Info

Osheaga is a unique and eclectic music and arts festival staged in the breath-taking environs of Montreal’s Parc Jean-Drapeau on Île Sainte-Hélène, an island of tranquility set in the middle of the bustle of one of North America’s most exciting cities. The festival was inaugurated in 2006 with the intention of offering a world-class European-style festival to Canadians and to showcase Montreal’s acclaimed local talent alongside some of the industry’s biggest names. The artist line-up was designed to present a mix of today’s most avant-garde emerging artists juxtaposed against those internationally known artists who appeal to the most discerning music lover. The festival founders also sought to provide fans with an unparalleled experience by offering them the best music, the best food and concessions, an eco-conscious approach, and by limiting the corporate presence to those who contribute to the spirit of the festival.

In its first three years, Osheaga has been an unqualified success, attracting over 70,000 music fans to sets by The Killers, Jack Johnson, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, The Flaming Lips, Sonic Youth, k-os, Malajube, Patrick Watson, The Smashing Pumpkins, Arctic Monkeys, Gotan Project, Bloc Party and Feist, among others. Influence Magazine praised the festival: “Excellent bands, an ambiance to make other festivals green with envy, social and environmental consciousness…a superb music and arts festival.” “Osheaga succeeds in concocting a program that is at once eclectic and cohesive”, observed La Presse.

New to Osheaga in 2009, the Osheaga in the City concert series promises to get the festival off to an amazing start featuring incredible bands and DJs in some of Montreal’s legendary club venues. Osheaga in the City will take place July 30-31. All tickets for Osheaga in the City events must be purchased separately. Stay tuned for more info on what great events are coming your way!

For the 4th year running, Osheaga is working
with the MEG Festival (11th edition) to present
a stage featuring the best in electronic music and
more. Check out this stage to discover something
new and don’t forget the Omnikrom/Misteur
Valaire show @ l’Olympia July 30th or the MEG
OSHEAGA Boat Sunday night!

www.megmontreal.com

> Alcoholic beverages (brought from outside)
> Illegal Drugs and drug paraphernalia
> Glass bottles and cans
> Rigid Thermos, coolers or other such containers
> Megaphones
> Fireworks
> Beach balls, soccer balls, etc…
> Skateboards
> Animals (except Guide dogs)
> Large back packs (camping style)
> Tents
> Video Equipment
> Professional photo equipment (SLR cameras, i.e. removable lens cameras)
> Audio Recording equipment
> No items intended for sale/promotion
> Any object that can be used to cause bodily harm


Items that are on the disallowed list will be confiscated. We recommend not bringing them to the festival site at all to save you the extra hassle! Please do not bring anything that could be dangerous to other festival-goers, as they will be confiscated.

> Clear plastic water bottles
> Small beach towels
> Waterproof ponchos / small umbrellas
> Small back packs and bags/ purses (Note: all bags will be searched)
> Small foldable chairs
> Sunscreen
> Lighters/Cigarettes
> Digital Camera (non-professional, i.e. no removable lens)
> Disposable cameras (non-professional)

The following can be found on site:
> Toilets
> Food kiosks
> Beer
> Juice
> Water bottles
> Recycling bins

Medical staff will be present on site.  Please be sure to bring all prescribed medication you may need and avoid putting yourself in harm’s way.  While it’s important to have fun, please monitor your consumption of alcohol, and be sure to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and juices throughout the day.  Make sure to take breaks from the sun if needed. There are plenty of trees for shade on the Osheaga site, so please take advantage of them.

While fun and great entertainment is a definite priority at Osheaga, it is important to be respectful of your surroundings, other festival goers, and festival staff to ensure that every Osheaga-goer has the time of their life. That being said, please follows these guidelines while attending Osheaga:

> Please make an effort to recycle/throw out all litter. No one likes a dirty festival site!

> Please be polite to festival staff and festival-goers (though crowds congregate around the stages, please do not push your way through crowds, cut into lines, etc)

> Respect Parc Jean-Drapeau and the Osheaga site. Please leave the site as you find it upon entering Osheaga. Do not remove signs, banners, or posters from the festival site.  Do not climb or damage trees, sculptures, etc.

> Respect the art. Several pieces of art are displayed throughout the festival site. Do not touch or move the art!  Those who tamper with the art may be ejected from festival grounds.

If you are interested in having your work displayed at Osheaga, please contact us here. Please be sure to include “ARTS” in your subject title, your contact information in the body of the email, and a link to or jpeg of an example of your work.  Please note that only artists who are chosen to present at Osheaga are contacted.

Please visit the contact section. 

Interested in vending at Osheaga? Please download our vendor application form here, Osheaga – Vendor Submission.

Osheaga is open to sponsorships that fit with the spirit of the festival. Potential sponsors are asked to contact us here.

Osheaga takes a number of volunteers as they are essential to putting on an event of this scale. Please visit our volunteers page (in the Contact Us section), and fill out the online form to be considered for a volunteer position at Osheaga.

Lost and found is located at the Osheaga coat check at the festival gates. All lost items are to be turned over to Parc Jean-Drapeau after the festival. Please contact Parc Jean-Drapeau for all lost and found queries:

Phone: 514 872-6120
Fax: 514 872-5691
Email: clientele@parcjeandrapeau.com

There are several vendors on site offering a wide assortment of great merchandise such as t-shirts and other garments, music, jewelry, artwork, and a whole lot more. Osheaga artist clothing, CDs, and official Osheaga gear will be available at the Osheaga merch tents.

Osheaga is home to a wide array of food vendors covering festival staples (burgers, etc) to delicious and exotic ethnic foods. Beverages from water to beer and other spirits can be purchased on site.

The legal drinking age in Quebec is 18 years old. If you are planning on consuming alcohol at the festival, please bring two (2) valid pieces of ID and be sure to drink responsibly.

Osheaga festival goers may bring a clear plastic water bottle with them on site, and water refill stations will be provided. Festival goers may be asked to empty their bottle before entering the festival. No alcohol may be brought from outside of the festival.

Osheaga is an all-ages event. Children aged 10 years and younger are admitted for free when accompanied by an adult with a valid Osheaga ticket.

The legal drinking age in Quebec is 18 years old. If you are planning on consuming alcohol at the festival, please bring two (2) valid pieces of ID and be sure to drink responsibly.

A full schedule of artist set times will be available on Osheaga.com in the weeks prior to the festival. Please join our mailing list in order to be the first to know when the schedule is made public. Festival headliners are the last to play on each given day, and hit the stage between 9:00pm and 9:30pm (subject to change).

Artists perform anywhere from 30 minute sets for emerging artists to 90 minute-plus sets for the festival headliners.

Osheaga doors open at 1:00pm with performances beginning at 2:00pm. Performances end at 11:00pm.

There is no camping available at Parc Jean-Drapeau. If you wish to camp while you’re in town for Osheaga, you may wish to contact:

CAMPING LA CLÉ DES CHAMPS 415, montée Saint-Claude , Saint-Philippe (QC), J0L 2K0 Reservations (450) 659-3389

For something a little more scenic, you can check out the beautiful Oka Nature Park, which is only about 45 minutes from downtown Montreal.

PARC NATURE OKA 2020 Chemin d'Oka, Oka (QC), J0N 1E0 Reservations
1 800 665-6527 (Canada and the United States only)
(418) 890- 6527 (Outside Canada and the United States)
inforeservation@sepaq.com

The Osheaga site has numerous gravel paths that are navigable by wheelchair.  Osheaga offers a platform reserved for concert goers in wheelchairs near the main stages (Rivière and Montagne). Those who have access to the platform are allowed to bring one (1) guest as company on it. A wheelchair accessible toilet is reserved at this location for those using the platform.

Osheaga takes place in Parc-Jean Drapeau on Ile Ste-Hélène; an island of tranquility set in the middle of the bustle of one of North America’s most exciting cities. Ile Ste-Hélène is located just off the island of Montréal. This beautiful site is a mixture of rolling pasture and forested areas accented by flowerbeds and open-air artwork brought to the island for Montreal’s Expo ’67. Osheaga’s 4 stages are spread out against this unique and beautiful back-drop!

Please click through the links below to visit one of our recommended hotels:

Le Petit Hôtel - Hôtel & Café

Le Place d'Armes Hotel & Suites

Hotel Nelligan

Le Crystal 

YOUTH HOSTELS

Interested in staying at a hostel while you are in Montreal? The Auberge de jeunesse de Montréal is a cozy hostel located in the heart of Montreal's downtown. Please visit them online here:

Additionally, we recommend checking out the following link for information on other lodging options as well as other travel related info for out-of-town visitors: www.wikitravel.org/en/Montreal