Since its inception in 2012, the festival has had a number of notable acts, including deadmau5, Martin Garrix, Armin van Buuren, Hardwell, Steve Aoki, Zedd, Illenium, and Tiesto.

[2] In April 2012, a two-day electronic dance music (EDM) festival to be held at Downsview Park in the Toronto area on August 4–5 was announced.

[4] The event is named after "The Veldt", a song by deadmau5[4][5] and a veld, "an Afrikaans word for an open grassland... not unlike the vast field in Downsview Park.

As the rain eventually stopped, the DJ would perform a 90-minute set which included songs such as the festival's namesake "The Veldt", "Aural Psynapse" and "Strobe".

The festival featured over thirty artists from the EDM and hip-hop genres, including Armin van Buuren, Calvin Harris, Iggy Azalea, NERO, Waka Flocka Flame and Zedd.

[9] On August 4, Mark Saunders, then deputy chief of the Toronto Police, reported that fifteen people had falling ill after ingesting "party drugs" at the event.

Other notable artists announced included A$AP Rocky, Borgore, Carnage, Chocolate Puma, DVBBS, Gorgon City, Hot Since 82, Kill the Noise, Laidback Luke, Nicky Romero, Oliver Heldens, Pretty Lights, Steve Aoki, and The Chainsmokers.

"[18] Among the safety measures announced were two "amnesty boxes" at the entrance to collect unwanted illegal drugs and advisory packets which included maps directing people to medical, food and water stations.

[19] There would also be public service announcements in between performances and a designated "safe and chill space" where festival-goers with adverse drug reactions can be assessed.

[20] Around 6 pm,[21] after a performance by Oliver Heldens, there was an announcement that due to the approaching storm the remainder of the event would be canceled and that the area evacuated.

[24] In March 2016, it was announced that this year's festival will see the return of deadmau5, DVBBS, Steve Aoki and The Chainsmokers along with Travis Scott, Flume, Kygo, and Martin Garrix.

[33] The festival on August 5–6 will also include 3lau, A$AP Ferg, Borgore, Madeon, Migos, Lil Uzi Vert, Slushii, Tory Lanez, W&W and a few dozen more artists.

[36][37] The first day suffered from grievances such as the late arrival of Migos and large groups of people crowding the water filling stations.

Before the last performance of the festival by Martin Garrix, a tribute set to the song Fade into Darkness was held for Avicii who had died earlier that year.

[citation needed] VELD Music festival was expected to take place August 1–2, 2020, in Downsview Park, Toronto, ON.

VELD was praised for no longer inviting a hip-hop artist on the mainstage because of repeated abuses of showing up extremely late (Migos, Cardi B).

[citation needed] However, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Toronto Mayor John Tory announced on May 15, 2020, that all public gatherings of 25,000 or more are prohibited and no permits will be issued for these events until at least August 31.

[39] The 2021 edition of the VELD Music Festival was scheduled to take place on July 31 - August 1, 2021, at Toronto's Downsview Park.

The 10th edition of VELD Music Festival started on August 4 with acts from Matroda, Eli Brown, Zedd, ILLENIUM, and more.

So far, Veld Music Festival has officially announced that DJs including Martin Garrix, Marshmello, Alan Walker, Alesso, etc.

Sam Feldt and Jonas Blue are expected to perform B2B as Endless Summer, while Eric Prydz will be presenting his HOLO show for the first time in Toronto.

Other notable acts include Black Tiger Sex Machine, Steve Aoki, Seven Lions, James Hype, Fisher, Frank Walker, Subtronics, Mitis, Alok and many others.