Montreal International Jazz Festival

Montreal, Canada · July

jazzactive

About

The Montreal International Jazz Festival holds the Guinness World Record as the world's largest jazz festival. Held annually over 10 days in the Quartier des Spectacles in downtown Montreal, Canada, it draws over 2 million visitors with a mix of ticketed concerts and hundreds of free outdoor performances. Founded in 1980, the festival showcases jazz in all its forms — from traditional and bebop to fusion, blues, world music, and experimental — alongside pop, R&B, and electronic acts. Past performers include Miles Davis, Ray Charles, B.B. King, Diana Krall, Herbie Hancock, and Aretha Franklin. Around 650 concerts take place across 10 stages, with roughly two-thirds of them free.

Highlights

  • Guinness World Record: world's largest jazz festival
  • 2 million+ visitors over 10 days in downtown Montreal
  • 650+ concerts, two-thirds of them free
  • Jazz, blues, world music, R&B, and experimental
  • Running since 1980

Details

Location
Montreal, Canada
Venue
Quartier des Spectacles
Founded
1980
Typical month
July
Status
active

Location

Montreal, Canada

Montreal International Jazz Festival — festivism