Many Montreal festivals are renowned throughout the world and have attracted loads of diverse tourists to this fun and vibrant city. With seemingly new additions each year, it can be a little overwhelming and challenging to know which ones to see first. To help get you informed, here are 6 Montreal festivals worth visiting this summer.
Our first pick of Montreal festivals is the famous Montreal International Jazz Festival, which will be held this year from June 27 to July 6, 2019. Known as one of the biggest jazz festivals in the world, it hosts around 3000 artists from 30 different countries, welcomes almost 2 million visitors, throws 500 concerts on 20 different stages and will be celebrating it’s 40th anniversary this year.
Founded in 1979, the goal was to showcase to the public some of the world’s greatest musicians and to help popularize jazz and its related musical forms by putting on free outdoor concerts. Throughout the years it has become a major tourist attraction for Montreal and great exposure for many up and coming performers. Check out this years schedule online.
The second pick on our Montreal festivals list is the popular Osheaga Music and Arts Festival. Held every summer at Parc Jean-Drapeau, on l’Ile Sainte-Hélène, this three day indie music event features a diverse array of artists, from hip hop to pop to indie rock.
Past line-ups have included The Arctic Monkeys, Travis Scott, Sonic Youth, Feist, The Killers, Coldplay, Weezer, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Radio Head and much more. The festival takes place on 6 different stages and is known for offering a platform to various emerging or local artists. This year it will be taking place from Friday, August 2 to Sunday, August 4, 2019, and you can check out their latest line up online.
This next Montreal festival, known as MURAL, is an 11 day celebration part of the international urban art movement. Having reinforced Montreal as a go to global hub for contemporary urban art, this festival brings together the likes of world class musicians and visual artists for a cultural celebration in the heart of the city.
With various events going on ranging from live art, music, exhibitions and artists talks, this festival is an important gathering and collaboration in the global artistic community. Most of the action takes place on Saint-Laurent Boulevard and many of the activities are free and open to the public. This year it will be taking place from Thursday, June 6 to Sunday, June 16, 2019. For the full list of events, check out their website for more information.
Another great addition to our Montreal festivals list is the Elektra International Digital Art Festival, taking place from Tuesday, June 11 to Sunday, June 16, 2019. Established in 1999, this event has invited audiences to explore the diversity of performance practices, including audiovisuals and robotics.
Dedicated to immersive experiences and installations, it also presents various works that combine art and new technologies. Celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, Elektra will look back on its greatest successes over the past 20 years, accompanied by new works from emerging artists. For more information, check out their website.
Another amazing Montreal festival is the Festival International Nuits D’Afrique, on from Tuesday, July 9 to Sunday, July 21, 2019. This event celebrates African, Latin American and Caribbean cultures with over 13 days of indoor concerts and 6 days of free outdoor programming, featuring 700 artists from over 30 different countries.
Located in Downtown Montreal, this festival also offers various other workshops and activities for the whole family, including the dance and musical instruments workshops, the children’s place and the legendary Timbuktu market. Check out their website for more information.
This final Montreal festival is know as the Fantasia International Film Festival and is on from Thursday, July 11 to Thursday, August 1, 2019. Founded in 1996, this genre film festival is described as being one of the most outstanding and largest in North America and attracts thousands of visitors each year.
With many international films having premiered at Fantasia Fest, including Shaun of the Dead, Dread, Perfect Blue, Ringu, Night Watch and Inglorious Bastards, it has become a massive event, highly valued by hardcore B film fans and distributors alike. Check out their website for the complete 2019 program.
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