Montréal during the summertime is filled with people who have been waiting all year  to enjoy the few months of warmth that the province offers. The shorts and flip flops are dusted off, the trees and flowers bloom, the fairy lights are turned on, and the patios open, creating a colourful and inviting city both day and night. To take full advantage of this, the summer months offer some of the best festivals in Montréal.

The Montréal Just For Laughs comedy festival, running for approximately 3 weeks in July, is a collection of diverse comedy shows– from the rude and crude, to family friendly – every year featuring some of the best comedians in the world. As the largest international comedy festival in the world, it is easy to find what you are looking for in the way of humour and language, with shows in French or English, plus an offering of bilingual shows.

The Jazz Festival in Montréal is another great way to enjoy the city and great music in the summer. It runs for around 10 days from the end of June to the beginning of July, and each year boasts a variety of different acts, usually featuring some big names – performers from Prince and Diana Krall to Tony Bennett have all taken the stage in Montréal. In 2011, the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry named the Festival International de Jazz Montréal, festival of the year.

There is endless entertainment for you to see at the comedy festival and jazz festival in Montréal, including many free street events, at which you’ll find the city filled with people who want to have a good laugh, listen to good music, and enjoy the gorgeous weather day and night.

Don’t want to worry about looking for parking? Easily solved – access to any of the comedy and jazz festival’s shows are a breeze with the public transport system, which will take you right to the center of the action from anywhere in the city!

So whether you are after a laugh, or want to walk around a city filled with music, the summer months and the festivals in Montréal will have you wondering why you didn’t move sooner!

Photo Credit: Wikipedia (Montreal Jazz Fest)