Festival International de Jazz de Montréal Wraps 46th Edition

And so concludes the 46th edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (FIJM), presented by TD Bank Group in collaboration with Rio Tinto. This year’s event had an outstanding turnout, with hundreds of thousands of festival-goers coming together to celebrate jazz in the heart of Montréal. One of the highlights was homegrown artists drawing massive crowds, cementing the Festival’s unique role as a premier connection point between the city, its creators and its audiences. Driven by a bold lineup, the 2026 edition also succeeded in reaching a new generation that made the Festival their own. Reflecting Montréal’s vibrant diversity, this major event made headlines around the world, both in mainstream media and across social networks, thanks to unforgettable performances.

“We cannot thank the public enough for their extraordinary enthusiasm. This 2026 edition marks a major turning point in the history of the Festival, proving that jazz is a unifying force that truly belongs to everyone.” —Maurin Auxéméry, Director of Programming, FIJM

A Festival For Everyone

The evening of June 27 will go down as a milestone in the Festival’s history. In front of a record-breaking crowd, hailing from Montréal, across Quebec and around the globe, thousands of festival-goers witnessed a memorable performance by Angine de Poitrine on the TD Stage, putting on a world-class show that briefly turned the city into the centre of the universe.

The excitement surrounding this pivotal edition of the Festival was electric. Several outdoor shows drew massive crowds, most notably the Louis Cole Big Band on the Rogers Stage, as well as Cymande and Kamasi Washington on the TD Stage. But the crown jewel of this 46th edition was undoubtedly Patrick Watson’s massive concert. The day after he received the Montreal Jazz Festival Spirit Award from the mayor of Montréal Soraya Martinez Ferrada, the singer-songwriter offered his home city a genuine gift: an intimate and deeply unifying evening, elevated by an exceptional lineup of guest artists. It was a uniquely Montréal moment, one that could only happen here, perfectly reflecting this artist who is now woven into the city’s cultural fabric.

The entire Place des Arts was buzzing thanks to numerous sold-out indoor shows. Enthusiastic crowds lined up at Théâtre Maisonneuve (LES GRANDS CONCERTS RIO TINTO in collaboration with The Beat 92.5) for Hiromi and Dominique Fils-Aimé, who also played to a full house at Théâtre Jean-Duceppe (JAZZ BEAT in collaboration with CBC MUSIC). At Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier (ÉVÉNEMENTS SPÉCIAUX TD), Diana Krall and Melody Gardot performed to packed rooms as well, showing audiences’ boundless enthusiasm for these leading women of jazz and the prominent place they hold at the heart of the Festival’s programming.

A New Generation Discovers Jazz

This edition of the Festival spotlighted young artists who weave jazz into their sound and have a viral online following. Take multi-talented artist Willow, who has been generating buzz for years; she delivered a deeply jazz-infused set on the TD Stage and made a surprise appearance at Le Balcon, in the truest tradition of the FIJM.

With a lineup perfectly attuned to the cultural zeitgeist, the Festival successfully refreshed its audience, introducing a new generation to the genre. Kokoroko’s irresistible blend of afrobeat and jazz on the Place des Festivals was the talk of the town, while vanguard torchbearer Alfa Mist and pop sensation Izzy Escobar both captivated new audiences on the TD Stage.

Other major draws included jazz-fusion and metal bassist Mohini Dey and Canadian pianist Elysia Biro, both of whom packed the house at Le Studio TD (ENTRÉE LIBRE TD). Meanwhile, spectacular performances by local marvel Flore Laurentienne and by prodigy pianist Hania Rani at the Maison Symphonique (LE FESTIVAL À LA MAISON SYMPHONIQUE ROGERS) caused a sensation, redefining the very boundaries of jazz.

At Pub Molson, virtuosos took centre stage, including trumpeter Skylar Tang, drummer Marcus Gilmore and saxophonist Tomoki Sanders. Montréal audiences of all ages also discovered the Leeds-based outfit Gotts Street Park, who fuse vintage soul with R&B, and British singer Olive Jones, whose blues-infused, golden voice graced the Rogers Stage.

A Diverse Festival, Reflecting The Spirit Of Montréal

Above all, the FIJM brings together an extraordinary diversity of artists and audiences. Alternating seamlessly between Arabic, French and English, the Palestinian star Saint Levant captivated the Place des Festivals, while French-Haitian singer Naïka drew a massive crowd to the TD Stage. Montréal’s definitive new jazz voices also joined the party, and at Club Montréal Loto-Québec, Zach Zoya and High Klassified re-established the relevance of their sound that’s at the crossroads of jazz, hip-hop and contemporary music. Trailblazing Afro-Thai funk drummer Salin also left a lasting impression during her standout set on the same stage.

A true reflection of Montréal, the Festival offers everyone a space to see themselves reflected and to experience the music, making this cultural mosaic one of its greatest strengths. While Los Mirlos brought cumbia to the Rio Tinto Stage, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico—a legendary salsa outfit with a career spanning over 60 years—honoured the vast diversity of the Latin American diasporas in the crowd by inviting them to show their pride one by one, creating an unforgettable moment at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier (ÉVÉNEMENTS SPÉCIAUX TD).

A Global Impact Beyond Our Borders

Renowned worldwide as the largest jazz festival on the planet, the FIJM this year again solidified its status as an essential global cultural event. The Festival continues to attract hundreds of thousands of tourists each summer, alongside journalists from every part of the globe. This year, 65 accredited journalists from 10 different countries and regions covered the Festival, showcasing Montréal as an attractive destination and a major cultural epicentre for international tourism.

Launching The Careers Of Homegrown Artists

At every stage of their careers, Quebec artists can count on the Festival to foster their growth and expand their reach beyond our borders.

FIJM XP is a premier industry initiative delivering a tangible impact on the careers of homegrown talent. Supported by the Gouvernement du Québec (through the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec [MCC], the Société de développement des entreprises culturelles [SODEC] and the Secrétariat à la région métropolitaine), it’s a powerful springboard for artist development. This year, FIJM XP brought together 60 international music industry professionals, including 39 from abroad, from the United Kingdom, the European Union, the United States, Asia, Latin America and Africa. They all converged on Montréal to discover some 20 Quebec artists selected for their export potential. These encounters, organized in an intimate format, are carefully structured to spark the right conversations.

The Académie, driven by an educational and community-oriented mission, also enables artists to deepen their connection with audiences. As a unique space for mentorship and creation within the Festival, it offers a prime gathering place where up-and-coming talent can connect with seasoned pros to share their passion for music without reserve. This primarily free series of events was led this year by artists like Joshua Redman, Victor Wooten and the Wooten Brothers, and Brandee Younger. They invited the public to dive into the heart of the creative process through inspiring exchanges, masterclasses, discussions and live sessions that doubled as collective learning experiences. Operating like an artistic incubator, the Académie celebrates curiosity, dialogue and diversity while fuelling the vitality of Montréal’s music scene.

A Community-First Festival Built For Artists, Audiences And The City

The FIJM is built on the core conviction that a major cultural event must first and foremost serve artists, audiences and the community. By fostering connection, discovery and a shared pride in our public spaces, the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal helps showcase Montréal as a vibrant, creative and welcoming cultural powerhouse.

“A festival like the FIJM is so much more than just a series of concerts. It is a community project that supports artists, brings communities together, elevates Montréal on the global stage and generates an impact that goes far beyond music. This is the mission that has driven us for 46 years.” —Jacques-André Dupont, Executive Director, FIJM

In addition to fostering access to culture for all, the Festival site was certified as fully accessible to individuals with reduced mobility by Kéroul in 2024. Furthermore, close collaboration with local organizations like GRIP helps guarantee a safe, inclusive experience for all festival-goers.

The Festival is also actively reducing its environmental footprint through several key initiatives. These include waste sorting led by the Brigade Verte in collaboration with Rio Tinto, water stations designed for reusable bottles, and the mandatory use of compostable or reusable containers at all food concessions.

Waste sorting at the source, supported by the Brigade Verte in collaboration with Rio Tinto. At La Source Rio Tinto, festivalgoers were encouraged to fill their reusable water bottles or use the recyclable Canadian aluminum water bottles distributed free of charge. Compostable or reusable containers were also required at food concessions. To learn more about the sustainable initiatives implemented during the Festival, click here!

“The Festival international de jazz de Montréal is one of the most prestigious festivals across all musical genres.” –Bruno Lesprit, Le Monde

The Music Plays On!

Until the next edition of the Festival, our indoor programming keeps the vibe going all year long! PJ Morton, Stephan Moccio, Masego, José Gonzalez, Gibran Alcocer, Magi Merlin, Mari Froes, Ludovico Einaudi, MARO and many others will be performing in Montréal venues right through to 2027. For full details and the complete concert lineup, click here!

See You Next Year!