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Formula One Racing is the largest event of the year for Montréal, held at Ile Notre-Dame’s Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, named after the French Canadian racing driver. However the event’s future is now uncertain due to a dispute about cigarette advertising.

The world’s largest jazz festival takes over the concourse at Place des Arts in downtown Montréal, as well as neighborhood clubs, restaurants and parks. Each year several million visitors party for 11 days of free outdoor concerts and a wide variety of musical events involving inter-nationally renowned musicians.

From the third week of June to the end of July the skies over Old Montréal light up twice a week with these explosive theatrics. Held at La Ronde amusement park (see La Ronde Six Flags Amusement Park, Montréal), countries from around the world display their pyrotechnic talents.

Over 1.5 million jolly patrons attend a banquet of mirth each year in July at Montréal’s comedy festival. From quirky free shows in Quartier Latin streets to the constantly sold-out Club Series and Loto-Québec Galas, humor in all its forms is on offer from more than 600 international performers.

A wildly eclectic music festival celebrating all French music. Over 500,000 people attend concerts by groups far from the mainstream of North American culture, with styles ranging from hip-hop to creole, rap, swing and, of course, traditional French songs.

The spirits of Montrealers are given a boost during the cold winter months in this celebration of life through light. Each night over the festival’s two-week run in February, organizers host a wild combination of attractions, from outdoor light and music (son et lumière ) productions, to indoor concerts, illuminated buildings, theatre and dance performances, culinary soirées of traditional foods, and nightly fireworks. This is a spectacular time in the city.

For 10 explosive days each July, Québec City becomes one mammoth outdoor music stage as performers flock from all over the world to perform countless styles of music for the enthusiastic crowds. This enormous spectacle is the most spirited activity of the summer with 500 shows and some 1,000 artists blasting out their sounds at over 15 different performance venues.

A large-scale voyage back in time transforms Place Royale and the Basse-Ville section of Québec City into a magical mélange of period costumes, traditional music and dance, and authentic foods, all to celebrate the settling of the city by the French in the 1600s (see Moments in History). Early August crowds are invited to attend over 600 performances by local actors, musicians, dancers and artists. It’s not all about history – there is also a generous element of fun, including games, competitions and concerts.

A superb multicultural festival each fall at Chapelle du Musée de l’Amérique française in VieuxQuébec (see Musée de l’Amérique Française) offers a sensuous feast of traditional music, dance, crafts, foods and laughter. Share homespun hilarity while watching teams joust during Joute chantée (an improvised singing tournament), or during the culinary fun of Souper chanté (singing supper). Singers come from as far afield as Guatemala, Japan, Greece, Martinique and Senegal.

Each February, the largest youth hockey tournament in the world brings over 100 teams from more than a dozen countries to face off against each other in Québec’s Colisée arena. More than 644 players have had professional hockey careers after playing in this tournament, including Wayne Gretzky. The building itself is called “the house Jean Béliveau built” by locals, referring to the ice hockey legend who once played junior hockey here.