Toronto Star

Quebec festival organizers look to innovate as restrictio­ns loosened

- MORGAN LOWRIE THE CANADIAN PRESS

Montreal has been having its quietest summer in recent memory, as COVID-19 put an end to a world-renowned festival circuit celebratin­g everything from jazz to circus arts. While many events have moved online, the Quebec government’s decision last week to once again OK festivals — with a new 250-person limit and social distancing rules — has others cautiously moving forward with scaled-down versions.

The St-Jean-sur-Richelieu Internatio­nal Hot Air Balloon festival, which normally attracts some 350,000 people per year to a site southeast of Montreal, has been grounded by COVID-19 along with the rest of Quebec’s major events.

Instead, organizers have gone in a different direction, bringing shows to seniors’ residences on a mobile stage. And, beginning this week, they turned a small part of the festival site into a venue for drive-in movies, music and comedy shows, with the famous hot air balloons tethered in the background when weather allows.

François Chevrier, the director of a group combining festivals, tourist attraction­s and other events, said that many regional festivals are planning to go ahead following the government’s announceme­nt. Those include a music festival in the Gaspé region, as well as many smaller events based on food, poetry or fall colours.

Some events are opting for a hybrid model, which combines small in-person gatherings with larger livestream­e d events.

Montreal’s MUTEK festival, which celebrates electronic music and digital arts, will run about 30 events with small audiences in addition to livestream­ed concerts.

Founder Alain Mongeau said with limited sponsorshi­p and ticket sales, revenue from festivals has plummeted, even if grants and funding pay most of the bills.

Neverthele­ss, he believes it’s important to host in-person events at the September festival, no matter how small, in order to “create that in-person connection” after months of semi-isolation.

POP Montreal, a music and culture festival taking place in

September, is banking on interestin­g outdoor spaces, such as rooftops, big backyards and alleys to create atmosphere for the small number of in-person shows that are planned.

Dan Seligman, the festival’s creative director, admits it won’t be quite the same without the crowds.

“It’s still music, it’ll be fun, but it’s not going to be what it was,” he said. At the same time, he believes the livestream­e d events create an opportunit­y. “In a way, we’re able to connect and reach a larger audience, ironically,” he said.

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