After three years without a major event to celebrate the transition to the new year, Montrealers could be able to return to the festivities at the end of 2024.
The City of Montreal invites cultural organizations to submit projects to offer “a lively and attractive downtown for the holiday season, in addition to consolidating Montreal’s reputation as a city of festivals all year round,” indicates a press release released Tuesday, specifying that they are looking for a “signature event” for December 31.
“The projects submitted must have a strong artistic vision and make room for Montreal, Quebec and Canadian productions, as well as the expression of ethnocultural communities, particularly indigenous,” it is specified.
For a few years, it was the organization Montréal en fête which organized these festivities, which stretched over ten days in the streets of Old Montreal (street entertainment, braziers, etc.) to culminate with the spectacle of December 31, held since 2014 at Quai Jacques-Cartier, and ending with fireworks.
In 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was held virtually. Then, in 2022, Montréal en fête canceled the festivities less than a month before the end of the year, due to financial difficulties: the founders then deplored public underfunding, in particular.
Montréal en fête permanently ended its activities last November.
For the recently launched call for projects, interested groups must submit their ideas to the City of Montreal before April 14.