What’s Going On in August in Montreal 2016 Edition

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Fantasia

July 14-August 3

Continue to catch the creepies, the crawlies, the crooks, the criminals, the seducers and the seduced in this fabulous film festival dedicated to genre film. It’s guaranteed to have something to ignite your brain as you enjoy the showcase of creativity. More info HERE.

Montreal First Peoples’ Festival/Présence Autochtone

Aug 2-Aug 9

This peaceful, joyous event celebrates the first peoples of the Americas and indigenous people everywhere. Concerts, food, cinema, and more take over Place des Arts. Information HERE.

Pervers/Cité

Aug. 4-14

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.

Île Soniq

Aug 5-6

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. Zedd, Skrillex, DVBBS, Chain Smokers are some of the hot headliners. More info HERE.

Otakuthon

Aug. 5-7

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 6-7

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 Five Finger Death Punch, Disturbed, Nightwish, Volbeat… on and on. Tickets and info about accommodations is HERE.

Montreal Italian Week

Aug 5-14

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. Events include Marco Calliari, a fashion show on Aug 13, and the Opera La Tosca on August 14. Oh, and the Fiats. So many little Fiats on the road. More info HERE.

Montreal Triathlon

August 7

Montreal people can be pretty sporty if you notice the bicycles, the joggers, the people making use of the parks. Triathlon training is popular in the city and Montreal is hosting an international Triathon in the Old Port. Information HERE. 

Pride Montreal

Aug. 8-14

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 all. Celebrate LGBTQ 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. 9-14

The Tango festival is all about this sultry dance and its fans. Milonga and classes make this a tango dancer’s dream. and Find out how to get tickets and what’s going on HERE.

OSM Classical Spree

August 10-13

The Montreal symphony orchestra delivers 30 concerts over four days with chamber music, recitals, and symphonic concerts to name a few. There are many free outdoor performances as well. Info HERE.

Under Pressure

Aug 10-15

North American’s longest and largest graffiti and hip hop festival, brings dance competitions, symposia, exhibitions and the gorgeous street murals to St. Catherine in a 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. 11-14

40 concerts in four days in Parc Ahuntsic, all themed around… blues. Highlights this year include Ariane Moffat, Martin Goyette, Philippe Brach, and Louis Jean Cormier. Tickets are cheap enough that there’s no excuse for missing this one. For more info, see HERE.

Orientalys

August 11-14

A celebration of Eastern culture, the Orientalys is a free festival at the Old Port. Music by El Dey, Raina Rai, among others, as well as dance performances showcase the variety and talent of the Middle East. More info HERE.

La Falla

August 11-13

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 (Nomadic Massive and Fwonte are performing). Open air cinema, a Berber village, dancing, and circus acts (it is TOHU after all). Check out the party. Info HERE.

FMD — Montreal Fashion and Design Festival

Aug 12-20

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.

Lego ImagineNation Tour

August 12-14, Palais de Congres

If you love the tiny bricks that build everything, you’ll love this tour that celebrates Lego. Check out the large scale creations as well as purchase Legos from your favorite kits, from Star Wars to Minecraft. Information HERE.  

Montgolfières de St. Jean sur Richelieu (Balloon Festival)

Aug 13-21

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 Metric, Half Moon Run, and Galaxie. More info HERE. 

Matsuri Japon Festival

Aug. 13

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.

Festival Polonais à Montréal (Montreal Polish Festival)

Aug 13-14

Celebrate Polish culture at this little festival. Concerts with Yannick STrawinski, El Hispalis, Faza, and Syzmon Szanczuk Band and more. Dancing, food, and even a sausage eating contest. Parc des Faubourgs (2500 Dorion).  Info HERE. 

The Montreal World Film Festival

Aug. 15-Sept 5

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 too. More info:HERE.

White Yoga Tour

Aug 18

Bend it more like Bikram than Bekham White yoga tour. Dressed in white, yogis from Montreal and beyond will bliss out at the Old Port for a session led by Seane Corn, Dawn Mauricio, and Genevieve Guerard. Like music by Ariane Zita accompanies. More info HERE.

Animaze

August 18-21

The festival that celebrates animation takes place in August. It’s a chance to see great creativity and be inspired by animators and film professionals from around the globe. In addition to screenings, there are workshops, a job fair, and a conference. Information HERE. 

Montreal Country Festival

August 19-21

Country music, bull rides, and more. Yup, bring your rodeo digs and your best accent to enjoy this one. Stay tuned here for more info HERE.

Montreal Restaurant Day

Aug. 21

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.

NDG Arts Week

Aug. 22-28

The hip, sometimes gritty neighbourhood with families and a whack of artists, NDG showcases its talents. The festival launches at Cafe Shaika 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.

Diner en Blanc

Aug. 25

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.

Montreal International Reggae Festival

August 26-28

Reggae, reggae, rasta, rasta. Three days of reggae beats are on offer at the Old Port. Cocoa Tea, 2i, Vernon Maytones, Olatunji are there among so many others. More info HERE.

Just for Cats Fundraiser

Aug 27

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

18th Century Public Market

Aug. 27-28

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.

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.

World Press Photo

Aug. 31-Oct 2

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.

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 7, August 14, August 21, and August 28. Details can be found HERE.

Carnaval Estival de Mercier Hochelaga-Maisonneuve

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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.

Qouleur

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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. 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.