In Montreal, August is already construction week – a vacation for everyone in Quebec and the end of construction – and that’s why we can’t wait for August! But we’re also looking forward to music and film festivals, Osheaga, tacos at the end of the month and the Pride Festival -our favourite and most anticipated of the year!
The soles of our gougounes will already have melted on the asphalt, we’ll be all tanned up and we won’t even be sweating between two thunderstorms – it’s going to be the best month of the summer!
Our August agenda
July 31-August 10: Montreal Pride Festival
Unlike much of the rest of the world, Montreal celebrates Pride in August because we’re extra. The Festival des Fiertés is in the Village from July 31 to August 10, and there are lots of events, parties, plays, workshops…
The full program is on the Pride website, but here’s what’s on our agenda…
July 16-September 13: Sex Garage: 35 years later, exhibition at the Archives Gaies du Québec
July 31-August 6: Deux lignes, une histoire: Retracer le VIH à travers les archives de l’ACCM at Espace ONF
July 31: Lumières des Nations at Esplanade Tranquille
July 31: Transcendance presents Jasmine Infiniti at Esplanade Tranquille
July 31-August 6: Dialogue across time (LGBTQ+ intergenerational sharing) at Espace ONF
July 31-August 9: Lesbian wilderness retreat from HELL at Cabaret du Lion d’Or
August1: Feminix at Esplanade Tranquille
August 1: Nasty Gloss x Carnaval de Moh Dafok at Jardins Gamelin
August 2: Mundo Disko at Esplanade Tranquille
August 2: Chloe Lallouz x Badgalquirit at Jardins Gamelin
August 3: Immix at Esplanade Tranquille
August 6: Sami et ses ami.e.s at Jardins Gamelin
August 7: Mémoire comme Méthode (Trans Archive) at Casa del Popolo
August 8: BIMBO, Le Bus-école on rue Sainte-Catherine Est & rue Atateken
August 9: Pour que tu m’aimes encore: hommage aux 30 ans de l’album d’eux on Ste. Catherine St. & Atateken St.
August 10: Pride Parade at 1 p.m.
+ literary pride events: diversity, transpoésie, an open-air book fair and a literary vagabondage activity…
As part of the Festival des Fiertés, this big market brings together LGBTSQ+ artists, creators and entrepreneurs. Where? Montreal Village When? August 1, 2 and 3 from 11 a.m. How? free admission
One of the best music festivals in the world… This year with headliners The Killers, Tyler, the Creator and Olivia Rodrigo, as well as Doechii, Gracie Abrams, Finneas, The Dare, The Chainsmokers… Where? Parc Jean-Drapeau When? August 1, 2 and 3 How? day tickets from $175, 3-day tickets from $420 – tickets here! Osheaga is also an ultra-fashion event, and that’s where we’ll be getting inspiration for our end-of-summer looks… Stop by the Osheaga vintage pop-up, where many of our favorite vintage stores will be participating. There will be booths featuring thrifted and vintage looks, upcycled creations, lots of Y2K, piercings and tooth gems… Where? WIP, 3487 Boulevard Saint-Laurent When? August 2 and 3, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. How? Free admission
The Perseid meteor shower, one of the most beautiful and visible of the summer season, will be at its peak on the night of August 11-12. You’ll need to find a spot where there aren’t too many night lights, settle down quietly (with a cooler and a picnic blanket) and watch the sky – simple and quite magical. The best place to see the Perseids is from the Mont-Mégantic Observatory. .. At the Place des Festivals, with a rich, multidisciplinary program of concerts, traditional dances, seminars, exhibitions and international film competitions – plus exceptional creations by contemporary Aboriginal artists. Where? Montreal and Kahnawake When? August 5 to 14 How? For more information, click here!
On the Old Port, in one of the gray stone heritage buildings overlooking the water, Galerie Angelina has the clean-shaven look of one of those glass cubes of modern art where gallerinas in high heels jostle in the movies. But inside, it’s something newer, a creative space that mixes fine art and pop culture. From June to December, the gallery holds free 5@7 art events every first Thursday of the month and, on August 7, there will be a livesculpture demonstration… Where? Galerie Angelina, 55 rue de la Commune Ouest When? The gallery is open Tuesday to Thursday from 11am to 6pm, and Friday and Saturday from noon to 9pm.
The August full moon will be on August 9 at 9:57 pm. It’s called the Sturgeon Moon because natives used to (and still do) fish for sturgeon at this time of year. This is the city’s biggest local artists’ and artisans’ market this summer, with over 75 booths and vendors. Where? 5945 rue Cartier, at Église Saint-Jean Berchmans When? August 9 and 10, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. How? Free admission The Darling Foundry presents its Public Square 2025, with events and performances around the theme of the body in transformation. On August 14, there will be a participatory activity with Snack Witch, performances by Karen Slaine Spencer & Vicky Mettler, Camille Huang and DJ sets by Badgalquirit + Bellavie. It will also be the launch of Bulletin 1:1, an editorial project by Adrien Guillet. There will also be a culinary kiosk at Le Serpent… Where? Plage du Sable-Gris When? August 14, between 4pm and 10pm How? free admission
The MUTEK village is like a giant work of art, with interactive installations and digital creations. Where? Quartier des Spectacles When? August 14 to 28, 6pm to 11pm How? free admission
This year’s festival (which is also a music festival as well as a hot-air balloon festival) takes place on the weekends of August 8 to 10 and August 14 to 17. In addition to hundreds of hot-air balloons soaring over Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, there will be performances by Star Académie, Marie-Mai, T-Pain and Diplo (among others)… We love the fact that the festival announces its lineup in two posts; one with the musical artists, and one with the hot-air balloon pilots who will be taking part. Where? in the village of Saint-Jean sur Richelieu (45-minute drive from Montreal) When? August 8-10 and 14-17 How? Prices for general admission vary from day to day, ranging from $45 to $70. You can also rent a place in the camping area for $30.44 a night ($91.31 on weekends). Vintage store Déjà Vu is organizing a big wardrobe sale in Verdun, and you can sign up or just drop in to store for your back-to-school looks … Where? 4322 rue Wellington, Verdun When? August 16, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. How? Free admission
The most techno of summer festivals, with techno music, electro and digital arts at the cutting edge… Where? Quartier des Spectacles When? August 19 to 24 How? Tickets here! Montreal’s premier festival for international films with a poetic look at the world and its issues. There will be discussions, an international film market, and feature-length fiction and documentary films presented over the 3 days of the festival at the Old Port of Montreal. Where? 2 rue de la Commune Ouest, in the Old Port When? August 22, 23 and 24 How? Tickets start at $30, and the box office is here!
It’s Montreal’s most secret festival… everywhere in the back alleys of Montreal, there will be short performances by artists of all disciplines. Headlining the festival is Sofia Nolin!
This is the city’s biggest photography festival, like a giant exhibition of all the best international photos of the year! It’s at Marché Bonsecours, as it has been every year since 1955! The winning photo in this year’s World Press competition is this one – photographed by Samar Ebu Aluf in Gaza. Where? Marché Bonsecours, 325 rue de la Commune Est When? August 27 to October 13, Sunday to Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Thursday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to midnight How? regular admission at $16, $13 for students and seniors, free for children aged 10 and under After the Japanese (YATAI) and Korean (POCHA) festivals earlier this summer, ASIEASIE presents for the first time a festival dedicated entirely to ramen… It’s going to be the biggest culinary ramen market in Quebec! Where? at Hangar 1825, in Griffintown When? Thursday, August 28 – 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm How? Tickets are available online only, at $4 in presale or at $5 closer to the event date. One of the last great fiestas of the summer, and one of Montreal’s most beloved traditions, Taco Fest takes over the Old Port, offering plenty of tacos, guacamole classes, mariachi shows and Mezcal cocktails… Where? 1 rue Quai de l’horloge, in the Old Port When? August 30, 11:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., August 31, 11:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and September 1, 11:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. How much? Tickets start at $12.95, and you can reserve your place on the Taco Fest website here!
Under the direction of the Espace pour la vie Insectarium, the Mission Monarque program was born, which is “a participatory science program that documents the reproductive success of the monarch”(kinky). All joking aside, the data collected is invaluable for research that is helping to save monarch butterflies from extinction. Send your monarch photos to the Mission Monarque website to participate! Go here!
The Bleu Soir open-air film festival screens films in the Livart courtyard all summer long, and in August we’re off to see ; August 7-12-28: “Deux femmes en Or” (2025) August 14-25: “The Royal Tenenbaums” (2002) August 20-26: “Uncle Boonmee, the man who remembers his past lives” (2010) August 21-27: “Dog Day Afternoon” (1975) Where? Livart, 3980 rue Saint-Denis When? Bleu Soir runs from June 23 to August 31 How much? $15 a session, and bring your own wine
DARKFIELD kicks off its Canadian tour this summer with two immersive auditory experiences, one as captivating as the other. Among these experiences, SÉANCE will challenge your reality. Enter a shipping container transformed into a Victorian occult séance room, aboard a gripping auditory journey that will make you question your beliefs… and your senses.
and Darkfield also offers a flight simulation, also in a container on the harbor and in complete darkness, to scare the hell out of you…
Want to get away from Montreal for a day? The Sentier des cimes Laurentides offers a getaway just an hour and a half from Montreal, a chance to take a deep breath of fresh air and catch our first summer sun -finally!
Presented in the heart of the Sentier des cimes panoramic tower, LÀ-HAUT pushes the limits of circus and high acrobatics with 4 acrobats who defy gravity in a breathtaking setting between sky and forest. Thanks to the tower’s circular structure, all spectators have a front-row seat. You’ll be right up there with the artists – literally – for a vertiginous experience.August 1-3: Osheaga Festival
August 2-3: Osheaga vintage pop-up
August 11-12-13: Perseid meteor shower
August 5-14 Festival Présence Autochtone
August 7: 5@7 at Galerie Angelina
August 9: Sturgeon Full Moon
August 9-10: Montreal Maker’s Market
August 14:Snack Witch activity at the Darling Foundry
August 14-28: MUTEK digital village
August 15: International Balloon Festival
August 16: Wardrobe sale on the Wellington in Verdun
August 19-24: MUTEK Festival (August 20-22: Mutek Forum)
August 22-24: Montreal International Film Festival
Aug. 23-Sept. 7: Festival des Arts de Ruelle
August 27-October 13: World Press Photo Montréal
August 28-31: RAMEN RAMEN de RUE
Friday, August 29 | 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Saturday, August 30 | 12h00 – 22h00
Sunday, August 31 | 12h00 – 20h00August 30-September 1: Taco Fest
*Participate in the Monarch Mission by taking photos of Montreal’s hottest summer butterflies.
*Bleu Soir at the Livart
*Yoga classes at Boulevard Saint-Laurent
*Participate in a seance
*We’re going for a walk on the Sentier des Cimes
And between July 3 and August 4, you can see the show LÀ-HAUT. ..