Montreal Events

In the early 20th century, a new wave of European immigrants made its way to Québec and to Montréal. Among them were thousands of Italians who brought with them their traditions, their values, and their customs, going on to form one of the oldest and largest immigrant cultural communities in Montréal.

Showcasing the community’s important contribution to economic, social, and cultural life in Montréal—as well as its ingenuity, talent, and resilience—Pointe-à-Callière, thanks to the support of the IIC, is presenting the exhibition Italian Montréal. This exhibition will shine a spotlight on the daily lives of Montréal’s earliest Italian immigrants and on the ways in which the community has evolved over the past century—with a quarter of a million Montrealers today describing themselves as having Italian roots.

August 11th, 2021 at 7:30PM

In these days of social distancing in which we are all trying to keep in touch, breaking the barrier between audience and performer so that a performance becomes a shared experience for all to laugh and celebrate: this is Franco’s comedy mission.

For one moment, someone in every audience somewhere along his routine will think, Yeah, me too! 

From the unique trajectory of academia to comedy stages across North America, his ability to channel the outsider in all of us has made him a club, festival, corporate, fundraising gala & radio favourite.

He livens up CBC Radio-1 Montréal – Daybreak as its Parenting Columnist with his humorous yet insightful anecdotes on surviving parenthood as the father of three in a world where time and patience are fleeting. He’s also been a star of the TV Comedy Special – Whose Canada is it?, a performer and writer on the acclaimed CBC Radio series The Debaters, a star of Three National Tours and The Winnipeg – Boston- Cornwall & Laval Laughs Comedy Festivals.

Franco’s first Album Franco Taddeo – You never stop sold over 10,000 copies worldwide (2 in Ohio!) and his new show online Franco Taddeo- Live is now available. Join us virtually on our online platforms and watch Franco Taddeo August 11th at 7:30 pm!

August 11th, 2021 at 8PM

Montreal’s Charles Vaccaro is an accomplished singer-songwriter and guitarist who boasts a wealth of experience. The opportunity of a lifetime came in the late 80’s when LIPSTIK, the rock band he founded was managed by Whitney Houston (Nippy Management Inc) giving them popularity. Before disbanding in the mid 90’s, LIPSTIK performed several successful shows in the United States, on radio and TV. In Canada, their videos were broadcast on the Much Music channel. Vaccaro’s passion for music and in particular for songwriting characterizes his desire to share his talent with the public. In 2020 Charles Vaccaro received a nomination in the singer/songwriter category at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards, and his latest single will be released in early October.

Giacinto Salerno is a versatile singer-songwriter, music producer and sound engineer with a lot of experience behind him. Founder of the show Does Your School Rock?, he has performed with several rock bands.

Sergio De Dominicis, a talented guitarist and singer-songwriter, has performed many times in concert with several bands. From 2008 to 2011 his unique music project Musique à la Carte, launched in 2005, saw the collaboration of Lee-la and Dave from The Damn Truth. Currently, he plays with the rock/blues cover band Crash Landing, and plans to release his first solo rock album in late 2021.

August 12th, 2021 at 7:30PM

Montreal-Italian Brigitte Pace fulfilled her dream as a singer-songwriter in 1998 when her first single Save Your Soul from the album Weird Voices was released on airplay, giving her national celebrity. She has appeared on several television shows such as Musique Plus and AM Live, as well as with Gianni Bodo in 2020. She also sang the US National Anthem at the Los Angeles Forum during an LA Kings game. Manager of her independent label Ecap production with her partner Albe, she has written, produced and recorded four albums: Anxiety In Progress (2001) Tempestuous Thing Called Life (2003), I Defied (2006) and Magik (2013). Her single Big Yellow Box, made in the midst of the pandemic, is inspired by empty cities and all those who lost their lives in this global crisis. Her latest single Sad Eyes is about freeing oneself from their own dystopian feelings in order to restore an authentic life. Don’t miss Brigitte Pace in concert online during italfestMTL.

August 12th, 2021 at 8PM

Gianni Bodo is a Montreal-based singer-songwriter with a career spanning over twenty years. His first solo album Fade to Rose, which featured the collaboration of prestigious names such as songwriter-director Pierre Marchand and saxophonist François Carrier, was critically acclaimed and presented on Musique Plus by Claude Rajotte, Quebec’s most respected music critic. If internationally he has received media attention, OMNI TV in Canada recently aired a special report on him. Master of a sound where rock, pop and indie intertwine, he delivers to the public a music made of refined atmospheres and an intense description of inner and outer worlds. Gianni Bodo was considered by Quebec Spot Media one of the best musical revelations of the year. His charismatic performances, including appearances at our festival and one for Italian legendary singer Claudio Baglioni, have earned him a reputation as one of Montreal’s musical stars. In 2020, recorded in the midst of a pandemic, his single Hurricanes and Butterflies was particularly appreciated by critics and radio, and premiered on Radio Delta 1 in Italy. Recently he released Si je pars, his first single in French with lyrics written with Nicholas Eede from the British band Cutting Crew. Si je pars was played on several radio stations in Quebec and became the first French single to qualify for the finals at Canadian Music Week, the music festival acclaimed as the largest and most prestigious in Canada. Gianni Bodo is now working on an EP in French and Italian. Join us virtually on our online platforms and follow Gianni Bodo in concert on August 12th at 8pm!

August 13th, 2021 at 7:30PM

Mike Melino is a classical and jazz-trained singer from Vanier College. He has a rich professional background in corporate contexts, as well as in the world of musicals and festivals. He has successfully performed for several major events and shows throughout Quebec, Ontario and Italy. This artist has distinguished himself twice by winning Superfantastico (2005 and 2016) an Italian singing competition. His most recent professional achievements  include his performances in Guys and Dolls (2012), Prom Queen (The Louder We Get) (2016) and It Shoulda Been You (2018) with the Segal Centre for Performing Arts and most recently in Mamma Mia’s provincial tour! (2019) with the Just For Laughs team. Tune in virtually on our platforms and follow Mike Melino in concert on August 13th at 7:30 pm!