Festival Fierté Montréal: a fabulous assortment of colourful artists
From July 31 to August 3, the Festival Fierté Montréal turns the Quartier des Spectacles into a grand stage for women and members of the sexual and gender diversity communities. They’ll sing, dance, tell stories and electrify the Quartier! Above all, they’ll fill space beautifully – in the heart of the city, and in our own hearts too.
Lumière des Nations
July 31, 5 p.m., Esplanade Tranquille
It all starts with a sacred breath: that of Sedalia Kawennotas Fazio, a Mohawk elder who opens the Lumière des Nations ceremony. Joining her are Marie-Celine Einish, a Naskapi storyteller and dancer, and Soleil Launière, a creative force in sound and motion, immersing the audience in a vibrant, luminous ritual. A launch event at the intersection of Indigenous eco-feminism and queer performing arts.
FeminiX
August 1, 5 p.m., Esplanade Tranquille
The next day it’s party time! FeminiX is the kind of evening that gets your heart racing in time with the bassline. Le Belladone, Soraï, Mansa, Maya Margarita, and br0nz3_g0dd3ss, who opened for Beyoncé, leave it all on-stage – their voices, their struggles and their irresistible grooves. An evening where music becomes manifesto, and identities shine proudly.
Katherine Levac : L’été de ma Fierté !
August 1, 8 p.m., Théâtre Maisonneuve
The festival also has some great comedy: starring Katherine Levac and her guests, L’été de ma Fierté ! is a cabaret built on bittersweet confessions, poignant sketches, and funny but sharp observations about love, bodies and life choices. A spirited swatch in the colourful quilt that is Pride.
Mundo Disko and Badgalquirit
August 2, 5 p.m., Esplanade Tranquille and Jardins Gamelin
Kim Richardson, famed for her amazing vocal range, teams up with the flamboyant Empress to get the Esplanade Tranquille crowd grooving to reinvented disco sounds. Then, head to Les Jardins Gamelin for a 6 p.m. set with DJ Chloe Lallouz and rapper Badgalquirit – an irresistible duo. Come for the singing and grooves, stay for the self-affirmation and, most of all, the dancing!
Combat des tubes
August 3, 5:30 p.m., Esplanade Tranquille
Lace up your dancing shoes and get set to belt out all the words: Le Combat des tubes is back for a second festive and flamboyant edition. This time, Eugénie Lépine-Blondeau and Vanessa Destiné face off in a poppy, punchy DJ set. The concept is simple: a music duel with nonstop hits! It’s the kind of battle in which each chorus becomes a collective cri de coeur. And it’s a great warmup for the next act on the Esplanade’s stage…
ImmiX
August 3, 9 p.m., Esplanade Tranquille
...specifically ImmiX, a dazzling selection of queer and allied talents who’ve joined forces for a grand musical celebration. Conceived as an inclusive patchwork, this Fierté Montréal signature show highlights a constellation of local stars backed by a homegrown mega-orchestra.
On stage: Martine St-Clair, Lisa LeBlanc, Safia Nolin, Gabrielle Destroismaisons, Calamine, Fernie, Lennikim, Kinkead, Täbï Yösha and ANGELO. Unforgettable voices, iconic moments, all the feels. Come dance, shake, sing at the top of your lungs and be part of a shared moment celebrating all the beauty of our communities.
For several days, the Quartier des Spectacles becomes a glittering showcase of all the wonders of diversity. On stages, in the streets, around installations and at street parties, women and members of sexual and gender diverse communities will take all the space they deserve — no compromises, no filters, and all the flair in the world!