June is in full swing and Montreal is doing what Montreal does best: packing every corner of the city with live music, street art, theatre, and reasons to stay out way too late. Whether you’re into French-language pop, indie rock, K-pop vibes, or chamber music played by world-class musicians, there’s something calling your name this week. Here’s your lineup for June 13-22.
🎤 Francos de Montréal (June 12-20)
Place des Festivals, Quartier des Spectacles
The 37th edition of Francos de Montréal is in full swing and it is absolutely worth getting out for. The festival transforms the Quartier des Spectacles into a massive outdoor celebration of Francophone music, with nearly 150 concerts across indoor and outdoor stages and almost two-thirds of them completely free. This year’s headliners include Orelsan, Coeur de Pirate, Pierre Lapointe, and Laurent Voulzy. Head to Place des Festivals any evening this week for a free outdoor show and a crowd that really knows how to sing along.
🎭 St-Ambroise Montreal Fringe Festival (through June 21)
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
Celebrating 36 years, the Fringe Festival is the city’s beloved summer block party of theatre, dance, circus, comedy, and music. More than 800 performances are scattered across 20-plus venues in the Plateau, with 100% of ticket revenue going directly to the artists. It’s the kind of festival where you wander in not knowing what to expect and come out having discovered your new favourite performer. Grab a program at Fringe Park (corner of Rachel and St-Laurent) and dive in.
🎨 MURAL Festival: Last Day Tomorrow! (June 14)
Boulevard Saint-Laurent
Today is your second-to-last chance to catch the MURAL Festival before it wraps up. In its 14th edition, the festival has once again filled Saint-Laurent Boulevard with massive, jaw-dropping murals created live by local and international artists. This year features work by Madrid-based Murfin, Atlanta’s Greg Mike, and Peruvian-Chilean artist Jumu, plus a special series honoring the 10th anniversary of Montreal-made video game Dead by Daylight. Stroll from Sherbrooke to Mont-Royal any time today or Sunday and take it all in for free.
🎻 Montreal Chamber Music Festival (through June 21)
Salle Bourgie, Musée des Beaux-Arts
In its 31st year, the Montreal Chamber Music Festival is bringing nearly 60 musicians to Salle Bourgie for two weeks of intimate, world-class performances. Tonight (June 13) at 7:30pm, opera meets chamber music with arias from opera stars paired with instrumentalists. The festival runs through June 21, with more performances throughout the week. If you’ve never been to Salle Bourgie, the venue alone is worth the trip: it’s a stunning converted church inside the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Tickets at festivalmontreal.org.
🌶 POCHA MTL: Last Day Sunday! (through June 14)
Downtown Montreal
Korean culture and flavours take centre stage at POCHA MTL, a festival celebrating K-Pop, Korean BBQ, fried chicken, and more. The event wraps up Sunday, so this weekend is your last chance to catch live performances and dig into some seriously good food. It’s a fun, energetic, crowd-pleasing event and a great pick if you’re looking for something a little different this Saturday or Sunday.
🎸 Kurt Vile and The Violators (June 17)
Théâtre Beanfield, 2490 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest
If you’re a fan of hazy, sprawling indie rock, Kurt Vile is the real deal live. The Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter and his band The Violators take the stage at Théâtre Beanfield on Wednesday night, with Canadian legends The Sadies opening the show. Doors open at 7pm, show at 8pm. This one is for the guitar nerds, the late-night listeners, and anyone who’s ever put on a Vile record and just let it wash over them.
🌙 Joji: SOLARIS (June 20)
Centre Bell, 1909 Ave des Canadiens-de-Montréal
Joji brings his Solaris world tour to Centre Bell on Saturday June 20 for what promises to be a genuinely stunning show. The Japanese-Australian artist is known for atmospheric, emotionally charged R&B and this tour has been drawing some incredible reviews. Support comes from Nate Sib and Corbin. Doors open at 5:30pm, show starts at 6:30pm. Tickets are still available through Live Nation but moving fast, so don’t sleep on it.
Montreal, you’ve done it again. Seven days, seven great reasons to leave the house. Whatever you pick this week, enjoy every minute of it. And as always, check back here for more of what’s happening in your city.
