MONTREAL
Every summer , music lovers from around the world flock to downtown Montréal for the incomparable Festival International de Jazz de Montréal .
While its guiding genre remains firmly rooted in jazz , music lovers can also enjoy an array of other influences , ranging from rock to pop and electronica to hip-hop , during the 10 or so days of this mood-boosting , toe-tapping , grandiose festival .
Some 3,000 performers and musicians from over 30 countries treat audiences to more than 500 concerts ( 2 / 3 of which are free !) on the car-free streets of the Quartier des spectacles , in elegant concert halls or cozy cabarets , turning Montréal into a vast creative cosmos otherwise known as Planet Jazz . Each summer , a whopping 2 million people come out to enjoy shows on 20 indoor stages and two major outdoor stages , dancing , singing and swaying together in a concert area covering 70,000 m2 .
And the year 2019 will be even more special than ever because the FIJM turns 40 ! For the occasion and in keeping with its mission of bringing music to the people , it will be branching out by adding a festival hub on Wellington Street in the borough of Verdun .
If you like history ...
The FIJM , a non-profit organization , was founded by four passionate Montrealers — Alain Simard , André Ménard , Denyse McCann and Alain de Grosbois — who were inspired to give people the chance to discover the best musicians from around the globe .
Its first edition on Île-Sainte-Hélène in 1980 attracted around 12,000 festival goers to enjoy the talents of some 100 artists that included Chick Corea , Gary Burton , Vic Vogel and Ray Charles . In 1982 , it moved to Saint-Denis Street and in 1986 , with a line-up that included over 1,000 artists , it launched its first and signature free outdoor event . The festival ’ s official home became the area around Place des arts in 1988 , and in 2004 , with over 2 million people in attendance , it celebrated its 25th anniversary and made it to the Guinness World Records as the world ’ s largest jazz festival .
Spurred by an insatiable love of music , larger-than-life creativity and a strong sense of community , the FIJM continues to be a major Montréal attraction and a springboard for outstanding musical talent from here and afar .
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