Things to do in August 2024

Join the fun of Montréal’s famed summer festival season this month. Throughout the city, car-free pedestrian streets are the place to be for outdoor festivals, dining (keep your eye out for gourmet food trucks, especially at the First Fridays gathering at the Olympic Stadium every first Friday of the month!), shopping and socializing. To start the month of with a bang, literally, catch the last night of L’International des Feux Loto-Québec on August 1.

On August 6, don’t miss the beautiful sounds of the Metropolitan Orchestra at the Foot of Mount Royal, when they play live in the verdant hill along Parc Avenue between Mont-Royal and Pine. The event will include excepts by Bizet, Leonard Bernstein, Claude Champagne, Florence Price and Amy Beach.

One of the biggest outdoor musical festivals of summer, three-day festival Osheaga is an open-air party with Noah Kahan, Green Day, The Smashing Pumkpins, SZA, Renée Rapp and many more stars and up-and-comers from August 2 to 4 in Parc Jean-Drapeau. 
The following weekend at Parc Jean-Drapeau, dance to the world’s biggest EDM sounds from Tiësto to GIMs toLoud Luxury and more (even Idris Elba!) at ÎleSoniq from August 9 to 11. Followed on August 16 and 17 by a bonanza of country music stars at LASSO Montréal with headliners Sam Hunt, Eric Church, Brett Young, Megan Moroney, Mackenzie Porter and more.

Electronic music and digital creativity lovers will be awaiting MUTEK, celebrating its 25^th edition, running from August 20 to 25. Its 25th edition, features over 80 performances in indoor and outdoor venues throughout the Quartier des spectacles (Montréal’s entertainment district).

The city celebrates Fierté Montréal with flying colours from August 1 to 11: see beloved drag queens (including Rita Baga, Sasha Colby, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Naomi Smalls, La Grande Dame and Mistress Isabelle Brooks in the Drag Superstars show), DJs and performers, join the non-stop feel-good atmosphere in the Village and at the Olympic Stadium, from the essential groups and people at Community Day to the parties and the Pride Parade on Sunday, August 11, starting at 1 pm.

A must for genre film fans, the Fantasia International Film Festival remains on big screens in the city until August 4, 2024. If you’re a genre fan, you might appreciate Otakuthon, the second-biggest convention of its kind in Canada, celebrating the stories, characters and artistry of classic and cutting-edge Japanese anime, manga and games from August 2 to 4 at Palais des congrès de Montréal. 

Montréal’s Italian week, ItalFestMTL, celebrates Italian culture, history and, of course, food, from August 4 to 20 up in Little Italy. It’s also Korea Week from August 22 to 25at the Clock Tower Pier, featuring 30+ vendors of Korean food, snacks, products, desserts and beverages, plus tons of activities (including K-pop dance parties) and entertainment.

Electronic dance music takes over Parc Jean-Drapeau every weekend this summer at Piknic Éléctronik, when the whole family can spend the day dancing, eating from food trucks and generally basking in the sun. Speaking of family-friendly activities, head to SOS Labyrinthe in the Old Port to swing from the rafters — literally! The adventure sports site also puts on special activities throughout the season, including the popular Blackout nights every Thursday. 

Hungry? Head to the Grand Quay of Montréal for Plantawesome, a 100% plant-powered (and free of entry!) fair on August 3 and 4 featuring all-vegan food stuffs or every possible kind, including tons of ready-to-eat treats onsite, as well as cruelty-free cosmetics, sustainable clothing, eco-home products and much more. 

Downtown, take a pit stop at the Ruelle du Musée alongside the McCord Stewart Museum, where the design firm Kanva have set up a space that immerses the public in the imaginary world of the Montréal alley, inviting passers-by to sit, stroll, meet and chat, surrounded by clotheslines well-stocked with sheets and clothes. Watch for different programming all summer.

Parc La Fontaine turns into a hive of activity thanks to the Robin des Bois Chalet, where fun is available for the whole family — from dance classes to art lessons to yoga to a drag brunch.

For a hit of light play, head to the Casino de Montréal to play on life-size arcade games at their ARcade by Moment Factory gaming experience: a fusion of multimedia and video game technology in two play areas that pits teams against each other in six interactive games. Each game combines motion-detection, projection technologies and videogame mechanics. After that, explore the shows at the Cabaret or clink drinks on Terrasse Le Jardin.

We hope you make yourself at home in Montréal’s incredible hotels — there’s an accommodation option for everyone, from landmark hotels to family-friendly hotels and boutique hotels galore. 

In Old Montréal, walk the cobblestone streets to the St. Lawrence River and visit the iconic Notre-Dame Basilica — see the gorgeous multimedia Aura Experience, a wonderful way to feel the grandeur of this landmark.

Explore the neighbourhood’s historic sites, as well, including the Sir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic Site, the only Victorian interior open to the general public in Montréal, comprised of two neo-classical houses with an adjoining coachway. A little further afield, in Lachine, history awaits at the Fur Trade at Lachine National Historic Site of Canada, where interactive installations will inspire you to imagine the bales of pelts, the stacked crates of goods and the barrels full of provisions that would have populated the space at the height of the 19^th century fur trade.

Downtown holds one of the city’s most lovely churches, the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul, where you can admire the beautiful stained glass during services or during the regular organ concerts.

In the Old Port of Montréal, after shooting a selfie at the glimmering BONJOUR structure, see views of the city and the river from Montréal’s Grand Quay, where you’ll find a cruise ship dock, marine history displays, green spaces and a new attraction: the Port of Montreal Tower. Nearby, treat yourself to bird’s-eye views on La Grande Roue de Montréal Observation Wheel. Or boost your adrenaline while zipping over the water on the MTL Zipline.

Explore the river on boat tours with Navark, Croisières AML, Bateau-Mouche, and Petit Navire. For the adventurous, ride the river’s waves with Rafting Montréal, take jet-ski tours with Wet Set MTL or try jet boating on the Lachine Rapids!

Have a drink on the Esplanade Place Ville Marie, where the massive art installation The Ring glimmers above you. Or take a break for entertainment and a snack at Esplanade Tranquille at the corner of Clark and Sainte-Catherine Street and at Jardins Gamelin near Berri-UQÀM metro. 

In the Village, come see the new Place du Village: located in the heart of the neighbourhood on rue Sainte-Catherine Est, between Atateken and Wolfe, this public space will feature an open-air café, as well as cultural and community programming starting at 11 am every day.

One of the best ways to discover the city is with expert guides on Montréal tours: set your own agenda with private walking tours at your own pace. See the city like a local with MTL Detours, take a day trip outside the city with N-Tours, call upon the experts at Guidatours, or take yourself on self-guided audio tours thanks to TourBird. To enjoy Montréal after dark, head out on the Montréal by Night Loop on GaryLine’s double decker bus! Enjoy the ambiance and watch as the city’s most vibrant districts come to life after dusk.

If you’re wondering why Montréal has so many colourful murals, hear more about them and their artists on a street art tour with Spade & Palacio, including new murals from the most recent MURAL Festival and others. For an electric bike tour of the murals and more, the first in Montréal, look to Fitz Montréal — their comfortable cycling tours cover anything from downtown Montréal to Jean-Talon Market.

At the Clock Tower Pier, get a taste of Korea Week from August 22 to 25, featuring 30+ vendors of Korean food, snacks, products, desserts and beverages. Still hungry? Head to the Grand Quay of Montréal for Plantawesome, a 100% plant-powered (and free of entry!) fair on August 3 and 4 featuring all-vegan food stuffs or every possible kind. Montréal’s Italian week, ItalFestMTL will feed you well from August 4 to 20, up in Little Italy. 

Spend warm August days and evenings at the city’s summer pop-up spaces, with urban oases like the Old Port’s Marché des Éclusiers restaurant and farmer’s market and major events like First Fridays, a food truck bonanza on August 2, 3 and 4 at the Esplanade at the Olympic Park, from 4 pm to 11 pm, adding a Fiesta Latina note to the various menus this month. 

This month is indeed all about outdoor dining, be it on a sidewalk terrasse (aka prime people-watching spots), a rooftop terrasse, a hidden terrasse or a green terrasse. We challenge you to compare-and-contrast them all.

Explore the city’s beautiful public markets, including Jean-Talon Market in Little Italy and Atwater Market in Saint-Henri, for a food-filled trek. Montréal’s smallest market, the Public Market of Lachine in the southwest, offers a scrumptious selection of products year-round.

Just in time for the end-of-summer harvest and barbecue season, Rendez-vous Gourmands will showcase an array of produce and delicacies in the heart of Parc Jean-Drapeau. This new outdoor event will take place in the magnificent Jardins des Floralies and will also mark the 150th anniversary of Parc Jean-Drapeau.

When you want to go indoors, check out Montréal’s newest restaurants and “buvettes” and don’t miss a classic Montréal brunch. Also try some of Montréalers’ favourite lunch restaurants, from Old Montréal and downtown to Villeray or the South-West, and favourite French restaurants.

Explore more of Montréal’s renowned food scene at these memorable restaurants, only a few of the thousands worth mentioning: the legendary Eaton’s 9^th floor restaurant, freshly reopened as Île de France, doles out fresh cuisine de marché and oysters according to the quality guaranteed by the Joe Beef Group. Kwizinn, with a newly opened Old Montréal location, serves up feel-good Caribbean dishes, from griots to coconut beignets. At Barroco you’ll experience Mediterranean fine cuisine in an historic Old Montréal setting — try the grilled octopus or the beef tartare. For a fancy Old Montréal experience, raise your pinkies as you sip tea at Salon de Thé Paparmane and gaze at the three-tiers of delightful savoury and sweet treats that come with their high tea experience.

Travel to Singapore with one bite at the Satay Brothers, a happening hot spot in Saint-Henri where the fragrantly spiced brochettes are just the start. Juliette Plaza is a relative newcomer but already one of the most beloved restaurants on the Saint-Hubert Plaza, opened by the Montréal Plaza people as a more casual alternative to their creative fine dining. 
Wolf down the famous Déjeunan at the Plateau’s Capitaine Sandwich to start any day on the right foot, or make it lunch and pick their meatball sandwich instead. Not far, the beloved Lebanese Café Chez Téta also makes a mean sandwich; try their halloumi and bacon flatbread ‘wich. At Bar Nacho Libre on Rue Beaubien, it’s tacos and margaritas, i.e. summer night bliss.

From some crowdsourced favourites, try Montréalers’ favourite lunch restaurants, from Old Montréal and downtown to Villeray or the South-West. Get a taste of long-time Québec classics like smoked meat, poutine and Montréal bagels and keep on ticking the boxes on your must-eat list with these other musts for foodies in Montréal. Explore more of Montréal’s newest restaurants and buvettes, and don’t miss a classic Montréal brunch, whether you’re looking for elegance or comfort food. 

August is also an excellent month to have dinner and see a show at the Casino de Montréal: live music and cabaret shows will entertain you and your date while you enjoy incredible seafood and more on the grill at Le Montréal, a gourmet buffet at Pavillon 67, and quick delicious eats at L’Instant. 

Downtown, explore the wide variety of excellent meals at gourmet food halls  including Time Out Market, Marché Artisans, Le Cathcart and Le Central. Get your caffeine fix at Montréal’s indie coffee shops — and fresh-baked doughnuts to go with it! Add more sweetness to your life at Montréal’s best bakeries and pastry shops, best chocolate shops and candy shops.

Eat plant-based with our ultimate guide to vegan eating in Montréal or join the debate over who makes the best pizza in Montréal — or the best tacos. Warm up with authentic Japanese ramen and Vietnamese pho. By night, discover the city’s 30 top cocktail bars, inventive Montréal microbreweries and late-night eats. 

Get ready to witness the greats of men’s tennis display their best during the National Bank Open presented by Rogers at Parc Jarry, from August 3 to 12. It’s widely considered to be one of the best-run tournaments on the tour. In addition to the singles and doubles titles, players will compete for more than US$2.788-million in prize money.
Don’t miss the inaugural Canadian edition of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, happening here in beautiful Montréal on August 24 and 25 at the Grand Quay of Montréal. Two-dozen men and women — including Montrealers Molly Carlson and Simone Leathead — will launch themselves from 27-metre and 21-metre high platforms. Try not to scream.

From August 9 to 11 at Windsor Station, make some noise for FanFest, organized by the Olympic Committee of Canada and hosted by Olympian Maxime Dufour-Lapointe. Come watch the Games with friends and family, meet Olympic athletes and enjoy live musical performances by Canadian artists! Fans will also be able to try out different Olympic sports and experience an array of engaging and immersive activations by Team Canada partners.

Cheer on the CF Montréal team at home at the Saputo Stadium throughout the month, and the Montréal Alouettes at the Percival Molson Memorial Stadium. If you can’t make the games in person, watch all the soccer, football, basketball, MMA and more at Montréal’s sports bars.

Make a splash with Rafting Montréal, where you can combine your love of water with your search for thrills and spills, or with EcoMaris, a non-profit, social enterprise dedicated to reconnecting humanity with the ocean aboard Québec’s first ever environmental sail training ship.

If you’re feeling more artsy, Art Chaos is a fantastic family- or group-friendly activity in Mile Ex, where you can paint crazy creations on rapidly spinning canvases, for a truly interactive experience. And while you’re in the neighbourhood, stop into Boutique des 3 Sorciers on Avenue du Parc — it offers an immersive foray into the magical world of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts sagas, with a selection of official products. You can take your quidditch to the next level.

From August 22 to September 12, participate in the workshop "Befriending our Mortality with Clay" at the Chirst Church Cathedral. This workshop, inspired by Holly Racliffe’s background in anthropology, theology, and ceramics, aims to open up conversations about death, exploring it through creativity and cultural rituals, with opportunities for personal expression using clay. Make a reservation here.

Wanna play? Head to the Eaton Centre downtown where the Playbox Centre has a game for everyone, from internationally renowned crane games to arcade games, skill games and VR attractions. Montréal Bowlingdowntown is the perfect spot play a few rounds of bowling, play some pool, watch some sports, play some arcade games and grab some great snacks and cocktails.

As summer blooms, visit Montréal’s parks to take in all the flora. At the Space for Life museums, stroll the Montréal Botanical Garden grounds and sprawling tropical greenhouse, experience several wild ecosystems at the Biodôme (there are penguins, otters, monkeys and more), explore the mysteries of the universe at the Planétarium, and learn about the thousands of butterflies, moths and other insects at the newly renovated Insectarium.

The West Island’s Ecomuseum Zoo is a wonderful place to glimpse local wildlife in their natural outdoor habitats and even have breakfast with some of them throughout August.

Among the many free things to do this summer, see incredible city views from Mount Royal Park: head for a walk through the park and up the stairs to the lookout or bus or drive up to Beaver Lake. Stroll around Parc La Fontaine, cross the river to Parc Jean-Drapeau for a riverside walk and a different view of the city. (While there visit the Biosphère too for environment-focused exhibitions and more.) 

For the ultimate relaxation session after a day of trekking (or just because you deserve it!), visit Bota Bota, spa sur l’eau, a spa in a moored boat on the St. Lawrence River, and other world-class spas like Scandinave Spa Vieux-Montréal, Avie Spa & Coiffure, Rainspa and Strøm Nordic Spa.

Shop for some new summer wardrobe staples in Old Montréal’s boutiques, downtown along Sainte-Catherine Street and in the underground city malls. Discover the latest styles at Montréal Eaton Centre and Place Montréal Trust, including Uniqlo, Nike, Aritzia, Décathlon and many more boutiques (and remember to ask for a VIP Visitor Card at Guest Services for exclusive discounts only for tourists). 

Keep your eye out for items made by Montréal designers and relaxing self-care staples and plenty of sparkly goods from the coolest Montréal jewellery stores, including some pretty pieces at Ruby Mardi’s, in Little Italy.

Find foodstuffs from local artisans as well as imported delicacies at Montréal’s public markets, whether it’s Jean-Talon Market, Atwater Market, Maisonneuve Market and the Marché public de Rivière-des-Prairies.
Shop local and eco-friendly at the most fabulous vintage boutiques in the city. Pick out the perfect new books for friends and family from Montréal’s bookstores, and dive into a wide world of music at Montréal’s excellent vinyl stores.

Forgot to pick up souvenirs? Fear not, Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) has got you covered! The focus on local goods in both the domestic and the international zones range from food to goods, including scarves and bags from M0851, yoga gear from Lolë and novels by local authors. Start at Découvrir Montréal. 

Among the world-class theatre, dance, opera, circus and more gracing the city’s stages throughout August, catch the iconic KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities by the Cirque du Soleilin the big top on the Old Port before it ends on August 25. 

Described as an anti-musical, Pub Royal, a production by La Tribu and Les 7 Doigts, brings together several hits and new songs by Les Cowboys Fringants. Seven actors and singers, seven dancers, and six circus artists will perform on stage during this show at Théâtre Maisonneuve from August 7 to 17.

There’s also Cirque Éloize’s latest show, on until August 12: Bon Voyage is an immersive 60-minute family-friendly show that combines live arts, acrobatics and 360-degree projection mapping for a journey into a whimsical world inspired by Montréal’s past. 

In a Mardi Gras-style carnival atmosphere, New Orleans Blues is a multi-sensorial musical, historical and gourmet experience featuring an all-you-can-eat Cajun meal concocted by top chef Paul Toussaint and a live show featuring 12 musicians and singers, directed by Normand Brathwaite. Catch it at Espace Saint-Denis throughout the summer.

At Théâtre Maisonneuve in Place des Arts, until August 4, catch the Tony Award-winning musical phenomenon, Les Misérables, set against the backdrop of 19th century France: it’s an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption.

Summertime is in hyperdrive in museums and galleries around town, so get the full low-down in our overview. 

Until August 2, watch as a brand new mural gets painted live on Promenade Ontario (at 3562 Ontario, corner Joliette), a project created by Milmurs in collaboration with renowned artist Luca Ledda.

Art aficionados have a treat in store on August 31, when ArtMarket reveals its all-day festival of female art. It’s a platform and space for women to display and promote their artwork while connecting and inspiring each other. Explore it at 3980 Rue Saint-Denis on the Plateau.

The internationally recognized World Press Photo Exposition opens on August 28 at Marché Bonsecours — it’s a flagship event of Montréal’s fall cultural calendar, and it’s free. The winning photos are selected from among tens of thousands submitted to the jury by thousands of photographers from all over the world. The iconic images in large-format prints are reminders of the world events, in various categories, that marked the past year.

The Horizon of Khufu is an immersive journey into Ancient Egypt on the Old Port of Montréal. Throughout August you can explore the archaeological treasure of the Giza Pyramid, constructed over 4,500 years ago. The experience allows players to physically move and interact within a shared virtual reality space.

Visit the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts to see the contemporary exhibition Wanda Koop: Who Owns the Moon, (until August 4), Tōkaidō: Dreamscapes by Andō Hiroshige (a magical journey through historic Japan), and Saints, Sinners, Lovers and Fools: Three Hundred Years of Flemish Masterworks.

At the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, femmes volcans forêts torrentsfeatures nine women artists, currently living in Québec, whose works explore the natural elements before their eyes and the living communities with which they interact, from the waters of the St. Lawrence River to the soils of the tundra. Catch it until August 18.

Enjoy the monthly offerings of performance art in the Embodied Space series at the PHI Foundation, inspired by the intimacy, vulnerability and a moment of contemplation that live performance has the capacity to deliver in facing the void of our impermanence. 

Among the Montréal museum exhibitions this season, go to Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Archaeology and History Complex in Old Montréal to learn about the Olmecs and the Civilizations of the Gulf of Mexico, throughout the month. You’ll also be near the kid-friendly Montréal Science Centre, where you can explore interactive exhibitions that investigate the scientific world.

The McCord Stewart Museum bridges past and present in its exhibitions, which throughout August includes a spotlight on fashion photograph, Norman Parkinson: Always in Fashion, as well as Portraits and Fashion – Quebec Photographers Beyond Borders, which brings together prints by 17 photographers who are shining a spotlight on Quebec talent on the international stage. For its first collaboration with the Contemporary Native Art Biennial, the McCord Stewart is also hosting Kanien’kehà:ka artist MC Snow, who explores the messages and emotions conveyed by the Kanien’kehá:ka objects in the Museum’s Indigenous Cultures collection in two original works.

At the Montréal Planétarium, tickets to any of the shows gets you access to Rouge 2100: A Martian Adventure, an exhibition that offers a journey in five chapters and as many rooms, where we realistically imagine the first steps of a rare humans in 2100 on the fascinating red planet. A fantastic world that also questions the place of humans in our universe and the fragile balance that must be maintained if all species are to prosper.

Visit MEM – Centre des mémoires montréalaises, a cutting-edge museum dedicated to the voices of Montrealers presiding over the corner of Boulevard Saint-Laurent and Rue Sainte-Catherine. 

Travel back in time as you tour the rooms of Château Ramezay and visit historical site Château Dufresne near the Olympic Stadium. The Musée des Hospitalières de l’Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal marks the bicentennial of Mount Royal Park’s creator, architect Frederick Law Olmsted with the exhibition Our Mountain: Memories of Mount Royal. (Don’t miss out on exploring the museum’s beautiful grounds, too, i.e. the Monastery Garden.)

Not far from the city, climb aboard railway cars, learn about the history of the railroad and explore miniature railways at the Exporail the Canadian Railway Museum.

Explore the Afromuseum, representing the contributions of Afro-Canadians to the cultural landscape of Canada. Discover the vivid history and present of Québec ceramics at the Musée des métiers d’arts du Québec. And for another slice of Québec history, visit Montréal’s stunning churches and sacred sites.

Experience a massive immersive art experience in surround-sound and laser light at Oasis Immersion, where Root for Nature extrapolates on biodiversity in all its splendour and  Dreaming Asia explores Chinese and Japanese cultures in a big way. You can also dive headfirst into the work of Van Gogh.

And don’t forget Montréal’s plethora of small, independent art galleries, from Bradley Ertaskiran to Hugues Charbonneau, Galerie B-312, SBC Gallery and Ellephant downtown, Oboro and MAI in the Plateau, Centre Clark and Dazibao in Mile End, Galerie d’Outremont in Outremont and many, many others in every neighbourhood.

Catch the last of the unmissable film festival for all genre film fans, Fantasia International Film Festival, as it continues to shine on big screens throughout the city core until August 4.

Enjoy a larger-than-life (or certainly larger-than-screen) experience with the immersive Pink Floyd: The Dark side of the Moon, an overall-multisensory performance set in the SAT’s impressive Satosphere, until August 8.

Experience family-friendly cinematic shows on the domed screens of the Planétarium, including Celestial Chronicles, an immersive experience whisking you through time and space featuring stars, planets, the moon, constellations and the latest astronomy news, and Total Eclipse, a show that has you follow Kentucky — an insomniac hen and social media star who lives on the moon — in her adventures to demystify solar eclipses. It’s wacky and fun. 
The Montréal Science Centre’s IMAX cinema puts nature on the giant screen in all its glory — you can see the incredible Wings Over Water until August 5 and the brand new Australia 3D: The Wild Continent, where throughout the month you can discover flora and fauna that have evolved in splendid isolation, explore ancient landscapes sculpted by great geological forces, and learn from traditional custodians of the land.

See independent features, family films, documentaries and more at Montréal’s indie cinemas including Cinéma Moderne, Cinéma du Parc (including late-night cult classics at Parc at Midnight screenings), Cinéma du Musée at the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts, and the iconic Cinémathèque québécoise in the Quartier des spectacles (the city’s entertainment district). 

Explore the city through cinema in these Hollywood movies made in Montréal. 

It comes as no surprise that Montréal’s famed summer festival season is cause for celebration! On August 6, don’t miss the beautiful sounds of the Metropolitan Orchestra at the Foot of Mount Royal, when they play live in the verdant hill along Parc Avenue between Mont-Royal and Pine. The event will include excepts by Bizet, Leonard Bernstein, Claude Champagne, Florence Price and Amy Beach.

There are other free concerts and shows to be enjoyed in parks throughout the city all summer long, courtesy of the Campbell Concerts, currently celebrating their 100th year. In August that includes Angelique Francis, Waahli, Montreal Horn Stars, Papagroove and many others to discover here.

One of the biggest outdoor musical festivals of summer, three-day festival Osheaga is an open-air party with Noah Kahan, Green Day, The Smashing Pumpkins, SZA, Renée Rapp and many more stars and up-and-comers from August 2 to 4 in Parc Jean-Drapeau. 
The following weekend, also at Parc Jean-Drapeau, dance to the world’s biggest EDM sounds from Tiësto to GIMs to Loud Luxury and more (even Idris Elba!) at ÎleSoniq, from August 9 to 11. 

Then on August 16 and 17, it’s a bonanza of country music at LASSO Montréal with headliners Sam Hunt, Eric Church, Brett Young, Megan Moroney, Mackenzie Porter and more — like the LASSO in the City programming in the heart of Montréal. Don’t miss the big FREE opening show on August 15 at Beanfield Theatre, starring Brittany Kennell, Andie Therio, Vince Lemire, Guillaume Lafond, Fred Dionne, Savannah Jade and Matt Lang as MC. It’s all free, including a line dancing class — but it’s first come first served, so rush on down!
Then on August 16 and 17 , it’s a bonanza of country music at LASSO Montréal with headliners Sam Hunt, Eric Church, Brett Young, Megan Moroney, Mackenzie Porter and more.

Electronic music and digital creativity lovers will be awaiting MUTEK, celebrating its 25^th edition, running from August 20 to 25, featuring over 80 performances throughout the Quartier des spectacles (Montréal’s entertainment district).

At the Bell Centre this month, catch Lamb Of God with Mastodon on August 1, Billy Idol on August 16, Missy Elliott on August 17, Cage The Elephant on August 26, Deep Purple on August 27 and Cigarettes After Sex on August 31.

At Place des Arts, there’s the Don Juan musical from August 7 to 24, Verdi’s majestic Requiem on August 16 and 18, and on August 17, a full program including Saint-Saëns’ Egypt, Music from North Africa with the Fakir Trio and Rachid Zeroual, Mediterranean landscapes, Fauré, Debussy and Chausson for strings and piano and Bizet’s Spain. From August 22 to 24, catch Charlebois Symphonique: An Epic Celebration with the OSM!. BélO, en toute intimité plays on August 23, it’s Flamenco Festival on a Summer Night on August 25, and The Ruggeds & Ghetto Funk Collective - Groove gets us moving on August 31 and September 1. See the complete programming here.

Head to the cool event space Terrasse Teranga atop l’Auberge du Plateau for two hot August shows: an acoustic brunch on August 11 featuring Haitian singer Jean Jean Roosevelt, and an all-night party on the terrasse on August 23 with William Osias, as seen on TV’s LA VOIX. 

You’ll find all sorts of fun music shows at MTELUS, including Australia’s Thunder From Down Under on August 1, PARTYNEXTDOOR on August 5 and 6, Ken Carson on August 14, Iron & Wine on August 16 and Streetlight Manifesto on August 30.

At Théâtre Fairmount, in Mile End, catch Wild Nothing on August 9, Chameleons on August 12, Conway The Machine on August 13, Orbit Culture on August 16, Black Pistol Fire on August 20, Strawberry Guy on August 30 and Signs Of The Swarm on August 31, plus a bevy of dance parties ranging from queer joy dances to Swiftie raves that’ll make you ache for a night on the town.

The world’s best EDM artists come to New City Gas to get you moving, which in August includes Kream with Camden Cox on August 2, Kaskade on August 4, Acraze on August 9, and a big MUTEK 25^th anniversary party packed with talent (Patrick Watson, Kara-Lis Coverdale, Colin Stinson and more) on August 21.

Groove to live soul, disco, jazz, funk, salsa, Cuban music Fridays and more at Le Balcon, where you can have dinner with a show, go dancing, and enjoy a gospel brunch on weekends. Hear live jazz nightly at Montréal’s amazing jazz and blues clubs, like Diese Onze and Upstairs Jazz Bar & Grill. And go out dancing late into the night at Montréal's dance clubs.

Indie venues Casa del Popolo and Sala Rossa have chock-a-block full monthly programs featuring both local and visiting bands, which you can find here. Look here for the many live events at hole-in-the-wall Barfly. Same for Bar Le Ritz PDB, where there’s a show nearly every night. Explore the lineups at Le Ministère and Turbo Haüs, and follow L’Escogriffe on Facebook to stay on top of all their upcoming shows. L’Hémisphère Gauche, up in Little Italy, is packed with music lovers for their nightly shows, as is Quai des Brumes on the Plateau — it never has a night off.