Montreal's comic book festival is turning a page this year with live programming after two virtual editions during the pandemic. From May 27 to 29, the Montreal Comic Arts Festival will fill rue Saint-Denis with tents (between rues Gilford and Roy) that showcase the work of over 175 Quebec and international artists.

The festival will be bilingual and free, offering a walkable 1.5-kilometre avenue of comic book-related exhibitions and activities.

Over three days, visitors will be able to meet participating artists, attend panels and workshops on the industry, and peruse works from over 100 exhibitors.

Among this year's programming are half a dozen free drawing workshops. There are also lots of interactive shows, including a daily live drawing battle that will pit cartoonists against each other to create an original character in front of attendees, with input from viewers influencing how characters are designed.

The festival lineup also includes a "Working in the world of comics" panel with artists Yanick Paquette, Juni Ba and Marguerite Sauvage. The trio will discuss their experiences breaking into the medium and share tips about navigating the industry.

Another panel on "The influence of underground comics in Quebec" will reflect on the history of the province's blossoming comics industry, while an interactive workshop with Frederic-Vivianne Auln will share different ways to bind and cover self-published works. Workshop participants will even be able to experiment with making zines of their own.

Several exhibitions will also take place, including a selection of original drawings by Caro Caron and Christine Redfern at Art Neuf Gallery from May 18 to June 22, and the art show Vicoli et ruelles at the Institute of Italian Culture in Montreal from April 26 to May 31. The latter will feature the work of two dozen artists — half from Italy and half from Quebec — whose work focuses on documenting urban life through alleyways.