Une petite France in Canada: Montreal’s Jazz Festival, bi-lingual all the way

You don’t have to leave the country to experience a foreign culture. Or do you?   No matter where in USA you live, there is always an outlet for French culture and art lovers. If you plan to travel to Montreal, Canada in July 2009 and you are also a Jazz lover, don’t miss this exciting event, a bit of French culture:  Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (or International Jazz Festival) July 1-12, 2009  Held annually, The Montreal Jazz Festival was conceived by Alain Simard in 1977 who wanted Montreal to have a one-time event where multiple artists joined to celebrate the Jazz culture. However, it was not until 1980, that a full-scale festival took place in Montreal. That was the beginning of the new era for the then-quiet and relatively un-touristy city. Twelve thousand attended the festival in 1980, and now, more than 25 years later, the attendance figures are upwards of seven digits. Last year alone, the festival attracted more than two million. Jazz mini and maxi concerts are held in a wide variety of venues, from relatively small jazz clubs to the large halls of La Place des Arts, www.pda.qc.ca. Over the course of 11 days, more than 500 concerts take place around the city. But plentiful, green Montreal has enough parks and gardens, including the beautiful, ala-Barcelona river-front, which are all utilized during the festival.  The gigantic summer music celebration features a fortnight of non-stop entertainment, from noon to midnight, right in the heart of downtown Montreal, and close to the old town (historic part of the city). Several city blocks will be closed to traffic, making it a very pedestrians-friendly city for the time-being of the festival. De-trafficking will also secure safety for families with kids, cafes and bistros, street performers and parks. It’s the summer celebration par excellence for people of all ages and origins, a cultural breath of fresh air, and a place for incredible musical discoveries with influence such as JAZZ, BLUES, LATIN-JAZZ, BRAZILIAN, CUBAN, AFRICAN, REGGAE, CONTEMPORARY, and ELECTRONICA.  This festival is definitely a highlight of all Canadian events. Well known to the locals, as well as by many around the world, this international jazz festival would even make New Orleans proud. And it’s easy to get to for an American, taken that there are quite a few American airlines that offer flights to Montreal from various cities in the U.S.A., not to mention that North Americans can simply cross the American-Canadian border by car.   And yes, I’ve been to the festival once in 2003. But I can still recall it as if it were yesterday; that rush of seeing so many nationalities, of all ages and status’, in one place and with just one goal – to have a damn good time, was pretty liberating and overwhelming (in a very good, positive way). Streets were filled with people, sitting and standing, dressed casually, wrapped up with plaid blankets or dressed in latest couture (as it is a place to be and be seen among the Canadians). It’s a great place to meet someone but most importantly, every year Montreal does such a superb job with city decorations, musicians’ selection, street vendors’ choices and security that it keeps people coming back year after year. The smell of all kinds of street foods, including the local delicatessen, crêpes, left me wanting nothing more than to make repetitive trips back and forth between jazz spots and crêpe vendors.  For those who love French culture, Montreal offers a bi-lingual experience – enjoy and practice your French; speak English or French at all times. Not to mention the French crêpes (originated from Brittany, a region in the northwest of France) on “wheels”, or served on a cart, just as hotdogs and pretzels are around New York. These crêpes made authentically enough to not want to go to France, that is if you cannot afford it right now (but do plan to visit France in this life-time). Sweet crêpes (crêpes sucrées) made with wheat flour or sour savoury galettes (crêpes salées) – are just about two choices of French original crêpes offered around Montreal, with the highest concentration in the Old Town section of the city.  The local Montreal restaurant and hotel guides offers some tips on what to expect in dining experience while you stay in the city, visit Restomontreal.  With a family or solo, there are events and activities that suit just about everyone who comes to Montreal to experience local and international jazz talents. Moreover, if a few days is enough for you to experience Montreal, Quebec City is only 160 miles away.  And if you haven’t still committed to the idea of making a trip to Montreal, you might want to pre-check the festival’s music collection by ordering one from last year’s festival, Live at Montreal Jazz (2008), http://www.amazon.com/Live-at-Montreal-Jazz-Festival/dp/B0013D8LPO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1238615900&sr=1-4  Sites that offer flight deals to Montreal, compare, plan and fly: Flights to Montreal  CheapFlights.com, Away.com,   Kayak.com,   Priceline.com,   TripAdvisor.com, AOL Travel guide for Montreal,   Vayama.com,