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Montreal Events
February
La Fête des Neiges (Snow Festival), Montréal: features outdoor events such as harness racing, barrel jumping, racing beds on ice, canoe races, snowshoeing, snow sculptures, skating, and cross-country skiing. The event, the first 2 weeks of February, takes place mostly on Ile Notre-Dame, in the Port and Vieux-Montréal, and in Parc Maisonneuve. 514/872-4537 for details.
Three weekends in February.
Festival Montréal en Lumière
Filling a hole in the yearly schedule, the self-dubbed City of Festivals has created this "High Lights" celebration. It brings together a somewhat disparate collection of creative and performing events, from culinary competitions and special museum exhibitions to multimedia light shows and classical and pop concerts by international musical greats. Call tel. 888/515-0515 for information.
May/June
Late May to early June.
Festival de Théâtre des Amériques, Montréal: Two weeks of contemporary theater works from artists throughout the Americas, many on the cutting edge of creativity. Screenings are held at theaters throughout the city. 514/842-0704 for details.
First Sunday in June.
Montréal Bike Fest: Early in June, more than 45,000 cyclists arrive in Montréal to participate in a variety of cycling competitions, including a nocturnal bike ride, a 16-mile outing for up to 10,000 children, and the grueling Tour de l'Ile, a day-long 66-kilometer race around the rim of the island before more than 120,000 spectators. The Tour de l'Ile, which began in 1984, attracts 30,000 participants, almost as many of them women as men. Call tel. 514/521-8356 for details.
Second weekend in June.
Grand Prix Air Canada, Montréal: international drivers compete for 70 laps around the Gilles-Villeneuve racetrack on Ile Notre-Dame. It's the only Formula I race in the country and is complete with celebrities and models visiting the pits. 514/457-5754 for details.
10 days starting in mid-June.
Montréal Fringe Festival: In performance spaces clustered along or near bd. St-Laurent, about 60 theater groups perform 514/849-3378
June
Festival Mondial de la Bière, Montréal: This is a 10-day festival celebrating beer. From world brands to boutique microbreweries, over 250 companies showcase their wares at the Old Port, employing workshops, cooking demos, musical performances, and pub food and tastings. 514/722-9640.
Late June to early October.
Mosaïcultures Internationales Montréal: A major horticultural event in which gardeners and floral designers create three-dimensional sculptures and carpets from up to 50 countries and cities in prize competitions in several categories. The Vieux-Port (Old Port) is the venue. 514/868-4000
June 24.
Jean-Baptiste Day: Honoring Saint John the Baptist, the patron saint of French Canadians, this fête nationale is marked by many festivities and much enthusiasm throughout Québec province. The parade is held along the streets of Vieux-Montréal the night before, June 23. 418/849-2560 for details.
June- July.
International Competition d'Art Pyrotechnique (International Fireworks Competition), Montréal: The open-air theater in La Ronde amusement park on Ile Ste-Hélène is the best place to view the fireworks extravaganzas, although they can be enjoyed from almost any point overlooking the river. Tickets to the show also provide entrance to the amusement park. The 90-minute shows are staged by companies from several countries. Because parking is limited, it's best to use the Métro. 514/872-4537 for details.
June-July
Festival International de Jazz de Montréal
514/871-1881; 888/515-0515; to charge tickets by phone: 514/790-1245; 800/678-5440; 800/361-4595 in Canada
The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, the world's biggest jazz festival, runs for 11 days, from the end of June to the beginning of July.
July
10 days in mid-July.
Festival d'Eté International (International Summer Festival), Québec City: The largest cultural event in the French-speaking world, this festival has attracted artists from Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America since it began in 1967. There are more than 250 events showcasing theater, music, and dance, with 600 performers from 20 countries. One million people come to watch and listen. Jazz and folk combos perform free in an open-air theater next to City Hall; visiting dance and folklore troupes put on shows; and concerts, theatrical productions, and related events fill the days and evenings. 418/532-4540.
10 days in mid-July.
Festival International Nuits d'Afrique, Montréal: This musical event showcases nearly 300 musicians from the Caribbean, the Americas, and Africa. Performances take place in Club Soda, Club Balattou, and Place Berri. 514/499-9239
Last 2 weeks of July.
Festival Juste pour Rire (Just for Laughs Festival), Montréal: Comics perform in many venues, some free, some for a fee. Both Francophone and Anglophone comics from many countries participate. It's held along rue St-Denis and elsewhere in the Latin Quarter. 514/790-4242 for details.
August
Late August to early September.
Festival des Films du Monde (World Film Festival), Montréal: An international film event since 1976. Some 500 screenings take place over 12 days, including 200 feature films from more than 50 countries.Various movie theaters host the event. 514/848-3883
September
Mid- to late September.
Fall Foliage: The maple trees blaze with color and a walk in the parks and squares of Montréal is a popular pastime.
October
Early October.
Festival International de la Nouvelle Danse, Montréal: This 12-day showcase, held every 2 years (on odd years), invites troupes and choreographers from Canada, the United States, and Europe to various performance spaces. 514/287-1423.
10 days in mid-October.
Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, Montréal: Screenings of new and experimental films along with forums on the latest trends in film and video at halls and cinemas throughout the city. 514/843-4725 for details.
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