Montreal, a city known sporadically for its European-style architecture and its small skyscrapers from the 1990s, is also a city of murals. The best known is the one depicting Leonard Cohen, but there are plenty of murals that evolve with the city’s rhythm and are more or less visible depending on the season.
The heart of this urban art scene is the very cool Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood. And every year, the free urban art festival MURAL takes place on the Plateau. For 10 days, new murals will be painted live, and every day there’s music and installations. It’s like a big neighborhood party, where you can bring your most artistic friends and your crushes who live on the Plateau, matcha in hand.
MURAL Festival
This is the 14th edition of the MURAL festival, and this year, mural artists have been invited from all over the world to create works that you can check out using an interactive map available on the MURAL website.
On weekend evenings during the festival, there will be neighborhood parties and free concerts at the MURAL site, and if we look at the June weather forecast, we’re hopeful for good weather.
For now, the following are planned:
- Thursday, June 4, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. / Frikiton
- Friday, June 5, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. / Montreality
- Saturday, June 6, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. / Konpa on the Beach
- Sunday, June 7, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. / Laylit
- Thursday, June 11, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. / QUEEN + QUEER
- Friday, June 12, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. / Mike Shabb + Friends
- Saturday, June 13, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. / HOMEGROWN TALENT
- Sunday, June 14, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. / Bonne Famille
Practical Information
Where? The MURAL festival has two entry points
NORTH / at the corner of Saint-Laurent Boulevard and Mont-Royal Avenue
SOUTH/ at the corner of Milton Street and Saint-Laurent Boulevard
When? June 4–14, 2026 / daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. (the site will be closed on Monday, June 8)
What? Free