Festival Orientalys celebrates 15 years of culture at Montreal’s Old Port

Festival Orientalys is marking its 15th anniversary with four days of music, dance, and cultural exchange at the Clock Tower Quay in Old Montreal, running through Sunday, Aug. 10.

The event brings together artists, musicians, and performers from across Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East, celebrating both traditional and contemporary expressions of Eastern cultures.

“Orientalys stands out as the space where artists, artisans, and exhibitors celebrate the vitality of Eastern cultures,” says Ghiwa Nakhlé, executive director of the festival. “Their creations, deeply rooted in tradition, engage in a dialogue with Montreal’s modernity, offering an exceptional showcase for their heritage.”

Admission is free, with the exception of a ticketed concert on Saturday night. Alongside nightly stage performances, the site includes artisan markets, interactive workshops, and family-friendly activities.

Diverse cultures take the stage

Each evening, the main stage highlights the cultural heritage of countries including Iran, India, China, Morocco, Mongolia, Thailand, and Quebec. This year’s program includes contemporary Iranian dance troupes, Mongolian throat singing, Peking opera, Indian classical dance, and Arabic jazz fusion.

The closing night will feature Caravane d’Orient, a collaborative showcase of artists from 15 countries.

“We came here to see the Iranian culture and hear the music and share,” said Bayan Abdulhak, a festivalgoer.

“I’m from Iran and this year, like in the sun, we have a show about our culture because we have different language, different type of dance and different culture in my country,” said Dania Rabani, an Iranian dancer performing at the festival. “We have Arab, we have Turkish, we have Kurd, we have Persian. So that’s why we try to show to the other people how beautiful is our culture.”

Workshops and cultural discovery

Throughout the site, visitors can participate in hands-on workshops exploring traditional practices such as Egyptian crochet, Palestinian tatreez embroidery, and Iraqi calligraphy. Dance and music workshops also introduce lesser-known traditions, including kathak, dabke, and Kara Jorgo.

“I know a lot about the oriental culture,” said Frederic Tremblay, a festivalgoer. “It’s always great to celebrate it. We went to be exposed to more things that we maybe don’t know.”

Festival Orientalys wraps up Sunday night with a free grand finale performance.