Jackalope Remaining in Montreal, Adds Bob Burnquist in Key Role

The Jackalope festival announced earlier this month that it would remain in Montreal for the next three years, starting with the 2026 edition from September 11—13 at the Jacques-Cartier Pier in the Old Port of Montreal.

The announcement was made possible by the granting of three-year funding to the Action Sports Association, the organization responsible for ensuring the sustainability, development, and governance of the event.

“There is clearly an opportunity for Montreal to propel this event and keep it alive,” said Micah Desforges, president and founder of Tribu, the producer of Jackalope, and a Montreal native. “It’s an opportunity to position ourselves as a premier destination for skateboarding and action sports enthusiasts.

“On my end, I don’t just want it to stay—I want the event to grow. We are looking to convince other partners to think big with us and share this ambition. The support of the City of Montreal is certainly a first step toward this expansion.” 

The action sports festival that started in Montreal is hoping to grow to 10 destinations across North America, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific by 2028. Following a successful initial export to Virginia Beach in 2023, the festival established itself in Mississauga, Ontario, in 2024, and has since made stops in Ventura, California (where it just reached a two-year renewal) and Newcastle, Australia.

The funding guarantees Montreal’s presence on the international tour calendar. This condensed-format edition will focus on the halfpipe (vert), and more events will be added to the program in future editions.

“This support confirms that action sports now occupy an important place in Montreal’s sporting and cultural landscape,” said Betty Esperanza, president of the Action Sports Association. “I am proud to help build a sustainable ecosystem that will allow young people, athletes, and events to continue to grow here in Montreal.”  

Adding A Legend

Meanwhile, Jackalope also announced that skateboarding legend Bob Burnquist has joined the organization as its global ambassador and strategic partner.

Burnquist, who won 30 X Games medals, first went to Jackalope in Montreal in 2025 to do a vert demo. He then toured together with Desforges and Jackalope across the 2025 season, leading to this new alliance.

“It just felt like something that was missing in these big events,” Burnquist said in an interview with Todd Richards. “What Jackalope represents in the new generation […] it’s just like, ‘Wow, this feels right.’ So it was a natural click.”

Among the initiatives Burnquist will take the lead on are shaping global expansion strategy, particularly into Brazil; hosting official live webcasts for all vert contests on Jackalope’s global tour; recruiting investors and brand partners; and developing future Jackalope creative projects.

Skateboarding debuted in the Olympic Summer Games in 2021 in Tokyo and will be held for the third time at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Montreal will be the site of skateboarding’s Olympic qualifying Q-series from June 1—4, 2028.