Updated 8 February 2020
Montreal is a city of festivals, a tradition that peaks in early to mid summer but continues year-round.
Dates for 2020 have been added for the first half of 2020, and the rest will be updated soon.
Do you have an addition for this page? Please email us.
If you maintain a website for a recurring festival, please do yourself and all of us a favour: include the year with any event dates on the front page.
Ongoing
Festival Nuits d’Afrique, the Société de musique contemporaine du Québec and Montreal Chamber Music Festival used to do festivals, but now schedule events and performances around the calendar.
January
Wildside Festival January 7-18, 2020
Igloofest weekends January 16-February 8, 2020
Salon de l’Auto January 17-26, 2020
Fête des neiges weekends January 18-February 9, 2020
February
Black History Month all month, exhibits and events
Festival Montréal en Lumière aka High Lights Festival, February 20-March 1, 2020. Some flashing effects.
Montréal Joue spring break activities, February 22-March 8, 2020
Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois February 26-March 7, 2020
Nuit Blanche February 29, 2020
Art souterrain February 29-March 22, 2020
International Children’s Film Festival February 29-March 8, 2020
March
Festival Barbegazi March 7-8, 2020
The International Film Festival on Art March 17-29, 2020
197th annual Saint Patrick’s Day parade March 22, 2020
Cabane Panache et Bois rond on Wellington Street, March 19-22, 2020
April
Vues d’Afrique international film fest, April 17-26, 2020
Croissant festival April 25, 2020
Accès Asie April 30-May 31, 2020
May
Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival, May 1-6, 2020
Vue sur la relève performance art festival, May 1-31, 2020
Montreal International Musical Competition May 4-14, 2020
Jane’s Walks May 1-2-3, 2020
24 Hours of Science May 8 and 9, 2020
Printemps numérique May 9-17, 2020
Festival musique actuelle Victoriaville May 14-17, 2020
Pouzza Fest May 15-17, 2020
Anarchist bookfair May 16-17. 2020
Festival TransAmériques May 20-June 4, 2020
Le Mondial de la bière/Beer Festival May 21-24, 2020
Festival des Arts Vivants OFFTA, May 22-31, 2020
Comic Arts Festival May 22-24, 2020
Classical Guitar Festival and Competition May 29-31, 2020
Montreal Museums Day Sunday, May 31, 2020
Festival Go Vélo Montreal May 31-June 7, 2020
(includes the Tour de l’Île and other cycling events)
June
Montréal Baroque June 1-30, 2020
Festival Mural public art fest, dates to come
St-Ambroise Fringe Festival June 10-21, 2020
Montreal Grand Prix June 12-14, 2020
Les Francos June 11-20, 2020
Montreal Chamber Music Festival June 12-21, 2020
Montreal Folk Fest on the Canal June 18-21, 2020
International des feux Loto-Québec fireworks fest, June 20‑July 29, 2020
Fête nationale Saint-Jean June 23-24
Montreal International Jazz Festival June 25-July 4, 2020
July
Canada Day July 1 – parade and events
Mtl en ArtsJune 1-5, 2020
Festival international de Lanaudière July 5-August 4, 2019
Montréal Complètement Cirque July 4-14, 2019
Montreal Comic-Con July 5-7, 2019
Carifiesta paradeJuly 6, 2019
Dragon Boat Race Challenge July 6-7, 2019
Les Week-ends du Monde July 6-7 and 13-14, 2019
Festival Nuits d’Afrique July 9-21, 2019
Just for laughs/Juste pour rire July 10-28, 2019
Zoofest July 11-27, 2019
Fantasia Film Fest July 11-August 1, 2019
Kahnawake Pow-Wow July 13-14, 2019
Haïti en Folie July 22-28, 2019
HeavyMTL metal festival July 27 and 28, 2019
August
August is Archaeology month in Quebec, with various events
Osheaga music & arts festival August 2-4, 2019
Rogers Cup tennis tournament, August 2-11, 2019
This year: men’s tennis
Matsuri Japon Japanese festival, August 3, 2019
Montreal Highland Games August 4, 2019
Terres En Vue/Land InSights first people’s festival, August 6‑14, 2019
Île Soniq August 9-10, 2019
Italian WeekAugust 9-18, 2019
Otakuthon anime convention, August 16-18, 2019
Festival Mode Design August 19-24, 2019
International tango festival August 21-25, 2019
Orientalys August 22-25, 2019
St-Jean-sur-Richelieu Hot Air Balloon FestivalAugust 10‑18, 2019
Fierté Montréal Pride parade, August 8-18, 2019
MUTEK digital creativity fest, August 20-25, 2019
Montreal World Film Festival will not be presented in 2019
Montreal Electronic GrooveAugust 30-September 2, 2019
September
Jardins de lumière September 6-October 31, 2019
YUL Eat September 9-15, 2019
Quartiers Danses September 6-15, 2019
OUMF Quartier Latin culture fest, September 5-7, 2019
Momenta Biennale – used to be Mois de la Photo – September 5-October 13, 2019
Art Tattoo Montreal September 13-15, 2019
Montreal Marathon September 21-22, 2019
Festival international de la littérature September 20-29, 2019
International Black Film Festival September 24-29, 2019
Puces Pop September 23-27. 2020
Pop Montreal September 25-29, 2019
Journées de la culture Quebec-wide culture fest, September 27-29, 2019
October
The OFF Festival de Jazz October 3-12, 2019
Festival Phénomena October 5, 2019
Festival du nouveau cinéma October 9-20, 2019
Burlesque Festival October 17-19, 2019
La Braderie de mode québécoise October 17-20, 2019
La Grande Dégustation booze fest, October 31-November 2, 2019
November
MTL À TABLE November 1-13, 2019
Cinemania French films subtitled in English, November 7-17, 2019
Coup de cœur francophone November 7-17, 2019
Rencontres internationales du documentaire November 14‑24, 2019
Expozine small press fair mid-November, dates to come
M for Montreal music showcase, November 20-23, 2019
Salon du Livre November 20-25, 2019
Bach festival November 22-December 7, 2019