The Montreal Jazz Festival is the largest jazz festival in the world. Musical giants such as Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald and James Brown have all captivated crowds since the festival’s debut edition in 1980. Today, more than 2 million people attend the Montreal Jazz Festival yearly. But the Jazz Fest is not just about music – it’s about life’s pleasures. And truth is, there’s nothing like a bit of jazz to awake my yearning for a glass – or two – of lilac wine. As famous saxophonist Steve Lacy once said: “Jazz is like wine. When it is new, it is only for the experts, but when it gets older, everybody wants it”. Well, the popular Montreal Jazz Festival is now 31 years-old and well above Quebec’s drinking age. Here are some cool places near the festivites to get your sip on!
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JUST FOR LAUGHS: STEVE MARTIN, PAMELA ANDERSON, KEVIN SMITH AND MORE!
The world is a cruel and dark place! That’s why you need the Just For Laughs Festival to bring you joy. The Just For Laughs festival is the largest of its kind in the world. And yes, it is a comedy carnival, but the festival is also so much more: music, dance, improv, street art, film and theatre. This year’s fiesta is jam packed (again) with huge headliners and sensory-stimulating shows to inspire laughed and wonderment. Here are some of our suggestions.
MONTREAL FESTIVALS MATCHED TO YOUR PERSONALITY TYPE
With it’s unique position as the gateway between North America and Europe, Montréal is très unique in its dimensions of art, language, culture, politics and gastronomy. The city resonates a passion and sophistication that is unparalleled anywhere on the continent. This becomes evident in the diversified programming of festivals that the city continues to offer year after year. Travelers choose Montréal for a myriad of reasons such as affordability, diverse cultural options and patented joie de vivre. And because there are so many flavors of experience to choose from, we’ve conveniently matched 11 personality types with a Montréal festival that might just tickle your fancy.
FIREWORKS IN MONTREAL
We love us our pyrotechnics in Montreal. Each summer, from June to late July, the top fireworks companies around the globe present 30-minute long shows on Saturday nights to compete for the top prize. The International des Feux, our International Fireworks Festival, attracts the world’s leading designers, bigbang technicians and sparkly optic addicts. The fireworks are synchronized to music broadcast over Rythme FM ( 105,7).
A WALK WITH MARTHA WAINWRIGHT
Martha Wainwright and I took a candid stroll on Montreal’s Plateau district yesterday. She spoke freely about her new album, her family and some of her favourite Montreal haunts.
IT’S MAIN MADNESS ON SAINT-LAURENT
There are some events in Montreal, like for example the F-1, that locals often avoid. But when it comes to this week-end’s “Main Madness”, when all of St-Laurent is closed off to traffic, even the most cynical of Montrealers can usually find something to do… In my opinion this is because Main Madness, also known as the Street Sale, can be an entirely different experience depending on where you are on St-Laurent. If you want champagne and snootily gorgeous waitresses, head to the area just above Sherbrooke for the terrasses that extend out from spots like Buona Notte and the nearby oyster bars set up on the street. If you want DJs and a slight wilder scene, head to the area outside bars like Korova and spots like Laika .
LA ST-JEAN: WHAT TO DO ON QUEBEC’S NATIONAL HOLIDAY
La St-Jean Baptiste or Fête Nationale is Quebec’s National Holiday. Every year, on June 24, Montrealers and Quebecers from all over the province come together to celebrate French Canadian culture. The tradition landed in Canada with the first French colonists and the first celebrations occured on the banks of the Saint Lawrance River in 1636, revered with a bonfire and five cannon shots. Today, Montrealers from all origins and backgrounds get together on June 23 and 24 to celebrate “La St-Jean”, as we simply call it. Here are some of the festivities happening in Montreal this year!
THIS WEEKEND IN MONTREAL [JUNE 18 to 20]
It’s our job to find great things for you to do in Montreal. And we’re not going to lie to you, finding great things to do in Montreal is like hoping to find chocolate in a chocolate factory. This weekend is packed again with fun things to do and see in the city. Get out there and enjoy our 10 recommendations! —————————————————————————————————————— [festival] FIRST PEOPLES FESTIVAL – A celebration of indigenous culture, community, cinema and other artistic forms, this festival is a ‘Must See’ for anyone interested in a unique, authentic and historic experience. First Peoples’ art showcased in the major arena it warrants. [music festival] FRANCOFOLIES – Reflecting the thriving French-speaking music world, this 20-year-old festival is for anyone with a penchant for international song. Many free outdoor shows. Profitez! (TIP: The golden voice of Arica, Salif Keita, plays on Friday night!)
SNOOP DOGG TO PERFORM AT OSHEAGA FESTIVAL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6TUhx2wX0M Legendary West Coast rapper, Snoop Dogg, is the latest addition to this year’s astounding Osheaga line-up. The ultra-smooth and laidback MC will be taking the stage on Sunday August 1st, joined by a live band, to the greatest pleasure of music aficionados kicking it up under the stars of Parc Jean-Drapeau. Later that night you’ll also get to see shows by Metric and American rock band, Weezer.
MONTREAL GAY LIFE: AN OVERVIEW
La vie à Montréal est gaie! Life in Montréal is gay! There is a double entendre happening in the above statement… by ‘gay’ we mean ‘happy’ AND ‘homolicious.’ Montréal has a long history of pride that ranges from our very own Stonewall in 1977 to being the first provincial jurisdiction in the world to recognize same-sex civil unions to a contemporary attitude that welcomes diverse peoples from all walks of life. We are the crossroads of Europe and North America, and our many dimensions of language, culture, art, politics and sexuality fuel a passion and sophistication that is unparalleled anywhere on the continent.
