What to Do in Montreal August 2015: Festival Calendar

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We’re a bit late getting our festival calendar up for August, but not to worry, we’re on it. Already, Just for Laughs, Off Just for Laughs, Zoofest, the First Peoples Festival (Presence Autochthone), Osheaga, MEG, Fantasia and the Highland Games have come and gone. But, there’s lots more to come this month.

Under Pressure

Aug 5-9

Dance competitions, symposia, exhibitions and the gorgeous street murals of St. Catherine are all part of this celebration of urban culture. Walk down St. Catherine Street and see the artists at work as they race to make their mark. More info HERE.

Festiblues

Aug. 6-9

40 concerts in four days in Parc Ahuntsic, all themed around… blues. Highlights this year include Lisa Leblanc, Alex Nevsky, and Bobby Bazini. Tickets are cheap enough that there’s no excuse for missing this one. For more info, see HERE.

Pervers/Cité

Aug. 6-16

The underside of pride… or so it claims. Focusing on social justice and queerness, pervers/cité has a mandate to include all. There are workshops, dances, films, even games like capture the flag. It’s a mish-mash of events with a strong message. To find out more, see HERE.

Otakuthon

Aug. 7-9

Manga, anime, and all things Japanese take over Palais des Congres for one of the quirkiest and fun festivals. Dress up like your favourite character or find ones who share your passion. Get autographs from your favorite voice actors and cosplayers. Dance all night until 4 a.m. at the festival’s famous balls. This is the biggest year ever for the festival and it is even hosting the World Cosplay Summit. More info HERE.

Heavy Montreal

Aug 7-9

With a strong line-up that’s going to rock your bones, Heavy Montreal takes over Parc Drapeau. Can you hear the noise??? The biggest names on tour right now show up. It could be Korn, Fiath No More, Slipknot, Alexisonfire, Iggypop… on and on. even Extreme is playing this year. Tickets and info about accommodations is HERE.

Rogers Cup and Mini Rogers Cup

Aug 7-16

Tennis anyone? If the answer is yes, you’ll probably want to be at the Rogers Cup at Stade Uniprix. This prestigious tennis tournament may not be Wimbledon or the US Open, but it still draws big names to the court like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. We get the men this year, while if you want to see the women play, head to Toronto. Click here for tickets and info.

Montreal Italian Week

Aug 7-16

Mamma Mia, Italian food can’t be beat, and its culture is beloved by more than just those of Italian descent. The Italian Week pulls into Little Italy for food (of course), performances, and street fairs. If you like food, there’s a baking contest on Sunday Aug 16. Bocce anyone? Oh, and the Fiats. So many little Fiats on the road. More info HERE.

White Yoga Tour

Aug 8

Bend it not like Bikram at the White yoga tour. Dressed in white, yogis from Montreal and beyond will bliss out at the Old Port for a seesion led by Dawn Mauricio and Faith Hunter. Milk and Bone will play live. More info HERE.

Just for Cats Fundraiser

Aug 8

A fundraiser for the SPCA of Montreal, beloved cat videos that went viral will be shown outdoors. Check them out and give a donation. More info HERE.

Montgolfières de St. Jean sur Richelieu (Balloon Festival)

Aug 8-16

The balloons are here! The balloons are here. Just a short drive from Montreal, enjoy watching huge hot air balloons lift off into the sky. Such a wonder! Musical performances are part of the fun, bringing in 150 different musicians like Meghan Trainor, Our Lady Peace, Moist, Radio Radio, and Misteur Valaire. More info HERE. 

Festival Polonais à Montréal (Montreal Polish Festival)

Aug 8-9

Celebrate Polish culture at this little festival. Concerts with Jacques Kuba Seguin, Rober Robert, Sir Super Intelligent Robot Monkey Thing, and more. Dancing, food, and even a sausage eating contest. Parc des Faubourgs.  Info HERE. 

Carnaval Estival de Mercier Hochelaga-Maisonneuve

Aug 8-15

Plenty of music of a wide variety takes over the east end neighbourhood. World music, popular music, and a family carnival make for a good time. More info HERE.

Pride Montreal

Aug. 10-16

The Sunday afternoon parade is as inspiring as it is an awesome spectacle. Vibrant, proud, and colourful, this is a highlight of the Montreal year for everyone. Celebrate LGBT with a week of events that include art, conferences, music, and brunch. Come out and join the fun, literally, metaphorically, or any way you wish. More info HERE.

Montreal International Tango Festival

Aug. 11-16

The website says it all in a countdown. 47 classes, 12 dancers, 6 milongas, 4 shows, 3 orchestras, and 1 dinner-show. The Tango festival is all about this sultry dance and its fans. Find out how to get tickets and what’s going on HERE.

Qouleur

Aug 12-23

Montreal’s bi-spiritual, queer-trans, people of colour festival is a grass roots organization that focuses on queer identity and brings together artists, writers, performers, and activists. Around the theme Rage and Love, the festival promotes art created by and issues of concern to members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, and queer community as well as focusing on the unceded indigenous territory. Look for an art exhibit, performances, discussions, films, and a keynote panel. It will take place at multiple venues including the MAI. Info HERE.

Diner en Blanc

Aug. 13

Want to dine in white with 6000 other people? Yes. Huge picnic tables are set up at a secret location and guests arrive with their food, entirely dressed in white for an elegant evening. The emphasis is on class. There is no beer, no hard liquor, only wine. Stemware and dinnerware required. It’s a beautiful way to eat. More info HERE.

Fuzion Latine

Aug 13-16

Latin dance your heart out at the Fuzion Latine. This is a music and dance event with workshops and plenty to move to at Parc Jean Drapeau. Click HERE for more info.

Île Soniq

Aug 14-15

All that infrastructure at Parc Jean-Drapeau isn’t taken down so quickly. The festival of electronic music, Ile Soniq brings the EDM for two more days of dancing on the little island that can. Azealia Banks, Deadmau5, Die Antwoord, Kiesza, and Odesza are some of the hot headliners. More info HERE.

Montreal International Reggae Festival

August 14-16

Reggae, reggae, rasta, rasta. Three days of reggae beats are on offer at the Old Port. Jah Cutta, Cocoa Tea, Beres Hammond, Oriel, Shabba Ranks, The Manhattans, and Lady Saw are there among so many others. More info HERE.

La Falla

August 14-16

World rhythms of a slightly different type take over TOHU. This is a free event, so there’s no excuse for not going. World beats aren’t the only thing either. Open air cinema, a Berber village, dancing, and circus acts (it is TOHU after all). Check out the party. Info HERE.

Festival Mondial de Musique des Femmes d’Ici et d’Ailleurs

Aug. 14-16

Ladies, you shall have your days. Celebrating women in music, this festival lets the ladies get loud. This is a world beat festival, so performers come from the Congo, Cameroon, Trinidad, Senegal, Haiti, Benin, and more. In and among them are Monrealers too. Info HERE.

Matsuri Japon Festival

Aug. 15

Japanese culture gets a second send-up this month with Matsuri Japon. This one day festival at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre has food, dance, martial arts performances, and lots of Japanese goods for sale. It has some of the cutest logos ever too. More info HERE.

Montreal Restaurant Day

Aug. 16

Don’t miss the pop up restaurant in a neighbourhood near you. Your friends and neighbours, or even yourself, can open a restaurant for a day and showcase your cooking talents. Food is priced by the people who sell it and there are not only tasty dishes, but they’re often so unbelievably cheap. It’s a funky, fun worldwide event. See the facebook page for details HERE. Really, though, you need the map from the website HERE.

FMD — Montreal Fashion and Design Festival

Aug 17-21

All the glam of fashion week, but done with Montreal cool and creativity. Montreal’s fashion festival has conferences, catwalks, and films all related to film. The fashion and design items for sale are a good reason to head down and see what’s happening at the Quartier des Spectacles and pick something up by a local designer. There’s even a fashion truck launching. For info, click HERE.

Omnivore World Tour Montreal

Aug. 20-24

Food and drink and young chefs. Find out what the hot new talents in the kitchen are up to (and what you’ll be eating in our finest restaurants). Demonstrations at the SAT as well as diners are to be had here. More info HERE.

Montreal Country Festival

Aug 21-23

Over 20 country-folk artists take over the Quartier des Spectacles for free performances. Also, agricultural products, cider, and all things from the land beyond the burbs is on offer. Check out HERE for more info on performers.

Montreal Bitcoin Expo

Aug. 21-23

The radical currency of the bitcoin attracts libertarians and those who fear the collapse of economies. It’s a sometimes controversial and highly regarded way to keep your cash entirely in the digital world. The Bitcoin exhibition’s goal is to teach Montrealers about bitcoin. Check it out if you’re curious about what the future might hold for your money. Info HERE.

18th Century Public Market

Aug. 22-23

The weekend public market will take you back to Montreal in its earlier days of the 1700s with demonstrations and samples, as well as some pretty good shopping in the Old Port. More info HERE.

NDG Arts Week

Aug. 24-30

The hip, sometimes gritty neighbourhood with families and a whack of artists, NDG showcases its talents. The festival launches at Cafe Shaika on Aug 24 at 6 p.m. and then features all kinds of wonderful things including outdoor film screenings, in-home theatre, and music. It’s a great celebration all around. More info on the facebook page HERE.

World Press Photo

Aug. 26-Sept. 27 2015

Challenge yourself with the gorgeous photojournalism on display at the World Press Photo exhibit. This prestigious exhibition features 150 prizewinning photographs on display. Some capture world news events, others make small events into world news. It never disappoints. Marché Bonsecours (325 rue de la commune East) $13/10. More info HERE.

Our review of the 2014 edition can be seen here.

The Montreal World Film Festival

Aug. 27-Sept. 7 2015

Diversity is the buzz word of this international high-quality film festival. Over 750 films, both long and short, are screened and come from every country. Most films will never open commercially (though some surely do), so this is a chance to see some hard-to-find films that won’t make it to the theatres or Netflix. China gets a special nod this year. Tickets go on sale August 22. Package tickets include the passport ($120) and cinephile ($250) packages. Single film tickets cost $10. More info: HERE.

Festival Forró Forró Montréal (Brazilian Festival)

August 28-30

There will be music. There will be more music. There will also be dancing and parties. Sounds like a Brazilian celebration. This is the first festival to celebrate forró and Brazilian dance in Montreal. Afterparties too. Venues vary, but the workshops are at Studio Danse Montreal (7240 Clark). Tickets and information HERE.

Oysterfest

Aug 29-30

Shucking competitions and pretty much all the salty little mollusks you can eat, the Montreal Oysterfest has handpicked oysters. Last year, people attending ate over 23,000 of the little buggers. There will be some other food too — Notkins, Park, Bevo, Flyjin, Grinder, Suite 701, and Monkland Taverne have food to offer. There’s lots of beer too. More info HERE.

Piknic Electronik

A Sunday wouldn’t be a Sunday without the weekly dance parties on Ile Drapeau. Check out the best of Quebec DJs along with those from abroad on August 6, August 9, August 16, August 23, and August 30. Details can be found HERE.