Petrolia’s big birthday celebration has attract a really big guest.

Town officials announced Friday The Sam Roberts Band will be the Saturday night headliner for the Hard Oil Music Festival. The Aug. 15-17 event is part of the big homecoming weekend celebration the town’s 150th anniversary.

Sam Roberts started as a violin player who eventually moved on to guitar and started a rock band with his friends. In 2002, The Inhuman Condition was released and became the best-selling independent EP in Canadian history.

In 2003 he released his first full-length album, We Were Born in a Flame. The Certified Double-Platinum selling album was a huge hit in Canada and won the Juno Awards for Album of the Year, Rock Album of the Year, and Artist of the Year.

The Sam Roberts Band continued to release EPs, winning critical acclaim and in 2011, the single We’re All In This Together reached the top of both Canadian rock radio charts.

The band’s live show has seen them perform around the world including in Australia, Japan, extensive tours of Europe and North America alongside music giants like the Rolling Stones and AC/DC.

The band is touring this summer on the heels of their latest EP “The Adventures of Ben Blank.”

This is the second act the town has announced for the music weekend. Country Artist Josh Ross will headline the Thursday night concert.

Tickets for the event are available at www.petrolia150.com and resident passes are still available.