What festivals to visit in Canada?
It’s hard to think of a better way to experience a country’s culture than at a national holiday or festival. You can find something worthwhile in this country at any time of the year and in different cities across the country.
- Honda Celebration of Light/Vancouver Fireworks Festival (July, August) fireworks festival
- Osheaga Music Festival
- Montreal Montreal Fireworks Festival (July) L’International des Feux Loto-Québec
- Winterlude/ Ottawa and Quebec
- Toronto Film Festival
- Quebec Summer Festival
- Montreal International Jazz Festival
- Cowboy Rodeo Festival (Calgary Stampede)
- Toronto Caribbean Carnival
- Balloon Festival/Gatineau
Fireworks, music, movies – read on!
Honda Celebration of Light/Vancouver Fireworks Festival
“The Honda Celebration of Light has become Vancouver’s premier summer event in recent years, attracting over 1.4 million spectators each year! The festival features live music, food and, of course, fireworks from various participating countries. Here are the 7 best places to watch the Honda Celebration of Light fireworks.” – said an employee of the company GTA Garage Door Repair https://garagedoorrepairon.ca/.
Osheaga (Osheaga)/Montreal Music Festival (July 31-August 2)
The Osheaga Music and Arts Festival is an indie and alternative music festival held annually in Montreal, Canada.
Since its debut in 2006, the festival has established itself as one of Canada’s best, regularly boasting an incredible line-up of not only rock and indie, but also the rise of hip-hop, pop, electronica and more.
The festival is also known for inviting world-class stars to Jean Droopau Park. It is also known for discovering and showcasing talent – local, national and international – and offering a platform for rising stars.
The Montreal Fireworks Festival (L’International des Feux Loto-Québec)/ (July)
The Montreal Fireworks Festival (L’International des Feux Loto-Québec) is one of the largest and most prestigious fireworks festivals in the world. It has been held since 1985.
Each year, eight or nine pyrotechnic companies from various countries, from Canada to Hong Kong, present a 30-minute pyromusical show in Montreal, competing for one of the festival’s three awards – the Gold, Silver and Bronze Jupiter.
The Montreal Fireworks Festival’s pyrotechnics competition is a series of pyrotechnic shows that take place twice a week at La Ronde Amusement Park. All of the fireworks are synchronized with music, which is also broadcast by a local radio station.
Approximately 3 million people from all over Canada and abroad come each year to see this beauty.
Winterlude/ Ottawa & Quebec (January 31 – February 17)
Winterlude is the now-traditional Canadian pastime, three winter weekends filled with fun, joy and positivity. The event was created in 1979 to celebrate the unique climate and culture of northern Canada.
More than 600,000 people annually skate on the 7 km long giant ice rink on the Rideau Canal, play in the snow and enjoy the original ice sculptures. Winterlude also features children’s entertainment, concerts, as well as exhibitions at Ottawa’s major museums and ski races.
The only factor that sometimes overshadows the festival is the weather, which is unpredictable in Ottawa.
Canada’s most famous winter festivals.
Toronto Film Festival (September 5-15)
Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) – The annual Toronto International Film Festival has been held since 1976.
Today TIFF is considered one of the world’s largest film festivals, which program several hundreds of feature and short films annually.
Unlike many other film festivals, there is no official jury and the main prize is the Audience Favorite Prize, awarded according to the results of the audience vote.
Quebec Summer Festival (July 9-19)
Quebec Summer Festival (Festival d’été de Québec (FEQ)) – An annual festival, one of Canada’s largest outdoor music festivals.
The summer festival was founded in 1968 by a group of seven artists and businessmen from Quebec City, with the aim of “revitalizing” the city’s streets and promoting popular music.
In the 2000s, the festival decided to pay more attention to artists from abroad. Bands such as ZZ Top, Scorpions, Nickelback and Metallica appeared as head “bait” in its program. According to a public opinion poll in 2012, 97% of the audience supported this development. The popularity of the festival is growing, and now the number of viewers exceeds one million.
Montreal International Jazz Festival (June 25-July 4)
The Montreal International Jazz Festival (Festival International de Jazz de Montréal) is the world’s most popular jazz festival and has been held annually for 40 years. It is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest jazz festival.
More than 2,000 musicians from 20 countries participate in the concerts of the festival and the number of fans covered by its program, agreeing even in the rain to listen to the music in the streets, has exceeded in recent years 2 million people.
Cowboy Rodeo Festival (Calgary Stampede)
The Calgary Stampede is a famous cowboy festival held every year in the Canadian city of Calgary on the first days of July.
Calgary Stampede attracts millions of fans of the Wild West, fans of Indian culture and rodeo. On the holiday it is customary to dress in traditional cowboy attire – usually a wide-brimmed hat, leather jacket and fringed pants, plaid shirt and jeans. And the festival involves the fair sex as well. Everyone who is lucky enough to be here feels like a bit of a cowboy.
Caribbean Carnival in Toronto (July 30 – August 2)
Over 50 years, Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival has evolved into a hot summer party that attracts over 2 million visitors each year!
The festival culminates with the King & Queen Show (choosing the best costume), Pan Alive (steel pan bands performing) and the Caribana Parade (carnival parade).
Balloon Festival/Gatineau (September 3-7)
The Gatineau International Balloon Festival in Quebec City is a real highlight. You can watch dozens of colorful balloons take off and glide over Gatineau, especially during the evening Night Glow shows.
Of fun for the whole family, there’s an amusement park, inflatable play structures, science and technology activities, an arts and crafts market, live entertainment, a classic car show and a chance to learn all about balloons!