Montreal International Jazz Festival Returns

The latest edition of the Montreal International Jazz Festival kicked off in the heart of the city’s Quartier des Spectacles, those who love Jazz were out Thursday enjoying all that the festival has to offer. 

“They can expect legends, they can expect surprises, they can expect new things, surprising things, dance, joy,” says Maurin Auxéméry, the Director of programming for the Festival. “we’re going to have amazing music for the next 10 days,” Auxéméry added.

For Montrealers the Festival is long awaited. “Summer’s always vibrant in the city, you always find something to do and the Jazz Festival is one of those,” smiled Aayushi Parikh.

Her friend Ujwana Iyengar adding “ I’m really excited about it, I’ve been coming here every year.”

The festival is expected to welcome up to 2 million people and is ranked as the world’s largest jazz festival in the Guinness World Records.

“It’s a type of festival that has a wider range of music, you have Wu-Tang Clan and then jazz, it’s a place that you can explore all sorts of music,” says  Jonathan Matte, a Montrealer part of The Franklin Electric. 

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“People of all ages are here, that’s something I really like you see the children here you see teenagers here,” says Stephanie George visiting from British Colombia. 

The streets of the Quartier filled with music, from classical Jazz to Afro-beats, those there taking all of it in. 

“I like the idea that you can see different cultures of different people of different countries, and you can see what you don’t know,” says a young girl. 

The festival includes hundreds of free shows both indoors and outdoors, something appealing to the many that take part. 

“The accessibility to music is the best part, the whole roster is multicultural you have people from all over the world, you have people from India, Europe, Pakistan, Africa, so It’s pretty cool,” says Iyengar.

“It’s inclusive, we all come here from different backgrounds…what we like we could come here together as one and share our passion,” says Melo Omat, part of Uplift 514, a group of dancers. 

Montreal has seen multiple smog warnings issued as smoke from the 70 plus fires raging in northern Quebec continue to hit Montreal. Just days ago the city’s air quality ranked the worst in the world.

But for those who CityNews spoke to, it wasn’t top of mind for them. 

“I’m not thinking about it, it hasn’t been bothering us, it seems fine today,” says David Lennon.

It’s the same sentiment for Iyengar and Parikh, “I’m not as worried about it because the weather it’s not as bad as it was on Sunday,” says Iyengar.

Those organizing the festival told City News they will be monitoring the air quality and working closely with authorities.