Home Quebec City’s Calendar of Events

Quebec City’s Calendar of Events

by Jake McGrail
Quebec City Calendar of Events

There are plenty of events and festivals worth checking out in Quebec City. From winter to summer and everything in between, here’s a list of the best around!

 

To jump to a specific month, click on any of the following:

January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December

 

Festivals and Events in Quebec City

The best and most important festivals and events in Quebec and the surrounding area are listed below.

 

January Festivals & Events

 

  • New Year’s Day (Stat Holiday) – January 1, 2025.
  • The Grand Christmas Market – Le Grand Marché de Quebec market is open year-round, and in the month of December it turns into a special Christmas celebration. There’s plenty of shopping and other activities to check out. (November 25 to January 5, 2025.)
  • Festilumières – a special event at the Quebec Aquarium, the area around the building is lit up with hundreds of thousands of LED lights that are synced up with music as well. A great place to explore, especially for families. (TBD)
  • The Ice Hotel – a fairly unique experience, this seasonal hotel is made entirely out of ice and snow. The only one of its kind on the continent, you can spend the night in this beautiful (if a little chilly) building and enjoy its amenities that include a 100 metre tall outdoor slide. (January to March.)

 

February Festivals & Events

 

  • Quebec Winter Carnival – one of the biggest winter festivals in the entire world, the Carnaval has fun for all. With food and drinks, fireworks, parades, snow sculpting contests and an ice palace, it’s a Quebec tradition. (February 7 to 16, 2025.)
  • Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament – over 100 teams (both boys and girls) take part in this annual tournament. The best 11 and 12 year old hockey players take to the ice in this event and have the chance to explore Quebec in the meantime. (February 12 to 23, 2025.)
  • Pentathlon des Neiges – this unique winter event combines five activities (running, cycling, skiiing, skating and snowshoeing) into one race. You can participate as part of a team or as an individual, either way there are many races to be had over the course of the event. (February 14 to 23 in 2025.)
  • Mois Multi – produced by Recto-Verso, this festival showcases different forms of digital art. (TBD)
  • The Ice Hotel – a fairly unique experience, this seasonal hotel is made entirely out of ice and snow. The only one of its kind on the continent, you can spend the night in this beautiful (if a little chilly) building and enjoy its amenities that include a 100 metre tall outdoor slide. (January to March)

 

March Festivals & Events

 

  • Quebec City Auto Show – a fun event for all those interested in cars, there is a wide range of displays with some of the newest models on the market. There’s also a family fun zone and the chance to drive a car or two yourself. (March 4 to 9, 2025.)
  • Quebec City St-Patrick’s Day Parade – a fun parade that tours around Old Quebec each March. There are bagpipes, Celtic dancers, Irish hounds and other kinds of performers. (March 22 in 2025.)
  • The Ice Hotel – a fairly unique experience, this seasonal hotel is made entirely out of ice and snow. The only one of its kind on the continent, you can spend the night in this beautiful (if a little chilly) building and enjoy its amenities that include a 100 metre tall outdoor slide. (January to March)

 

April Festivals & Events

 

  • ImagiNation Writers’ Festival – an English-language literature festival that brings in both local and international authors. There is a book sale attached to the main event that is quite popular. (TBD)
  • Good Friday (Stat Holiday) – April 18, 2025.
  • Easter Monday (Stat Holiday) – April 21, 2025.
  • Quebec Open International Karate – open to those of all ages and skill levels, this international karate competition attracts over a thousand participants each year and gives them the chance to face off against some top-quality opponents. (TBD)

 

May Festivals & Events

 

  • National Patriots’ Day (Stat Holiday) – May 19, 2025.
  • Carrefour International de Théâtre – one of the biggest performing arts festivals in the city, there are a huge variety of shows on offer over the nearly two-month run of this event. (TBD)

 

June Festivals & Events

 

  • Défi Escaliers Quebec – this running race sees participants run up and down all the available staircases in Old Quebec. There are different lengths you can choose from: the full 19 km, 14 km, 9 km, 4 km or (for children) the 2 km mini-race. (June 21, 2025.)
  • Fête de la Musique de Quebec – a free outdoor music concert that is open to both professional and amateur performers. It takes place at a couple different venues in the city. (TBD)
  • Saint-Jean Baptiste Day (Stat Holiday) – June 24, 2025.
  • La Fête Nationale du Quebec – the biggest of Quebec City’s Saint-Jean Baptiste Day celebrations. Each year has a different theme. (TBD)
  • Rodéo Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier – a fun event with all kinds of equestrian entertainment. Geared towards those of all ages, there’s rodeo, horse races, dancing and more. (TBD)
  • Carrefour International de Théâtre – one of the biggest performing arts festivals in the city, there are a huge variety of shows on offer over the nearly two-month run of this event. (TBD)
  • BBQ Fest – one of the biggest celebrations of amateur grilling in the province, if you like BBQ then this is a great place to try a lot of it! There’s also cooking demonstrations, live music and more. (TBD)

 

July Festivals & Events

 

  • Canada Day (Stat Holiday) – July 1, 2025.
  • Festival d’été de Quebec – one of the biggest outdoor music festivals in the country, there are usually over 200 artists that perform over the course of the event. The main stage is in the Plains of Abraham but there are plenty of stages set up around downtown. (July 4 to 14 in 2024.)
  • Plein Arts Quebec – a large outdoor display of works from dozens of Quebec artists. All sorts of material are on display from wood to textiles to ceramics and more. (July 30 to August 11 in 2024)
  • Nautical Fest – this event is completely free and a great way to explore water sports. You can try your hand at wakeboarding, canoeing, paddleboarding and sailing at multiple locations along the St. Lawrence River. (July 6 to 7 in 2024.)
  • Quebec Singletrack Experience – a multi-stage bike race that goes through some of the most beautiful areas in the city. If you enjoy cycling and also want to explore some of what makes this city great, then this is a good event for you. (TBD)

 

August Festivals & Events

 

  • Festival d’Opera de Quebec – this multi-week event brings in artists from all around to perform at a series of concerts and operatic performances. There are a large number of different languages included, with translations available. (July 24 to August 4 in 2024.)
  • Festival de Films Pour l’Environnement – a free-to-attend film festival with screenings of short films that usually share a common theme. (August 7 to 11 in 2024.)
  • Le Festibière de Quebec – the best place to find some new high-quality beers, this festival has a high number of drinks available on tap. Enjoy some live music while exploring some of the best beer the province has to offer. (August 15 to 28 in 2024.)
  • Les Grands Feux Loto-Quebec – the cousin of the Montreal fireworks festival, the Quebec version might be a bit smaller but still has several spectacular nights of fireworks displays each year. Each night has its own theme as well. (Runs of select days between August 1 and 24 in 2024.)
  • ComédiHa! Fest-Québec – a 12-day comedy festival with hundreds of performers. There are over a dozen venues both indoors and outdoors that host shows, giving you a massive array of options to choose from. (August 1 to 24 in  2024.)
  • Plein Arts Quebec – a large outdoor display of works from dozens of Quebec artists. All sorts of material are on display from wood to textiles to ceramics and more. (July 30 to August 11 in 2024.)
  • TD New France Festival – this festival celebrates the history of New France. There are re-enactments and other characters roaming the area, live music, plenty of food and a fun atmosphere for all comers. (August 1 to 4 in 2024.)

 

September Festivals & Events

 

  • Labour Day (Stat Holiday) – September 2, 2024.
  • Festival Celtique de Quebec – the biggest francophone Celtic festival on the continent, this event includes both the classic Highland Games as well as a bountiful feast held outdoors. (September 6 to 8 in 2024.)
  • Quebec City Magic Festival – if you love magic then this is the event for you. There are all sorts of shows, workshops and displays in multiple venues. On top of the general shows there are also sometimes big magic competitions. (September 19 to 22 in 2024.)
  • Quebec City Pride Festival – Beginning on the Labour Day weekend, Quebec’s Pride Festival usually takes place over around two to three weeks in September. Everyone is welcome to join in on the festivities as it’s all free.
  • MondoKarnaval – a cultural festival that brings in hundreds of artists, performers and other types of creatives from around the world. There’s art, music, dance, fine dining and much more. (Cancelled in 2024.)
  • Envol et Macadam – a smaller music festival with both indoor and outdoor shows. There is usually a focus on rock and punk music with a mixture of both local and more broadly known bands. (September 12 to 14 in 2024.)
  • Quebec City Film Festival – hundreds of films are screened annually in multiple venues at this festival. There are both local and international entries, and tens of thousands of people attend the event each year. (September 11 to 15 in 2024.)
  • Quebec City Magic Festival – if you love magic then this is the event for you. There are all sorts of shows, workshops and displays in multiple venues. On top of the general shows there are also sometimes big magic competitions. (September 19 to 22 in 2024.)
  • National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Stat Holiday) – September 30, 2024.

 

October Festivals & Events

 

  • Halloween on the Plains of Abraham – there are activities for all ages available in the Plains of Abraham the entire Halloween season. (September 28 to November 17 in 2024.)
  • Quebec City Marathon – the biggest marathon event in Quebec, there are numerous race options available. There’s the youth race, the 5 km, 10 km, 21.1 km and the full 42.2 km. (October 4 to 6 in 2024.)
  • UCI Mountain Bike World Championships – a premier mountain biking event, Mont Sainte-Anne is the site of a series of races in different categories. (October 3 to 6 in 2024.)
  • Thanksgiving Day (Stat Holiday) – October 14, 2024.
  • Défi des Couleurs Simard – a running event that takes over the trails on Mont Sainte-Anne each fall. Choose from a variety of race lengths including 1 km, 10 km, 26 km, 42 km and others. (October 11 to 13 in 2024.)

 

November Festivals & Events

 

  • Halloween on the Plains of Abraham – there are activities for all ages available in the Plains of Abraham the entire Halloween season. (September 28 to November 17 in 2024.)
  • Remembrance Day (not a Stat Holiday) – November 11, 2024.
  • The Toy Parade – one of the events that helps kick off the Christmas season. There are normally hundreds of floats participating in this big downtown parade and there are also games, miniature train rides and chances to meet Santa. (TBD)
  • The German Christmas Market – the biggest Christmas market in the city, there is so much to explore for a full month leading up to the big day. There’s activities for the young ones, choirs singing, and of course shopping. (November 21 to December 23 in 2024.)
  • The Grand Christmas Market – Le Grand Marché de Quebec market is open year-round, and in the month of December it turns into a special Christmas celebration. There’s plenty of shopping and other activities to check out. (November 25 to January 5, 2025.)
  • Salons des Artisans de Quebec – a great place to both shop and explore, over 200 artists converge on this event to showcase their works. (November 29 to December 8 in 2024.)

 

December Festivals & Events

 

  • Salons des Artisans de Quebec – a great place to both shop and explore, over 200 artists converge on this event to showcase their works. (November 29 to December 8 in 2024.)
  • The German Christmas Market – the biggest Christmas market in the city, there is so much to explore for a full month leading up to the big day. There’s activities for the young ones, choirs singing, and of course shopping. (November 21 to December 23 in 2024.)
  • The Grand Christmas Market – Le Grand Marché de Quebec market is open year-round, and in the month of December it turns into a special Christmas celebration. There’s plenty of shopping and other activities to check out. (November 25 to January 5, 2025.)
  • Christmas Day (Stat Holiday) – December 25, 2024.
  • Boxing Day (Stat Holiday) – December 26, 2024.
  • The Toboggan Festival – ring in the new year with this fun outdoor festival. There’s concerts, amusement rides, fireworks displays and more on hand, just make sure to bundle up. (TBD)

 

Other Information

Other articles that may be of interest include:

To learn about festivals and events in a number of other cities in Canada, visit the following websites: