Escape at the Montreal Jazz Festival

You must have heard about some of the most lavish and outstanding musical festivals around the world. However, what all these festivals can’t match is the poise and sheer glamor of the Montreal Jazz Festival. It is the largest Jazz Festival in the world and is held every year in Montreal, Canada and it even holds a world record for being the biggest Jazz event on the planet. It holds roughly 650 concerts which include 450+ outdoor concerts as well. More than 2.5 million music lovers attend this festival who come to see more than 3,000 artists perform in this beautiful venue. It is one time of the year when the huge population of jazz enthusiasts collects at 10 concert halls and 10 outdoor concert stages to witness the best in this musical genre.

Outdoor stage at jazz festival in Montreal

This amazing jazz festival is celebrated for 10 days and the city comes to a halt during this time. It remains jam packed with tourists. If you are also planning to attend this event, then you must ensure that you book your flight tickets and hotel rooms in advance. This would help in avoiding last minute problems. Remember, 40% of the audience attending the festival are tourists. So get ready for hotel rooms that are already occupied with likeminded jazz loving folks. A last minute trip to Montreal would not be a very bad idea, given the fact that you are coming there to stay only for a performance and leave as soon as it is done.

Detail of Montreal, Canada in a summer day

Whether you are a jazz newbie or a seasoned enthusiast, you will find something for yourself in this festival. You can listen to up and coming artists in jazz bars and also listen to the some of the most celebrated artists in large concert venues. The festival itself was the brainchild of Alain Simard- the man who brought many artists like Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Dave Brubeck, John Lee Hooker and even Chick Corea to come to Montreal and perform. He worked with Productions Kosmos in the 1970’s. He conceived the idea of this festival in 1977 when he formed the Spectra Scene agency to create summer music festival in the city. Their efforts led to a small event in the city in 1979. A year later, they officially started the Montreal Jazz Festival.

If you love jazz music, then there should be nothing that stops you from attending this festival. Make your presence count!