5 things to do in Montreal today: Thursday, September 9

It’s Thursday, which means you’ve probably just recovered from your long weekend hangover and are ready to begin working on the foundation of another.

And with summer weather slowly dwindling down, you might feel the urge to do something fun before it gets too cold out.

If you’re short on ideas for plans, here are five things to do in Montreal today.

• See also:
  • Four-day Oktoberfest beer festival kicks off just outside Montreal tomorrow
  • The biggest sidewalk sale in Canada is coming to Montreal this weekend
  • Did you know that Canada’s largest collection of rubber ducks is in Old Montreal?

 

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Montreal’s Botanical Garden will shine bright with hundreds of illuminated lanterns as the Gardens of Light returns to the city this week.

The eight-week festival will offer a “brand new journey,” says the Espace pour la vie website, focusing on this year’s theme, “An ode to the Moon.”

The lantern fest will be devoted to the Moon this fall, the “universal beacon that has guided human beings since the dawn of time.” Espace pour la vie says the Moon will be the light that ushers guests on their path to discover the Gardens of Light.

When: From now until October 31
Time: 7 – 10 pm, nightly
Where: 4101 Sherbrooke Est
Price: $8.25 – $16.50

Oktoberfest de Repentigny

 

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A four-day Oktoberfest beer festival is kicking off on Thursday and will stick around until September 12.

The Oktoberfest de Repentigny will feature a collection of microbreweries from Quebec and food trucks from across the province, all bunched together in an outdoor space just 40 km outside of Montreal.

When: September 9 to 12
Time: Thursday, 5 – 11 pm; Friday, 3 – 11 pm; Saturday, 12 – 11 pm; Sunday, 10 am – 6 pm
Where: Parc de l’Île-Lebel, Repentigny
Price: Varies per activity, available online

Éco-Odyssée Water Maze

 

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The Wanderer is Éco-Odyssée’s unique labyrinth that has been in use since 2008. Participants are given an adventure map and their choice of paddleboat, paddleboard, or canoe.

What follows is a two-hour adventure through the wild country of Wakefield, Quebec.

Don’t be surprised if you run into a beaver or white-tailed deer as the park shares its grounds with the local habitat of dozens of creatures.

When: Daily
Times: Sunday – Thursday, 9 am – 4 am; Friday – Saturday, 9 am – 10 pm
Where: 52, Chemin les Sources La Pêche (Wakefield), Qc.
Price: Packages range from $50 to $110

Riopelle: The Call of Northern Landscapes and Indigenous Cultures

 

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The countdown has begun.

There are just days left to see the nearly 110 paintings, sculptures and works on paper by Jean-Paul Riopelle, presented at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA).

The exhibition Riopelle: The Call of Northern Landscapes and Indigenous Cultures sums up its six-month run on September 12.

When: From now until September 12
Time: 10 am – 5 pm
Where: 1380 rue Sherbrooke
Price: $16 – $24, available online

Biosphère

 

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Montreal’s Biosphère has reopened to the public for the first time since you know what.

The large dome-shaped museum dedicated to the environment was originally constructed to house the United States pavilion during Expo 67. Originally encased in an acrylic bubble, the dome caught on fire in 1976, leaving just the steel structure intact. It has remained a unique city icon since then.

When was the last time you checked out the interior of the Biosphère?

When: Daily. Closed on Mondays
Time: 9 am – 5 pm
Where: 160 Chem. du Tour de l’isle, Parc Jean-Drapeau
Price: From $8.25 to $21.50