World City Guide

Special Events

This is just a selection of the special events and festivals that Montreal hosts every year. One of the best times to visit Montreal is during one of these innumerable festivals, especially in the summer when it seems that everyone is out on the streets.

La Fête des Neiges, winter festival (website: www.fetedesneiges.com), late Jan-mid-Feb, Ile Ste-Hélène
Montreal High Lights Festival, illuminations and performances (website: www.montrealhighlights.com), late Feb-early Mar, various venues in Downtown
St Patrick’s Day Parade, mid-Mar, rue Ste-Catherine
Tour de l’Ile de Montréal, world’s largest public bicycle race, part of the Montreal Bike Fest (website: www.velo.qc.ca/feria), late May-early Jun, around the island
Canadian Grand Prix (website: www.grandprix.ca), Jun, Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, Ile Notre-Dame
Beer Mundial (website: www.festivalmondialbiere.qc.ca), early Jun, Windsor Station
First Peoples’ Festival, film, art, music and dance celebrating native culture (website: www.nativelynx.qc.ca), mid-Jun, various venues
Montreal Fringe Festival, fringe theatre, with some comedy, music and dance (website: www.montrealfringe.ca), mid-Jun, various Plateau venues
Le Mondial SAQ, international fireworks competition (website: www.lemondialsaq.com), mid-Jun-late Jul, La Ronde
Fête Nationale du Québec, parade and celebrations (website: www.cfn.org), 24 Jun, throughout the city
Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (website: www.montrealjazzfest.com), late Jun-early Jul, Place des Arts and other venues
Just for Laughs Festival, comedy festival (website: www.hahaha.com), mid-Jul, rue St-Denis (Latin Quarter) and various venues
Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, African music festival (website: www.festivalnuitsdafrique.com), mid-Jul, place Emile-Gamelin and various venues
Divers/Cité, Montreal International Gay and Lesbian Pride Celebration (website: www.diverscite.org), late Jul-early Aug, the Village
Rogers Cup/Tennis Masters Series, women’s (even years) and men’s (odd years) international tennis championships (website: www.tenniscanada.com), mid-Aug, Uniprix Stadium, Jarry Park
Molson Indy Montreal, CART auto racing (website: www.molsonindy.com), late Aug, Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, Ile Notre-Dame
Montreal World Film Festival (website: www.ffm-montreal.org), late Aug-early Sep, Place des Arts and various cinemas in Downtown
image+nation (website: www.image-nation.org), international gay and lesbian film festival, late Sep, various cinemas
Black & Blue Festival, gay benefit party and cultural week (website: www.bbcm.org), early-mid-Oct, Olympic Stadium and around the Village
International Festival of New Cinema and New Media (website: www.fcmm.com), mid-Oct, Ex-Centris
Cinemania Film Festival, French-language films are screened with English subtitles (website: www.cinemaniafilmfestival.com), early-mid-Nov, Museum of Fine Arts