The Timmins Festivals and Events Committee (TFEC) has unveiled the lineup for the 2025 “Rock On The River” festival. The two-day event is set to take place at Hollinger Park on Friday, July 18, and Saturday, July 19.
Friday’s headliner will be the Kingston-based rock band, Headstones. Also performing that night is Pop Evil, a Michigan rock quintet, which makes a return appearance after playing the inaugural festival in 2016. Other acts on Friday include Bif Naked and local group Failed Attempt.
Saturday’s performances will focus on country music, with Brett Kissel as the headliner. Other country acts include TikTok sensation Cooper Alan from North Carolina, North Bay’s Cory Marks, and Mitch Jean from Cochrane.
TFEC Chair John Olaveson expressed excitement about the festival’s lineup. “We hope it’s well received. We’ve faced challenges, particularly with rising costs,” he told the Daily Press.
The committee took public feedback into account when selecting performers. Headstones were frequently requested by festivalgoers, while Pop Evil’s return was also highly anticipated.
A new charge for renting Hollinger Park from the City of Timmins has added costs to the festival, but Olaveson said the committee is happy to accept the expense if it leads to improvements in the park’s amenities. “Hopefully that money will go toward developing and improving the space,” he added.
This year’s event will return to its original two-day format. The festival expanded to three days in 2023, following record attendance, but Olaveson noted that it proved to be financially unsustainable. “We thought the community was ready for a three-day festival, but it didn’t work out,” he said. “We’re going back to two days because it’s more financially feasible.”
Olaveson emphasized that balancing the interests of various music fans is a challenging task. “You can create a budget, but you never know how many people will attend,” he explained.
Headstones’ frontman Hugh Dillon is also a well-known actor, with roles in Flashpoint, Yellowstone, Twin Peaks, and The Mayor of Kingstown. The band, which debuted in 1993, has released 10 studio albums to date.
Olaveson praised the local sponsorship support, which has grown significantly since the festival’s first year. “Sponsorship has risen from around $30,000 in the early years to $150,000 last year. This shows the event’s popularity and importance to the community,” he said.
The festival, he added, is more than just about the music—it’s an important social experience for Timmins. “It’s about going out with friends and enjoying yourself. It’s good for the community’s social fabric.”
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