Quebec’s favourite holiday is nearly here!
Saint Jean Baptiste Day marks one of the best weekends of the summer! Not only is Friday a holiday, but the weekend is filled with exciting activities like free outdoor concerts, parades, and bonfires!
Whether you love getting decked out in white and blue or are just thankful for a day off work, we’re confident you’re going to have a fantastic weekend!
For a little long weekend inspiration, check out 5 things to do in Montreal for Saint Jean Baptiste Day.
Le Grand Spectacle
Le Grand Spectacle, the famous free concert that takes place each year on St. Jean Baptiste Day, has been confirmed for 2017. Kicking off on June 23, this massive concert will take up residence at Place des Festivals for an incredible show. Guillaume Lemay-Thivierge is the host of this year’s extravaganza, and he will be joined by a series of musical performers, most notably, Robert Charlebois and Claude Dubois. In addition, Philippe Brach, Charlotte Cardin, Patrice Michaud, Émily Bégin, Gardy Fury, La Bronze, Shauit, and Alaclair will also be taking the stage throughout the evening. Be sure to join in on this annual Montreal St. Jean Baptiste Day tradition!
When: June 23, 9 pm
Where: Place des Festivals, Quartier des Spectacles
Saint Jean Baptiste Day Parade
Is there anything more traditional than attending the annual Saint Jean Baptiste Day parade? Set to take place on Saturday, June 24, this annual parade goes back over a century. During the parade, St-Denis Street is closed to traffic and is instead filled with thousands of Montrealers, not to mention some pretty awesome floats and performances. This year, the parade will be just as exciting as always with one slight adjustment. In an effort to be as eco-friendly as possible and reduce their footprint, electric cars will be used during the parade and all balloons will be replaced by bubbles. Click here for more details and be sure to head to St-Denis early so you can secure your spot in advance!
When: June 24
Where: St-Denis Street
Olympic Park Bonfire
Celebrate Saint Jean Baptiste Day, bonfire-style. The French tradition of lighting a bonfire on Saint Jean Baptiste Day was only recently revived in 2013, however, the tradition dates back as far as Quebec’s first settlers in the 17th century. Montreal’s official Fete Nationale bonfire will be happening in Olympic Park at 8:00pm!
When: June 24, 8 pm
Where: Olympic Park
Jerk Food Festival
The Montreal and Chateauguay Jerk Food Festival kicks off on Saint Jean Baptiste Day! For one day only, Lachine’s Soccerplex will be packed to the brim with delicious Jamaican food vendors, live DJs, and plenty of children’s activities. This outdoor food fest is free to attend and will have all sorts of culinary treats including jerk chicken, jerk poutine, jerk pork, jerk pizza, jerk lobster, and much more! This sounds like a pretty fantastic way to spend your Saint Jean Baptiste Day weekend!
When: June 24, 12 pm – 9 pm
Where: Soccerplex, 775 1re Ave, Lachine
Nocturnes
Celebrate the first few hours of Saint Jean Baptiste Day by partaking in the Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art’s Thursday Nocturnes.These special after-hours evenings give guests access to all MAC summer exhibitions until 2 am! In addition to awesome art, Nocturnes evenings also feature a live performance, a gallery talk, and appetizers and drinks. Artists and curators will be in attendance, as well as three DJs, Gayance, FigXFalz, and TUPI Collective, who will be churning out music until the wee hours of the morning.
When: June 22, 2017, 5 pm – 2 am
Where: Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art
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