Not only can’t we wait to be in shorts and booties (in the middle of the city, even if the soles of our feet burn, we’ll be in our booties), we can’t wait to let off steam in the heat of summer nights, listen to music while sucking a cocktail through a straw (metal, not plastic) and sit in the grass sunbathing at Picnik Electronik on Sunday…
We’re almost there, and to plan our summer we’ve got a calendar of music festivals for the 2025 season…
May
Picnik Electronik (May-October)
Sundays, the best DJs on the global electronic scene and a picnic basket, and the sweetest afternoons of the summer… details to come for the 2025 edition.
World Musicians Festival (May)
Performances, courses, workshops and participatory events with top folk talents from the Balkans, Asia, Africa and the Middle East… details to come for the 2025 edition.
Festival TransAmériques (May 22 to June 5)
This is the most experimental, cutting-edge festival for dance, choreography and performance. This year, there will be several highly anticipated world premieres: Lacrima by Caroline Guiela Nguyen, Danses Vagabondes by Louise LeCavalier and the contemporary opera Hiroshima Mon Amour by Christian Lapointe and Rosa Lind – a tribute to the iconic novel by Marguerite Duras.
Fuego Fuego (May 24 & 25)
A weekend of Latinx music at the Esplanade du Parc Olympique, with Nicky Jam, Peso Pluma, Wisin, Danny Ocean, El Alfa and Sech this year.
St-Ambroise Montréal Fringe Festival (late May, early June)
Over 700 musicians play in every corner of the Plateau-Mont-Royal… details to come for the 2025 edition.
June
Suoni per il popolo (June)
A spotlight on emerging and experimental talent in Montreal, from jazz to electronic minimalism… details to come for the 2025 edition.
Les Francos de Montreal (June)
The iconic French-language music festival… details to come for the 2025 edition.
Montreal International Jazz Festival (June 26 – July 5)
The 45th edition of this legendary jazz festival, this year featuring George Thorogood & the Destroyers, Jeff Goldblum (!!!), Men I Trust, Samara Joy, Brandford Marsalis, Arooj Aftab, Madlib…
July
Festival International Nuits d’Afrique (July 8-20)
Performances by artists from the African, Caribbean and Latin American diasporas, from more than 30 countries, in the hot summer streets of Montreal…
Festival Portugal International de Montréal (July 11-13)
A festival celebrating the culture of Portugal and Portuguese Montreal… details to come for the 2025 edition.
SoulFest (July 10 to 13)
A long weekend of soul, motown, r&b, gospel and funk… in Square Saint-James, and at the St-James United Church cabaret Le Balcon.
Taste of the Caribbean (July 10-13)
Music, culture and a taste of the Caribbean-and with a little preparation, we can make SoulFest and Taste of the Caribbean a dream weekend…
Montreal Pride (July 31 to August 10)
The best atmosphere of the summer in the Gay Village, a festival of beauty and commemoration, with the Drag Superstars all-star show and the legendary closing T-Dance.
August
Osheaga (August 1-3)
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…
IFPP – International First Peoples’ Festival (August 5 to 14)
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.
ÎLESONIQ (August 9 and 10)
DJs and electronic music icons at Parc Jean Drapeau, one of the biggest parties of the summer… details to come for the 2025 edition.
La Virée Classique de l’Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal (August)
The Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal performs at sunset and on long late-summer afternoons… details to come for the 2025 edition.
AfroMonde (August-September)
A multidisciplinary event celebrating African culture, with fashion, concerts, gastronomy, visual arts, dance… Incredibly rich, it takes more than one day to have time to see-listen-taste-appreciate everything… details to come for the 2025 edition.
LASSO (August 15 & 16)
The Montrey’all (like y’all) country music festival, featuring the finest country music voices and the city’s biggest hoedowns . At Espace 67, this year with Bailey Zimmerman, Sheryl Crow, Tucker Wetmore, Jelly Roll and Riley Green…
MUTEK (August 20 to 24)
The most techno of summer festivals, with techno music, electro and digital arts at the cutting edge… details to come for the 2025 edition.
Festival Trad Montréal (August)
Music, crafts and traditional Quebec culture… details to come for the 2025 edition.
September
Montreal Ukrainian Festival (September)
Performances by Ukrainian, Canadian and Quebec artists based on Ukrainian culture – with booths featuring Ukrainian handicrafts… details to come for the 2025 edition.
TEMPÉO Music and Dance Festival (September 10-15)
One of the last big outdoor parties of the summer, on the Esplanade de la Place des Arts-and there’s something for everyone: salsa, rock, pop, Bollywood…
*The article will be updated as festival lineups are announced…