Mont Tremblant is happily singing the blues as it celebrates its 15th annual International Blues Festival this summer.

From July 4-13, Tremblant will host a huge Blues concert series featuring over 150 shows. With a line-up comprised of renowned international and local artists, the Tremblant International Blues Festival guarantees to entertain Blues lovers and enthusiasts of all ages. Families will enjoy the afternoon outdoor stage performances while adults-only crowds can take in the late shows at various nightspot venues.

The multi-stage concert series is a celebration of music filled with tradition, energy, and notorious generosity from the artists.

The festival includes some big names like Johnny Winter, Keb'Mo, Ana Popovic, Jeff Healey's Blues Band, many local stars, and several concept shows bringing together well-known artists. The result: the largest Blues festival in Eastern Canada.

The Best News: The Tremblant International Blues Festival is Free!

Yes, it's true. Like the best things in life, the Tremblant International Blues Festival is free. Immerse yourself in fabulous free entertainment and save your cash for some of the fantastic summer activities Mont Tremblant Resort offers (like hiking, biking, Acrobranche, rafting, rock climbing, fishing, and more).

Mont Tremblant is already a fantastic summertime destination, but throw in great free entertainment and you've got the makings for a memorable vacation that won't break the bank.

Soak In the Sounds All Day, But Where To Stay At Night?

Top off a relaxing day of chilling to the Blues with a restful stay at your own Mont Tremblant rental property. Plenty of roomy, well-equipped accommodations lie just a short distance from the Blues Festival concert site.

Mont Tremblant direct vacation rentals present an affordable option to concert-goers booking on a budget. Vacation rental accommodations also come with kitchens for preparing your own afternoon picnics and evening meals! Forget booking multiple hotel rooms for your group. Split the cost of a large rental property with fellow Blues lovers and savour the savings (4 bedrooms, sleeps 10, $280/night anyone?).

Across Canada, skiers are shedding their outer layers and the snow has begun to return to its liquid form. For the snow bunny, its time to lapse into temporary hibernation. However, as you stuff your winter gear beside that dusty exercise equipment, just remember: summer is here! Snow may be seasonal, but many Canadian ski resorts are open year-round.

It's not too late to visit one of Canada's fabulous ski resorts for a plethora of summer activities!

Why Summers are Spectacular at Ski Resorts

Many ski resorts offer year-round activities and events to suit all summer adventurers, sightseers and sports enthusiasts.

Here's a taste of why vacationing at a ski resort in the summer is unbeatable:

Discounted Accommodation Rates: Find your own mountainside get-a-way in a number of luxurious properties for much lower rates than during ski season.

Develop a New Summertime Hobby: Most ski resorts offer summer activities for all fitness levels and interests. Try horseback riding, mountain biking, bungee jumping, white water rafting, canoeing, hiking, sightseeing, wilderness tours, and much, much more!

Avoid the Ski Season Crowds: Visit and explore Canada's ski resorts in the summer without the large winter crowds.

Admire the Views in the Sunshine: Canada's magnificent mountain ranges never go out of season. Journey to new heights to breathe in fresh mountain air and soak in the natural beauty of your surroundings.

Partake in a Special Summer Event: Most ski resorts never close their doors to visitors. This means year-round events to match every season. Special events for 2008 include the Pemberton Festival (Whistler), Kokanee Crankworx (Whistler), Tremblant International Blues Festival (Mont Tremblant), Canada Day Celebrations and wine festivals (Silver Star, Sun Peaks).

Discover Summer Activities at These Resorts:

• Whistler
• Sun Peaks
• Kicking Horse
• Panorama
• Silver Star
• Fernie
• Mont Tremblant

Find Summer Ski Resort Accommodation Deals

Search or browse through hundreds of summer accommodation options in Sun Peaks, Silverstar, Mont Tremblant, Whistler, Fernie, Panorama, or Kicking Horse. Book on-line with property owners, save time, and get back outside to enjoy the sunshine!

Now that flowers are blooming again and the skis are buried in the back of the closet for a few months, perhaps it's time for a bit of nostalgia about the 2007-2008 Canadian ski season. Do your memories capture a winter of epic proportions? Or did the powder fail to live up to your expectations?

The statistics tell a varied story. Some mountains received a little more than usual, some mountains saw a little less, and others were just right. Here's a graph with a few mountain's snow stats this year, but only from those mountains that reported a final cumulative snow total this year.

While this season seems to have been rather humdrum in terms of snow, mountains south of the border in Colorado received record dumps, with eight mountains breaking all-time snowfall records.

But for at least one local, the pleasure of the season isn't measured in centimeters. The writer of a (very detailed) blog chronicling Whistler weather said that in his five years in the area, "This is the best season since I have been living in Whistler."

It's still too early for accurate predictions of next season's weather, but we'll certainly welcome your wild guesses.

Spring is approaching! The weather is getting warmer and, to celebrate the coming of April, Mont Tremblant Ski Resort offers a tradition that you will consider an extreme sport of its own.

If you think you've seen and done it all, as far as the slopes are concerned, try skimming across a 75-foot pool of icy water at Mont Tremblant's Caribou Splash Cup.

To celebrate your victory against your better judgment, finish the day at the P'tit Caribou, one of the finest après-ski establishments that Mont Tremblant has to offer. Even if you don't participate in this 18-years-and-over event, it's a spectacle that can't be missed.

How It Goes Down at Caribou Splash

You're standing on top of a snowy hill at Mont Tremblant that leads to an icy-cool pool below. While in your costume (the recommended attire) or regular skiing/riding getup, you hope to complete the course while avoiding the inevitable shock of cold water.

This is wishful-thinking, of course, as most participants end up in the water, swimming with their ski or snowboard equipment still attached. The course ends after a short foot race through the pedestrian village, complete with shots (yes, the alcoholic kind) along the way. At the finish line, the gang at P'tit Caribou will wash down your personal victory and warm you up with a full glass of beer.

The Caribou Splash is a sure-fire way to leave a mark on your Mont Tremblant winter vacation or celebrate the return of spring!

Acrobatics! Flying performers! Clowns, music and laughter! It's AKYA!

Cirque Akya may not be as widely known as other shows like that of Cirque du Soleil, but it's apparently "the BIGGEST little circus" in the game. For the first time at Mont Tremblant, Akya will be presenting its show every day from August 3rd to 19th.

Mom and Dad, Bring the Kids!

How can a little circus be the biggest, you ask? Perhaps this oxymoron comes from the fact that while this troupe does not have many players, it promises to deliver audiences a lot of heart and warmth in its familial performance.

The show is comprised of Nicoletta, director of the show and mother of the troupe, her husband Chocolat, their two kids and other talented artists. From their family to yours, here's their take on what they put forward:

A visit to the web site of their production company, Productions Éclats de Rire, sheds further light on how a smaller show can create a grand impact upon its audience:

Sounds like a unique intimate experience, at the circus. You may not be able to perform the daring feats such as its troupe, but you can watch and be entertained as if you were important to the show as well.

Don't Miss It

Summer activities at the resort need not be limited to common sports like biking or golfing. When you book your Mont Tremblant vacation, spice it up by checking out Cirque Akya.

Adult tickets are $28, and kids (12 yrs & under) tickets are only $18.

Book tickets now and enjoy!

The Tremblant Film Festival blog found a neat video offering a bird's eye view of the ski resort. Not sure why, but it kind of makes me think of Disneyland...could be the happy go lucky fountains.

If you're looking for a little more in-depth layout of the resort, check out our handy guide Mont Tremblant Lodging Regions, which outlines which area is right for you.

A quick taste:

And thankfully, a posh ski resort like this doesn't necessarily mean très cher. We've also collected 10 Essential Money Saving Tips for Mont Tremblant.

Any tips you'd add to the list?