Updated July 29, 2021
It was announced on April 21 that the Francos and the jazz festival would be held in September, so I have added the dates below. This is presumably in hopes that the pandemic will have subsided enough to hold shows with a live audience.
A new history festival was announced for mid-May.
It leaked out of Evenko on April 21 that there would be no Osheaga festival this summer.
CBC posted an article on April 24 about some of the festival changes for 2021. I’ve integrated a few bits of data from that piece into the list below.
• • •
Festivals and shows were mostly cancelled through 2020. As of now, it’s unclear how things will go in 2021. Uncertainty means many festival sites are cagey about whether their events will only be held online, or in person; a few have pushed their dates later than usual in 2021, presumably hoping the outlook will be brighter by then for in-person events: the jazz festival and the cycling festival, among others.
Do you have an addition or correction 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 the basic information on the front page.
January 2021
Wildside Festival online January 12-31, 2021
Fête des neiges is cancelled in 2021
February 2021
Black History Month all month, online only
Salon de l’Auto February 20-26, 2021, see article on online features
Igloofest – there’s a program listing for dates in February and March 2021
Montréal Joue spring break activities, online, February 20-March 7, 2021
Art souterrain February 20-April 30, 2021
Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois February 26-March 7, 2021
International Children’s Film Festival February 27-March 7, 2021
March
Festival Montréal en Lumière aka High Lights Festival, March 4-28. Nuit Blanche will be on March 13.
The International Film Festival on Art is usually in March. Not seeing any new schedule for 2021.
What would’ve been the 198th annual Saint Patrick’s Day parade was cancelled.
Cabane Panache et Bois rond on Wellington Street. Online only this year.
April
Vues d’Afrique international film fest, April 9-18, 2021. Website says it will be partly online, partly screenings.
Montreal International Musical Competition all online, April 26-May 14, 2021
Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival, April 28-May 2, 2021. At least partly online.
May
Vue sur la relève – May 5-18, 2021
Jane’s Walks held online, May 7-8-9, 2021
24 Hours of Science May 7 and 8, 2021
New Montreal history festival May 14-16, 2021
Festival musique actuelle Victoriaville at outdoors locations in Victoriaville, May 17-23, 2021
Pouzza Fest May 21-23, 2021, holding out on details – Covid update is from 2020
Anarchist bookfair – nothing yet on 2021
NDG Porchfest – who knows, the front page mentions “this year” but doesn’t say which year they mean
Festival TransAmériques May 26-June 10, 2021
Festival des Arts Vivants OFFTA, May 28-June 6, 2021
Classical Guitar Festival and Competition website still says simply “2020 Cancelled/Annulé”
Montreal Museums Day nothing beyond cancellation for 2020
June
Fringe Festival June 1-20, scaled back for 2021, website still offline
Suoni per il Popolo June 2021 – probably all online
Montréal Baroque June 17-21, 2021, offering a “hybrid edition”
Montreal Chamber Music Festival no 2021 dates, some videos on the site
International des feux Loto-Québec nothing beyond the 2020 cancellation
Folk Fest sur le Canal – I’ve been told June 18-20, maybe online?
Fête nationale Saint-Jean June 23-24 – Stationary festive installations in the Quartier des Spectacles.
July
Canada Day July 1
Montréal Complètement Cirque July 8-18, 2021 in some format
Les Week-ends du Monde July 3, 4, 10 and 11, 2021
Just For Laughs July 15-31, 2021, format TBA
Festival Go Vélo Montreal July 31, also August 27 and 29
August
Fantasia Film Fest August 5-25, 2021
MUTEK “end of August”
September
Les Francos September 9-12, 2021
Montreal jazz festival September 15-19, 2021
Île Soniq, mini version of the usual festival, September 24-26. Major fest to return August 4-6, 2022
October
Osheaga mini version, October 1-3. Major fest to return July 29-31, 2022
Cancelled 2021
Montreal Grand Prix 2021 edition cancelled as of April 28
Kahnawake Pow-Wow
Montreal Comic-Con next July 8-10, 2022