Festivals and Events in Quebec City
Carnaval de Quebec (Winter Carnival)
Held nearly every year since 1894 and annually since 1955, the Carnaval de Quebec runs February 6-15, 2026, and is the largest winter carnival in the Western Hemisphere, drawing crowds that once topped a million in a single edition. The festival’s mascot, Bonhomme, a snowman in a red tuque and traditional ceinture flechee sash, has led it since 1955; each year the mayor of Quebec City hands Bonhomme a symbolic key to open the celebration. Expect parades, ice sculpture competitions, a night parade, and the Dufferin Terrace toboggan slide running flat out the whole time.
Hotel de Glace season
The Hotel de Glace, North America’s only ice hotel, overlaps with Carnival most years. Sited at Village Vacances Valcartier about 35 km from downtown, it’s entirely rebuilt each winter from roughly 500 tons of ice and 40,000 tons of snow by a crew of 45-50 people, including about 15 sculptors, and typically runs from early January into late March before being demolished ahead of the next winter’s build.
Festival d’Ete de Quebec
Canada’s largest outdoor summer music festival takes over the city for 11 days each July, for example July 9-19, 2026, with more than 200 artists across multiple stages and a combined attendance over the run of roughly 1.5 million. The main stage alone can hold around 100,000 people, and a festival wristband covers most shows.
Fetes de la Nouvelle-France
Running annually since 1997, the New France Festival takes over Old Quebec’s streets in August, for example August 6-9, 2026, with costumed interpreters and reenactors bringing 17th and 18th century New France back to life. Visitors can rent period costumes for the weekend, typically in the range of CAD $60-300, and join the crowds for period music, market stalls, and parades through the walls.
Planning around events
Carnival and Festival d’Ete de Quebec are both peak-demand weeks for hotels in Old Quebec, so book well ahead if your trip lines up with either one. Outside of these three anchors, check the city’s official events calendar closer to your travel dates since smaller markets, concerts, and seasonal pop-ups change year to year.
Read more: see the Quebec City travel guide for a full seasonal breakdown, or check the things to do in Quebec City guide for sights to pair with festival season.