Big Wreck, Default headline weekend of music in downtown Kitchener

A crowd at Wayback Festival. (City of Kitchener)

Posted Jul 25, 2025 10:41:54 AM.

Last Updated Jul 25, 2025 10:41:59 AM.

A weekend of free, live music featuring popular Canadian bands is taking over downtown Kitchener this weekend.

The Wayback Festival kicks off on Friday evening at 7 p.m., brining rock music and local food vendors to King Street between Ontario Street and Water Street.

Thunderstruck, an AC/DC tribute band, takes the stage to start the weekend, followed by Destroyer, a KISS cover band, at 9 p.m.

Then, on Saturday, local favourites Always on Friday and Conor Gains open up the stage at 4 p.m. before headliners Default and Big Wreck rock into the evening.

Plenty of licensed vendors and food trucks will be in the area to have a bite while you enjoy the music, with downtown Kitchener restaurants and patios open as well.

A number of downtown roads will also be closed to make way for the festivities.

CLOSURE: A closure on the way for downtown Kitchener on King Street West between Water and Ontario Streets for the Wayback Music Festival.

It closes at 7 a.m. and spreads to those surrounding streets in the area as well, expected to remain closed until Sunday morning at 7 a.m. pic.twitter.com/tmOaUkBV5h
— 570 NewsRadio Kitchener Traffic (@NewsRadioKIT) July 25, 2025

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