New France Festival 2026 Quebec City guide

The New France Festival 2026

For the first time, the New France Festival leaves Lower Town for a pedestrian-friendly perimeter in Upper Town, around Quebec City Hall and Château Frontenac. The Jardins de l’Hôtel-de-Ville become the festival’s heart, featuring the Public Market (shows, exhibitions, re-enactments), the Courtyard of Trades (artisans) by day and the Innkeeper’s Terrace by night. The big change for 2026 is the addition of Parc Montmorency as an official venue, hosting the Place des Ancêtres dedicated to First Nations performances and traditions. All these sites are completely free to enter. According to Quebec-cite.com, the festival now spans a compact 500-metre radius around City Hall.

Founded in 1997 by Quebec City under mayor Jean-Paul L’Allier, the festival succeeded the Medievales de Quebec. Its mission: to celebrate New France (1608-1760), the French colony in North America founded by Samuel de Champlain. Official historical advisor Alain Laberge (Universite Laval) ensures the accuracy of the re-enactments. According to Recherches sociographiques, the official mission is to « raise and develop public interest in the history and culture of New France, » celebrating all founding peoples: French, Scottish, Irish, English and Indigenous.

Highlights

• New venue at Parc Montmorency, a National Historic Site of Canada and seat of Quebec’s first Parliament
• Strategic relocation to Upper Town, within the UNESCO-listed Old Quebec natural backdrop
• Completely free main sites for the first time since 2025

Detailed schedule

The festival offers a packed programme of free and paid activities every day. According to ELYSIAN Magazine, the Gathering of the 11 Giants is the festival’s highlight: each evening, these monumental puppets come to life around City Hall (included with the Medallion).

Daily highlights

• 6-9 August (ongoing): Public Market, Courtyard of Trades (10 am – 6 pm), Innkeeper’s Terrace (from 6 pm), historical talks at Auberge internationale de Quebec
• Saturday 8 August: King’s Table Firebarns at Cercle de la Garnison — a festive New France-inspired dinner (reservation required)
• Sunday 9 August: Pioneers’ Tea (11 am – 1:30 pm at Cercle de la Garnison) and Costume Contest (1 pm – 2 pm)

Paid interactive activities

Several bookable experiences: the Night of Traitors at Morrin Centre (a giant social-deduction board game), the Legendary Trail (investigation with 5 legendary figures like La Corriveau or the Golden Dog), and the Escape Backpack at Ilot des Palais (an escape game across historic sites, around CAD 50 / GBP 26, CAD 15 discount with the Medallion). All paid activities require advance booking according to Quebec-cite.com.

For visitors looking to deepen their stay, the Pixidia Discover platform lets you find personalised experiences and itineraries in Quebec City and across the province. Whether you’re travelling as a couple, with family or among friends, a tailor-made trip awaits you within the old town walls.

Gastronomy and costumes

Period gastronomy is a pillar of the experience: the famous giant turkey drumsticks are the festival’s most iconic speciality, paired with local craft beers and Quebecois terroir products (cheeses, pastries, maple syrup). Chic Choc Spiced Rum, a regional spiced rum, is a firm favourite with visitors. For costumes, rental is available from Old Quebec merchants (from CAD 60 / GBP 32 for a peasant outfit to CAD 300 / GBP 158 for a noble’s costume). The most creative festival-goers can download free patterns from the official website nouvellefrance.qc.ca.

History and heritage

The festival draws on locations steeped in history — an open-air museum. Parc Montmorency (new for 2026) is a National Historic Site of Canada: formerly a Recollect garden (1616), an episcopal palace, then the seat of Quebec’s first Parliament in 1792. The Quebec Conference of 1864, which drafted the 72 resolutions founding the Canadian Confederation, took place here (Source: Parks Canada). The Cercle de la Garnison (97 rue Saint-Louis), built in 1816, is a historic military club hosting the King’s Table and Pioneers’ Tea.

Old Quebec has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1985, and its fortifications (4.6 km) are the only ones still visible in North America north of Mexico. In June 2026, the Quebec City metropolitan area and Wendake received an additional designation: UNESCO Biosphere Region, a world first for an entire city. According to CCUNESCO, the territory spans 566 km², nearly half of which is natural environments.

Sites to discover

• Parc Montmorency: Place des Ancetres, First Nations performances and traditions, stunning views of the St. Lawrence River
• Morrin Centre: former prison (1813) turned cultural centre, hosting the Night of Traitors and Legendary Trail
• Ilot des Palais: major archaeological site, former palace of Intendant Jean Talon, over 500,000 artefacts unearthed

What the festival costs

The festival remains affordable thanks to free entry to the main sites. The Medallion Package at CAD 17.40 (around GBP 9) is optional but recommended: it includes access to the Giants’ Gathering, historical talks, a Coaticook ice cream, CAD 15 off the Escape Backpack, 3 entries to the Lantern Quest, the costume photo booth, and partner discounts. For paid activities (King’s Table, Night of Traitors, Legendary Trail), budget an extra CAD 20 to 50 per activity.

For transport, Jean-Lesage International Airport (YQB) serves 28 destinations. From the UK, the most convenient route is from London Heathrow (LHR) with Air Canada connecting through Montreal or Toronto — total travel time around 9-12 hours depending on the connection. This summer event is already very popular: it’s best to book your accommodation and Medallion before mid-July. From Montreal, a 2h30 drive or 3h15 VIA Rail train brings you to Gare du Palais in Old Quebec. The RTC bus network (line 54) serves the festival site, the funicular connects Upper Town to Lower Town for CAD 6, and free park-and-ride lots are available on the outskirts. According to Quebec-cite.com, major roadworks are underway in the city centre in summer 2026, making public transport even more advisable.

Where to stay during the festival

• Budget: Super 8 by Wyndham (CAD 92-187/night, approx. GBP 49-99), Au Petit Roi B&B (CAD 140-200/night)
• Mid-range: Courtyard Quebec City (CAD 152-209/night), Hotel du Jardin (CAD 157-234/night)
• Luxury: Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac (CAD 300-500/night, approx. GBP 158-263), Hilton Quebec (approx. CAD 263/night)

The Huron-Wendat Nation, 15 minutes from Quebec City

The Place des Ancetres at Parc Montmorency highlights First Nations traditions during the festival. But the most authentic experience awaits you at Wendake, the Huron-Wendat community just 15 minutes from downtown Quebec City. According to Indigenous Quebec, the Huron-Wendat Museum (15 place de la Rencontre) features the permanent exhibition « Wendat Endi' » on Wendat culture and history, with audioguides in 6 languages. The Traditional Huron Site Onhoua Chetek8e presents a reconstructed Huron village with storytellers and crafts. To build a complete itinerary combining the festival, Quebec City discovery and First Nations immersion, the Pixidia travel planner helps you compose a trip perfectly suited to your preferences.

Experiences in Wendake

• Hotel-Musee Premieres Nations: 4-star hotel inspired by traditional longhouses, La Traite restaurant (cuisine with Indigenous ingredients)
• Kabir Kouba Falls: canyon and interpretive centre, accessible by hike from Wendake
• Onhwa’ Lumina light trail: immersive nighttime forest experience, ideal in summer