Eclipse Festival: psytrance gathering in Quebec, Canada
A psychedelic music festival on the Gatineau River in Quebec, founded in 1999. Its last confirmed edition was in July 2022; we couldn't confirm any edition since.
Eclipse has real history: it began in 1999 as an indoor party in Montreal and moved outdoors in 2003. The 2022 edition, themed "Illumination", was its 16th. Since then I couldn't find a confirmed edition, and its rhythm was never regular anyway. So I'd call it uncertain rather than finished — but I wouldn't plan a trip around it either.
Location
The festival has been held at the Bonnet Rouge rafting site on the Gatineau River, in Sainte-Thérèse-de-la-Gatineau, Quebec, with forest around and workshops and talks by the river. A rafting base makes sense to me as a festival site: water, trees and room to camp. A river and a floor are often all it takes.
Music
Psytrance is the core, with techno and downtempo on the line-ups as well; which psytrance styles lead isn't clear from the sources. There were three stages. A slower side next to the main floor is something I usually take as a good sign.
Community
The crowd is mostly campers and locals, so think of it as a Quebec festival first, not an international destination event. Besides the music there is a wellness zone with therapists, plus workshops, talks and art installations.
Travel
Access is moderate, and a car is the practical choice for Sainte-Thérèse-de-la-Gatineau. If a new edition is announced, check the official website for directions before you book anything.
Tickets
There is no current ticket sale. The official website still shows the 2022 edition as the latest, and that's the page I'd watch for any new date.
FAQ
- Is Eclipse Festival still happening?
- Unclear. The last confirmed edition began on 21 July 2022. We found no 2024 or 2026 edition, so it may be paused or ended; nothing official says either way.
- Where does it take place?
- At the Bonnet Rouge rafting site on the Gatineau River, in Sainte-Thérèse-de-la-Gatineau, Quebec, Canada.
- How often is it held?
- Irregularly. The 2018 edition was billed as the last gathering until 2020, which was then skipped; the next one came in 2022. Sources differ on whether it was meant to be annual or biennial.
- When did Eclipse start?
- In 1999, as an indoor party in Montreal. It moved outdoors in 2003.
- What music is played?
- Psytrance, plus techno and downtempo, across three stages.
- Can you camp?
- Yes, camping was part of the festival, along with workshops and talks by the river and a wellness zone with therapists.