Summer nights are a poetic motif, something instantly nostalgic and exhilarating that we describe over and over again, that we paint, that we dwell on, that we obsess over.
Summer nights are different everywhere—they have a distinct flavor depending on the location.In Montreal, summer nights are humid, as if you were taking a hot bath, and smell of grass, meat on thebarbecue, andtires heating up on the asphalt. And no matter where you are in the city,there’s always music.
The Théâtre de Verdure
It’s a theater with a name that evokes a proto-pagan, popular, and organic form of entertainment, and whose architecture is inspired by open-air Greek theaters.
It’s on the water, in La Fontaine Park (Montreal’s #1 picnic spot), and you can hear the croaking of frogs and the laughter of people sitting on the grass before the show begins…
The Théâtre de Verdure is at the heart of the City of Montreal’s summer arts program. You can see shows and movies there completely free of charge. However, you must reserve a seat here for two of the summer shows (see Practical Information).
There are2,000 seats arranged in a semicirclearound a stage that appears to float on the pond.
Programming under the stars…
There will be 39 shows presented at the Théâtre de Verdure this summer, right after sunset. As the sun goes down, theshows will begin(at 8:30 p.m. or 9 p.m.)on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings through the end of August.
During the summer of 2026, there will be special evenings co-presented with Vues d’Afriques, Les Francos de Montréal, the Consulate General of France in Montreal, and the International Lindy Hop Championship.
There will be a children’s concert by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, a dance performance titled Burn, Baby Burn, circus acts… the full program is here!
Practical Information
Where? Théâtre de Verdure, at Lafontaine Park
When? June 11–August 26, 2026 (39 shows)
Wait, what? All the shows are free, but you must reserve tickets here for these two performances;
June 11, 2026: Émile Proulx-Cloutier
Tickets available May 28, 2026, at noon
August 8, 2026: Montreal Symphony Orchestra (children’s performance)
Tickets available July 25, 2026, at noon