Hit summer's highest notes at Montréal Jazz Fest!
At 45 years and going strong, the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal is an indisputable peak of Montréal’s summer festival season. And the proof is in the numbers—with over 350 shows, 3,000 performers and more than 2-million guests, there’s few other music events quite so epic as Jazz Fest. Running June 26 to July 5, the 2025 edition guarantees another thrill-packed 10 days of must-see concerts—many free of charge—setting the streets and stages of the Quartier des Spectacles, the Place des Festivals and nearby indoor venues buzzing.
A storied history of the world’s biggest jazz festival
Jazz Fest makes up a primary piece of any Montréal summer, and the past luminaries who’ve presided from its stages make up a distinct piece of musical history that reaches far beyond the boundaries of jazz. With past performers (all linked here to live clips of their historic performances) including Ray Charles, Wynton Marsalis, The Roots, Norah Jones, Ben Harper, The War on Drugs, Herbie Hancock & Thundercat, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Kamasi Washington, Ôlafur Arnalds, Jean-Michel Blais, Anderson.Paak and the Free Nationals, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Brian Wilson, Ms. Lauren Hill, Rufus Wainwright, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Lou Reed with Laurie Anderson & John Zorn, Gilberto Gil, Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Bob Dylan, Andre 3000, Diana Ross, Keith Jarrett, Pat Metheny Group, Don Cherry with Charlie Haden & Ed Blackwell, Tanya Tagaq, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Orville Peck, Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennett, Burning Spear with Sly & Robbie, Diana Krall, Angélique Kidjo, Beck, Oscar Peterson, Ornette Coleman, Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, The B-52s, Youssou N’Dour, Funk Brothers, Bobby McFerrin, Césaria Évora, and so many more—some of whom have also officially released their performances as live albums—the Jazz Fest has steadily grown into the biggest of its kind on the globe. And not only do Montrealers come out in force for the festivities, thousands of international music lovers also regularly make the pilgrimage every year.
Expanding horizons every year
Always one to leap over boarders both geographic and genre-based, the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal’s 2025 line-up once again offers a wealth of crowd-pleasing classics and brand-new discoveries. With eye-popping line-up—including Nas (performing his album Illmatic live with a symphony orchestra), Jeff Goldblum & the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, Ayra Starr, Thundercat, Men I Trust, Wynton Marsalis, Elisapie, Esperanza Spalding, Lara Somogyi + Jean-Michel Blais, Kes, Bill Frisell Trio, Holly Cole, The Violent Femmes, Los Bitchos, Madeline Peyroux, RJD2, Jay-Jay Johanson, Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp, Sun Ra Arkestra, Chris Botti, Samara Joy, Branford Marsalis, Madeleine Peyroux, Arooj Aftab, The Brooks, Madlib, The Cat Empire, George Thorogood & The Destroyers, Gary Bartz, Mike Stern, Holly Cole, Julius Rodriguez and Kid Koala—this year’s program is guaranteed to be another trend-setting stunner. Keep tabs on precise scheduling and performer bios (not to mention all of Jazz Fest’s off-festival year-round programming) at the festival’s website. But just a tip—given Jazz Fest’s global reputation, if a ticketed show catches your eye you’d best grab tickets ASAP as most sell out quickly. But should you miss them, worry not! There’s always space for all comers at the free epic outdoor shows in and around the Place des Festivals.
The festival’s Maison du Festival also hosts music-themed exhibitions and many performances in its Le Studio TD venue, designed with optimal acoustics and sightlines throughout. Be sure to experience this perfect atmosphere filled with new musical discoveries and more intimate festival memories. And speaking of memories, the festival’s merch boutique is packed with commemorative knick-knacks, apparel and prints of the fest’s annual iconic poster.
The Jazz Fest’s augmented reality project Wall of Legends: Jazz is Everywhere also offers an extra level of enjoyment requiring nothing more than a mobile device and headphones. Linked to the Jazz is Everywhere portal, users can experience eight tableaus on the facade of the Maison du Festival’s storied Wall of Legends, including a tribute to local great Oscar Petersen and his connections to the Saint-Henri neighbourhood (created in direct collaboration with the Petersen family), an exploration of Montréal’s long jazz history, a look at the role of improvisation and a deep dive into the ever-growing links between jazz and hip-hop.
Plotting a sustainable festival future
Since 1989, the Jazz Fest has developed and implemented sustainable initiatives to minimize their impact on the local and global environment, simultaneously promoting a positive societal influence. Indeed, these efforts have placed the Jazz Fest’s operations at the forefront of environmental responsibility.
These actions include:
- the use of hydroelectric and solar power whenever possible
- the installation of self-service water fountains and the banning of all single-use plastics (including backstage)
- the use of 100% recyclable dishes and cutlery for all on-site restaurants
- the use of waste sorting stops for proper and efficient waste disposal (along with the Green Brigade on-hand to help out)
- an on-site Eco-Centre focused on sorting reusable items including construction and hazardous materials
- replacing printed programs and other materials with screens and mobile apps
- setting aside hundreds of free bike parking
- partnering with public transport
- ensuring the site remains accessible for all audience members
- donating directly back to the local community in collaboration with Renaissance and La rue des Femmes.
Explore these efforts further here, and see you at Jazz Fest!
Mark Hamilton
Mark Hamilton is the community director for QueerMTL, an internationally-touring musician with his projects Woodpigeon and Frontperson and a graduate studies student of history researching LGBTQ+ activism in the city. He’s lived in Montréal since 2015, during which time he’s most often spotted atop a BIXI bike usally running a few minutes late.