Every July, circus lovers get to enjoy the astonishing aerials and mind-blowing performances by the most talented performers from here and around the globe during the international MONTRÉAL CiRQUE Festival.
With family-friendly shows, edgy new creations and circus-related activities for spectators of all ages, the festival’s appeal lies not only in its accessibility but its generation-spanning entertainment.
Watch agog as the city comes alive with acrobatics, aerials and full-out fun in venues, streets, parks and sidewalks across the city. You’ll tap into all of your emotions as performers reveal colourful worlds ranging from exuberant and off-the-wall to tender and poetic. Inspiration, imagination and curiosity are the heartbeat of all these creations.
The first North American festival dedicated to the circus arts, the MCC was founded in 2010 by a collective team on Montréal’s fabulous circus arts scene that includes the TOHU—which spearheaded the project—as well as the Cirque Éloize, Les 7 doigts de la main, Cirque du Soleil, the National Circus School and En Piste. All of the circus fun unfurls in two hubs, one at the TOHU and the other in downtown’s Quartier des spectacles.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2019, the MCC promises to its free outdoor program and indoor shows that include Bosch Dreams, a tribute to the great Dutch painter, by Les 7 Doigts (Canada); FINALE, a supercharged romp that blends circus, cabaret and rock, by Analog (Germany); and Spring, a performance that elevates and combines the arts of juggling and contemporary dance, by Gandini Juggling (England).