Montreal Cultural Calendar

Colombia – QC

Eagerly awaited by festivalgoers, this breathtaking favourite event never fails to arouse powerful emotions. This year, Afrique en Cirque will celebrate its 40th anniversary in a spectacular fashion with a thrilling, large-scale production specially conceived for the occasion. Steeped in memories of West Africa, the company’s dizzying and athletic acrobatics, which burst forth from all directions, is set to the powerful and joyful rhythms of djembe drums, themselves guided by the magical and generous kora playing of Yamoussa Bangoura, Kalabanté’s founder and artistic director, and multidisciplinary artist who has worked with Circus Baobab, Cirque Éloize, Cirque du Soleil and Cavalia. Dance, music, contemporary circus arts, theatre and costumes are fully integrated, forming a single, cohesive aesthetic that fills the stage as a unified whole. The scenes and feats flow seamlessly into one another, creating a language that serves to share and connect cultures.

West Africa – QC

High-tension guitar riffs explode. The wall of massive, relentless percussions looms large. With a raw and totally urban vibe, this group of seasoned musicians reinterprets the cumbia inherited from their Afro-Indigenous forebearers, infusing it with a good dose of psychedelic rock. The drums, bass, guitar, congas, timbales, keyboards and other percussion instruments transform the spirit of the Andean folk dance into a multicultural trance that’s uniquely Montreal. Fiery, wild, and utterly irresistible!

“Kinshasa is bursting with stars, and Fulu Miziki Kolektiv is the wildest of them all,” (RFI, 2025). Fulu Miziki, literally “music from garbage” in Lingala, has made a splash by transporting the sounds of Kinshasa’s streets into an Afro-futuristic, techno-punk trance sound stamped with Congolese rumba and coupé-décalé that they call “twerkanda.” Once discarded objects are recycled into hand-made instruments, which the percussionists beat as if their life depended on it, releasing furious energy with urgency to take action to save the planet, amplified by their raw, powerful voices rising from the depths of their souls and through DIY cyber-costumes that reflect their commitment. Zero waste, 100% impact!

Angola – QC

Since 2014, he has performed on several occasions at the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, each time amazed by the receptiveness, appreciation and diversity of the festival’s audience, of whom he has become a crowd favorite. His presence to celebrate the 40th anniversary was only natural! In three decades, Admiral T has become the king of the Caribbean reggae-dancehall sound. That’s no exaggeration for an artist who’s able to fill the 20,000 seats at the Paris-Bercy Accor Arena. Influenced by sound systems and inspired by legends like Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, Admiral T blends gwoka, biguine, salsa, R&B, hip-hop and electro, all generously sprinkled with glitter and light. “A true pop cultural phenomenon … one of the rare superstars to emerge from the Creole-speaking community,” (La Presse, 2014).

“Boubé follows in the footsteps of several other Tuareg musicians who have emerged over the past 25 years, such as Tinariwen, Etran de l’Aïr, Imarhan, Bombino and Mdou Moctar,” (La Presse, 2025). The magnetic rhythms of his desert blues powerfully resonate with the sun-drenched spirit of Saharan nomads and the Tamasheq assouf; a repetitive, direct, and unpretentious groove, shaped by peace, travel and freedom, and carried by blazing guitars, hypnotic percussion and a deep, captivating voice. It’s like experiencing a gentle breeze shifting between soothing moments and the vibes of rock. Boubé’s latest album, Voyager (Disques Nuits d’Afrique, 2025), showcases the unique style of this charismatic guitarist and accomplished drummer.

Colombia – QC

Those who were there are still talking about it. Among Nuits d’Afrique’s many highly memorable moments, Tiken Jah Fakoly’s closing concert of its 14th edition in the year 2000 is way up there, accompanied by Montreal musicians (they’re the best!). It marked the beginning of a mutual love affair with, as he put it, “the festival that serves as an ambassador for African culture,” (Radio-Canada, 2022). Each of his subsequent performances demonstrated the rapport between the artist and his Montreal audience. So, it is only natural for the international star to want to help celebrate the Festival’s 40th anniversary. With an astonishing stage presence, this fiery and influential reggae artist raises people’s awareness to counter illegitimate power and injustice, a self-driven mission. He advocates for unity and celebrates Africa’s diversity. Relentlessly. As if it were a mission he has set himself. The audience becomes hooked. Because he shakes things up, strikes a nerve. Because it’s true, heartfelt and resonates deeply. And because the irresistible brass, the sharp guitar riffs, and the well-balanced riddims make you desperately want to sing and dance. To express yourself.