Montreal is a hotbed of fun in summer and the International Jazz Festival is its shining star. Best combine music-filled days with the lasting charms of this dynamic city - culture, shopping and nightlife galore, but also lush parklands and ther outdoor diversions in and arround the Laurentian Mountains.

The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (FIJM), also called the Jazz Fest, is the largest jazz festival in the world. It is typically attended by over 2 million people who are attracted by the electric atmosphere, diversity of shows and by the city itself.

Shows are held in a wide variety of venues, from relatively small jazz clubs to the large halls of Place des Arts. Some of the outdoor shows are held on cordoned-off streets while others are on terraced parks. Typically there are well over 500 concerts offered during the span of 10 days, from noon to midnight, about 350 of which are outdoors and free to the public.