nxne toronto

NXNE takes heat for sparsely populated festival grounds

For the second year in a row, NXNE took over the parking lot at 51 Commissioners St., in the Port Lands.

In 2016, many complained about the lack of water stations and shade at the venue. After this weekend's extended, three-day festival, the main issue seemed to be the crowd (or the apparent lack thereof during the day).

A post shared by Michael J. Allain (@mjallain) on

While the audience grew in the evenings for headliners Kaytranada, Post Malone and Passion Pit, photos captured throughout the day and early evening atop the on-site Ferris wheel revealed gorgeous skyline views but also sparsely populated festival grounds.

There's no official word on attendance figures right now, but folks on social media haven't been shy about sharing photos of the near-deserted outdoor venue.

A post shared by Sean Holt (@turnpro) on

Some called for the annual event to return to its roots by having a series of small shows at venues throughout the city. In past iterations, NXNE also held massive free concerts at Yonge-Dundas Square, which usually filled the space with screaming fans.

This weekend, of course, was a doozy in Toronto with Pride as well as the sold-out July Talk and Arkells concert at the Budweiser Stage.

Here's how Toronto music fans captured the second annual NXNE in the Port Lands (for better or for worse).

Lead photo by

@nicoleroannef


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Latest in Music

Down With Webster is hosting a karaoke night in Toronto where you can only sing their songs

BTS star RM went full tourist mode in Ontario's Niagara Falls

Drake showed up at the CNE in Toronto wearing an Iron Man suit

Drake just opened another brand-new music venue in Ontario

Sponsored

Win 2 general admission full festival passes to Rock The Runway in Ontario

The CNE is getting an orchestra literally made of garbage for 2026

Here's what VELD Music Festival 2026 looked like in Toronto

Sponsored

Arcadia Academy of Music is offering experiences for all ages in Toronto