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.
