Its principal program is a week-long Jewish music festival founded in 1996 that takes place annually in August at Camp B'nai B'rith in Lantier, Quebec (north of Montreal).
KlezKanada was founded by a group of local cultural activists led by Hy and Sandy Goldman in 1996.
[2] It was inspired by KlezKamp, a similar festival in New York State which had been founded a few years earlier.
In an article on klezmer, Mike Anklewicz noted the development of the festival: I have noted a shift from instruction in strictly historical klezmer in KlezKanada's first few years, to the inclusion of a much more diverse curriculum since about 2001… By 2008, workshops addressed both historical styles and the creation of contemporary works in all genres of music, including Yiddish songs, writing for Yiddish theatre, contemporary Yiddish dance, instrumental improvisation, and instrumental composition.
[6]The camp is based around courses and lectures during the day (relating to klezmer music, Yiddish, and other topics) and concerts at night.