Think Vermont Is Full of Festivals? Check Out the Canada Calendar 

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• Courtesy Of Eva Blue
• ÎleSoniq

There are countless ways to plan a north-of-the-border getaway. Perhaps the easiest: Attend one of Québec's big-ticket events and let professional party organizers map out your days for you. Want to sample Canadian craft brews? Don a cowboy hat for the rodeo? See stunning fireworks over the Saint Lawrence River? Read on for the best of the summer fests.

Montréal

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• Courtesy Of Andre Rival
• Festival International Nuits d'Afrique

Piknic Électronik Montréal
Sundays through October 1, piknicelectronik.com/en

Piknic Électronik pairs top-quality electronic music with a breathtaking view of Montréal from Parc Jean-Drapeau on Île Saint-Hélène, aka St. Helen's Island.

Festival International de Jazz de Montréal
June 29 to July 8, montrealjazzfest.com/en-ca

Imagine Burlington's Discover Jazz Festival on steroids. This two-week music celebration features traditional jazz, Latin and African music, pop, blues, blues rock, Cajun, and reggae — performed outdoors and in multiple venues, all over the city.

L'International des Feux Loto-Québec
June 29 to August 10, sixflags.com/larondeen

Countries compete in Montréal's annual fireworks showdown, employing the latest techniques and innovations in the field of pyrotechnics. It's at La Ronde amusement park, over Dolphin Lake, on the site of the city's original Expo 67.

Montréal Complètement Cirque
July 6 to 16, montrealcompletementcirque.com/en

North America's first international circus arts festival brings together gravity-defying representatives of the circus world for performances throughout Montréal. (See story.)

Festival International Nuits d'Afrique
July 11 to 23, festivalnuitsdafrique.com/en

Beninese French vocalist Angélique Kidjo kicks off this 13-day event showcasing talent from Africa, the West Indies and Latin America. Some of the ticketed concerts will be held at indoor venues, but it's free to catch six days of programming in downtown Montréal's Quartier des Spectacles.

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• Otakuthon

Zoofest & OFF JFL
July 13 to 29, zoofest.com/en

Montréal's Zoofest has nothing to do with animals, though its mission is "corralling the craziest acts in the performing arts world." OFF JFL, meanwhile, bills itself as the "edgier sibling" of the Just for Laughs comedy fest. Look for emerging talent in comedy, theater, storytelling, magic and music on the free stages in the Quartier des Spectacles.

Juste pour rire Montréal
July 14 to 29, montreal.hahaha.com/en

The largest comedy festival in the world, Just for Laughs keeps Montréal in stitches for more than two weeks. Featuring 1,700 artists from 19 countries, the shows, street arts and theater are performed in French and English.

Fantasia International Film Festival
July 20 to August 9, fantasiafestival.com/en

Since its founding in 1996, this genre film festival has focused on niche, B-rated and low-budget movies in various genres, from horror to sci-fi. Showings are at Concordia University.

Fierté Montréal
August 3 to 13, fiertemontreal.com/en

Following the initiative of the city's 2SLGBTQI+ communities, the Montréal Pride Festival celebrates their rich cultural and social progress.

Osheaga Festival Musique et Arts
August 4 to 6, osheaga.com/en

Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar and the Flaming Lips are among the acts scheduled for this three-day extravaganza of nonstop music, visual arts and fashion on multiple stages in Parc Jean-Drapeau.

National Bank Open
August 4 to 13, nationalbankopen.com

Also known as the Canadian Open, this is one of the most important tournaments on the professional tennis tour.

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• Courtesy Of Eva Blue
• LASSO Montréal

ItalfestMTL
August 4 to 20, italfestmtl.ca

Celebrate the beauty and diversity of Italian culture in Canada through music, arts, food and folklore in Montréal's Little Italy, between Saint-Zotique and Jean-Talon streets on Saint-Laurent. From August 11 to 13, the fest moves to the Quartier des Spectacles.

ÎleSoniq
August 11 to 13, ilesoniq.com/en

Follow the beat of Québec's energetic club culture to Parc Jean-Drapeau on Île Saint-Hélène, aka St. Helen's Island, for a weekend of hip-hop, rap, house, reggaeton, dubstep and glitch-hop. You can get there by metro.

Otakuthon
August 11 to 13, otakuthon.com

This bilingual, all-ages convention at the Palais des Congrès de Montréal celebrates anime, manga and Japanese culture.

Festival AfroMonde
August 17 to 20, afromonde.ca/en

Traditional music, dance, visual art, fashion and humor converge in a diverse, dynamic celebration of African diaspora cultures around the Old Port of Montréal.

LASSO Montréal
August 18 to 19, lassomontreal.com

Canada has country music, too! Participants don cowboy hats and kick up their heels to celebrate rural life in an urban setting: Parc Jean-Drapeau on Île Saint-Hélène, aka St. Helen's Island.

MUTEK
August 22 to 27, montreal.mutek.org

Also known as the International Festival of Digital Creativity and Electronic Music, this six-day showcase experiments with digital art in multiple forms: musical and audiovisual performances; interactive and immersive installations; and virtual, augmented and mixed-reality works.

MAD Festival
August 24 to 27, madfestival.ca/en

Fashion shows, multidisciplinary acts, live art installations, musical performances and real-time design are part of this annual celebration of sartorial creativity, formerly called Montréal Fashion & Design, held in the Quartier des Spectacles.

POP Montréal
September 27 to October 1, popmontreal.com

Boasting more than 400 acts from all over the world, this cutting-edge indie music fest in Montréal's hip Mile End neighborhood just might introduce you to your next favorite band.

Québec City and Other Areas

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• Festival d'été de Québec

Domaine Forget International Festival
June 24 to August 19, Saint-Irénée, domaineforget.com/en/international-festival

Domaine Forget is both a summer music and dance academy and an international festival on a 100-acre property overlooking the Saint Lawrence River. For two months it hosts world-class soloists, orchestras, dance concerts and jazz events. Some of those shows go on the road, too, in Québec's beautiful Charlevoix region.

Festival d'été de Québec
July 6 to 16, Québec City, feq.ca/en

This huge outdoor party has been getting thousands of festivalgoers dancing and singing since 1968. Over the course of 11 nights, choose from 150 multi-genre shows on five stages surrounded by history and culture.

Festival des Bières de Laval
July 14 to 16, Laval, festivaldesbieresdelaval.com/en/home

Featuring more than 70 exhibitors, including 35 microbreweries, this two-day beer fest is a great way to celebrate Bastille Day in Québec.

Gatineau Beerfest
July 19 to 29, Gatineau, festibiere.ca

This yearly event is a must for epicureans looking to taste terroir products and craft beers from all over Canada, with a focus on Québec and Ontario.

Grands Feux Loto-Québec
Tuesday and Thursday nights from August 1 to 24, Québec City and Lévis, lesgrandsfeux.com/en

The largest fireworks festival in the world is back with twice-weekly shows launched from a firing platform in the middle of the Saint Lawrence River. It also promises eight original pyro-musical performances.

Festi Jazz Mont-Tremblant
August 2 to 6, Mont-Tremblant, jazztremblant.com/en

For five summer days, the hills north of Montréal are alive with the sound of world-class jazz. More than 150,000 music lovers attend, and many of the concerts are free.

International Balloon Festival of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu
August 11 to 13 and 17 to 20, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, en.montgolfieres.com

This colorful convergence of hot-air balloons is the largest in Canada. On the ground, the entertainment includes a major lineup of local and international performers.

Le Festibière de Québec
August 17 to 20, Québec City, infofestibiere.com/quebec

Translation: Québec Brewers Festival! More than 100 exhibitors — including 50-plus local microbreweries — make this a delicious destination for beer lovers of all persuasions.

Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival
August 31 to September 4, Gatineau, montgolfieresgatineau.com/en

Featuring the hot-air balloon in all its forms, this festival offers flights, nightly illuminations and, at the end of each evening, fireworks.

Bières et Saveurs de Chambly
September 1 to 4, Chambly, bieresetsaveurs.com/en

Sample local craft beer, ciders, meads and wines, as well as locally grown foods, at a historic fort on the Richelieu River. It's one of the biggest tasting festivals in Québec!

Festival Western de St-Tite
September 8 to 17, Saint-Tite, festivalwestern.com/en

East meets West at this two-week event all about Canadian cowboy culture. Expect rodeos, dancing and country music.

Eastern Townships

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• Festival des Traditions du Monde de Sherbrooke

Orford Music Festival
Through August 5, Orford, orford.mu/en

Professional and student musicians flock to Mont-Orford National Park to play in this well-established summer music series of classical and jazz concerts.

Sherblues & Folk
July 4 to 8, Sherbrooke, sherblues.ca/2022/en

Emerging and international musicians converge on downtown Sherbrooke for a summer festival renowned for the quality of its programming. Most of it is free.

Soif de Musique
July 5 to 9, Cowansville, soifdemusique.com

The name translates to "Thirst for Music." Forty thousand people attend, making this the biggest music event in the Brome-Missisquoi winemaking region.

ShazamFest
July 13 to 16, Ayer's Cliff, shazamfest.com

Québec's only neo-vaudeville festival is a four-day outdoor carnival featuring music, circus, burlesque, theater, skateboarding, wrestling, camping, and a beard and mustache contest.

Fête du Lac des Nations
July 18 to 23, Sherbrooke, fetedulacdesnations.com/en

Musicians from Québec and beyond take over multiple stages in Parc Jacques-Cartier for a weeklong summertime celebration with local food concessions, family activities and, new this year, a drone show.

Couleurs Urbaines
July 28 to 30, Granby, couleursurbaines.org

This free visual arts symposium brings together more than 50 artists from across the province of Québec. Here's a rare chance to watch them work.

Festival des Traditions du Monde de Sherbrooke
August 9 to 13, Sherbrooke, ftms.ca/en

The Québec town of Sherbrooke celebrates world traditions over a long weekend of music, dance, food and craft.

Festival Gourmand de Val-des-Sources
August 17 to 20, Asbestos, festivalgourmand.com

Local food is the main draw of this family-friendly festival that also offers rides, parades, games, sports tournaments and fireworks.

Fête des Vendanges
September 2 to 4 and 9 to 10, Magog, fetedesvendangesdemontmartre.com

Just north of Newport, this flavor fest features more than 100 exhibitors sampling and selling Québec wines, spirits, cheeses and other local products.