© Canadian Tourism Commission
Ranked as the world’s largest jazz festival by Guinness World Records, the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (Montréal Jazz Fest) becomes the official rendezvous point for fans of all genres of jazz-related music, on a unique site, open from noon to midnight for 10 days from June 29 – July 9. This summer, Montréal is North America’s hot spot for all the right reasons, and the Montréal Jazz Fest is just one of many activities worth checking out.
The Montréal Jazz Fest holds the Guinness World Record as the world’s largest jazz festival, averaging roughly 2.5 million visitors, 3,000 artists from 30 different countries, and over 800 concert performances and activities. The Montréal Jazz Fest is so large that part of downtown Montréal is closed to traffic during the event so that festivalgoers can easily hop from one stage to another.
Montréal Jazz Fest – which began back in 1980 – has seen a number of Jazz legends perform throughout the storied 37 editions since the festival first began, including the likes of Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, Aretha Franklin, Leonard Cohen, and B. B. King. But this year, Jazz mainstays of recent years such as Marcus Miller, Gregory Porter, and Chick Corea will join up and comers like Son Little, Nir Felder, and Moon Hooch to form the foundation for a new set of musicians we’ll be calling legends after another 37 years of historic festival performances.
© Victor Diaz-Lamich_FIJM
If you’re looking for a carefree escape this summer, Montréal might be just the ticket. The city is booming. Like Paris in the 30s, New York in the 80s, Seattle in the 90s, Montréal is happening now. What’s more, with an advantageous exchange rate, this summer is the perfect time to visit. Just a short flight or drive away from many major US cities, getting to Montréal couldn’t be easier. Check out Air Canada, for great deals as they offer the most non-stop service from NYC to Montréal.
