Le Phoque OFF will take place in Québec City from this Friday, running till February 21st. Le Phoque OFF 2026 expands both its showcase and festival components, and once again presents a series of DJ sets and a substantial PRO program. The festival promises to warm up the month of February with new concepts and unique performances.

DJ Sets to Dance Day and Night
Following the success of previous years, Le Phoque OFF confirms the return of its DJ sets at La Cuisine bar with DJ Lily Pita & SinLess, DJMA, DJ Raven, and Okapi. For Valentine’s Day, the festival invites audiences to celebrate love at L’Anti with a DJ set by Liam Cormier (Cancer Bats) for an unforgettable Emo Night. A new must-visit party venue on Saint-Jean Street, Le Lit Double will host the official afterparty of Gawbé’s l’endroit-l’envers show with a DJ set by Marius Mars, joined by Gawbé and special guests. Thinking outside the box, and in collaboration with La Classique du Vieux-Québec, the festival will present two electronic music evenings on February 20 and 21 along the ice skating rink at Place D’Youville. Flupke, Aujourd’hui, and vinciane will provide the soundtrack as the public laces up their skates.

The Festival portion of Le Phoque OFF will take place on February 13, 14, 19, 20, and 21. With shows such as the album launch of Robert Robert, Gawbé’s party, Moonshine, and the Winston Band Mardi Gras, audiences are guaranteed a healthy dose of dancing. For rock fans, in addition to performances by Sandveiss, and Sedmi and Beurre, Le Phoque OFF announces the GUEULEUSE night featuring Nova Spei, Obsolete Mankind, and Within Embers. It is worth noting that Gueuleuse recently won Lucien of the Year for Cultural Initiative at the latest GAMIQ awards. Finally, the Drag Kings Show returns, hosted by the outstanding RV Métal and Rock Bière, featuring performances by Serge La Drag and Will Charmer.

From February 15 to 18, the spotlight turns to the showcase component—the “soul” of the festival dedicated to musical discovery. Artists already announced include alternative acts such as Patche, rock artist Laura Niquay, pop artist Rayannah, and folk acts l i l a and Afternoon Bike Ride. To the roughly sixty artists already announced, new names are being added for a complete program where every music lover will find something to enjoy. On February 16, the festival will present the festive Fanmi se Fanmi night, where audiences can dance to Valérie Clio, Ammoye, Frank’emcy, and, as the highlight of the evening, the Okavango African Orchestra. Rap fans should head to L’Anti Bar & Spectacles for performances by Kamilou, Na$-T, SLM, and Jashim. The entire showcase program is accessible for the modest price of $40 with the Discovery Pass.

For the past 10 years, Le Phoque OFF has offered a program dedicated to bringing together music industry professionals around issues affecting the sector. This year’s panels will address topics such as the place of local music in Québec, artificial intelligence, diversity in programming, motherhood as an artist, and Indigenous realities. The festival also fosters networking and new connections through events such as cocktails, including the now-famous Ultimate PRO Party in collaboration with Lepointdevente.com, as well as one-on-one meetings with international professionals, festivals, venues, filmmakers, and directors. In addition to panels, conferences, workshops, roundtables, and cocktail events, music industry stakeholders will have access to exclusive morning showcases at the Grand Théâtre de Québec and afternoon Ready to Export showcases at Pantoum, where four artists ready to break into international markets will present their projects to professionals from abroad.

“At the beginning, the idea was to present shows that are rarely showcased through traditional networks—another way of creating, supporting, and sharing art. We needed a celebration that reflected our community; something real, something that looks like us; something other than a professional event like a conference. So we built an atypical, forward-thinking festival where the public mingles with the music and cultural industries.”

Patrick Labbé,
founder of Le Phoque OFF

order tickets for Le Phoque OFF HERE