What to wear to Igloofest 2027

The organiser's kit against the cold

The Montreal FAQ in English lists eight things, under "Here is the perfect kit for warriors of the cold".

• "Very warm windproof winter coat"
• "Snow pants" (snow trousers, in British English)
• "Beanie"
• "Mittens (they're warmer than gloves!)"
• "Boots (no shoes, please, boots!)"
• "Warm socks (+ a second pair just in case)"
• "Scarf, neck warmer, or balaclava to cover your beautiful face"
• "Foot warmers and hand warmers"

The French FAQ gives the same eight, with a tuque for the beanie. In the English FAQ the list sits under the question "Is there a dress code?", which it answers "No." The answer is about gender: "Our event does not have a gender-specific dress code."

Its answer to "What should I bring on site?" gives clothing a single line: "Clothing adapted to the temperature (hat, gloves and boots necessary for an incredible evening)". Gatineau's bring list says the same.

For the 2026 Montreal edition the organiser ran a competition for the most improbable snowsuit, the Iglooswag, announced on 19 December 2025. Nothing had been announced for 2027 by 24 October 2026. Improbability, it seems, is encouraged.

What to bring

The Montreal FAQ names five things, in this order: photo ID (driving licence, passport or health card), a reusable water bottle, clothes suited to the temperature, a small umbrella, and a small bag, which is searched at the entrance. Gatineau's FAQ gives the same list without the umbrella. In Montreal and Gatineau you pay on site by credit or debit card only, according to their FAQs.

What Montreal bans: the organiser's list

The Montreal FAQ warns that every festival-goer and every bag is searched at the entrance, then gives its list.

• animals, except identified and accredited assistance dogs
• cameras 8 inches or longer, with accessories (detachable lenses, flash, tripods). Smaller cameras are allowed.
• knives, blunt objects, chains (wallet chains too), spikes and anything else that can be used as a weapon
• backpacks, cool bags, sports bags, camping or framed bags of any size, and any other bag over 35 cm × 35 cm × 15.25 cm
• alcoholic drinks
• motorbike or bicycle helmets
• portable and folding chairs of any kind
• glass containers
• high-visibility vests or safety clothing
• drugs and drug paraphernalia, except prescription medicines in their original container with the prescription
• video or audio recording equipment of any kind: drones, camera stands, selfie sticks, microphones, tripods and the like
• fireworks, confetti, sparklers or bangers
• musical instruments (megaphones, speakers, whistles)
• war bonnets or First Nations headdresses
• promotional material and flyers in bulk
• equipment, containers or objects powered by compressed air or pressurised propellant
• food and drink
• umbrellas
• laser pointers
• tents
• bicycles, skateboards and skates
• and any other object the organiser judges dangerous or harmful.

The English FAQ adds one line of its own on cameras: "Small recording devices allowed only (less than 8 inches)." Anyone carrying a banned item is refused entry unless they leave it in the bins provided. There is no cloakroom or left luggage in Montreal.

On umbrellas the page contradicts itself. It lists an umbrella among banned items and a small umbrella among things to bring. Only the organiser can settle it, at info@igloofest.ca. Montreal: the quay and the last metros

Gatineau: nearly the same list

Gatineau's FAQ keeps Montreal's list, with the same search of people and bags, and three main differences. Any camera with a detachable lens counts as professional and is refused, whatever its size. Animals are not on the list, but a separate answer allows only identified and accredited assistance dogs, with proof asked for at the entrance. Umbrellas are banned outright, and its bring list names no small umbrella to contradict it. Its line on recording equipment does not name microphones. There is no cloakroom in Gatineau either. A harm-reduction team from the Euphorie group is on site at all times. The age rules differ by city: 18 and over in Montreal, 16 and over in Quebec City, children with a parent in Gatineau. More on Gatineau

Quebec City: handbags searched, a cloakroom, no re-entry

Igloofest Quebec's FAQ, in French, starts with bags. Every handbag is searched, no bottle gets in, and no bag over 35 cm × 35 cm × 15.25 cm is allowed. There is a cloakroom at the entrance. Its banned list is close to Montreal's, with lines of its own. Motorbike and bicycle helmets go to the cloakroom at the entrance. Street-gang-style clothing is refused. Smoking or vaping cannabis is banned on the Place Jean-Béliveau site. Animals are banned, guide dogs accepted. There is no re-entry: once you leave the site, you cannot come back in.

The shows go ahead "beau temps mauvais temps", rain or shine. They are cancelled only if the weather turns dangerous, and the night's status goes on the festival's Facebook page. On payment, this FAQ says only that there is no cash machine on site. No weather policy appeared on the Montreal, Gatineau or Edmonton pages read on 21 October 2026. More on Quebec City

Safety, consent and cannabis

According to the organiser's FAQ, a harm-reduction team from GRIP works in Montreal from the indoor Scéna space. The same FAQ sets out a consent policy, which is worth reading on its Rules and FAQ page. On cannabis, the Montreal, Gatineau and Quebec City FAQs say in the same words that the law bans smoking or vaping it in all public places. Since 1 January 2020, under-21s may neither buy nor possess it.

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