International Nuits d’Afrique Festival lights up Montreal
Posted July 10, 2025 10:44 pm.
Last Updated July 10, 2025 11:30 pm.
Montrealers are moving to the rhythms of Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America as the 39th Festival International Nuits d’Afrique takes over the city until July 20th.
The Festival features 120 events and over 700 artists from nearly 30 countries. Among the performers is Montreal-based artist Daby Touré – a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist whose musical journey started in Mauritania and Senegal.
“It is an institution to us for all Africans from all over the world. When they come to Montreal, they know where they can find Africa and where they can find some peace and some connection to the country and to the country cultures also,” said Touré.
Touré will be on stage this Friday night at Théâtre Fairmount, where he’ll be performing songs from his new album — a tribute to his family’s history.
“It’s very personal, you know. And I just want to honor the work that my father had been doing at the time in the 80s, that band called Touré Kunda. They did an opening act for African music at the time. And so I just remember my first step on music when I discovered their first album. It was a lightning for me and an open space to a new world, so which is the case for many Africans,” added Touré.
The festival is divided into eight themed series, each offering a unique sound and experience, as explained by the Executive Director of the Festival, Suzanne Rousseau.
“You’ve got the Nuit d’Afrique sound system with the DJs who bring different flavors and different sounds to the Soirée Prestige at the Gesù, which is more of a listening, the 21 string African harp, which is very popular,” said Rousseau.
From July 15 to 20, the Village des Nuits d’Afrique will take over the Quartier des Spectacles with a lively lineup of free outdoor concerts, dance workshops for the whole family and the Timbuktu Market.
“Those are artisans and merchants who travel in the winter and bring you all the new styles coming from Africa and the Caribbean, the sculptures, instruments, jewelry,” said Rousseau. “It’s a real ambiance of typical markets in a tropical country”.
