Quebec City Events and Festivals
(Quebec City, Quebec - QC, Canada)
There is always something happening in Quebec City, with year-round local festivals, seasonal events and recreational activities on offer. Canada Day, on July 1st, is always a notable event in the Quebec City area, with a range of parties, festivities and events available both day and night. Two days later, the Birthday of Quebec City features a host of activities, to celebrate the city's founding around 400 years ago.
Some of Quebec City's most popular seasonal events and festivals include the Winter Carnival (Carnaval de Quebec) in February, the Festival of Snow (Festival de la Neige) each March, the Food Festival (Festival de la Gastronomie du Quebec) every April, Quebec City's International Theater Event in May, and the Big Laugh Comedy Event (Grand Rire) each June. Two of the area's largest festivals are the popular Quebec City Provincial Exhibition (Expo Quebec) in August, and the Quebec City Summer Festival during July, both of which feature a range of events and attract large crowds.
National Public Holidays
- 1st January - New Year's Day
- Third Monday in February - Family Day (Alberta)
- Monday closest to 17th March - St. Patrick's Day (Newfoundland)
- March or April - Good Friday and Easter Monday
- Monday closest to 23rd April - St. George's Day (Newfoundland)
- Monday before 24th May - Victoria Day
- 24th June - Fete Nationale / St. Jean Baptiste Day (Quebec)
- 1st July - Canada Day (known as Memorial Day in Newfoundland)
- Monday closest to 13th July - Orangeman's Day (Newfoundland)
- First Monday in August - Civic Holiday
- Third Monday in August - Discovery Day (Yukon)
- First Monday in September - Labor Day
- Second Monday in October - Thanksgiving
- 11th November - Remembrance Day
- 25th December - Christmas Day
- 26th December - Boxing Day
Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015
January
- There are no significant festivals and events in the month of January at Quebec City
February
- Winter Carnival (Carnaval de Quebec) - held over the first three weekends in February, this world-famous annual festival is the largest of its kind on the planet and features many exciting and crazy events all over the city, with dances, concerts, boat races and snow slides on the Dufferin Terrace. Numerous night-time events are also held, with the symbol of the carnival being 'Bonhomme', a snowman-type figure
- Mois Multi - mid-February, with modern electronic art displays and exhibitions each year
March
- Festival of Snow (Festival de la Neige) - mid-March, the coming of spring is celebrated, with many outdoor activities, events and a large party held at Stoneham's ski hill
- Cinema Festival - late March / early April, five-day event with many independent films from all over North America
April
- ImagiNation: Writers' Festival - early April, five day event held at Old Quebec's Morrin Centre, celebrating Canadian authors and poets
- Quebec Book Festival (Salon International du Livre de Quebec) - mid-April, featuring a diverse selection of French literature, even including comic books
- Food Festival (Festival de la Gastronomie du Quebec) - mid-April, with many food-related events, demonstrations, competitions and wine tastings
May
- International Theater Event (Carrefour International de Theatre) - late May / early June, biennial event held on even years
June
- Theaters Festival (Theatres d'Ailleurs Festival) - late May / early June, biennial event held on odd years
- Fête Nationale de la St. Jean Baptiste - June 23rd, a major event when all of Quebec City parties, on the Plains of Abraham (known locally as the Plaines d'Abraham)
- Big Laugh Comedy Event (Grand Rire) - mid-June, ten-day comedy event with performances by a number of local comedians
- National Party of the Quebecois and Quebecoises (Fête Nationale des Quebecois et des Quebecoises) - late June, with a number of outdoor activities around the Plains of Abraham
July
- Canada Day - July 1st, various activities throughout Quebec City, including free admission to many historic sites
- Birthday of Quebec City - July 3rd, many informal festivals for all ages, celebrating the founding of the city in the early 1600s
- Suburb Celebrations Fête du Faubourg - early July, weekend street fair in the St. Jean Baptist region of the city
- Summer Festival - first half of July, one of the largest festivals in Quebec City, with around 500 free shows, performances and concerts, with many of Old Town's parks and squares hosting a range of outdoor events
- Les Grands Feux Loto-Quebec - late July, a stunning fireworks display attracting large crowds, at the Montmorency Falls
August
- Medieval Festival - early August, a biennial event held during odd-numbered years, with a range of medieval-themed events and activities over five days
- International Festival of Military Bands - late August, attracting many of the most prominent military bands from all over Canada and the world. Featuring around 40 free concerts, which sometimes even include bagpipes
- Quebec City Provincial Exhibition (Expo Quebec) - late August, with many agricultural displays, local arts and crafts, horse racing and a large carnival. Held at the Exhibition Park (Parc de l'Exposition) each year, attracting around 750,000 people
- Fêtes de la Nouvelle - late August, week-long event celebrating 17th-century life, offering a range of activities, parades and demonstrations, based in Old Quebec and around the Plaza Royale
September
- Quebec City Celtic Festival (Festival Celtique de Québec) - early September, held at the Morrin Centre in Old Quebec, with several days of celebrating the Celtic culture in a whirl of tartan, bagpipe playing and whiskey tasting
- Envol et Macadam - alternative music festival, with both outdoor and indoor concerts around Quebec City, featuring modern music
- Fête du Quartier Saint Sauveur - popular annual celebrations in the city's First District
- African Dance Festival - mid-September, with many performances by both African and Latin American dancers
- Fête Arc-en-ciel - mid-September, major Quebec City gay and lesbian event, with parties, parades, concerts and outdoor activities
- Journées de la Culture - mid-September, offering a number of free cultural events
October
- There are no significant festivals and events in the month of October at Quebec City
November
- Toy Parada (Parade des Jouets) - mid-November, a parade of floats and costumed fire fighters collecting toys for underprivileged children in the area
- Sacred Music Festival - mid-November, with concerts from a variety of groups, celebrating music from around the world
- French Music Festival (Coup de Coeur Francophone) - mid-November, ten-day festival of French Music, held at various venues around Quebec City
December
- Quebec Celebrates Christmas - December to early January, with a range of activities, exhibitions and markets around the city