Music Festivals in Montreal

The International FestiBlues of Montreal (FestiBlues International de Montréal) is an annual blues music festival that features a wide range of national and international blues artists. This five-day festival features an exceptional lineup of blues-infused shows at various venues around the Ahuntsic-Cartierville neighbourhood. The best blues musicians from all over the world participate in this popular blues festival.

Montreal’s Festival International Nuits d’Afrique is a 10-day world music festival that features music from Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America. Remaining at the forefront of promoting musical creativity and the arts, the Festival International Nuits d'Afrique annually deploys a wide range of mixed talents here and across the ocean from Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America. It is considered to be the largest festival of its kind in North America.

The Montreal High Lights Festival (Festival Montréal en Lumière) is one of the largest winter festivals in the world and Montreal's most popular winter festival. Occurring in the Month of February, the High Lights Festival is a 10-day celebration of light shows, free events, live music, performance arts and fine food and wine.

The FrancoFolies de Montréal (French Music Festival) is a 10-day francophone music festival that occurs during the summertime in Montreal. The festival is the world’s biggest francophone music festival and it features a wide selection of musical genres. The FrancoFolies is one of Montreal’s biggest annual festivals, attracting over one million spectators during the festival’s 10-day run.

Montreal’s HeavyMTL is a heavy metal music festival that takes place in Montreal’s Parc Jean-Drapeau at Île Saint-Hélène. Heavy MTL is a two-day heavy metal and hard rock festival. The goal of the festival is to make Montreal a top destination for fans of all things loud, intense and heavy.

Montreal’s Reggae Festival is an annual reggae festival held at Montreal’s Quays of the Old Port during the summer. Since 2004, the festival has been celebrating reggae music and other forms of Caribbean music. This outdoor festival is one of Montreal’s most popular festivals.

Montreal's Igloofest is a yearly multi-weekend outdoor rave that takes place at Quai Jacques Cartier in Montreal's Quays of the Old Port during the month of January. It is described by many as the coldest rave on the planet. This electronica extravaganza attracts many house and electronic music fans from around the world along with some of the most popular DJs.

Montreal's International Jazz Festival (Festival International de Jazz de Montréal ) is the largest jazz festival in the world. This 11-day summer music festival takes place between late June and early July in the heart of downtown Montreal. Located inside the Quartier des Spectacles, around the Place des Arts, the festival features some of the most famous artists from around the world. Each year, over 2 million spectators attend the International Jazz Festival.

Montreal's Virgin Festival is an annual a music festival organized by Virgin Mobile. The festival takes palce at Île Ste-Hélène in Parc Jean-Drapeau. The Virgin Festival has been in existence for over 13 years, with regular shows in England, Toronto, Baltimore and Vancouver. The first-ever Virgin Festival in Montreal was held in 2009. Virgin Festival is known for delivering a ton of mind-blowing experiences and the Montreal Virgin Festival is no different.

Montreal's Osheaga Music and Arst Festival (Osheaga Festival Musique et Arts) is a two-day music festival held each year on Île Sainte-Hélène at Parc Jean-Drapeau. This popular annual festival has become one of the most anticipated summer events in Montreal since it was first introduced in 2006. The purpose of the Osheaga festival is to showcase Montreal's most talented artists along with Internationally-known artists.

Montreal's POP Montreal International Music Festival is an independent music festival that features an impressive array of international and local talent. The festival includes more than 400 acts playing at more than 50 venues around Montreal, mostly in the Mile End area of Montreal's famous Plateau district. POP Montreal presents various international Anglophone and francophone artists from all over the world.

The St-Ambroise Montreal FRINGE Festival (Festival St-Ambroise Fringe de Montréal) is a unique fringe festival with an unbeatable neighborhood feel! Block party and performing arts collide every June in the Plateau Mile-End for this celebration of creativity without limits that includes music, comedy, dance and theatre from over 500 performers. The St-Ambroise Montreal FRINGE Festival is bilingual, and includes local, national and international artists from Montreal to Greece to Japan!

The World Choral Festival also known as The Loto-Québec World Choral Festival (Le Mondial Choral Loto-Quebec) is the largest gathering of choirs and vocal ensembles in North America. This international choral singing festival is fuelled by the growing popularity of choral music, which happens to be a very popular activity in Quebec. Taking place mostly in the city of Laval, the festival has helped make Laval the Choral Music Capital of Canada.