Calendar of Events

Year-round, it's nearly impossible to miss a celebration of some sort in Montréal and Québec City. For an exhaustive list of events beyond those listed here, check http://events.frommers.com, where you'll find a searchable, up-to-the-minute roster of what's happening in cities not only in Canada, but all over the world.

January

La Fête des Neiges (the Snow Festival), Montréal. Montréal's answer to Québec City's February winter Carnaval usually features dogsled runs, a mock survival camp, street hockey, and tobogganing. We say "usually" because the festival was canceled in 2008 for the first time in its 25-year history because of a labor dispute. Go to www.fetedesneiges.com or call tel. 514/872-6120 to see if the show will go on in 2009 (at press time, the dates were yet to be announced).

February

Carnaval de Québec, Québec City. Never mind that temperatures in Québec regularly plummet in winter to well below freezing. Canadians, however, are extraordinarily good-natured about the cold and happily pack the family up to come out and play. A snowman called Bonhomme (Good Fellow) shuffles into town to preside over the merriment, and revelers descend upon the city to eddy around a monumental ice palace erected in front of the Parliament Building, to watch a dog-sledding race on the old town's narrow streets, to play foosball on a human-size scale, to fly over crowds on a zipline, to ride down snowy hills in rubber tubes, and, not least of all, to dance at outdoor concerts. There are even outdoor movies for the truly masochistic.

The party is family-friendly at every turn, even considering the wide availability of plastic trumpets and canes filled with a concoction called caribou, the principal ingredients of which are cheap liquor and sweet red wine. Try not to miss the canoe race that has teams rowing, dragging, and stumbling with canoes across the St. Lawrence's treacherous ice floes. It's an homage to how the city used to break up the ice to keep a path open to Lévis, the town across the river.

A C$10 (£5) pass provides access to most activities over the 17 days. Hotel reservations must be made far in advance. Visit www.carnaval.qc.ca or call tel. 866/422-7628 for details. January 30 to February 15, 2009.

Festival Montréal en Lumière (Montréal High Lights Festival). The centerpiece of this winter celebration is its culinary competitions and wine tastings. There are also multimedia light shows, classical and pop concerts, and a Montréal All-Nighter that ends with a free breakfast at dawn. Visit www.montrealhighlights.com or call tel. 888/477-9955 for details. February 19 to March 1, 2009.

May

Montréal Museums Day. Open house for most of the city's museums, with free admission and free shuttle buses. Visit www.museesmontreal.org or call the tourism office (tel. 877/266-5687) for details. Last Sunday in May.

Montréal Bike Fest. Tens of thousands of enthusiasts converge on Montréal to participate in cycling competitions that include a nocturnal bike ride (Un Tour la Nuit) and the grueling Tour de l'Ile, a 50km (31-mile) race around the island's rim; it draws 26,000 cyclists, shuts down roads, and attracts more than 100,000 spectators. The nonprofit biking organization Vélo Québec lists details at www.velo.qc.ca. Late May into early June.

Festival Transamériques, Montréal. Formerly the Festival de Théâtre des Amériques, this avant-garde program was renamed and refocused in 2007, when it presented 20 contemporary theater works by companies from Canada and around the world. Visit www.fta.qc.ca or call tel. 514/842-0704. Late May into early June.

June

Mondial de la Bière, Montréal. Yes, beer fans, this is a 5-day festival devoted to your favorite beverage. Admission is free and tasting coupons are C$1 (50p) each, with most tastings costing one to five coupons for 3 to 4 ounces. Showcased are world brands and boutique microbreweries, and "courses" lead to a "Diploma in Beer Tasting." Details at www.festivalmondialbiere.qc.ca and tel. 514/722-9640. June 3 to 7, 2009.

Grand Prix du Canada, Montréal. Montréal's biggest tourism event of the year, bar none. For 3 days, Canada's only Formula 1 auto race roars around a track on Ile Notre-Dame, the small island that's spitting distance from downtown Montréal. Hotel rates typically double during Grand Prix days, and 3-night minimums get emplaced. Streets are shut down, gleaming race cars sit on display, and the city parties around the clock, with much of the action around downtown's rue Crescent. Details at www.grandprix.ca. First weekend in June.

Saint-Ambroise Montréal Fringe Festival. This event's website features a hand raising its middle finger, which gives you an idea of the attitude behind this Plateau Mont-Royal fest: It's 11 days of out-there theater with acts such as a one-man Star Wars stand-up, clowns gone bad, and drunken drag queens. The festival proclaims that there's "No Artistic Direction. Artists are selected by lottery," and that there's "No Censorship. Artists have complete freedom to present ANYTHING." Vive le fringe! Check www.montrealfringe.ca or call tel. 514/849-3378. It was held June 12 to 22 in 2008; at press time, 2009 dates were not yet announced.

Jean-Baptiste Day. Honoring St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of French-Canadians, this day is marked by far more festivities and enthusiasm throughout Québec province than is Canada Day on July 1 (listed below). It's Québec's own fête nationale and is celebrated with fireworks, bonfires, music in parks, and parades. June 24.

L'International des Feux Loto-Québec (International Fireworks Competition), Montréal. Pitting the shows of different countries against each other, this annual fireworks competition is a spectacular event. Buy tickets to watch from the open-air theater in La Ronde amusement park on Ile Ste-Hélène, or enjoy the pyrotechnics for free from almost anywhere overlooking the river (tickets do, however, have the added benefit of including admission to the amusement park). Kids, needless to say, love the whole explosive business. Go to www.internationaldesfeuxloto-quebec.com/en or call tel. 514/397-2000 for details. Ten Wednesdays and Saturdays in June and July; at press time, the exact 2009 dates were not yet announced.

July

Canada Day. On July 1, 1867, three British colonies joined together to form the federation of Canada, with further independence from Britain coming in stages in the 1880s. Celebrations of Canada's birthday are biggest in Ottawa, though there are concerts, flag raisings, and family festivities in Montréal and Québec City. www.celafete.ca. July 1.

Festival International de Jazz de Montréal. Since Montréal has a long tradition in jazz, this is one of the monster events on the city's calendar and has been enormously successful at celebrating America's art form since 1979. The 2008 edition featured a performance by native son Leonard Cohen as well as Steely Dan, Aretha Franklin, Al Green, and Dave Brubeck. It costs serious money to hear stars of such magnitude, and tickets sell out months in advance. Fortunately, 450 free outdoor performances also take place during the late-June/early July party, many right on downtown's streets and plazas. Visit www.montrealjazzfest.com or call tel. 888/515-0515. July 1 to 12, 2009.

Festival Juste pour Rire (Just for Laughs Festival), Montréal. Well-known comics including Eddie Izzard, Joan Rivers, the Kids in the Hall, and Jeremy Piven have been featured, while smaller-name Francophone and Anglophone groups and stand-ups come from around the world to perform at this festival, which takes place both indoors and on the street. It's held mostly along rue St-Denis and elsewhere in the Latin Quarter. Check www.hahaha.com or call tel. 888/244-3155 for details. All of July.

Festival d'Eté (Summer Festival), Québec City. The world's largest Francophone music festival happens in the heart of Vieux-Québec and, since 2007, in the St-Roch neighborhood. It gathers 200 groups from Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America to showcase theater, music, and dance. Check www.infofestival.com or call tel. 888/992-5200. July 9 to 19, 2009 and July 8 to 18, 2010.

Festival International Nuits d'Afrique, Montréal. A lively 13-day world-beat music showcase featuring musicians from the Caribbean, Africa, and the Americas. The festival also presents concerts year-round. Visit www.festivalnuitsdafrique.com or call tel. 514/499-9239. Mid-July; at press time, exact 2009 dates had not yet been announced.

Les Grands Feux Loto-Québec, Québec City. Overlapping with Montréal's fireworks competition, Québec's event uses the highly scenic Montmorency Falls 15 minutes north of the city center as its setting. Pyrotechnical teams are invited from countries around the world. Tickets get you admission to the base of the falls: there are 6,000 reserved bleacher seats and 22,500 general-admission tickets. Go to www.quebecfireworks.com or call tel. 888/934-3473 for details. Wednesdays and Saturdays from mid-July to early August.

Divers/Cité Festival, Montréal. In partnership with government agencies and sponsored by major corporations, Divers/Cité is one of North America's largest parties for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people. It's 6 days of dance, drag, art, and music concerts, and nearly everything is outdoors and free. Details at www.diverscite.org or tel. 514/285-4011. July 26 to August 2, 2009.

Les FrancoFolies de Montréal. Since 1988, this music fest has featured French-language pop, hip-hop, electronic, world beat, and chanson. There are 50 indoor shows and nearly three times as many that are outdoors and free. Check www.francofolies.com. Late July into early August.

Festival International de Courses de Bateaux-Dragons de Montréal. The annual dragon boat festival welcomes some 200 teams who pour into the Olympic Basin on Ile Notre-Dame. In addition to races, there are drawing contests for children and opportunities to try paddling on the ancient Chinese boats. Details are at www.montrealdragonboat.com. Two days in late July; at press time, exact 2009 dates had not yet been announced.

August

Festival des Films du Monde (World Film Festival), Montréal. This festival has been an international film event since 1977. A strong panel of actors, directors, and writers from around the world make up the jury each year, giving the event a weight that many festivals lack. Various movie theaters play host. Check www.ffm-montreal.org or call tel. 514/848-3883 for details. Late August to early September; at press time, 2009 dates were not yet announced.

250-Year Anniversary of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, Québec City. More than 2,000 historical re-enactors will set up encampments in the manner of 1759 to 1760 British and French soldiers on the huge, grassy park at the city's edge. They'll re-create the battles that resulted in France's territory loss and British rule over Canada. www.quebec09.com. August 6 to 9, 2009.

September

Fall Foliage. Starting mid-month, the maple trees blaze with color and a walk in the parks of Montréal and Québec City is a refreshing tonic. It's also a perfect time to drive to the Laurentians or Cantons-de-L'Est (both near Montréal) or Ile d'Orléans or Charlevoix (both easy drives from Québec City).

October

Black & Blue Festival, Montréal. One of the biggest gay events on the planet, this party was, a few years ago, named the best international fest by France's Pink TV Awards, beating out even Carnival in Rio. And when we say big, we mean big: The main event is an all-night party at Olympic Stadium. There's also a Jock Ball, a Leather Ball, and a Military Ball. Visit www.bbcm.org or call tel. 514/875-7026. Seven days in mid-October.

Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, Montréal. Screenings of new and experimental-edging-to-avant-garde films ignite controversy, and forums discuss the latest trends in cinema and video. Events take place at halls and cinemas throughout the city. Check www.nouveaucinema.ca or call tel. 514/844-2172. Twelve days in mid-October; at press time, 2009 dates had not yet been announced.

December

Christmas through New Year's, Québec City. Celebrating the holidays a la française is a particular treat in Québec City, where the streets are almost certainly banked with snow and nearly every ancient building sports wreaths, decorated fir trees, and glittery white lights.