What do Pop, Hip Hop, Rock, Contemporary, Gospel and Girl Bands have in common? On August 20th, all these musical styles come together for one jam-packed day to perform at the first ever Encounter Ontario Festival.

Hosted by Ontario Place and presented by FaithLife Financial, Encounter features 18 bands on three stages including Dove Award-winning band Casting Crowns and Stellar Award-winning gospel great Kurt Carr.

Also on the bill, spread out over three stages, is plenty of Canadian talent all day long, including British Columbia’s Juno Award-winning pianist Greg Sczebel, Brampton’s Carried Away, Oakville’s hard rockin’ Manic Drive, Waterloo’s Kevin Pauls, and Titus, a hip-hop artist from Kitchener. Rounding out the line-up are Toronto’s Hetti-Marie, gospel singer Patricia Shirley, and the Rhema Worship Band. For the kids, Burlington’s God Rocks! will showcase their popular live show.

Admission to Encounter Ontario includes, as a bonus, admission to Ontario Place amusements, including water park rides, as well as entry into the opening day of the Canadian National Exhibition. Tickets are $42.50 for Adults and $32.50 for children and can be purchased through Ticketmaster at 416-870-8000. More information on Encounter Ontario Festival events and performances can be found on their website at http://www.encounterontario.com.