Festivals in Canada

Discover Canada’s most iconic festivals. Explore detailed insights into each event, including unique experiences and must-see highlights.

Calgary Stampede

📍 Calgary, Alberta

Dates: July 4–13, 2025

The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth features rodeo events, concerts, parades, and midway attractions that take over Calgary every summer.

The Calgary Stampede is a citywide celebration of Western culture and one of Canada’s largest and most visited festivals. The heart of the Stampede is the rodeo, which brings the top competitors in bull riding, barrel racing, steer wrestling, and more. But this massive event is far more than just sport — it’s an entertainment and cultural experience spread across 10 action-packed days. Chuckwagon races thrill nightly crowds, while the Grandstand Show mixes music, acrobatics, and fireworks. Visitors explore agricultural exhibitions, a massive midway, and cultural showcases, including Elbow River Camp, where Indigenous traditions are honoured and shared. Pancake breakfasts pop up across the city, and the energy never really stops until the final firework fades.

  • Rodeo Championships (bull riding, barrel racing, steer wrestling)
  • Evening Chuckwagon Races & Grandstand Show
  • Elbow River Camp (Indigenous culture, crafts, and dance)
  • Stampede Parade through downtown Calgary
  • Agriculture Zone & livestock exhibitions
  • Stampede Midway (rides, food, and games)

Montreal International Jazz Festival

📍 Montreal, Quebec

Dates: June 26 – July 5, 2025

The largest jazz festival in the world, offering hundreds of free and ticketed performances from global music legends across downtown Montreal.

This iconic Montreal event is a musical playground that draws artists and fans from every continent. More than 350 concerts span ten days, with the city’s Quartier des Spectacles turning into a sprawling live music venue. Free outdoor shows fill every block while ticketed performances bring world-class talent to venues like Place des Arts and Club Soda. From traditional jazz to avant-garde, soul, funk, blues, and even pop, the soundscape is broad and endlessly creative. Food stalls, artist markets, and family areas keep things buzzing well beyond the stage. With music from noon until midnight, the Montreal International Jazz Festival blends discovery, world-class sound, and an unbeatable urban vibe.

  • 350+ live performances, many of them free
  • Outdoor stages and street performances
  • Major artists performing at Place des Arts and other theatres
  • Festival marketplace and food vendors
  • Family Zone with daytime concerts and activities
  • Late-night jam sessions and club shows

Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)

📍 Toronto, Ontario

Dates: September 5–15, 2025

One of the most prestigious film festivals globally, TIFF draws celebrities, filmmakers, and film lovers for premieres, screenings, and red-carpet moments.

TIFF is where storytelling takes centre stage. With over 300 films from 80+ countries, it’s an immersive journey into the best of international and Canadian cinema. For movie lovers, it’s a chance to see premieres before general release and interact with the creative minds behind them. For the industry, it’s a deal-making powerhouse. Red carpets dominate King Street, with actors and directors participating in Q&As and photo ops. TIFF’s atmosphere is electric: from packed cinemas to free outdoor screenings and industry panels, the city feels transformed by creativity, energy, and the global film community.

  • 300+ films from around the world
  • World, North American, and Canadian premieres
  • Red carpet screenings and celebrity appearances
  • TIFF Bell Lightbox and Roy Thomson Hall as main venues
  • Industry panels, talks, and workshops
  • Free outdoor screenings on Festival Street

Quebec Winter Carnival

📍 Quebec City, Quebec

Dates: February 6–15, 2026

The largest winter carnival in the world, featuring snow sculptures, ice canoe races, winter parades, and the famous Bonhomme Carnaval.

Quebec Winter Carnival is a festival that celebrates winter rather than escaping it. The city becomes a snow-globe of parades, games, music, and culture. The centrepiece is Bonhomme’s Ice Palace — a towering structure made entirely of ice — and Bonhomme himself leads the charge across events from dance parties to snow baths. Ice canoe races test the bravery of competitors who cross the icy St. Lawrence. Giant illuminated parades move through Old Quebec, while snow sculpture competitions and traditional Quebecois music give the event deep local flavour. It’s cold, yes — but never quiet.

  • Bonhomme’s Ice Palace
  • Ice Canoe Races on the St. Lawrence River
  • Illuminated Night Parades through Old Quebec
  • Snow Sculpture Competition
  • Traditional music, food, and maple taffy stations
  • Bonhomme’s Ball (evening formal event)

Osheaga Music and Arts Festival

📍 Montreal, Quebec

Dates: August 1–3, 2025

A massive outdoor music festival hosting some of the biggest names in indie rock, electronic, pop, and hip-hop on Île Sainte-Hélène.

Osheaga offers an unbeatable mix of big-name performances and local energy. Its location — Parc Jean-Drapeau, on a green island with skyline views — makes for a stunning backdrop. Festival-goers wander between stages catching artists from across the globe, with past lineups including Billie Eilish, The National, Dua Lipa, and Kendrick Lamar. Art installations dot the grounds, gourmet food trucks feed the crowds, and sustainable practices shape the event’s footprint. Whether you camp out at the main stage or explore indie corners, Osheaga is as much about vibe as it is sound.

  • Performances from international headliners across genres
  • Multiple themed stages (River, Mountain, Green, Valley)
  • Art installations and creative visual spaces
  • Craft beer, wine, and gourmet food options
  • Late afternoon to evening festival hours
  • Eco-conscious festival operations

Pride Toronto

📍 Toronto, Ontario

Dates: June 2025

One of the world’s largest Pride celebrations, featuring a month of parades, parties, concerts, and community events throughout downtown Toronto.

Pride Toronto turns the city into a celebration of love, identity, and community. What begins as a few events early in the month grows into a full-scale cultural takeover by the final weekend. From the Trans March and Dyke March to the massive Pride Parade, the energy is electric. Stages across the city feature local and international talent, from DJs and drag royalty to live bands and spoken word. Church Street pulses with activity — from street fairs to late-night block parties — while community events bring visibility to important causes.

  • Pride Parade, Trans March, and Dyke March
  • Weekend-long Church Street Festival
  • Performances on the Main, South, and Family stages
  • Community StreetFair with local vendors
  • Queer-focused film, art, and performance events
  • Family Pride Zone and youth programming

Celebration of Light

📍 Vancouver, British Columbia

Dates:July 26 – August 2, 2025

An international fireworks competition lighting up English Bay, attracting over a million spectators to Vancouver's waterfront.

This stunning event is more than fireworks — it's a summer festival that brings the city together. Over three nights, teams from around the world compete with massive pyrotechnic displays timed perfectly to music. Crowds gather along the beaches from Stanley Park to Kitsilano, and Sunset Beach hosts a music festival, cultural pavilions, and food trucks. The atmosphere is festive, communal, and totally free.

  • Fireworks shows from three competing countries
  • Sunset Beach live music stage
  • Cultural exhibitions and food trucks
  • Nightly drone shows and beach lighting displays
  • Free to attend — no ticket needed
  • Family-friendly with viewing zones across the bay

PEI Shellfish Festival

📍 Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

Dates: September 2025

Canada’s largest culinary event celebrating oysters, mussels, and local seafood with chef demos, competitions, and tasting events.

Set along Charlottetown’s historic waterfront, this seafood festival offers everything from shucking contests and cook-offs to kitchen parties and oyster tastings. Culinary stars compete and perform live demonstrations, while festival-goers enjoy fresh catches, live music, and ocean views. Local brewers and winemakers are featured, and there’s no shortage of energy thanks to the East Coast’s friendly hospitality

  • Oyster Shucking Championships
  • Culinary demos from top Canadian chefs
  • PEI mussel tastings and seafood pairings
  • Local beverage tents (wine, beer, cider)
  • East Coast live music and dancing
  • Chef vs. Chef cook-off events

Ottawa Bluesfest

📍 Ottawa, Ontario

Dates: July 2025

One of the largest outdoor music festivals in North America, featuring artists from rock, blues, hip hop, country, and electronic genres.

Bluesfest is Ottawa’s biggest summer event and it goes far beyond blues. Held at LeBreton Flats near the Parliament buildings, the festival spans multiple stages and over a dozen days. Past headliners have included Foo Fighters, Billy Talent, Post Malone, and Alanis Morissette. There’s food, art, family zones, and a huge lawn that invites festival-goers to spread out or dance in front of the stage. It’s relaxed, diverse, and deeply local — while still drawing international attention.

  • Headliners from major genres across multiple stages
  • Local artist showcases and emerging talent
  • Giant open-air venue at LeBreton Flats
  • Craft food vendors and artisan markets
  • Blues in the Schools and youth music programming
  • Bike valet and eco-friendly festival services

Shambhala Music Festival

📍 Salmo River Ranch, British Columbia

Dates: August 2025

An internationally renowned electronic music festival set on a private farm, offering a unique, off-grid multi-day experience deep in British Columbia's mountains.

Shambhala is a world apart — no sponsors, no ads, just sound and light in the forest. Six themed stages bring global DJs, visual artists, and dancers into a natural amphitheatre framed by riverbanks and open sky. Guests camp onsite and participate in community-driven wellness programs, art creation, and sustainability workshops. The vibe is immersive, non-commercial, and deeply creative — an experience unlike any other in Canada.

  • Themed stages: Fractal Forest, Living Room, Pagoda, Village, AMPhitheatre, and Grove
  • Full onsite camping and artisan food vendors
  • Visual mapping, LED displays, and live art installations
  • Wellness Village (yoga, massage, spiritual sessions)
  • Clothing optional zones, sober camp areas, and harm reduction resources
  • 100% independently owned and operated

Plan Your Festival Adventure

Ready to start your journey? Explore festivals by season, province, or event type, and find the perfect hotel for your next trip across Canada.