Place des festivals, Public square in Quartier des Spectacles, Montreal, Canada
This open plaza covers several city blocks with ground-level water features, movable seating areas, and flexible staging zones that accommodate concerts and festivals throughout the year.
City planners developed this site between 2007 and 2009, transforming former industrial blocks into a public square designed to anchor the Quartier des Spectacles entertainment district and provide Montreal with dedicated festival infrastructure.
This venue serves as Montreal's principal gathering space for major festivals, drawing millions of visitors annually to events like the International Jazz Festival and the comedy festival Just For Laughs.
The Place-des-Arts metro station provides direct access to the square, which remains open year-round with free admission except during ticketed festival events. Visitors will find public restrooms, wheelchair accessibility throughout the site, and numerous restaurants along adjacent Saint-Catherine Street.
Ground-level fountains transform into a popular urban wading area during summer months, with children and adults alike using the shallow water features for cooling off between festival performances and throughout the warm season.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.