OK, so here’s the thing. Don’t let all this rainy weather distract you from the fact that yes, it IS summer. I mean, just take one look at our Summer’s Sexiest Swimsuits cover story and that should jog your memory…but good. And what does summer mean, aside from lots of glorious tanned skin, time away from school, and maybe even a few extra, un, sick days out of work? It means it’s time for the age-old tradition of ROAD TRIPS! Now, sure, definitely get to the beach as often as possible ~ that goes without saying. But when you’re ready for a change of pace, not to mention the coolness of heading out of the country without having to stand in line at the airport, I’ve got just the destination for you ~ Quebec City. That’s right, Quebec City in Canada. And although QC is a terrific vacation destination year ‘round, what makes it the perfect road-trip in July is the 42nd Quebec City Summer Festival.

I know, you’ve been to festivals before. But wait…this festival is HUGE. It runs from July 9th to the 19th (so right there it’s a lot easier to coordinate schedules with all your friends than if it only ran for a weekend), attracts nearly 2 million (that’s right, two million) fans, packs 300 shows and concerts into 11 days, features a ton of indoor and outdoor stages, and keeps the party going on the streets 24/7. Sounds like fun, right? Well, want to know just some of the acts that’ll be performing? Check this out: KISS. STING. PLACIDO DOMINGO. SEAN PAUL. ICE CUBE. STYX. JEFF BECK. LOREENA MCKENNITT. THE PROCLAIMERS. YEAH YEAH YEAHS. LILA DOWNS. BEIRUT. INDOCHINE. SEETHER. BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA…and LOTS more…they’ve got it all covered (seriously ~ when are you going to be able to catch KISS playing with Jeff Beck and Ice Cube???) ~ Rock, song, pop, electro, jazz, reggae, folk, hip-hop, funk, blues, and classical music.

Another cool feature of the Festival (in addition to immersing you in another culture where you are bound to meet some amazing new friends)? One admission fee of JUST $45 gets you into everything ~ inside and out…for all 11 days. $45 for 11 days, people!!! And the excitement that starts building in the heart of Quebec City weeks before the start date (as in, NOW) is contagious ~ this is truly a celebration of music, camaraderie, fun, and the spirit of getting away from the everyday and simply enjoying the moment.

So is your interest piqued? Maybe I’ve got you thinking about making some plans with your friends and taking a road-trip that’ll blow your musical mind AND give you a great story to tell everyone back home who just stayed by the pool all summer? Good. Now head over to www.infofestival.com to get some more details about the Festival…oh, and don’t worry if you don’t speak French, the Festival provides lots of folks on-site who speak both French and English and can answer all your questions.