12 things to do in Montreal today: Sunday, February 23

It’s the last Sunday of the month and the city is oozing with a bunch of great events worth checking out today, February 23.

Festival of Our Cheeses

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For the 14th edition of Festival of Our Cheeses we shine a spotlight on 20 local cheese makers from Quebec by showcasing their exceptional products as part of MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE.

Come and chat with them, taste their specialties for free, and purchase the fruits of their labour at competitive prices!

When: Sunday, February 23
Time: 11:30 am to 7 pm
Where: Complexe Desjardins — 150 rue Ste. Catherine
Price: Free admission

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Québec Maple Ferris Wheel

@erableduquebec/Instagram

Presented by Maple from Québec, the giant illuminated Ferris wheel cozies up to the Quartier Gourmand sector of the festival, offering guests authentic Quebec-made maple syrup samples.

It’s tough to miss the giant, neon-lit wheel and it offers gorgeous vantage points of the festival site if you want to go camera heavy.

When: Sunday, February 23 (and February 27 to March 1)
Time: 2 to 11 pm
Where: Quartier des Spectacles
Price: Free admission

Les Jardineries

@lesjardineries/Instagram

Head over the Olympic Stadium every weekend in February for some free outdoor fun including bowling, skating, sledding, sliding, hot drinks, and a heated chalet.

When: Sunday, February 23
Time: 10:30 am to 4:30 pm
Where: Les Jardineries, L’Esplanade du Parc Olympique
Price: Free admission

Urban Slide

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Montréal en Lumière will be in full slide swing this week and its giant urban slide returns to the Quartier des Spectacles. Zigzagging its way across the outdoor party.

The 110 metre-long slide starts at the illuminated launch tower and glides its way around the site, at full speed, screaming with cheers and photo opportunities.

The slide is “completely revamped” this year, according to the Festival of Lights website, offering sliders a multicoloured light show.

When: Sunday, February 23 (and February 27 to March 1)
Time: 2 to 11 pm
Where: Quartier des Spectacles
Price: Free admission

RBC VOLTIGO

montrealenlumiere.com

You’re probably not down to dive into a swimming pool in the dead of winter, especially from such great heights.

Luckily, Canadian haut-vol diver Lysanne Richard is.

She’ll jump off a 25-metre high diving board into a three-metre deep pool. As if that’s not enough, she’ll be performing acrobatics in between.

When: Sunday, February 23
Time: Varying hours, visit the Montreal en Lumiere website  for specific times
Where: Quartier des Spectacles
Price: Free

Imagine Van Gogh

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Montreal has been coated with an exhibition of the works of Vincent Van Gogh, the Dutch post-impressionist painter who is among the most famous figures in the history of the art world.

The exhibition, Imagine Van Gogh, which opened in December, takes guests through the world of colours and emotions of Van Gogh’s works through gigantic murals and immersive soundtrack.

When: Sunday, February 23
Time: 10 am to 6 pm
Where: Arsenal art contemporain — 2020 rue William
Price: $16 to $26, available online

Journey to Space

Montreal Science Center

How do astronauts do it? We know where they do it but like, how do they wash up at the end of shift? How do they get into and out of those bulky suits?

Embark on Journey to Space at the Montreal Science Center and learn all about the day-to-day lives of astronauts in a new interactive exhibition filled with experiences that are — you guessed it — out of this world.

When: Sunday, February 23
Time: 9 am to 4 pm
Where: Montreal Science Center, Old Montreal
Price:$12 – $23, available online

Pente à Neige

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No offence Mont Tremblant, but we might hit the slopes a bit closer to home this weekend as La Pente à Neige has constructed a man-made ski hill at Parc Ignace-Bourget.

The third edition of the urban hill is big enough for up to 250 people along with a mini slope that can accommodate up to 50 mini-skiers.

The hill welcomes skiers, snowboarders, tubers, and sledders of any age and features a cozy heated yurt, mulled wine, hot chocolate, and music. Guests can bring their own equipment or it can be rented on site.

The slope is 300 metres long and has professionals on site to teach people proper skiing/snowboarding/falling down techniques.

When: Sunday, February 23
Time: 10 am to 6 pm
Where: Parc Ignace-Bourget — 6101 Avenue de Montmagny
Price: Various pricing, details available online

POP Yoga Neige

POP Spirit/Facebook

Montreal-based fitness company POP Spirit is hosting another edition of outdoor snow yoga today.

Aptly titled POP Yoga Neige, classes will take place from 10:30 am to 11:15 am every Sunday all month.

All classes are free to the public and boast top-notch, professional instructors. All you have to do is bring your own mat and dress warmly (and we mean, really warm).

When: Sunday, February 23
Time: 10:30 to 11:15 am
Where: Parcours Gouin
Price: Free

Zero Latency VR Games

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Put on a VR headset, strap into a backpack, pickup a controller and dive into the VR world.

Once inside, guests can move around just like you do in the real world without any wires or walls to get in the way of your virtual reality adventures.

From preventing a zombie outbreak to saving humanity from a deadly disease, and getting launched into space, each game takes 45 min and can feature one to eight players.

When: Sunday, February 23
Time: 5 to 9 pm
Where: 910 Jean Talon Street East
Price: $44.99, available online

Dynamo

montrealenlumiere.com

Speaking of acrobatics, the Dynamo show at the Énergir stage will feature a mini-circus of acrobats performing what the Montreal en Lumière website describes as a “mind blowing show.”

When: February 21 to 23, 27 to March 1
Time: Varying hours, visit the Montreal en Lumiere website for specific times
Where: Quartier des Spectacles
Price: Free

Bleu, Blanc et Bouge

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The Montreal Canadiens foundation has six outdoor, refrigerated rinks around the island. The professional-level rinks provide the opportunity for hockey players to develop their skating skills on exceptional quality ice.

The program is divided into six sessions of approximately 45 minutes each.