Quebec
5 reasons to visit...
There are several parts of Canada that are French-speaking, thanks to its colonisation
from 1534 to 1760, but the heartland of French Canada is the province of Quebec.
Here are five events worth travelling there for.
1 Fetes de la Nouvelle-France
Quebec City, August 3 to7
Translated as the New France Festival, this annual event celebrates Quebec's 400-plus years of European settlement with parades, dancing, music, storytelling and re-enactments. More than 700 artists and performers bring a dozen sites to life in the historic walled city of Old Quebec, with each year focusing on a different theme. This year's is "Imagine America", which will highlight the cultural diversity of the New France era.
nouvellefrance.qc.ca
2 Saint-Honore dans l'Vent Kite Festival
June 17-19, Saint-Honore
3 Le Rodeo de Camion, Notre-Dame-du-Nord
July 28-31
We're not exactly surewhat the heck a truck rodeo is, but it looks like a good time, with activities including "truck pulls" and "heavyweight races" on the agenda. There's also a fleamarket, parade, live music and a family zone. elrodeo.com
4 Montreal Pride
August 8-14,Montreal City
This year's Pride celebrations will be extra special in Montreal, with the event celebrating its 10th birthday. Organisers are promising the most colourful and lively celebrations to date. There are three flagship events: CommunityDay, the Pride Parade, and the free T-Dance party. This year the iconic rainbow flag will be draped in green in a nod to the environment and the diverse nature of those in the LGBT community. This year therewill also be a comedy show, a second space for the Cafe des arts, and an international drag queen show.
fiertemontrealpride.com
5 Festival d'ete de Quebec
July 7-17, Quebec City
One of the biggest music festivals in Canada, the 11-day Festival d'ete de Quebec showcases the talents ofmore than 1000 local and international musicians who cover the gamut of French music, hip-hop, electro, jazz, classical music andworld music. More than 1.5million festival-goers flood the 12 indoor and outdoor venues in the city's downtown area to attend 300 shows. This year's headliners include Neil Finn, Sting and Peter Gabriel, Rammstein, Duran Duran, Ice Cube and Bryan Ferry. We want to go!
infofestival.com