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Events
February
La FĂŞte des Neiges (Snow
Festival), Montréal:
features outdoor events such as harness racing, barrel jumping,
racing beds on ice, canoe races, snowshoeing, snow sculptures, skating, and
cross-country skiing. The event, the first 2 weeks of February, takes place
mostly on Ile Notre-Dame, in the Port and Vieux-Montréal, and in Parc
Maisonneuve. 514/872-4537 for details.
Three weekends in February.
Festival Montréal en
Lumière
Filling a hole in the yearly schedule, the self-dubbed City of Festivals has
created this "High Lights" celebration. It brings together a somewhat disparate
collection of creative and performing events, from culinary competitions and
special museum exhibitions to multimedia light shows and classical and pop
concerts by international musical greats. Call tel. 888/515-0515 for
information.
May/June
Late May to early June.
Festival de Théâtre des
Amériques, Montréal:
Two weeks of contemporary theater works from artists throughout
the Americas, many on the cutting edge of creativity. Screenings are held at
theaters throughout the city. 514/842-0704 for details.
First Sunday in June.
Montréal Bike Fest:
Early in June, more
than 45,000 cyclists arrive in Montréal to participate in a variety of cycling
competitions, including a nocturnal bike ride, a 16-mile outing for up to 10,000
children, and the grueling Tour de l'Ile, a day-long 66-kilometer race around
the rim of the island before more than 120,000 spectators. The Tour de l'Ile,
which began in 1984, attracts 30,000 participants, almost as many of them women
as men. Call tel. 514/521-8356 for details.
Second weekend in June.
Grand Prix Air Canada,
Montréal:
international drivers compete for 70 laps around the Gilles-Villeneuve racetrack
on Ile Notre-Dame. It's the only Formula I race in the country and is complete
with celebrities and models visiting the pits. 514/457-5754 for details.
10 days starting in mid-June.
Montréal Fringe Festival:
In performance
spaces clustered along or near bd. St-Laurent, about 60 theater groups perform
514/849-3378
June
Festival Mondial de la Bière,
Montréal: This
is a 10-day festival celebrating beer. From world brands to boutique
microbreweries, over 250 companies showcase their wares at the Old Port,
employing workshops, cooking demos, musical performances, and pub food and
tastings. 514/722-9640.
Late June to early October.
MosaĂŻcultures Internationales
Montréal: A
major horticultural event in which gardeners and floral designers create
three-dimensional sculptures and carpets from up to 50 countries and cities in
prize competitions in several categories. The Vieux-Port (Old Port) is the
venue. 514/868-4000
June 24.
Jean-Baptiste Day:
Honoring Saint John
the Baptist, the patron saint of French Canadians, this fĂŞte nationale is
marked by many festivities and much enthusiasm throughout Québec province. The
parade is held along the streets of Vieux-Montréal the night before, June 23.
418/849-2560 for details.
June- July.
International Competition
d'Art Pyrotechnique (International Fireworks Competition), Montréal:
The open-air theater
in La Ronde amusement park on Ile Ste-Hélène is the best place to view the
fireworks extravaganzas, although they can be enjoyed from almost any point
overlooking the river. Tickets to the show also provide entrance to the
amusement park. The 90-minute shows are staged by companies from several
countries. Because parking is limited, it's best to use the MĂ©tro.
514/872-4537 for details.
June-July
Festival International de
Jazz de Montréal
514/871-1881; 888/515-0515; to
charge tickets by phone: 514/790-1245; 800/678-5440; 800/361-4595 in Canada
The Festival International de
Jazz de Montréal, the world's biggest jazz festival, runs for 11 days, from the end of June to the beginning of July.
July
10 days in mid-July.
Festival d'Eté International
(International Summer Festival), Québec City:
The largest cultural event in
the French-speaking world, this festival has attracted artists from Africa,
Asia, Europe, and North America since it began in 1967. There are more than 250
events showcasing theater, music, and dance, with 600 performers from 20
countries. One million people come to watch and listen. Jazz and folk combos
perform free in an open-air theater next to City Hall; visiting dance and
folklore troupes put on shows; and concerts, theatrical productions, and related
events fill the days and evenings. 418/532-4540.
10 days in mid-July.
Festival International Nuits
d'Afrique, Montréal:
This musical event showcases nearly 300 musicians from the
Caribbean, the Americas, and Africa. Performances take place in Club Soda, Club
Balattou, and Place Berri. 514/499-9239
Last 2 weeks of
July.
Festival Juste pour Rire
(Just for Laughs Festival), Montréal:
Comics perform in many venues,
some free, some for a fee. Both Francophone and Anglophone comics from many
countries participate. It's held along rue St-Denis and elsewhere in the Latin
Quarter. 514/790-4242 for details.
August
Late August to early September.
Festival des Films du Monde
(World Film Festival), Montréal:
An international film event
since 1976. Some 500 screenings take place over 12 days, including 200 feature
films from more than 50 countries.Various movie theaters host the event.
514/848-3883
September
Mid- to late September.
Fall Foliage:
The maple trees blaze with
color and a walk in the parks and squares of Montréal is a popular pastime.
October
Early October.
Festival International de la
Nouvelle Danse, Montréal:
This 12-day showcase, held every 2 years (on odd years), invites
troupes and choreographers from Canada, the United States, and Europe to various
performance spaces. 514/287-1423.
10 days in mid-October.
Festival du Nouveau Cinéma,
Montréal:
Screenings of new and experimental films along with forums on the latest trends
in film and video at halls and cinemas throughout the city. 514/843-4725
for details.
Arts and Entertainment
Casino De Montréal
1 av. du Casino, ĂŽle Notre-Dame,
Montréal, Québec, Canada
514/392-2746 or 800/665-2274
The Casino de Montréal, on Ile
Notre-Dame in the St. Lawrence River, is one of the world's 10 biggest. Take a
cab ride from downtown or take the Métro to the Ile Ste-Hélène station and
transfer to Bus 167 Daily: 9-5.
Cirque Du Soleil
Montréal, Québec, Canada
800/361-4595
The Cirque du Soleil is one of
Montréal's most popular venues. The company revolutionized the art of the circus
when, in 1984, it began commingling dance, acrobatics, and dramatic presentation
in a single show. Now it's an internationally known and packs theaters
worldwide. (There are no animals featured in this circus. All of the
spectacular dance and acrobatic arrangements are performed by people. ) Every
second summer (in odd-numbered years), the circus performs in Montréal.
L'opéra De Montréal
260 blvd. de Maisonneuve Ouest
514/985-2258
L'Opéra de Montréal stages four
productions a year at Place des Arts.
Centaur Theatre
453 rue St-François-Xavier,
Vieux-Montréal
514/288-3161
The Centaur Theatre, the
best-known English theatrical company, stages everything from musical revues to
Eugène Ionesco works in the former stock-exchange building in Vieux-Montréal.
Place des Artes
Touring Broadway productions are
staged at the Place des Arts.
Saidye
Bronfman Centre
5170 chemin de la CĂ´te
Ste-Catherine, CĂ´te-des-Neiges,
514/739-2301 or 514/739-7944
English-language plays can be
seen at the Saidye Bronfman Centre. The center is home to the Yiddish Theatre
Group.
Théâtre De Quat'sous
100 av. des Pins Est
514/845-7277
Théâtre de Quat'Sous performs
experimental plays.
Théâtre Denise Pelletier
4353 rue Ste-Catherine Est,
Hochelaga-Maisonneuve
514/253-8974
The Théâtre Denise Pelletier
stages productions in a beautifully restored hall.
Théâtre Du Nouveau Monde
84 rue Ste-Catherine Ouest,
Downtown
514/866-8667
Théâtre du Nouveau Monde is the
North American temple of French classics.
Théâtre
Du Rideau Vert
Théâtre du Rideau Vert
specializes in modern French repertoire.
Théâtre Jean Duceppe
260 blvd. de Maisonneuve Ouest
514/842-2112
Named for one of Québec's best
loved actors, the Théâtre Jean Duceppe stages major productions in Place des
Arts.
Théâtre St-Denis
1594 rue St-Denis, Quartier
Latin
514/849-4211
The 2,500-seat Théâtre St-Denis
stages pop-music concerts.
Francofolies
514/876-8989
The annual FrancoFolies festival
celebrates the art of French songwriting. In all, more than 1,000 musicians
perform in dozens of different styles, including rock, hip-hop, funk, and Latin.
I Musici De Montréal
934 rue Sainte-Catherine Est,
514/982-6037
I Musici de Montréal is one of
the best chamber orchestras in Canada.
Orchestre
Métropolitain De Montréal
514/598-0870
The Orchestre MĂ©tropolitain de
Montréal stars at Place des Arts most weeks during the October-April season.
Orchestre Symphonique De
Montréal
260 blvd. de Maisonneuve Ouest
514/842-9951
The Orchestre Symphonique de
Montréal has gained recognition under the baton of Charles Dutoit. Its regular
venue is the Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at the Place des Arts.
Pollack Concert Hall
514/398-4535
McGill University's Pollack
Concert Hall presents concerts, notably by the McGill Chamber Orchestra.
Spectrum
318 rue Ste-Catherine Ouest,
Downtown, Montréal, Québec, Canada
514/861-5851
The most popular performance
venue for rock bands is Spectrum.
Stade Olympique
Olympic Park, 4141 av.
Pierre-de-Coubertin, Hochelaga-Maisonneuve
514/252-8687
Stade Olympique hosts rock and
pop concerts.
Théâtre St-Denis
1594 rue St-Denis, Quartier
Latin
514/849-4211
The 2,500-seat Théâtre St-Denis
stages pop-music concerts.
Sports
Montréal Alouettes
McGill University's Molson
Stadium
514/790-1245
Canadian professional football
returned to Montréal after an experimental 3-year league with U.S. teams. The
team that was briefly the Baltimore Colts is now The Montreal Alouettes (Larks)
and has enjoyed considerable success since its return, frequently appearing in
the Grey Cup, the CFL's Super Bowl. They play on a schedule that runs from June
into October.
NHL Montréal Canadiens
1260 rue de la Gauchetière
Ticket and schedule information
514/932-2582
MĂ©tro: Bonaventure.
The Canadiens play at the new
Centre Molson, which opened in 1996. replacing the beloved old Forum. The team
has won 24 Stanley Cup championships since 1929. The season runs from October
into April, with playoffs continuing to mid-June.
Blue Bonnets Racetrack (Hippodrome
de Montréal)
7440 bd. DĂ©carie,
in Jean-Talon
514/739-2741
MĂ©tro: Namur, and
then take the shuttle bus.
This is the host
facility for international harness-racing events, including the Coupe des
Elevers (Breeders Cup).
Restaurants, bars,
a snack bar, and pari-mutuel betting can make for a satisfying evening or
Sunday-afternoon outing. There are no races on Tuesday and Thursday. General
admission is free. Races begin at 7:30pm on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and
Saturday; on Sunday at 1:30pm.
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