2009

Year one - our first fabulous festival!

September 17-18-19 2009

Club Soda, Montreal

Headliners:

Kalani Kokonuts
Michelle L’amour
Miss Dirty Martini
Coco Framboise
Roxi D’Lite
Amber Ray
Scarlett James

2009 was a big year! I have been in Burlesque for a year and and after much research I realize how much Montreal was in desperate need of a Burlesque Festival.
The city of Festival, without Burlesque? Lili St cyr’s most torride love had to be commemorated.
I had a few “friends” at the time that told me it was not a good idea, that I was wasting my time… But my gut was telling me otherwise.
So, a good morning of April 2009, I decided that I was going all in.
I left my job, and started planning the biggest event of my life (Bigger than my own wedding). Oh! I was so scared! But I knew there was a need. Montreal needed to rediscover the art of Burlesque in a Sophisticated way and in the best light.

I worked on this like a mad woman, I had the support of Local photographer Andrea Hausmann who organised a fundraiser with me prior to the festival. A lot of volunteers
came to participate if the making and we all, as a team pulled it off!
Great headliners, amazing contest (Bonbon Bombay was the winner) and What an experience! What a school! Between the love of everyone who supported me and the
abuse of some who felt there was an opportunity to make a penny, I was left utterly exhausted.
There was no money to be made on the 1st time, that is for sure! But I felt like a billionaire, I was a woman in business, I was proud and I was ready to take over the world.

press

Official Press Release 2009
Official Montreal Burlesque Festival Press Release is now available. Download it (PDF) HERE.

September 17th, 2009

Scarlett James makes the cover of The Hour, to introduce the Festival.

Check the original article HERE.

September 16th, 2009

A comparison of old and neo-burlesque. Please Note: Article in French.

September 16th, 2009

A preview of the festival.

Complete Original article HERE.

September 12th, 2009

Scarlett James interviewed for Le Devoir, previewing the festival. Please Note: Article in French

Complete Original article HERE.

September 8th, 2009

Scarlett James interviewed for La Presse Newspaper, comparing the old and the new generation of Burlesque. Please Note: Article in French.

Original article HERE.

July 30th, 2009

‘Montreal’s neo-burlesque revivalist, Scarlett James mentioned in ‘Hour’ newspaper.

Original article HERE.

To get access and cover the festival’s events or to get your article in our press page please contact us! We will get you in touch with our Publicist Miss Leeja Murphy @Pink Marketing.

our history