PlanetEye

Skip the local movie listings and watch something unconventional next month, like a documentary about stalkers, a horror movie starring a 3000-pound boar, or a short film about two men who are convinced of Bigfoot's existence. This is a small sample of what to expect at this year's Fantasia, North America's premier genre film festival. The festival celebrates all types of film that are not readily accessible to viewers. Its programming highlights Asian films, stemming from Japan, Korea and China, but also includes a promising selection of films from over 25 countries.

Fantasia runs from July 3rd to July 21st and there are close to 100 feature-length films to choose from. Tickets are $8 each or ten can be purchased at a reduced cost. For film descriptions, ticket information and more, visit www.fantasiafestival.com.

One of the most energetic festivals around, the Festival International Nuits d'Afrique fills Montreal with world music, with an emphasis on music with African roots. For its 22nd edition, artists from Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, as well as local artists, will offer some of Montreal's best summer entertainment. The festival is a true celebration of music and culture, with performances so lively that spectators cannot help but move to the entrancing beats.

Take advantage of the opportunity to see amazing artists you probably won't be lucky enough to see elsewhere. Many of the shows are free, while the ones that are not are very reasonably priced. If you're unable to make the trip to Montreal, you can purchase the festival's official album, featuring a compilation of songs by some of the notable artists performing this year.

The Festival International Nuits d'Afrique runs from July 8th to July 20th. For ticket information, schedules and more, visit www.festivalnuitsdafrique.com.

If you visit the Montreal Fringe Festival website, you'll be greeted by a proudly pointed middle finger. It sums up the festival's attitude nicely, which is one of unbridled artistic freedom and self-expression. For this event, there is no jury to carefully select what makes the bill; anyone can apply and artists are selected by lottery. There is also no censorship so artists can perform whatever they desire, as eccentric as it may be. Finally, it caters to artists and festival-goers alike, keeping ticket prices low and with the entire ticket cost given to the performers. Can it get any more egalitarian that this?

With these principles in place, the festival undoubtedly offers a wildly creative and diverse selection of shows. There are theatrical, comedic and dance performances, as well as others that are too wacky to classify. This year, there will be about 700 performances in all, both indoor and out.

The Montreal Fringe Festival runs from June 12th to June 22nd. For show descriptions, schedules, and ticket information, visit www.montrealfringe.ca.

Whether you're a loyal racing fan or don't follow F1 whatsoever, the Canadian Grand Prix is one of Montreal's coolest events. During this time, it seems as though Montrealers suffer from race fever, driving faster than they already do in anticipation of the big race. Fans from all around the world fly in for the weekend or drive into the city, turning heads as they speed down the streets in their enviable sports cars. And while the most exciting time is the race itself, the fun doesn't stop at the track, with parties happening all weekend and well into the night.

During the Grand Prix weekend, Crescent Street, known as party central to many tourists, is closed to traffic for F1 festivities. There are outdoor musical performances (fun, but nothing spectacular) and if you're lucky enough, you can get a terrace seat at one of the bars or restaurants that line the street. For racing fans, there will be booths supplying information and products related to the sport. Finally, there are amazing cars on display. This year, there will be a Porsche exposition day featuring sixty Porsches to be admired up-close.

Come join in on the fun from June 6th to June 8th, as Île Notre-Dame celebrates its 30th anniversary as the site of the Canadian Grand Prix. Tickets for the race are still available at www.admission.com. For more information and schedule details, visit www.grandprix.ca.

Symptoms may include: aching abs, teary eyes, shortness of breath and a hoarse throat. The cause: the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival, the yearly comedy event where laughter will take over your entire body and remind you that a series of side-splitting laughs is good for your health (sanity included).

The best names in comedy, from long-established stars to up-and-coming talents, come to Montreal every year to lead the largest comedy event in the world. Past performers include Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Carrey, John Cleese, and Bill Cosby. This year, the line-up is as promising as always. See Joan Rivers, Craig Ferguson, Jeremy Piven, Jimmy Fallon, and many more hilarious acts grace the stage.

Other than the big-timers performing at the galas, there is a diverse selection of intimate club shows. From sophisticated humour to highly crude comedy, whatever cracks you up will be on the bill.

The 26th edition of the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival runs from July 10th to July 20th. Hurry, tickets are on sale now and will run out fast. For more information, visit www.hahaha.com. 

Montreal is host to many festivals, but one of the most anticipated is the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal or The Jazz Fest, as it is dubbed by the locals.  It's not only Montrealers who revel in this incredible festival, but also people from all around the world, who flock to the city specifically for this experience. With almost 2.5 million people in attendance, The Jazz Fest is the world's largest musical event.

Although the festival at heart is a celebration of jazz, a variety of musical genres is embraced. This year, la crème de la crème include the poetic Leonard Cohen, the multi-talented Woody Allen, and the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin. There are countless musical geniuses on the bill, and choosing which shows to attend from the extensive list will require a lot of thought, and unfortunately, a lot of sacrifice, since there will be over 650 concerts in just 11 days.

The Jazz Fest is as much an outdoor festival as it is an indoor one, bringing people together for free shows all day and all night, perfect for those on a tight budget who want to partake in the festivities. Several streets are closed, ten stages are erected, and the sound of music booms through downtown Montreal for anyone to enjoy. The streets become packed with lively people who are in high spirits from being entertained under beautiful summer skies.

The 29th edition of The Jazz Fest runs from June 26th through July 6th and tickets are on sale now. If you're going to come to Montreal just once, it should be for this event. If the locals are marking their calendars, you know it has to be good. For more information, visit www.montrealjazzfest.com.

If you're as big a beer lover as Barney Gumble from The Simpsons, then you're in luck. The Mondial de la Bière, or The Beer Fest, will be back at the end of May to celebrate its 15th edition. The yearly event, which is North America's largest beer festival, brings brewers and beer enthusiasts together for five days of tasting. This is your chance to pick from over 300 types of local and international beers, including ones brewed specifically for the festival. The idea is to sample, not get sloshed, though the latter tends to prevail.

If you're the type to get agitated when waiting to be served at a busy bar, you'll need to be patient. This is a packed event, with about 85,000 people having attended last year. The ticket line-ups tend to be long and it can get overly crowded, but where beer is concerned, the more, the merrier.

There is no entrance fee so if you're not that into beer but want to stop by, feel free. To sample beers you must first purchase tickets from one of the designated counters. Tickets cost $1 each and one sample is exchangeable for one to five tickets. One serving of beer is equivalent to 3-4 oz. Last year's top winner of the consumer contest was Desperados, a tequila flavored beer by Fischer. Yum! Discover what's brewing at this year's festival and don't forget to cast your vote for your favorite beer. For more information, visit www.festivalmondialbiere.qc.ca.