Put these August and September 2024 festivals in your calendar

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A quick guide to help you make the most of the 13 festivals happening in the next two months – events celebrating everything from Indigenous culture to electronic music, urban dance and classical music.

By Philippe Couture

Fierté Montréal – August 1 to 11

Montreal has a long history of being an LGBTQ+ positive place, and today it is resolutely queer, and our pride festival – Festival Fierté – just keeps getting bigger and better. For the first time, the event is expanding into the Quartier des Spectacles, more specifically Esplanade Tranquille. Highlights include Soirée Afro-Drag (August 1), starring African-diaspora artists; and Bloc Bollywood (August 2), a queer celebration of Quebec’s South Asian community. The festival’s ticketed activities include shows at Cinquième salle (Place des Arts), Club Soda and the SAT.

ItalfestMTL – August 2 to 11

Naturally, much of this celebration of Montreal’s Italian-Canadian community takes place in Little Italy. But the Quartier is part of the fun too, with Esplanade Tranquille hosting performances by Lili Ann de Francesco (August 9), Kalàscima and Andrea Romalo (August 11), and Astral Gates (August 11). Enjoy the many faces of Italian music, from pop to electronic folk to good old fist-pumpin’ rock.

Montreal International First Peoples’ Festival (FIPA) – August 6 to 15

In this era of reconciliation and rediscovery of First Peoples’ cultures, with Indigenous artists increasingly showcased by major artistic institutions, the First Peoples’ Festival is thriving. This summer’s program includes film, music, singing and much more. Whatever you do, don’t miss the big gathering on August 9 in Place des Festivals, with DJ Shub’s War Club Live presenting breathtaking dancers in full ceremonial regalia. It's a rare Montreal appearance for the creator of PowWowStep and founding member of A Tribe Called Red.

Under Pressure – August 10 and 11

The streets will burst with contagious energy when graffiti artists, DJs and urban dancers come together for Under Pressure, the hip hop-driven urban culture extravaganza. Not only is the festival the oldest of its kind, it’s also North America’s biggest urban art event. Each year since 1996, graffiti artists have created murals on Sainte-Catherine St. in the Quartier des Spectacles, and watching them at work is incredibly entertaining! The program also includes plenty of concerts and festive activities.

La Virée classique de l'OSM - August 14 to 18

If you're one of those people who's intrigued but a little intimidated by the decorum of the classical world, dare to venture out this time of year: there's never been a better time! The 2024 program is dedicated to Mediterranean music, with a wide range of influences, from Egypt and North Africa to Spain and France. Numerous guests, including the world-renowned classical guitarist Miloš (August 18), and the Constantinople Ensemble (August 17), will be performing. The indoor concerts are combined with free outdoor programming in the Parc-Olympique, and the opening concert, Journey through the Mediterranean with conductor Rafael Payare (August 14), is not to be missed.

MUTEK – August 20 to 25

This world-class electronic music and digital arts festival needs no introduction. MUTEK is turning 25 this year, and it’s an anniversary worth celebrating: the festival remains unique thanks to its multidisciplinary philosophy – the program includes DJ sets, electronic music concerts and fantastic immersive digital experiences. In honour of this year’s big anniversary, the festival is moving outside and taking over the Quartier with a Digital Village (August 15 to 29) with four distinct zones to explore: Saint-Laurent Blvd., the Parterre, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and Place des Arts. The village will feature some 20 installations, most of them highlighting the work of Quebec artists like Sabrina Ratté, Mirari and Dax Da Silva.

M.A.D. Festival – August 22 to 25

M.A.D. stands for Mode, arts et divertissement: not just fashion, but art and entertainment as well, resulting in a unique event that breaks the bounds of the traditional fashion festival and embraces its wild side. For example, Vertiges is an evening showcasing high-end streetwear by Québécois designer Guillaume Chaigne (August 22) through a dance show choreographed by Pauline Berndsen Gervais. Then there’s the Japanese-influenced collection by LAKUACHIMOTO presented as part of an immersive sensory experience (August 23). Plus, the festival will fill the Quartier with music from its stages, featuring hip hop, urban dance and electrifying DJ sets.

JOAT – International Street Dance Festival – August 27 to September 2

High-level battles, breaking, hip hop, popping, beatmakers, KidzBattles, introductory street dance workshops – JOAT has got it all! The festival’s tenth edition takes place over Labour Day Weekend, kicking off the fall cultural season. Indoors, audiences will pack Club Soda for three nights of battles (From August 29 to September 1), capped by a special evening at Théâtre Maisonneuve with a novel “dance concert” event. Outdoors, be sure to stop by the picture windows at the 2-22 building to watch krump performances, then head to the Place des Arts Esplanade to catch the preliminary rounds for the evening battles.

Estival du FNC  (Festival du Nouveau Cinéma summer event) – August 29 to September 1

This prestigious film festival isn’t strictly an autumn event: since 2021, the FNC has served up a wonderful selection of late-summer open-air movies on Esplanade Tranquille – in ultra-high definition, of course! First up is the latest from celebrated Finnish filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki, Fallen Leaves (August 29), winner of the Jury Prize at the Cannes Festival in 2023. The rest of the line-up: Le règne animal by French filmmaker Thomas Cailley (August 30), the Quebec-made film Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant by Ariane Louis-Seize (August 31) , and Dune: Part Two (September 1), gloriously put to film by our very own Denis Villeneuve.

Festival Quartiers Danse – September 5 to 15

If you want to take the pulse of contemporary dance, from up-and-coming artists to established but relatively unknown talents, there’s no better event than Quartiers Danse. Known for its cultural mediation activities appreciated by people of all backgrounds, the festival presents new artists as well as legends like Margie Gillis and Tentacle Tribe (September 6). It’s also a great way to immerse yourself in the choreographic traditions of different cultures, from the traditional to the contemporary.

Festival international de la littérature (FIL) – September 18 to 28

Thanks to the FIL, Montreal artists have built precious expertise in creating settings that highlight different kinds of literature and make the words of poets and novelists resonate with incredible power. As always, the shows presented in the Quartier promise lavish and moving presentations of the words and emotions captured by today’s literature. Full program to be announced on August 20.

TEMPÉO Dance and Music Festival – September 10 to 15

Would you enjoy an all-outdoor dance festival on the Place des Arts Esplanade? Tempéo’s got you covered! Its mission is to showcase traditions from around the world with a series of lively evenings emceed by Philippe Fehmiu. The idea is to get you dancing all night alongside professional dancers who take the first steps and invite you to follow their lead. The musical program to accompany the stepettes runs the gamut from Bollywood, country and Brazilian music to boogie-funk, Afropop and salsa.

MAPP_MTL – September 24 to 28

This international festival of texture-mapping projections is back for its 9^th edition in the Quartier. Mapping. Many of the top talents in this artistic discipline are Montrealers, and their work is showcased spectacularly on the building façades of the Quartier. The event also features a wide variety of electronic music as well as food stands with delicious local fare – the perfect place to take a snack break.