{"id":14676,"date":"2026-07-23T14:14:06","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T09:14:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=14676"},"modified":"2026-07-23T14:14:06","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T09:14:06","slug":"feq-is-canadas-best-kept-festival-secret-recap-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=14676","title":{"rendered":"FEQ Is Canada&#8217;s Best-Kept Festival Secret: Recap + Photos"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div data-id=\"1612866\" data-title=\"FEQ 2026: Six-Figure Crowds Flock to Canada\u2019s Best-Kept Musical Secret\" data-url=\"https:\/\/consequence.net\/2026\/07\/feq-2026-recap-photos-muse-jelly-roll\/\" data-page=\"1\" data-pages=\"1\">\n<p>Qu\u00e9bec City is known for being the Canadian province\u2019s ultimate tourist destination, boasting a picturesque landscape of preserved 17th-century stone architecture, historic sites, and natural scenery. Each year, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.feq.ca\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Festival d\u2019\u00e9t\u00e9 de Qu\u00e9bec<\/a> (FEQ) takes advantage of the city\u2019s wonder for a whopping 11 days of back-to-back music, communal experiences, and all around Qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois fun. The 2026 edition was no exception. Led by acts like Muse, Gwen Stefani, Jelly Roll, Cypress Hill, Kesha, Limp Bizkit, The Lumineers, and many, many more, the festival was a week-and-a-half-long, cross-genre jubilee.<\/p>\n<p>Nearly 60 years in, FEQ continues to deliver a unique experience through its eclectic lineup, late night DJ sets, extra-musical offerings, and its intense sense of community. Importantly, the event also continues to spotlight both emerging Qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois artists and legendary acts, allowing visitors to experience the province\u2019s distinct culture through music. And yet, passes remain surprisingly reasonable, starting at just $180 Canadian for access to the full festival. No wonder the 2026 edition sold out in a mere three hours, the fastest in FEQ history.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vivid-seats.pxf.io\/c\/1882189\/952533\/12730?subId1=muse%2AFEQ-review-button&amp;subId2=&amp;subId3=&amp;sharedid=&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vividseats.com%2Fmuse-tickets%2Fperformer%2F5410\" class=\"button button-ticket\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Find Muse Tickets Here<\/a><\/p>\n<p>To see what all the hoopla was about, <em>Consequence\u00a0<\/em>made our way up to the Canadian festival for its closing weekend. Here\u2019s the best of what we saw.<\/p>\n<h2>Friday \u2014 Muse\u2019s Hysterical, Thunderous Triumph<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_1612954\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1612954\" src=\"https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Stephane-Bourgeois-Muse-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;fit=1031%2C580&amp;quality=80&amp;strip=\" alt=\"Muse at Festival d'\u00e9t\u00e9 de Qu\u00e9bec 2026\" class=\"wp-image-1612954 size-large\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Stephane-Bourgeois-Muse-2.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Stephane-Bourgeois-Muse-2.jpg?resize=150,84 150w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Stephane-Bourgeois-Muse-2.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Stephane-Bourgeois-Muse-2.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Stephane-Bourgeois-Muse-2.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Stephane-Bourgeois-Muse-2.jpg?resize=1031,580 1031w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Stephane-Bourgeois-Muse-2.jpg?resize=590,332 590w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Stephane-Bourgeois-Muse-2.jpg?resize=278,156 278w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Stephane-Bourgeois-Muse-2.jpg?resize=173,97 173w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Stephane-Bourgeois-Muse-2.jpg?resize=140,79 140w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Stephane-Bourgeois-Muse-2.jpg?resize=198,111 198w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Stephane-Bourgeois-Muse-2.jpg?resize=674,378 674w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-1612954\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Muse, photo by St\u00e9phane Bourgeois<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Related Video<\/p>\n<p>No Joy, the shoegaze project of Montreal-based musician Jasamine White-Gluz, kicked things off at the SiriusXM Stage on Friday, delivering a brief yet dreamy set as the audience began to fill the grounds. Franco-American sibling duo Faux Real then put on one of the most dynamic shows of the weekend. The pair\u2019s wonderfully unhinged antics combined bilingual synth-pop bangers and flute solos with campy, synchronized dance moves, all while remaining in character. Their magnetic performance served as a nice introduction to their weird world and set a fun-loving tone for the weekend to come.<\/p>\n<p>Qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois music fans are notoriously loud and deeply passionate. FEQ allows outsiders to immerse themselves in a firsthand experience of this unique crowd culture, offering a glimpse of the unparalleled, high-octane energy that locals bring to each show. It was most enveloping over on the Plains of Abraham, where Muse drew in the largest and most deafening crowd of the entire weekend, packing in nearly 100,000 people at the Bell Stage. The band kicked things off with their classic track, \u201cHysteria,\u201d before jumping into cuts from their recently released album, <a href=\"https:\/\/consequence.net\/2026\/03\/muse-new-album-the-wow-signal-new-song-be-with-you-stream\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><em>The Wow! Signal<\/em><\/a>. Their explosive set featured an array of space-themed visuals projected on the LED screens, beaming lasers, nostalgic hits, and thunderous guitar riffs. As hopping as the set was, luckily the festival\u2019s unique layout and multiple entrances and exits made leaving each night a seamless process, taking the anxiety out of navigating the huge crowds.<\/p>\n<h2>Saturday \u2014 You Can\u2019t Rain on This Parade<\/h2>\n<p>While Saturday\u2019s festivities were briefly placed on hold due to weather conditions, the programming still managed to offer a diverse range of performances that kept the vibes at an all-time high. Qu\u00e9bec City native Ariane Roy was the hometown hero of the night, delivering a theatrical performance with her eight-piece backing band that completely immersed the audience in her world. Later on, ska-punk mainstays Goldfinger united multiple generations of punks, keeping the mosh pit active while fans eagerly crowd-surfed to their iconic cover of \u201c99 Red Balloons.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>EDM then took over the main stage, with Martin Garrix summoning a huge crowd, turning the Plains into a massive outdoor rave as the light show of neon lasers pierced through the throng of fans singing along to every lyric, including a remix of Daft Punk\u2019s \u201cOne More Time\u201d and a handful of Rihanna mashups.<\/p>\n<h2>Sunday \u2014 Watch Parties and Cowboy Hats<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_1612955\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1612955\" src=\"https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/FEQ-Jelly-Roll-Seb.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;fit=1031%2C580&amp;quality=80&amp;strip=\" alt=\"jelly roll at Festival d'\u00e9t\u00e9 de Qu\u00e9bec 2026\" class=\"wp-image-1612955 size-large\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/FEQ-Jelly-Roll-Seb.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/FEQ-Jelly-Roll-Seb.jpg?resize=150,84 150w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/FEQ-Jelly-Roll-Seb.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/FEQ-Jelly-Roll-Seb.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/FEQ-Jelly-Roll-Seb.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/FEQ-Jelly-Roll-Seb.jpg?resize=1031,580 1031w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/FEQ-Jelly-Roll-Seb.jpg?resize=590,332 590w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/FEQ-Jelly-Roll-Seb.jpg?resize=278,156 278w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/FEQ-Jelly-Roll-Seb.jpg?resize=173,97 173w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/FEQ-Jelly-Roll-Seb.jpg?resize=140,79 140w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/FEQ-Jelly-Roll-Seb.jpg?resize=198,111 198w, https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/FEQ-Jelly-Roll-Seb.jpg?resize=674,378 674w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-1612955\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jelly Roll, photo by S\u00e9bastien Dion<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Come Sunday, FEQ crossed over with the weekend\u2019s other main event, the <a href=\"https:\/\/consequence.net\/2026\/07\/2026-fifa-world-cup-final-halftime-show-justin-bieber-madonna-shakira-bts-watch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FIFA World Cup Final<\/a>, as the game was projected live at the Parc de la Francophonie. The screening transformed the festival site into an outdoor viewing party, once again bringing thousands together to cheer along, before returning to the regularly scheduled music programming.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, Montreal-based alt-pop acts N NAO and Hawa B delivered delightfully vibrant, sun-drenched early afternoon sets ahead of revered singer-songwriter Pierre Lapointe\u2019s stunning performance. Accompanied by the entirety of the Qu\u00e9bec Symphony Orchestra, Lapointe\u2019s moving performance made for a more refined and emotive festival experience. His set truly felt like the main attraction of the night, with hundreds of fans who couldn\u2019t get inside gathered along the gates.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast to orchestral renditions of melancholic chansons, Swiss psych rock band L\u2019\u00c9clair ignited the National Assembly Square as a sea of cowboy hats made their way towards Jelly Roll\u2019s headlining set on the Plains. On top of playing a handful of hits, the rapper\/singer kept the crowd entertained with an array of covers, ranging from John Denver\u2019s 1971 classic \u201cTake Me Home, Country Roads\u201d to Green Day\u2019s \u201cGood Riddance,\u201d which were carried by crowd sing-alongs and gave any skeptical audience members a reason to stay. (A personal highlight from that set was watching people in cowboy attire attempting to line-dance to Whitney Houston\u2019s \u201cI Wanna Dance with Somebody\u201d at the end of the show. What a wonderful display.)<\/p>\n<p>Enjoying FEQ for just three days \u2014 a shockingly small percentage of its full program \u2014 there was no shortage of side quests. Musical discoveries, Qu\u00e9bec City charm, and unexpected, community-driven experiences hid around every corner. These Qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois definitely know what they\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n\t\t!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n\t\tn.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;\n\t\tn.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=1;\n\t\tt.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,\n\t\tdocument,'script','https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n\t\tfbq('init', '1753966171496536');\n\t\tfbq('set','agent','tmgoogletagmanager', '1753966171496536');\n\t\tfbq('track', \"PageView\");\n\t<\/script><script defer crossorigin=\"anonymous\" src=\"https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/sdk.js#xfbml=1&#038;version=v7.0&#038;appId=434175690014\" nonce=\"6gwmbCtM\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Qu\u00e9bec City is known for being the Canadian province\u2019s ultimate tourist destination, boasting a picturesque landscape of preserved 17th-century stone architecture, historic sites, and natural scenery. Each year, Festival d\u2019\u00e9t\u00e9 de Qu\u00e9bec (FEQ) takes advantage of the city\u2019s wonder for a whopping 11 days of back-to-back music, communal experiences, and all around Qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois fun. The&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14677,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/consequence.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/FEQ-hero.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsweek-trending"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14676","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14676"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14676\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14677"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14676"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14676"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}