Montreal is a festival friendly city

North Americans are always told if you want a little piece of Paris and can't afford to cross the Atlantic, go to Montreal. Although it is a great example of Parisian flair, it is also a very international city.

It is the city where you can find delicious poutine, scenic walks and huge festivals. There is always something going on in the city; with the majority of the festivities happening in the warm summer. All year round, you can find something to do in Montreal.

Igloo Fest (Every Friday-Sunday, January): One of the newly introduced festivals in Montreal, Igloo Fest is known as the Ultimate Outdoor Winter Rave. Electronic music fans brave the harsh Canadian winters for the best international talent to perform. Dress code? Dress very warm! Cost: Only $10!

Montreal Grand Prix (June 11th-13th): Get your engines ready for the fast lane for the Grand Prix Weekend in Montreal. The entire city comes together for the annual auto race. Montreal seems to just go nuts and dive in head first into the madness of the Grand Prix. The start of the race is also the unofficial start of summer.

The International Jazz Festival (June 25th- July 4th): Since 2004, Montreal has held the Guinness World Record for holding the world's largest jazz festival. 3,000 artists from 30 countries perform to about 2.5 million viewers. The city almost comes to a halt to enjoy the summer sun and listen to some smooth jazz.

Just for laughs Comedy Festival (Most of July): Known as the place where comedians Denis Leary, Tim Allen and Dave Chapelle got their big break, the Just for Laughs festival is nothing to laugh about. (Well, you can laugh at the jokes) Founded in 1983, the once French only comedy event has now grown into a huge event that has sister festivals in Toronto, Chicago and France.

Montreal Fireworks Competition (June through August): There is nothing like a large pyrotechnic show in the sky to commemorate the excitement of summer festivals. Each weekend, teams from different countries get a chance to light up the sky. Locals and tourists find this one of the most unique things to do in Montreal. It's a great way to celebrate summer, just to celebrate having lights in the sky.

Flickr: Anirudh Koul