NEED TO KNOW
The 2025 Festival d’été de Québec is about to begin.
The annual music festival — also known as FEQ — kicks off in Québec City on Thursday, July 3 and will run through Sunday, July 13 and will feature performances by everyone from Rod Stewart and Shania Twain to Ice Spice and Benson Boone. Hundreds of thousands of locals and tourists alike will descend upon Québec City for the FEQ, which runs for 11 nights and features six stages.
See below for a guide to the 2025 FEQ.
What is the FEQ?
The Festival d’été de Québec, also known as the FEQ, is an annual music festival that takes place in the heart of Québec City. The festival began in 1968 and is one of the longest continuously running festivals in the world — and is older than Glastonbury. In its early years, the festival highlighted francophone music but today features a genre-spanning lineup of artists.
Set in the heart of Québec City, the 2025 FEQ will draw more than 1 million attendees and feature six stages, with more than 150 shows from different artists; two of the stages are even free for festival goers without passes. (Tickets and transferable passes range from $125 to $1,010; most passes are already sold out, but one-night-only tickets are still available for purchase.)
The festival takes place in a historic part of Québec City, surrounded by cobblestone streets and a stunning architectural landscape. Headliners will perform on the Bell Stage, a stadium-sized space that is situated on the city’s scenic Plains of Abraham, famous battlefields-turned-urban park that accommodates some 90,000 festival goers.
When is the FEQ?
The 2025 FEQ kicks off Thursday, July 3 and runs through Sunday, July 13.
Festival Festival d’été de Québec/Instagram
Who’s performing at the FEQ?
The 2025 FEQ’s headliners are Rod Stewart, Avril Lavigne, Benson Boone, Salesbarbes, Def Leppard, Bigflo & Oli, Kygo, Hozier, Slayer, Shania Twain and Farruko.
Other notable festival performers include Alessia Cara, Simple Plan, Thundercat, Remi Wolf, Sean Paul, Nate Smith, Don Diablo, Pixies, Suki Waterhouse, Bon Sinclair, Mastodon, Ice Spice and Maren Morris.
What else is going on at the FEQ?
After the regularly scheduled programming, the FEQ offers the FEQ Extras, which are late-night shows at the gothic Voltigeurs de Québec Armoury. And the FEQ is fun for the whole family, offering activities and shows specially curated for kids and parents on Saturdays and Sundays.
Outside of the FEQ itself, Québec City offers its own special magic. The capital city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 and features an impressive culinary scene and easy access to nearby natural sites.
Flying into Québec City is simple, with 21 direct flights to Canada, the U.S. and England from Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB). And the city offers more than 6,500 3- to 5-star hotels that are within walking distance (or by public transportation) to the FEQ.
