Quebec City's 400th anniversary celebrations are well underway. Check out this helpful guide to the best of what's happening in Quebec City for the rest of 2008. Hint: If you're a fan of Celine Dion, you may want to come in August for her free concert.
Big names appearing on the Plains of Abraham include Paul McCartney performing on July 20th, followed by Celine Dion on August 22/08.
Getting tickets is tricky, but even if you can't score one it's worth dropping by to hear the outdoor performances from the sidelines. Don't forget the Quebec Summer Festival for more musical performances.
2008 Celebrations 418 648-2008 extension 531.
From January 16, 2008 to April 19, 2009, check out the VivaCité Stroll, a designated path for walkers that has just opened in Quebec City. The path runs from Faubourg Saint-Jean-Baptiste to the Petit Champlain.
Urban hikers pass St. Roch, Old Port and Place Royale neighborhoods. VivaCité will lead strollers on an urban tour that takes in historical, military and religious sites along with museums, commercial centers and parks. Actual path markings will be in place by late spring.
In honor of the city's 400th anniversary, the Museum of Civilization is hosting Urbanology, an exhibit that looks at the purpose and future of our cities. Real and Imaginary project models invite viewers to think about the creative and technological potential of cities and what the urban lifestyle means to us in the 21st century.
From June 5 to October 26/08, The Fine Arts Museum of Quebec presents "Le Louvre à Québec". The exhibition brings over 270 works of art from the world's greatest museum to Quebec City. This large scale exhibit focuses on relics from China, Egypt, Greece and Rome representing over 5,000 years of history.
On August 22, 2008, Céline Dion will be performing in a free concert on the Plains of Abraham. This outdoor event will feature other performers who are coming to celebrate Quebec's birthday.
From September 11 to September 20, 2008 St. Roch and other sites will present the Mois Multi event, a line up of groundbreaking hybrid /performance art. These outdoor pieces conclude with "Body Movies Québec" performed by internationally renowned artist, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer.
The 54th annual Quebec City winter carnival has added something new for 2008. This year, the all new night parades will take place on Saturday, February 9 and 16. Highlights include two 24-foot marching marionettes and 1,200 additional costumes. New multimedia projections and techno soundtrack add to the excitement.
All of the 300 regular exhibits and activities are still in place, including ice sculpting, canoe races on the frozen St. Lawrence River and pancake breakfasts. The world's largest winter carnival runs from February 1 to 17.