Québec Summer Festival

Festival d'Été International de Québec. An annual highlight in the first half of July is this exuberant Summer Festival, 11 days of rock, folk, hip-hop, and world music. It's a great event for hearing unfamiliar performers and expanding your musical horizons. The main concerts take place each evening on three outdoor stages in or near the Old City, including one holding up to 80,000 people on the Plains of Abraham. A pass (C$95) admits you to all events throughout the festival, and single-night passes, for around C$30, may be available for some nights. Some concerts at indoor theaters cost extra, but free music and activities, such as family concerts and street performers during the day, are also plentiful. At night rue St-Jean near the city gate turns into a free street theater, with drummers, dancers, and skits. Book a room several months in advance if you plan to attend. Québec City, Québec. 418/523–4540; 888/992–5200; www.infofestival.com.