The Matt Minglewood Band will rock Riverside International Speedway on June 26, headlining a Friday evening concert that will kick off the Maple Leaf Classic weekend in advance of Canada’s 159^th birthday on July 1. The popular Antigonish cover band Hammer Down will open the show, revving up the crowd with its high-energy tunes before the legendary Matt Minglewood and his band take the stage to deliver their high-octane brand of music with one foot steeped in blues & country and the other in rock – melded together for a memorable show.

On Saturday (June 27), the Maple Leaf Classic weekend continues with two of the nation’s top stock car touring series in one great big show. Fans will see 450 laps of feature racing and qualifying action for both the NASCAR Canada Series (300-lap feature and time trials) and the Fort Garry Industries Pro Stock Tour (150-lap feature and heat races). The evening will be capped with a spectacular fireworks show.

“We’re happy to see the Maple Leaf Classic become a multi-day event in 2026,” said Joan Roue, track manager. “It’s just one more reason for fans to circle June 26 and 27 on the calendar and make Riverside their destination for the weekend. We’ve got plenty of camping on-site, and Antigonish is only a few km away with a multitude of accommodations.”

Cape Breton’s Matt Minglewood is a multi-time award winner with a storied career spanning decades.  He’s won the Canadian Country Song of the Year for ‘Me & The Boys’, has been the East Coast Music Awards ‘Fan’s Choice Entertainer of the Year’ and concurrently won the Blues Recording of the Year for ‘Fly Like Desperadoes’. Other accolades include two Lifetime Achievement Awards, the Dutch Mason Blues Award, an Honorary Doctorate from the College of Cape Breton, and a recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal for his contribution to Canadian Music. He has recorded 14 albums, three of which have achieved top-selling gold status. His accomplished band includes four others who help deliver the award-winning show for which Minglewood is known.

The concert stage for the Minglewood/ Hammer Down show will be in the infield, facing the licensed grandstand sections in turns 1-2. Attendees 19+ can sit in those bleachers or opt for front-of-stage access trackside, where there will be two sections – one licensed (19+) and the other for all ages (unlicensed). A diagram showing the layout is below.

Tickets for both events on the Maple Leaf Classic weekend will be available next week, just in time to put under the tree for a great Christmas gift. Concert tickets start at just $48, which includes HST and the music industry SOCAN fee ($40.88 net). Those who purchase concert tickets with race tickets (adult or pit) on the same order will receive a $10 discount per concert ticket (limited-time offer).

Camping reservations for the Maple Leaf Classic weekend will also be available next week. Campsites will be available in Section A with site location on a first-come, first-served basis. Those who wish to park together but are arriving at different times will be able to hold sites adjacent to theirs if they have copies of the late-arrival reservations for the registrars at check-in. Camping will open on Thursday (June 25) at Noon and close on Sunday (June 28).

The Matt Minglewood Band/ Hammer Down concert is a presentation of Riverside Concert Series, developed to bring top musical acts to the largest outdoor entertainment venue in eastern Canada, and to diversify its offerings. Previous entertainers in the Riverside Concert Series include James Barker Band, Beolach, Men of the Deeps, Dave Gunning, J.P. Cormier, The Privateers, High Society, Merimac, Eddie Cummings, Signal Hill, Jug in Hand, The Kitchen Criminals, Liam Brophy, and Shameless. This will be the Matt Minglewood Band’s third appearance at Riverside, with previous shows in 2019 and 2022.

With more to come, dates already announced for the ’26 season at Riverside are June 26-27 for the Maple Leaf Classic weekend, July 15-18 for the IWK 250 Super Weekend, and the Back to School Spectacular on September 12. More schedule information here.

Tickets and camping for the IWK 250 Super Weekend will be available in the new year. Fans should stay tuned to Riverside’s website, social media (Facebook, X, and Instagram) for the latest news from Riverside.

To learn more about the Matt Minglewood Band, please visit www.mattminglewood.com; for NASCAR Canada, please visit www.nascar.ca, and for the Fort Garry Industries Pro Stock Tour, please visit www.prostocktour.com.

About Riverside International Speedway:

Since 1969, Riverside International Speedway has been recognized as a premier stock racing facility in Canada. The 1/3-mile high-banked asphalt oval roars to action several times each year for special events. It is the largest outdoor entertainment venue in eastern Canada and the home of the IWK 250 – widely known throughout North America as a “bucket list” event for racers and fans alike. It also hosts the NASCAR Canada Series in its only stop on the East Coast. Located in James River between New Glasgow and Antigonish, the facility is easily accessible at Exit 30 on Trans-Canada Highway 104. For more information, please visit www.riversidespeedway.ca or call 902-863-2410 (May to September) or 902-404-7049 (October to April).