Montreal summers are infamously short… But AWESOME! The city really comes alive with sounds, colours, lights, food, music and much more. There’s something for everyone, and there are tons of events you don’t want to miss! Here, in chronological order, are the top summer events and festivals in Montreal that you should check out in 2019!
Piknic Électronik
May 19 – Sep 29
Piknic is a fun weekly festival where you can discover the best of our thriving Montreal electronic scene. Every Sunday at Parc Jean-Drapeau, come bask in the summer vibes!
Where: Île Sainte-Hélène (Jean-Drapeau metro)
How Much: single-day passes from $16; 6 passes for $70; season’s pass$119
Fireworks at La Ronde
June 29 – July 27
All summer long, you can climb up the Jacques-Cariter Bridge on select dates, or find a nice viewing spot in Montreal’s East end for an amazing spectacle! For a close-up look at the International Fireworks competition, celebrating 35 years in 2019, you can also buy tickets to watch from the stands at La Ronde.
Where: La Ronde
How Much: Viewing from Montreal is free – but for the best view, tickets at La Ronde start at $56.99.
Grand Prix de Montréal
June 7-9
Montreal’s Formula 1 Grand Prix race is world-famous. The only race of its kind to be held in Canada, it’s always a crazy, star-studded weekend. Love it or hate it, but it’s one of Montreal’s top cultural events each year.
Where: Key locations: Île Notre-Dame, Crescent Street, Peel Street, Place du Canada.
How Much: Outdoor expositions and sightseeing is free; remaining tickets to the race & qualifications are $55-$399.
Elektra Festival
June 11-16
Montreal’s Elektra Festival unites digital artists from around the world. This year’s 20th edition of the festival features headlines such as Kurt Hentschläger, Edwin van der Heide and others, who merge visual, spatial, sonic and perceptual elemnts to create strage, immersive art installations.
Where: Multiple locations; full program here.
How Much: Some events are free, others require tickets.
Folk Festival on the Canal
June 13-16
The Folk Festival on the Canal is one of Montreal’s fastest-growing festivals! Its beautiful location alongside the Lachine Canal, great music and family-friendly atmosphere all contribute to making it a great place for a family weekend or a stop along your bike route.
Where: 3 locations near the Lachine Canal; map here.
How Much: Pay-What-You-Can; VIP passes available.
Francos de Montréal
June 14-22
This music festival showcases the very best in Quebec’s francophone music scene. There are free outdoor shows as well as indoor shows, featuring household names such as Ariane Moffat, Safia Nolin, 2Frères, Stefie Shock, Coeur de pirate and many more.
Where: Place-des-arts and various locations. Click here for full schedule.
How Much: Some show free; others require tickets.
Montreal International Jazz Festival
June 27 - July 6
Perhaps Montreal’s most famous and well-liked festival, the Jazz Fest brings around tons of amazing musical acts each year. You really get a lot of musical variety here, including many non-jazz acts such as Osheaga veterans alt-J and Bahamas.
This year, for the first time ever, the festival has an off-site location in Verdun. In addition to the main festival at Place-des-Arts, the Verdun location will offer free outdoor shows at the corner of Wellington and Galt, right next to De l’Église metro.
Where: Place-des-Arts; Verdun
How Much: Some show free; others require tickets. See the full schedule here.
Montréal Complètement Cirque
July 4-14
Montréal Complètement Cirque surely has a few surprises in store for Montreal this year! The festival always offers street performances in addition to its regular programming. Discover more on their website and on their Facebook page!
Where: Multiple venues & outdoors.
How Much: Indoor shows require a ticket; outdoor performances are usually free.
Just For Laughs Festival
July 10-28
One of the world’s premium comedy festivals happens every year, right here in Montreal! Just For Laughs features tons of comedy events all over the city, indoor and outdoor!
Where: Multiple venues; full program here.
How Much: Some free; some require tickets.
Osheaga
August 2-4
This year’s Osheaga festival will be a grand homecoming edition to Île Sainte-Hélène, after the festival was temporarily relocated for two seasons to neighbouring Île Notre-Dame. The newly-renovated and revamped site has a lot to promise, including better sound and infrastructure!
Let’s not forget about the artists: this year’s festival has a KILLER lineup, featuring headliners Childish Gambino, Tame Impala, Hozier, Logic, Janelle Monae, The Lumineers, J Balvin and much much more! Stay tuned for our coverage of what promises to be one of Montreal’s most exciting summer events.
Where: Île Sainte-Hélène (Jean-Drapeau metro)
How Much: 3 days for $325 or 1 day for $125
ÎleSoniq
August 9 & 10
ÎleSoniq happens the weekend after Osheaga, and showcases the very best in electronic and dance music! This year’s headliners include Marshmello, Bad Bunny, Above & Beyond and Alan Walker, along with dozens of other artists. This is always one of the craziest parties in Montreal, and we can’t wait!
Where: Île Sainte-Hélène (Jean-Drapeau metro)
How Much: 2 days for $210 or 1 day for $115
Montreal First Peoples Festival
August 6-14
The First Peoples Festival showcases art & culture from the First Nations, for whom Montreal has always been a central hub, a sort of meeting point.
Where: Quartier des spectacles
How Much: Free
Montreal Pride
August 8-18
Pride is always lots of fun in Montreal, a city known for its diversity… And the high quality of its pride celebrations! The LGBTQ2+ community has been celebrating its existence and promoting its rights during this festival since 2007.
Where: The Village
How Much: Free
Montreal Fashion & Design Festival
August 19-24
Montreal’s Place-des-Arts becomes a runway for this snazzy event!
Where: Quartier des spectacles
How Much: Free