It's official! Canadians have survived another long, hard winter. It's time to pack up the parkas, dig out the picnic coolers and find a place to celebrate the onset of spring.

Montreal
There's no better way to usher in the new season than to begin planning to attend the 26th annual Montreal Jazz Festival, which runs June 30 to July 10. Spread out over four blocks of downtown Montreal, this year's festival will feature more than 500 concerts and 350 free shows.

Break out the popcorn -- the circus is back in town! Cirque du Soleil returns April 21 to June 19, exploring the world of dreams in a new show that redefines 'circus' as only Cirque du Soleil can.

The sixties: Montreal thinks big...
Revisit the sixties at the Canadian Centre for Architecture and see how that decade changed the urban landscape of Montreal.

More of Montreal:
Eternal Egypt
Encounters in Roman Gaul
Festival de théâtre des Amériques
Saint Peter and the Vatican

Toronto
May 22 to 29 marks the 24th Milk International Children's Festival of the Arts or -- as the locals call it, Milk. It brings theatre, dance, puppetry, circus and street arts to Harbourfront Centre in a festival the whole family will enjoy. Don't miss the 'explosive' fun of Cirkus Inferno.

From June 24 to July 3, heat up the night with the TD Canada Trust Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival. With 350 concerts on 40 different stages, this year's highlights includes appearances by Diana Krall.

More of Toronto:
Ontario Science Centre
Olympic Spirit
Toronto Fringe Festival
Caribana

Fredericton
Get spring off to a running start by heading out to the May 8 Fredericton Marathon. You can make arrangements for the kids to stay at the marathon Playcare while you run, or pick a point on the route to watch the marathoners.

June 17 to 19 marks the St. Mary's First Nation Annual Pow Wow, a chance for visitors to see native arts and crafts and to participate in traditional native ceremonies.