Arts & Culture
The Montreal International Jazz Festival became one of the world’s best-known jazz gatherings and a defining summer event in Montreal after organizers including Alain Simard, André Ménard, and Denyse McCann established its first full edition in 1980. Recognized in 2004 as the world’s largest jazz festival, it annually presents hundreds of concerts by thousands of artists from dozens of countries, including many free outdoor performances that transform downtown Montreal for ten days. Its history is tied to the city’s wider jazz scene through related festivals, a Canadian jazz competition begun in 1982, and live recordings. After decades of growth, it was first cancelled in 2020, then resumed in reduced form in 2021.
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