You made it to Saturday. Get yourself an energized breakfast and check out Montreal’s impressive selection of things happening around town today, June 15.
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MURAL Fest
_elidico/Instagram
The seventh edition of the giant, urban art festival on Saint Laurent readies for its final weekend.
MURAL Fest brings together world-class visual artists and musicians who collaborate for a cultural celebration in the heart of Montreal’s Boulevard Saint-Laurent.
The facade of buildings, roads, parking lots, and public spaces are taken over by immensely talented international and local artists, turning The Plateau into a massive urban art playground.
Check out some photos from the first week of the festival to get you jump started.
When: From now until June 16
Time: 11 am – 10 pm
Where: Saint Laurent Boulevard, between Sherbrooke and Mont Royal
Price: Free admission
Moody McCarthy – Comedy Nest
As seen on Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Late Show with David Letterman, and NBC’s Last Comic Standing, Moody McCarthy uses his ‘regular guy with regular problems’ routine that everyone can relate to with dry humour, wit, and misdirection.
From family, friends, dating, and dieting, there will be a whole lot of funny from McCarthy at the Nest all weekend.
When: Saturday, June 15
Time: 8 pm and 10:30 pm
Where: Comedy Nest, 2313 rue Ste. Catherine, 3rd floor
Price: $15, available online and at the door
ELEKTRA Festival Montreal
ELEKTRA is a digital arts festival that promotes art and robotics. The festival kicked off this past week and features art exhibitions, musical performances, and workshops.
When: Saturday, June 15
Time: 7 pm
Where: Various venues around Montreal, visit the website for details
Price: $28.75, available online
Leonard Cohen Mural
cathywong_cw/Instagram
Crescent Street’s iconic Leonard Cohen mural is lit.
Actually.
On Wednesday, the 8,500-square-metre mural, Tower of Songs, that pays tribute to the late singer-songwriter was lit up with four projectors.
Though the newly lit mural is expected to be a mainstay on Crescent Street, head over to snap some pictures before everyone else does.
When: Saturday, June 15
Time: 24/7
Where: Crescent Street
Price: Free
Cirque Du Soleil: Alegria
Alegria by Cirque du Soleil
The world-renowned Cirque du Soleil production will be at the Big Top all weekend.
Alegria, which was first performed by Cirque in 1994, stole the eyes and ears of more than 14 million spectators. Performed under a traditional Big Top tent, the show made its way to 255 different cities over 19 years of touring, until its last performance in 2013.
The show mixes the high energy acrobatics which Cirque du Soleil is famous for with a “rallying theme for change, hope, and optimistic renewal.” The cast is made up of more than 50 performers and musicians, all renowned internationally for their craft.
When: Saturday, June 15
Time: 8 pm
Where: Big Top, Old Port – Jacques-Cartier Quay, de la Commune Street Est
Price: $150 – $412, available online
Le Lave-Auto
CNW Group/Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc.
A Montreal car wash has undergone a complete transformation as part of MURAL Fest.
World-renowned urban artist Joshua Vides, who is known for making real-life 3D objects appear as simple 2D black and white sketches, applied his signature treatment to a Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Lave-Auto Laurier, 40-year-old car wash at the corner of Saint-Urbain and Laurier.
It’s totally Instagram worthy.
When: Saturday, June 15
Where: 85 Avenue Laurier Ouest
Time: 8 am – 6 pm (until 7 pm on Thursday – Sunday)
Price: Free
Montreal Beachclub
@beachclubmtl/Instagram
Located in Pointe-Calumet, an easy 45-minute drive from Montreal, Beachclub is exactly what its name implies — a club on the beach.
The outdoor beach site can host up to 10,000 guests at a time, making it the largest outdoor club in North America.
This weekend’s lineup is also pretty spectacular
When: June 15 – 16
Time: Friday: 10 am – 6 pm, Saturdays and Sundays: 12 pm – 7 pm
Where: 701 Rue 38, Pointe-Calumet
Price: Monday to Friday: $12; Saturday and Sunday: $15 (subject to change when special events are held) Prices for DJ events vary, tickets are available online
PY1 – Through the Echoes
py1_experience/Instagram
The first-of-its-kind pyramid-shaped entertainment venue, PY1, created by Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté opened to the public this month and will continue its strong showing this weekend as well.
The innovative venue will offer a multi-sensory experience, state-of-the-art technology and “a unique playground” for multimedia entertainment combining high tech with the talent of the greatest digital creators.
The PY1 experience is slated to make its worldwide debut with Through the Echoes, a show produced exclusively for the pyramid, on June 1, located near the Clock Tower grounds in the Old Port.
When: Saturday, June 15
Time: Varies
Where: Montreal’s Old Port
Price: $28.50 – $51, available online
HUM(AIN) – We Could Be Human: A Learning Machine
julienhuon/Instagram
It seems like Siri has some SIRIous competition as a new art exhibition in Montreal features an AI robot that learns from visitors the more it interacts with them.
As part of musician David Usher’s Hum(ai)n exhibition, a digital character named Ophelia will be speaking with humans all summer. This interaction will help to evolve her cognitive state.
When: From now until September 15
Time: 10 am – 8 pm
Where: Phi Centre, 407 Saint-Pierre
Price:$21.97 – $25.50, available online
La Ronde
La Ronde – PAGE OFFICIELLE/Facebook
Quebec’s biggest amusement park opened this month and it’s sure to be busy this weekend as well.
Though the weather forecast may not be on our side, try battling The Goliath, get rocked on Le Ednor or check out the park’s newest ride, Chaos.
When: Saturday, June 15
Where: 22 Chemin Macdonald
When: 10:30 am – 8 pm (11:30 pm during the fireworks)
Price: Available online or at the box office
Montreal Clock Tower
Old Port of Montreal
The Montreal Clock Tower (Tour de l’Horloge) is now open to the general public so get ready to climb some steps to get your Instagram game buzzing.
The 45-metre-high tower, built in 1922, marks the entrance to the Old Port and pays tribute to the sailors lost at sea in wartime.
According to the Vieux-Port de Montreal website, the clock mechanism was made in England and is a replica of London’s Big Ben. “Like Big Ben,” reads the page, “its accuracy is legendary, and sailors would set their own timepieces by it.”
When: Saturday, June 15
Time: 9 am – 10 pm
Where: Quai de l’Horloge, Old Montreal
Price: Free
Give Peace A Chance – The Exhibition
From May 26 to June 2 of 1969, The Queen Elizabeth Hotel welcomed John Lennon and Yoko Ono for their famous Bed-in for Peace.
In honour of the couple’s 50th anniversary of the famous bed-in, the hotel’s lobby will transform into a showroom that showcases photos and guest testimonials pulled from the book, “Give Peace a Chance: John and Yoko’s Bed-in for Peace” by Joan Athey and photographer Gerry Deiter.
Deiter was the only photojournalist covering the 1969 event.
The free exhibition will be on display until October 9, Lennon’s birthday. Visitors are encouraged to share peace vows on their social networks with the hashtags #bedin50 and #givepeaceachance.
When: From now until October 9
Time: 8 am – 10 pm
Where: Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel, 900 René-Lévesque Boulevard Ouest
Price: Free
Parc Safari
Calgary Zoo
Parc Safari opens its gates daily to their 47th season this month.
The park has over 500 animals, exciting rides, and fun activities to keep you going back all season long.
The park starts off with the “Safari Adventure” where guests can get close to exotic animals like never before. While driving to the main park entrance, the optional adventure path allows for the more docile but equally large animals to check you out in your car.
Oh, how the tables have turned.
Animals on the “Safari Adventure” include buffalo, zebras, llamas, gazelles, ostriches, deer, peacocks, and camels. You’re encouraged to feed and pet the animals during the low-speed trek and you’ll always want to keep your windshield wipers handy. Your car might get dirty but it’s worth it.
It’s not often you get to brag about llama saliva on your windshield.
When: Saturday, June 15
Time: 10 am – 5 pm
Where: 280 Rang Roxham, Hemmingford
Price: Prices vary depending on age. Tickets available at the entrance or online
Red Bull Player One – 1v1 League of Legends tournament
Red Bull
A giant League of Legends gaming tournament is coming to Montreal today and there’s national pride at stake.
Presented by Red Bull, Player One is a 1v1 “League of Legends” tournament that features the best amateur duelists in Canada.
The tournament’s winner will represent Canada internationally at the Red Bull Player One World Finals in Brazil in December 2019.
Plus, all expenses for the Canadian champion will be covered.
Looks like those countless hours of multiplayer online battles might finally pay off.
When: Saturday, June 15
Time: 10am – 12 am
Where: Esports Central Arena, 1231 Saint-Catherine Ouest
Price: $10 – $20 registration
iSaute Kirkland
ISaute/Facebook
Take your kids to iSaute Kirkland and pretend it’s for them when it’s really for you.
iSaute is a massive venue that has over 30 giant trampolines, trampoline basketball, wall climbing and a trampoline jungle gym. You pay by the hour, there’s a lot to do and it’s actually a fantastic workout. Fun for all ages (and a great workout).
When: Saturday, June 15
Time: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Where: 3220 Jean Yves, Kirkland
Price: $16 for the first hour, $10 for the second. Tickets are sold at the doo
Yoko Ono’s Arising
Vigfus Birgisson/Reykjavik Art Museum
Yoko Ono’s new art exhibition debut in Montreal at the end of April.
As part of the Japanese multimedia artist’s ongoing installation called “Arising,” Ono is asking women to share stories of harm that has been brought on as a result of being a woman. Participants are asked to also send in a photo of their eyes as part of the project.
The installation will be shown accompanied by other interactive works by Ono in which specific instructions will be given to visitors.
When: From now to September 15
Time: 12 pm – 7 pm
Where: Fondation Phi pour l’art contemporain, 451 rue St-Jean
Price: Free