• As the pandemic progresses, two Montreal festivals, the Jazz Fest and the Francos, are cancelling their 2020 editions.
• Just for Laughs organizers are postponing the festival to the fall.
• Visit MTLBlog for more headlines.

Summer just won't be the same this year. Two popular Montreal festivals set to take place in June, the Jazz Festival and the Francos, have been officially cancelled. The comedy festival Just for Laughs, meanwhile, has been postponed.

The Tour de l'Île, a biking event planned this year for June 7, has also been cancelled.

The decision was difficult, "but it had become necessary in order to protect the public, the artists and our employees," said Jacques Primeau, Director General of the Montreal Francos and the Montreal International Jazz Festival.

"We would also like to take this opportunity to thank public and private partners for their understanding and their great collaboration during these most difficult times."

Just for Laughs fans, meanwhile, will still be able to get their comedy fix this year.

"We are energized by the ability of our teams to adapt to current conditions and present a festival redesigned in its form and content as early as the fall," said Charles Décarie, President and CEO of the Just for Laughs Group. 

"If the situation permits, we will resume work in the interim and thus be able to play an important role in reviving the cultural sector, but also in the social healing that we all need” he added.

The festival was set to bring comedy superstars such as Trevor Noah, John Mulaney, and Bill Maher to Montreal in July.

"We hope that our audiences will come in large numbers this Fall and that together we can celebrate life that is resuming its course," Décarie concluded.

The new dates for the event are September 29 to October 11.

According to Jacques Aubé, President of L'Équipe Spectra, "the coming months will be decisive for the future of festivals." 

The Jazz Fest, Francos, and Tour de l'Île join Metro Metro and Santa Teresa on the list of events that have been cancelled so far this year.

La Ronde, Montreal's favourite amusement park, has also postponed its opening day in response to the pandemic. 

There's still no word from other major festivals such as Osheaga and Piknic Électronique about their summer programming.

Stay tuned.