6 music festivals to add to your summer calendar

All across the province, passionate and dedicated teams work tirelessly to bring festival-goers diverse programs featuring emerging and established artists that appeal to a range of audiences. Discover some must-know information and well-kept secrets about 6 of the most popular music festivals in Quebec. These festivals just might be the perfect starting points for an amazing summer trip!

Fête du Lac des Nations, Eastern Townships

Next edition: July 15 to 20 2025

Founded in 1981, Fête du Lac des Nations in Sherbrooke offers a diverse program of musical events, a series of fireworks displays and, most recently, a drone show. Every year, over 160,000 spectators enjoy the festivities on three different stages.

In the family zone, kids can enjoy bouncy games and the largest pop-up amusement park in the Eastern Townships. This is a real family weekend, thanks to the kids’ show and many interactive activities. The event is actually free for children aged 11 and under!

Food and drink: There are about 20 food concessions on site offering different options.

Accessibility: Zones for people with reduced mobility are set up in front of every stage (and companions can get in free).

Eco-responsibility: The festival has set up a green squad to sort waste and raise awareness among festival-goers. Reusable glasses are used in all bars, and the team ensures that the adjacent lake is cleaned up after the event.

Getting there: A shuttle service is offered free for ticketholders.  

Tickets: Six-day passports and some daily tickets are already on sale. Visit the ticket office for more details.

Festival en chanson de Petite-Vallée, Gaspésie

Next edition: June 25 to July 5, 2025

The 2025 edition of the Festival en chanson de Petite-Vallée will be a special one. This 42nd edition will be marked by the inauguration of the festival's new headquarters, the Théâtre de la Vieille Forge, after it burned down in 2017.

The full program will be released on March 26 and will feature a lineup of mostly French-language music, with a few Indigenous, English-language (Québécois), European and U.S artists also taking part.

A series of free outdoor shows will be presented at lunchtime: Les Haltes du Littoral. These will be held in various locations in the surrounding villages: on a quay, in a covered bridge, at the foot of a lighthouse, in local backyards, etc.

Food and drink: A restaurant at the main location, the Théâtre de la Vieille Forge, is open all day.

Accessibility: All venues are accessible to people with reduced mobility. Dogs are accepted at outdoor sites.

Eco-responsibility: This festival adopts eco-responsible measures to promote the development of its community and the protection of its environment, such as encouraging carpooling and carbon offsetting, redistributing leftover food and showcasing local artisans.

Getting there: Paid local shuttles are available (via the TACIM public transport network), and parking is free at all sites.

Tickets: Festival-goers are able to create their own package deal if they plan to attend five or more shows. Presales and access to a series of exclusive shows are also available to members. Member presales usually take place 24 to 48 hours before general public sales.

Festival Country Lotbinière, Chaudière-Appalaches

Next edition: August 21 to 23, 2025

Launched in 2015, the Festival Country Lotbinière was the first festival in Quebec to devote itself exclusively to new country music, a little-known genre at the time in the province. Since 2023, this festival has welcomed a dozen international artists, placing it among the top 5 independent country music festivals in Canada. U.S. artists Chase Rice, Jon Pardi and Cole Swindell will headline the 10th anniversary edition.

But this festival is also about more than just music: it also has two campgrounds on site (for tents, trailers and RVs), a free Saloon with a dance floor and a Gourmet Space! The Saloon also hosts a number of activities for kids. 

Food and drink: There are 10 food trucks in the free-to-access Gourmet Space.

Accessibility: The brand new Mezzanine has a section reserved for people with reduced mobility. 

Eco-responsibility: The Gourmet Space includes a sorting area (trash, recycling and compost).

Tickets: Passes for the full three days as well as one-day tickets are available. The full lineup is announced in February. Packages that include camping can also be purchased.

Getting there: This festival offers a shuttle service with routes running through Québec City, Lévis and the Lotbinière county. A map with alternative directions is also available.

Festival de la chanson de Tadoussac, Côte-Nord

Next edition: June 12 to 15, 2025

Fun fact : the Festival de la chanson de Tadoussac is an event that was launched in 1984 following an all-night jam at Café du fjord, a nearby local café? 

Celebrating 41 years of French-language, Québécois music, this festival will feature about 15 free concerts held in local shops and on more than 10 stages around the village. Many of these venues are also known for their beautiful natural surroundings.

If you’re planning to attend this festival with your family, you’ll be happy to know the program will include a concert aimed at young audiences. Stay tuned for details!

Food and drink: The village of Tadoussac is full of restaurants and snack bars that promise something for all tastes.

Accessibility: Most of the festival’s sites are accessible to people with reduced mobility as well as strollers, but only the stage by the beach welcomes pets. 

Eco-responsibility: The festival puts forward numerous eco-responsible initiatives, such as recuperating and reusing materials after the festival, eliminating single-use plastic bottles and tableware, and providing reusable glasses (Ecocups).

Getting there: Carpooling is encouraged: the Tadoulift Facebook group and platforms like Amigo Express are convenient options. Several paid parking lots are available in the village.

Festival d’été de Québec

Next edition: July 3 to 13, 2025

The Festival d'été de Québec (FEQ) is one of the biggest music festivals in North America and one of the longest-running non-stop festivals in the world. It’s even older than the famous Glastonbury festival! It features 150 shows of all kinds, for music lovers and families alike, with international stars, rising stars and emerging artists.  

For its 57th edition, artists will be performing on six stages and at five sites! Two of the stages will be accessible free of charge. Shows for children and families will be presented on Saturdays and Sundays.

Food and drink: Whether you like local or international flavours, the on-site dining options are sure to appeal to your tastes. There are foodtrucks, bars and a new Biergarten on site, as well as plenty of good restaurant near the festival grounds.

Accessibility: Reserved areas for festival-goers with reduced mobility are available at each stage. Space is limited, so reservations are required. There are also adapted toilets, chairs, ramps and a hard-surfaced path. 

Eco-responsibility: The FEQ is taking concrete initiatives to offset and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. The festival was also Biosphere certified for 2024.

Getting there: The frequency of buses on the RTC network and of the Québec-Lévis ferry is increased during the festival. Festival-goers can also get the FestiBUS, a ticket specially designed to get to the FEQ. A shuttle service with exclusive routes is also available from the suburbs. And for bike riders, two free self-service bike parking facilities are located close to all stages.

Tickets: A transferable pass is available for the festival’s 11 days, and Desjardins bank members can access the exclusive presale. Keep an eye out for the program announcement!

Festival international Nuits d’Afrique, Montreal

Next edition: July 8 to 20, 2025 

For its 39th edition, the Festival international Nuits d'Afrique, a celebration of world music, offers 13 days of indoor programming and six days of free outdoor programming in the heart of Montreal's Quartier des spectacles. Each year, the event attracts over 200,000 visitors to three stages. Look forward to concerts, workshops, a craft market, a flavour market and a children's village!

Food and drink: African, West Indian and Mexican cuisine will be in the spotlight.

Eco-responsibility: The festival offers zero-waste catering, optimizes travel for international artists and applies eco-design principles to its installations.

Getting there: The various sites of the festival are accessible by foot, bike, Bixi and public transport.