Black & Blue Festival and Carnaval des Couleurs
This article was updated on September 20, 2022.
Montréal’s famed Black & Blue Festival celebrates its 31st anniversary, and will be held during the weekend of Canadian Thanksgiving and American Columbus Day, from October 6 to 10. Accompanying the festival will be the 4th edition of the outdoor Carnaval des Couleurs, from October 7 to 9.
Powerful history and legacy
Montréal’s Black & Blue Festival was founded in 1991 by BBCM Foundation. After drawing 800 revelers to their first party—held in an abandoned bank, raising $3,500 for AIDS Community Care Montréal—the Black & Blue Main Event became one of the most successful all-night dance parties on the planet. Since its humble beginnings, it has raised $1.4 million for AIDS support organizations and LGBTQ+ community groups in Montréal.
What started out as a gay-male circuit party has also grown into a mixed event: The Black & Blue dancefloor is one of the rare places where nobody cares what your sexual orientation is.
Over the years, all-star DJs who have spun at Black & Blue include Danny Tenaglia, Victor Calderone, David Morales, Hernan Cattaneo, Susan Morabito, Angel Moraes, Roger Sanchez and Chus & Ceballos, as well as Montreal’s own Misstress Barbara and Mark Anthony; while live performers include international pop and dance legends The Human League, Jimmy Somerville, Martha Wash, Ultra Nate and Loleatta Holloway, as well as Montréal divas Michelle Sweeney, Kim Richardson and Stéphane Moraille of Bran Van 3000.
Black & Blue 2022
The theme of this year’s Main Event is Black & Blue 360°. The all-night celebration will be held at La TOHU, Montréal’s Circus Arts City, on Sunday, October 9, from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. Monday morning.
In addition to showcasing top-quality performances in dance and circus arts, the Main Event will also favour renowned local DJs: DJ Alain Jackinsky, DJ Ian Key, DJ Lady McCoy, DJ Luc Raymond, DJ Maus, DJs St-Denis (DJ duo Alain Vinet and Steve Aries), DJ Stéfane Lippé, and DJ Stephan Grondin.
Other ticketed events at Black & Blue include the Leather Ball at the historic Lion d’Or on October 7, and the District Party at Club Soda on October 8.
Carnaval des Couleurs
That same weekend the BBCM Foundation is also organizing the 4th edition of its hugely popular Carnaval des Couleurs which celebrates inclusion and diversity. This year’s edition runs from October 7 to 9.
For the first time, its main outdoor stage will be at the Esplanade Tranquille (corner Clark and Saint Catherine streets) in the Quartier des Spectacles.
Headliners include singers Corneille (October 7), Florence K and Jonas Tomalty (October 8), and Elizabeth Blouin-Brathwaite (October 9). Other performers include Océane Aqua-Black, one of the contestants from the second season of Canada’s Drag Race (October 8); and Montréal drag legend Michel Dorion (October 9).
For more information, visit bbcm.org and carnavaldescouleurs.org.
Richard Burnett
Richard “Bugs” Burnett is a Canadian freelance writer, editor, journalist, blogger and columnist for alt-weeklies, mainstream and LGBTQ+ publications. Bugs also knows Montréal like a drag queen knows a cosmetics counter.