L’International des Feux Loto-Québec, also known as the Montreal Fireworks Festival, is considered to be amongst the most prestigious and largest fireworks festivals in the world. It has been held yearly at La Ronde Amusement Park on Ile Notre Dame over the Dolphins lake, since 1985, and is presently named after its major sponsor, Loto-Québec.
The competition takes the form of a series of weekly fireworks shows put on by the countries that are competing and usually begin in late June and end in late July. The fireworks are synchronized to music which makes for an artistic experience.
Spectators can purchase tickets to have reserved seats at the grandstand at La Ronde Amusement park. However, the majority of spectators, often numbering in the tens to hundreds of thousands of watch the fireworks for free from nearby locations all over the southern end of the island of Montreal including bridges, parks, tall buildings and wherever else they can find a nice view.
The Lineup for 2019 is as follows:
- Opening Throwback 1985 – Saturday, June 29, 2019 10 p.m.
- South Korea Dreaming in Montreal – Wednesday, July 3, 2019 10 p.m.
- Italy One Step – Moon Dream – Saturday, July 6, 2019 10 p.m.
- Portugal Stay Tuned – Wednesday, July 10, 2019 10 p.m.
- USA Jungle Spirit – Wednesday, July 17, 2019 10 p.m.
- Canada A First Walk on the Moon – Saturday, July 20, 2019 10 p.m.
- Australia Shapeshifter – Wednesday, July 24, 2019 10 p.m.
- Finale des Étoiles Loto-Québec Celebration of Casino de Montréal’s 25th anniversary – Saturday, July 27, 2019 10 p.m.
On the evenings the Montreal Fireworks Festival is held, the Jacques-Carter Bridge is closed to all traffic. This enables people to walk to the site to enjoy the show and the outstanding views of Montréal and its surrounding areas. Road users are invited to use the Champlain or Victoria Bridges, as well as the Louis Hippolyte Lafontaine Bridge-Tunnel, during this period.
