In Rimouski, summer doesn’t just arrive. It settles in, it brings people together, it draws them out into the streets, along the river, in the parks, and under the big tops. The beautiful season transforms the city into a vast meeting place where music, culture, traditions, and simple pleasures take center stage. People come for a show, they stay for the atmosphere. They plan an evening, then let themselves be surprised by everything that happens around them. Here’s a season to experience through the festivals and events not to be missed in Rimouski.
Start the Summer in the Heart of Downtown with the Rimouski Hyundai Urban Terraces
Every Rimouski resident will tell you, when the Rimouski Hyundai Urban Terraces and its pedestrian street are set up, the downtown area changes its rhythm. The street becomes a place to meet. People stop here for a drink, a meal with friends, to listen to music, or simply to soak up the summer atmosphere. Conversations spill off the patios, families mingle with visitors, and the city takes on a vacation feel. You stroll around without much planning, pop into a shop, linger over drinks, and quickly realize that summer in Rimouski is very much about being outdoors.
A city best experienced on foot
Festivals aren’t confined to the main stages. They spill into the streets, onto the sidewalks, around tables, and into the spontaneous encounters that give a summer getaway its unique charm. Join us from July 10 to August 9, 2026.
Enjoy a drink at L’Angélus at the end of the day
As the afternoon draws to a close, the pace slows down.
The 5 à l’Angélus series invites you to take a musical break at Place du 6-Mai-1950, right in the heart of downtown, between the Rimouski Cathedral and Spect’Art Rimouski. It’s the kind of simple, free event that makes you want to end the day differently, surrounded by music, soft lighting, and fresh sea air.
Here, you don’t just come to listen to a show. You come to take your time. You settle in, meet up with friends, and let the music accompany the transition from day to night. Often, a musical discovery will stay with you for a while…
The charm of small, big moments
The 5 à l’Angélus series reminds us that a cultural experience doesn’t need to be grand to be memorable. Sometimes, a few songs outdoors are all it takes to give an evening a taste of vacation. Join us every Wednesday evening until August 5, 2026.
Experience the energy of the TELUS Grandes Fêtes!
Then comes the moment when Rimouski turns up the volume.
The TELUS Grandes Fêtes are one of the major musical events in Eastern Quebec. The festival brings together established artists, up-and-coming talents, and a large audience in a festive atmosphere that marks the heart of summer. The 2026 edition takes place at Beauséjour Park, with a program presented from July 29 to August 2. The festival’s 20th anniversary is being celebrated with two must-see events: a performance by Angine de Poitrine and a special 20th anniversary party that goes on late into the night. Get your best festival outfits ready!
For a few days, the city is filled with a special energy. Hotels are fully booked, restaurants come alive, festival-goers mingle in the streets, and Beauséjour Park becomes a huge gathering place.
When Rimouski Becomes a Grand Stage
What makes the TELUS Grandes Fêtes so memorable isn’t just the programming. It’s everything that surrounds it: the nearby river, reunions with friends, evenings that stretch on, and that collective feeling of experiencing something bigger than oneself.
Discover the Concerts aux Îles du Bic, Where Music Meets Landscape
Some festivals are experienced with raw energy. Others require a different kind of listening.
The Concerts aux Îles du Bic offer a cultural experience deeply connected to the land. Here, chamber music unfolds in an environment where the river, the Bic landscapes, and the atmosphere of the place are an integral part of the experience. This year, from August 1 to 8, the program for their 25th season will be presented. The Festival Square serves as an ideal complement to the series of seven major ticketed concerts in the hall.
Festibus Rimouski 2026
Is transportation a concern? Hop on the Festibus shuttle departing from Cégep de Rimouski. Click here to book.
We go for the chamber music, of course. But we also leave with images in our minds: the light of late afternoon, an intimate venue, a landscape that seems to extend the last note.
A cultural experience on a human scale
The Concerts aux Îles du Bic have this rare power to slow us down. They remind us that culture can also be contemplative, gentle, and deeply rooted in a place.
Rediscovering the region’s roots at the Agricultural Expo
The Rimouski Agricultural Expo offers a unique way to celebrate the region.
Here, the region’s story unfolds through its producers, animals, families, and agricultural traditions. Visitors discover the expertise of those who have nourished the Lower St. Lawrence and contributed to its identity for generations. The Rimouski Agricultural Expo announces its 81st edition from July 29 to August 2, 2026.
It’s an outing that’s family-friendly, gourmet, and deeply human. Come for the diverse activities: the Strongman Circuit competition, the Milot Land Tour extreme motocross show, the BMX show, comedy shows, the Winslow Dancers (country dancing), equestrian activities, and various craft and horticulture competitions. And stay for the festive atmosphere, the encounters, and the pleasure of reconnecting with the agricultural world.
An outing that appeals to all generations
Children marvel at the animals. Parents rediscover the joy of summer fairs. Visitors discover a region proud of its heritage.
Step back in time at the Saint-Marcellin Medieval Fair
Just a few kilometers from Rimouski, the Saint-Marcellin Medieval Fair transports visitors to a completely different world.
For three days, the village transforms into a medieval town. Jousting, equestrian games, historical encampments, music, artisans, combat demonstrations, and a banquet create an immersive experience that appeals to families and history buffs alike. The 2026 edition of the Medieval Fair is scheduled for August 14-16 in Saint-Marcellin. Don’t miss: the traditional Lord’s Banquet on Friday evening and the Great Rebellion of the Town on Sunday.
It’s the kind of event that adds a touch of magic to a stay in the region. You leave the river behind and head inland to a vibrant, lively, and surprising setting.
A festive getaway in the hinterland
The Medieval Fair also offers the chance to discover the territory beyond downtown Rimouski. It reminds us that the Rimouski experience extends into the villages, roads, and communities surrounding the city.
Be surprised by the Rimouski International Jazz Festival
At the end of summer, Rimouski changes its rhythm once again. The summer season closes with an internationally renowned festival.
The Rimouski International Festi Jazz brings the city to life with the sounds of jazz and its many variations. Founded in 1986, the event is recognized as a must-see jazz event in Quebec, and its 40th edition takes place from September 3 to 6, 2026.
During the festival, music is everywhere. Jazz lovers will find renowned artists, the curious will make discoveries, and visitors will discover another side of Rimouski—more intimate, more spontaneous, but just as welcoming. Performances take place throughout the city and in various venues and tents. To close the festival, a jam session will be organized to invite everyone to celebrate this anniversary edition.
The joy of following the music
The Festi Jazz is one of those events where you have to let yourself go with the flow. You plan one show, then another. You discover an artist. You stop in front of a stage. You realize that jazz in Rimouski is experienced as much in the grand venues as in the city’s vibrant atmosphere.
A full season to discover Rimouski differently
Festivals in Rimouski are not just dates on the calendar.
They are opportunities to experience the city in a new way. To have a drink downtown. To listen to a concert by the river. To sing along with a crowd in Beauséjour Park. Discover jazz, classical music, the world of agriculture, or the medieval universe. Meet passionate people who bring the destination to life.
Rimouski is a city that knows how to welcome visitors without pretension. A city that brings people together. A city where events retain a human touch, even when they attract large crowds.
And perhaps that’s what makes its festival season so captivating: you come for the program, but you leave with the memory of an atmosphere, a meeting, a sunset, or an evening that lasted a little longer than expected.
This summer, let the calendar guide you. Rimouski always has something to offer.