![The Bulletin: Placing Bets on the Oscars, a Sugar Shack Street Fair, and Countryside Dining [Issue #172]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthemain.ghost.io%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2026%2F03%2FDSC_0705.jpg&w=2560&q=75)
![The Bulletin: Cigarette Mom Karaoke, Hochelaga Whippets, and Michelin-Starred Dinners [Issue #171]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthemain.ghost.io%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2026%2F03%2F55124427325_c12dd28399_b.jpg&w=2560&q=75)
![The Bulletin: Disco Chinois, Dolly Parton Pinball, and Gambling Laboratories [Issue #170]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthemain.ghost.io%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2026%2F02%2FCCM-montrealchinois-web-2__1_.jpg&w=2560&q=75)
![The Bulletin: Bus shelter acrobatics, Lunar New Year raves, and Slavic crêpes [Issue #169]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthemain.ghost.io%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2026%2F02%2F51607__F03EE024-17D7-4FB4-B04CC09961F21468-1.jpg&w=2560&q=75)
![The Bulletin: Packed dancefloors, bar-hopping, and a last-minute Valentine's Day planner [Issue #168]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthemain.ghost.io%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2026%2F02%2FMayaNaidu_Coq-de-l-Est_The-Main-22-2-1.jpg&w=2560&q=75)
![The Bulletin: Disco queens, Nordic festivities, and the Great Underground Race [Issue #167]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthemain.ghost.io%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2026%2F02%2F55281-2.jpg&w=2560&q=75)
![The Bulletin: What's Montreal without one of its biggest festivals? [Issue #67]](https://themain.ghost.io/content/images/2024/03/13991-Cr-dit-FR---Festival-Juste-pour-rire--Julia-C.-Vona-EN-Credit---Just-For-Laughs-Festival--Julia-C.-Vona-1.jpg)
There's no way around it: Festivals are in a bad way right now.
Just For Laughs made headlines internationally this week for cancelling this year's edition at a time when Netflix is dominating the world stage, following months of festivals citing climbing costs and bad publicity—from cancelled fireworks and as many as 16 different events citing the need for cash to poor planning that impacts the local businesses they're meant to support—and to top it all off, the world experiences the 'funflation' of ticket prices.
Across North America, organizers are seeing disproportionate increases in production costs, talent buyouts, and other numerous facets of the live event sphere. Without being able to draw in the big acts from around the world, where are we going to go from here?
For readers who care about Montreal
Create a free account to read this story and access 3 articles per month, plus our weekly Bulletin.
![The Bulletin: So much to do in one weekend, it'll make your head spin [Issue #157]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthemain.ghost.io%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2025%2F11%2FHome1-e1738341397287.jpg&w=2560&q=75)
![The Bulletin: Grab your dancing shoes y'all, leaf peeping is cancelled [Issue #148]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthemain.ghost.io%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2025%2F09%2F481298220_1163955051766949_8543651430058391509_n.jpg&w=2560&q=75)
![The Bulletin: Summer’s last stand, a world-famous pothole, and politicians pulling pints [Issue #147]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthemain.ghost.io%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2025%2F09%2F54789127323_4650d521c5_b.jpg&w=2560&q=75)
![The Bulletin: Welcome to a brand new year, Montreal [Issue #162]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthemain.ghost.io%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2025%2F12%2F55006497912_c1a11c2466_b.jpg&w=2560&q=75)
![The Bulletin: A hyperpop party, live blacksmithing, a toy drive, and late-night raves [Issue #159]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthemain.ghost.io%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2025%2F12%2F53468450156_7b9de7959e_b.jpg&w=2560&q=75)
![The Bulletin: Total chaos. Zero cohesion. All good stuff. [Issue #143]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthemain.ghost.io%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2025%2F08%2F2e7c0a154683fcb6bf20614920d41b4b94ca7513-6240x4160.webp&w=2560&q=75)
