unwind between sets.
If you, like us, have never gone to OSHEAGA before, consider the VIP or Platinum options: they offer all the amazing music, community, and fashion without the fuss of larger crowds and longer lines. The perks really do speak for themselves and they majorly elevate the festival experience. The good news is, you don’t have to wait a whole year to get a taste of festivals the Evenko way; LASSO Montréal and ÎLESONIQ are coming up this weekend and next weekend!
Thank you to Evenko for a truly exceptionally fun and organized weekend of music! See you next year, OSHEAGA!
And for fun, still more captures from our one-of-a-kind Oshperience:
