Quebec City Summer Festival at Downtown Quebec City

Every year, the Festival d’été attracts over one million festivalgoers to Quebec City’s historic district for concerts by international superstars and top new talent.

For 11 days, at 10 venues throughout the city, there’s music for everyone: rock, French song, hip-hop, electro, jazz, world music greats and much more! Over the years, such big names as Stevie Wonder, Bruno Mars, Tiësto, Bon Jovi, Skrillex, The Black Keys, Metallica, Iron Maiden, The Arcade Fire, Rammstein, The Black Eyed Peas, Elton John and Ben Harper have played its major venue: the historic Plains of Abraham.

If music is the core of the event, the popular street performers on Saint-Jean St., one of the city’s oldest and busiest streets, and a host of fun family activities add a colorful accent to the celebrations.

The Venues

All located in downtown Quebec City and within an easy walking distance, the Festival venues are where the action is. Wacky street performers take over the winding streets of Old Québec, and kids find plenty of cool activities to keep them busy at Place de la Famille. World music fans can dance all day and into the night to the festive rhythms at Place D’Youville. If you’re into blues, Le Petit Impérial is the place to discover local talent, while the electro and after-hour shows at Le Cercle keep night owls up till dawn. If you’re looking for the trendiest up-and-coming bands, join the crowd inside the historic Impérial concert hall or go to Parc de la Francophonie for music under the stars. And for huge gatherings and world-class stars, the stage on the Plains of Abraham will blow you away!

More Bang for Your Buck

The all-inclusive transferable pass gives you 11 days of performances for just $76 CAD. Every year, 150,000 passes go on sale. Festival d’été was the first to use RFID wristbands to manage access control and continues to expand its technical expertise in the live audience experience.

Looking Back

This amazing adventure began in 1968 with a group of businessmen and a bunch of young, talented artists taking over the city’s public areas with their music. First showcasing Québec’s local artists and street performers, the Festival broadened its horizons by adding major international musicians to its program in the early ’80s.

Today, this non-profit event is a major cultural enterprise and a vigorous driving force behind the region’s economy, generating more than $25.4 M in added value for Quebec City. With its stellar lineup, huge crowds and thousands of passes sold, the Festival d’été de Québec is now in league with the top American and European festivals.