Zoofest
Zoofest is a Montreal comedy and performance festival founded in 2009.
Zoofest is a Montreal comedy and performance festival founded in 2009. It is known for highlighting emerging talent and for programming that has included humour, theatre, cabaret, storytelling, magic, dance, and other performances. The festival has been presented in Montreal each July and has been associated with Just for Laughs and the broader OFF-JFL programming.
History
Zoofest began in 2009 as a Montreal festival created to give more space to emerging performers in smaller venues. Later coverage and official announcements describe it as part of the broader Just for Laughs / OFF-JFL ecosystem in Montreal.
Programming
The festival has featured humour alongside theatre, cabaret, storytelling, magic, dance, and other performance forms. Sources emphasize its role as a discovery platform for new talent rather than a single-genre event.
Relationship to Just for Laughs
Media coverage describes Zoofest as the off-festival or fringe-style counterpart to Just for Laughs. Official Canadian government communications have also referred to Zoofest & OFF-JFL together in Montreal.
Venues and format
Zoofest has been staged in Montreal venues, including downtown spaces in the Quartier des spectacles and, in some years, the Monument-National. Program length and scale have varied by year, especially during the COVID-19 period.
Key facts
- Zoofest was founded in 2009 in Montreal by Martin Durocher and Lucy Eveleigh.
- It takes place annually in July in Montreal, Quebec.
- The festival focuses on emerging artists and mixed performance forms, including humour, theatre, cabaret, storytelling, magic, dance, and other performances.
- Radio-Canada described it as the “little brother” of Just for Laughs and the OFF side of the Just for Laughs festival.
- Canadian government and Quebec government announcements have identified Zoofest as part of Zoofest & OFF-JFL in Montreal.
Zoofest is a Montreal-based festival and a notable part of Quebec’s live performance and comedy scene. It has also appeared in Canadian federal and provincial cultural funding announcements, reflecting its role in Canada’s festival sector.[4][9][13]
Frequently asked questions
What is Zoofest?
When was Zoofest founded?
Where is Zoofest held?
What kinds of shows are at Zoofest?
How is Zoofest related to Just for Laughs?
References
- Wikipédia — https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZoofestSupports: Founded in 2009 by Martin Durocher and Lucy Eveleigh; annual July festival in Montreal; programming focus on emerging talent and multiple performance forms.
- Radio-Canada — https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/675440/zoofest-petit-guideSupports: Describes Zoofest as the off-festival to Just for Laughs and notes audience/programming context.
- Government of Canada — https://www.canada.ca/fr/patrimoine-canadien/nouvelles/2023/07/le-gouvernement-du-canada-soutient-le-zoofest--off-jfl-de-montreal.htmlSupports: Official federal announcement naming Zoofest & OFF-JFL in Montreal and giving dates/venues for the 2023 edition.
- Qui fait Quoi / Lien MULTIMÉDIA — https://qfq.com/spip.php?article95516Supports: Quebec government funding announcement for Zoofest & OFF-JFL and description as a Montreal festival.
- Groupe Juste pour rire / HA! HA! — https://www.hahaha.com/fr/presse/communique-de-presse-zoofestSupports: States Zoofest was founded in 2009 and explains its role as a platform for emerging bilingual humour in Quebec.