* DEAN'S 2026 SCHEDULE OF FESTIVALS & EVENTS IN MONTREAL, QC. & AREA * AUSSI en francais
E-mail & Facebook - funfestivals@yahoo.ca Calendar version 2026
ALSO ONLINE SEE - www.mtl.org
& www.bonjourquebec.com/
M = Montreal Q =
Quebec City ( 2. 5 hours away ) O = elsewhere E =
everywhere * = NOT to be missed
There are many more festivals in the province of Quebec & nearby but I only
put certain festivals & events to keep simplicity
F = Free Festivals have outdoor concerts/shows
nightly, some daytime. + = also some shows cost $ if you want
? = exact dates not set For dates not
yet confirmed I note ? when it will
probably be based on previous years
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EARLY 2026
M Thu–Sat Jan 15- Feb 7 Igloofest ( Electro music
festival Thurs to Sat nights outside in Old
Montreal & Quebec city March 5 – 7 )
O Fri Jan 30 - Mon 16 Winterlude/Bal de Neige ( Ottawa / Gatineau's winter
carnival - weekends - F+ )
O Thu Feb
5 – Sun 22 Winter Olympics in Italy (world championships for
many winter sports & Fan Fest in Montreal Feb
21-22 )
Q Fri Feb 6 - Sun
15 **Quebec Winter Carnival
( awesome for singles & families, Sat 14th -parade= best nt-F+)
Q Wed Feb 11 – Sun 22 *Quebec International Pee-Wee hockey tournament ( best in the world @ Centre
Videotron )
M Thu
Feb 12 – Sun 22 International hockey tournament M15 du Grand Montréal ( new best under 15 tournament @
Place Bell @ Laval )
M
Fri Feb 27 – Sat March 7 Montreal High Lights Festival ( outside @ Place
des Arts , *All-nighter - Sat Feb 28 - F+ )
M Sat Feb 28 Red Bull Heavy Metal ( world calibre snowboard event at
Montreal’s Olympic Stadium - F )
M MnMarch 9 – MnMay 11 Francouvertes ( french music festival - prelims @ Lion d’Or
& SF & F @ Club Soda )
M Tues March 17 – Sun 22 Urban
games Montréal
( urban sports festival @ Eaton Centre - F )
M Thu March 19 - Sun
22 *La Cabane Panache et Bois Rond (
music & food festival on Wellington near Metro De l’Eglise F+ )
M Sun March 22 *St Patrick’s Day Parade (on Boul de Maisonneuve, bars
after- F )
M Sat April 25 Exposfest
(former
Expos visit for charity fundraising) @ Laval
M April / May **Montreal
Canadiens FanJam ( tailgate party before each playoff game outside the Bell Centre
-F)
M Fri May 15 – Sun 17 Pouzza
Fest ( punk rock
music festival in downtown Montreal– F+ )
M
Thu May 21 – Sun 24 *Grand
Prix of Canada ( Formula
1 race @ Île Notre Dame, *free festival on Crescent –F, now in May not June)
M Sun May 24 - Sun 31 *Go Bike Mtl Festival ( biking events including Tour de
Nuit – Fri May 29, Tour de l’Ile – Sun 31 )
M Thu 28 - Sun 31 MontRoyal
sidewalk sale ( on MontRoyal Ave between St Laurent & de Lorimier
- F )
JUNE
M
Fri 5 - Sun
7 *Eureka! Festival ( science festival in Old Montreal
or Parc Jean-Drapeau - F )
M
Mon 1 – Sun 21 Montreal Fringe Festival ( plays & theatre on St Laurent
- Fringe for all Mon May 25 & Drag
Race Sat Jn13th -F+)
M Thu
4 – Sun 14
Mural Festival ( public art festival including a
sidewalk sale on St Laurent - F )
M Fri
12 - Sat 20
**Les
Francos (
french music festival - outside @ Place des Arts- F+ )
E Wed 17 – Tues 30 **My birthday celebrations (
festivals, St Jean Baptiste, restaurants, & fun - F )
E Tues 23 - Wed 24 **Fête
national du Québec ( parade @ Montreal & music
shows all over the province of Québec -
F )
M Thu Jn 25 – Sat Jllt 4 **Montreal International
Jazz Festival
( inside - $, outside @ Place des Arts - F+ )
O
Thu Jn 25 – Sun Jllt 5 Festivoix ( music festival @ Trois-Rivières )
JULY
M end June till end Jul *Fireworks competition { from 10 - 10:30 pm @ La
Ronde = $, or places to watch Free
( Thursdays 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 in July & Thu
August 6, Sundays in July 12 & 26 )}
M Wed July 1 Canada
Day celebrations ( parade & festivities, activities & shows @ Old-Port - F )
M Fri
3 – Sun 5 Comiccon ( comic & superhero festival @ Palais
des Congrès de Montréal - F+ )
O
Wed 8 – Sun 12
Mont Tremblant International Blues
Festival ( @ Mont
Tremblant )
M Thu 9 – Sun 19 Montreal Circus Festival ( circus festival – various places around
town - F+ )
Q Thu 9 – Sun 19 ***Quebec City
Festival d'Été ( the best summer music festival, street artists, etc.
- F+ )
O
Thu 9 – Sun 19
Ottawa Blues Fest ( music festival in Ottawa )
M Tue 7 - Sun
19 African Nights Festival ( music festival, outside @ Place
des Arts is
free from Tues 14 - Sun 19 - F+ )
M Wed 15 – Sun 26 *Just
For Laughs Comedy Festival ( free shows outside @ Place des Arts & inside at some venues - F+ )
M
Thu 16 – Sun Aug 2 Fantasia Festival ( imaginative, unique genre cinema @ various
Montreal theatres )
Q Wed 22 – Sun Aug 2 ComediHa ( humour festival in Quebec City )
AUGUST
Q Wd July 29 –Sn Aug 2 Festivent (St Jean sur Chrysostome) – hot air balloons
& music in the Quebec city suburb)
O Thu Jly 30 – Sn Aug 2
Pig Festival of Ste-Perpétue ( music festival & boar &
tractor races, etc )
M Fri
Jly 31 - Sun Aug 2 Osheaga
( a very expensive music festival @ Parc Jean Drapeau )
M Thu Jly 31 - Sn Aug
9
Pride celebrations ( Canada LGTBA+ pride festivities – *Parade
Sun 9 - F+ )
M Sat 1 – Thu 13 *National Bank Open pro tennis tournament ( 2026-men - @ IGA Stadium in Jarry Park, women play in Toronto )
M Tues 4 – Thu 13
Montreal First people’s festival ( films, music
& history @ Quartier des spectacles - F )
O Thu 6 – Sat 8 Festival de la Poutine de
Drummondville ( music festival & poutine )
O Thu 6 – Sat 8 *BeauceRock ( music festival with camping en
Beauce – replaced ****Woodstock en Beauce since 2021 )
Q Thu 6 – Sun 9 *Quebec City's New
France Festival ( in Old Quebec - F )
M Fri
7 – Sun 9
Otakuthon ( animé festival @ Palais des Congrès de
Montréal - F+ )
M Fri 7 – Sun 9 Ile
Soniq ( electro dance music festival @ Parc Jean Drapeau & in
town Friday )
M Sat
8 – Sun 9 Under
Pressure ( international graffiti convention – @ & near Foufounes
Electriques -
F+ )
M Fri 7 – Sun 16 Italfest (Italian festival in Little Italy &
maybe Quartier des spectacles Esplanade Tranquille- F+ )
O wkends 7-9, 13-16 *Hot
Air Balloon Festival ( music & hot air balloons @ St Jean sur Richelieu )
M Wed 12 The OSM at the Olympic Park Esplanade
( Montreal Symphony Orchestra @ Olympic Park - F )
Q
Thu 13 Pro-Am
Sunlife charity hockey game ( Over 20 NHL players play against amateurs @ Québec Centre Videotron )
M Thu 14 - Sat 16 Lasso
Montreal (
country music festival @ Parc Jean=Drapeau & Thu in town )
Q Thu 13 – Sun 16 Festibière ( beer
festival @ Space 400e in Québec city )
Q Lun 17 – Mar
25
Super Franco Fête (
most shows are @ L’Agora of the Quebec port – G+ )
M Thu 20
- Sun 23 Festival
fashion & design ( fashion & design festival, normally
outside @ Quartier des spectacles - F )
M Fri 21
– Sat 22 Vans
Warped tour ( alternative & punk music festival @ Parc Jean
Drapeau )
M Thu 27
- Sun 30 MontRoyal
sidewalk sale ( on MontRoyal Ave between St Laurent & de Lorimier
- F )
M Sat
29 – Sun 30
*18th century public market
( @ Place Royale in Old Montreal – F )
SEPT –
DEC
M
Thu Sept 3 – Sun 6 Blvd ( sidewalk sale & artistic
festival on St Laurent - F )
Q Thu 10 – Sat 12 Festival Envol & MacAdam ( alternative music festival
in Quebec City )
M Fri 11 - Sun 13 Jackalope festival ( high action sports - skateboarding,
bouldering festival @ Old Montreal - Quai Jacques Cartier - F )
O Fri 11 – Sun 20 ***St-Tite
Western Festival ( near Trois Rivieres - rodeo, country dancing,etc. )
M de retour Sept 2027 **Mondial de la Bière ( world beer tasting festival -100s of beers,etc. annulé en 2026 - F+)
M Wed 16 – Sun 20 Festival Tempéo (festival de la musique & danse
– each evening a different music type – F )
M Fri
18 – Sun 27 *Montreal Oktoberfest ( Fri - Sun – 2 wkends – beer &
other drinks festival @ Parc Jean-Drapeau – F+)
M Sat 19 – Sun 27 **UCI 2026 Road World Championships (cycling race - F+)
P Fri Sept 25 - Sun 27 *Les Journées de la Culture ( > 1000 cultural activities - F )
M Sat Oct 3 *Monktoberfest ( festival very family oriented
with music & beer @ Theatre Paradoxe - F+ )
M Sat Oct 3 – Sun 25 *Fright Fest & Kids pumpkin festival ( @ La
Ronde – zombies, vampires, haunted houses & kids Halloween activities )
M Wed Oct 7 – Sun 18 Festival du Nouveau Cinéma de Montréal (new cinema festival)
M? cancelled Montreal zombie walk – zombies walk the streets
of Montreal – cancelled since 2019 - F )
NOV-DEC 2026
M Thu Oct 29 – Sn Nov
15 Montréal
à table ( restaurant festival to try new restaurants at discounted
prices )
M Sat Nov 7 - Sun 8 Salon
national des animaux de compagnie ( animal festival @ Olympic Stadium, @ Québec
24-25 Oct )
M Wed Nov 18 – Sat 21 M for Montreal (
exposure for new Montreal musicians – F+ )
M? Sat Nov 21 Santa Claus Parade ( on Ste-Catherine St between Fort &
St-Urbain @ 11 am - F )
E wkends Nov 27 – Dec 31 *Operation
Nez Rouge –
volunteers save lives by carpooling drunk people home with their cars - F )
M Sat 5 – Sun 6 Mini Comiccon ( comic book festival & superheroes @ Palais des Congrès de Montréal - F )
M? wkends Dec 4 - 24 Christmas
in the park – ( Christmas festival – free outdoor shows - F )
Q? Tues Dec 29 – Thu 31 Toboggan festival
( music festival in Quebec city to celebrate the new year – F )
M? Thu Dec 31 Celebrations for Dec 31 in Old Port
(Since 2024 Igloofest replaced Merry Montréal (2013-2021) for celebrations
EARLY 2027
M? date not yet announced **Montreal
Canadiens Blood Donor Clinic ( @ Bell Centre - my 136th donation
– I save lives 5 times per year - F )
M Thu–Sat Jan 14- Feb 6 Igloofest ( Electro music
festival Thurs to Sat nights outside in Old
Montreal & Quebec city March 4 – 6 )
O Fri Jan 29 - Mon 15 Winterlude/Bal de Neige ( Ottawa / Gatineau's winter
carnival - weekends - F+ )
Q Fri Feb 5 - Sun
14 **Quebec Winter Carnival
( awesome for singles & families, Sat 13th -parade= best nt-F+)
Q Wed Feb 10 – Sun 21 *Quebec International Pee-Wee hockey tournament ( best in the world @ Centre
Videotron )
M Tues Feb 9 – Sun 21 International hockey tournament M15 du Grand Montréal ( best under 15 tournament @ Place
Bell @ Laval )
M Fri Feb 18 – Sat 28 Montreal High Lights Festival ( outside @ Place
des Arts , *All-nighter - Sat Feb 27 - F+ )
M Thu March 19 - Sun
22 La Cabane Panache et Bois Rond (
music & food festival on Wellington near Metro De l’Eglise F+ )
M Sun March 16 or 23
*St Patrick’s Day Parade (on Boul de Maisonneuve, bars
after- F )
M? in April sometime Exposfest (former Expos visit
for charity fundraising) @ Laval
M April / May / June *Montreal
Canadiens FanJam ( tailgate party before each playoff game outside the Bell Centre
-F)
M now July 22 – 25
Pouzza
Fest ( punk rock
music festival in downtown Montreal– till this year it was in May - F+ )
M
Thu May 20 – Sun 23 *Grand
Prix of Canada ( Formula
1 race @ Île Notre Dame, *free festival on Crescent –F, now in May not June)
M Sun May 23 - Sun 30 Go Bike Mtl Festival ( biking events including Tour de
Nuit – Fri May 28, Tour de l’Ile – Sun 30 )
E
All the
time
** LIFE ** - to be
celebrated and enjoyed everyday - ( F+ )
For the links & dates
of many other festivals (Montreal & elsewhere in Quebec) not listed here –
check the Calendar
version 2025
E
Full
moons = SatJan3-5am, SunFeb1-5pm,
TuesMarch3-6:40pm, WedApril1-10pm, FriMay1-1:30pm, SunMay31-5am, MonJune29-8pm,
WedJuly29-10:30am, FriAug28-12:20am, SatSept26-1pm, SunOct25-11pm,
TuesNov24-10am, WedDec23-8:30pm (F)
OTHER THINGS TO DO
Les premiers vendredis (food trucks at
Olympic Stadium the first Friday & Saturday of the summer months),
Old Montreal ( very romantic & full of ambiance & life – also boat cruises-P, Pedalboats-P & Quadricycles-P etc),
various streets such as St. Denis, St. Laurent, certain some museums are free
the first Sunday of every month, Bixis are affordable if you don’t
have a bicycle,
Ste. Catherine St. & the underground city, MontRoyal ( great view of the city
& “tamtams” on Sundays ) , Botanical gardens-P, Biodome-P, Olympic Park-P, the bike paths & parks, free shows in Lafontaine Park,
La Ronde Amusement Park-P, the casino & the beaches ( Montreal-P, Oka, Plattsburgh ).
Some ideas for things
to do for free…
Great restaurants
& nice, friendly, fun people everywhere.
Great nightlife -
bars, clubs & terraces – I don’t know where to go anymore other than L’Abreuvoir & Foufounes Électriques & Café Campus.
Unfortunately Le “LOFT” has been closed since early 2010- the best
club in Montreal till 2006–terrace on roof & awesome $1 a drink Thurs
nts. Saint-Sulpice, Deux Pierrots ( Old Mtl ), & Bourbon Street North (Mon) are also
all closed.
Don’t forget the POM coupon book (click on the link or pick it up in Old Montreal or any Montreal
tourism office) for many discounts on summer activities.
The -P noted above after various
activities notes that a coupon is available in the Pom book for a discount on
that activity.
Pro
sports - Canadiens’ hockey, Laval Rocket (hockey AHL), Alouettes’ football, CF Montreal soccer,
pro
tennis .
Quebec City has the Remparts with the season starting in midSeptember. The Expos moved to Washington in 2004 so there isn’t professional
baseball in Montreal but Youppi! is
with the Montreal Canadiens
& if you want to watch baseball Quebec
City has the semi-pro Capitales - Can-Am league champions for 5 straight years
2009-2013 & 2017 & Frontier league champions in 2022, 2023, 2024
& 2025 !!!!
PHOTO ALBUM Festivals
2001-2024