25 things to do in Montreal this weekend: July 16 to 18

Jul 16 2021, 12:00 pm

We’re (somehow) already halfway through July and there’s a bunch of fun things to do in Montreal this weekend as a result.

The loosening of certain COVID-19 restrictions means life is starting to normalize a bit and plenty of events are going down this weekend if you’re looking for fun things to do.

The following events adhere to public health guidelines and guarantee staff and customer safety against the virus.

Have a weekend Montreal, you earned it.

Here are a few things that should be on your Montreal radar this weekend, July 16 to 18.

Free donuts – 48th Parallel Montreal

 

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Spell it donuts, doughnuts, or des beignes, it doesn’t matter when they’re free.

Jumpstart your weekend with free donuts on Friday. Old Montreal’s newest cafe, 49th Parallel Montreal, will be serving up free donuts to signify its opening day.

It’s too exciting to worry about the spelling when free donuts are involved.

When: Friday, July 16
Time: 10 am – 2 pm
Where: 488 McGill Street

Naked Bike Ride

Le Cyclo Nu International/World Naked Bike Ride (Montreal)/Facebook

The cheekiest cycling event of the summer is returning to Montreal this weekend.

The Montreal branch of the World Naked Bike Ride aims to raise awareness about reducing fossil fuels and to promote alternative modes of transport like cycling (but you know, mostly with clothes on).

The ride takes place at Dorchester Square and features two circuits of the downtown core, one which starts at 1 pm and another at 8 pm.

(And yes, it will be a full moon.)

Plus, it’s free. You just need a bike — clothing is optional. Anytime an event says clothing is optional, you’re in for a good one.

When: Saturday, July 17
Time: 1 pm and 8 pm
Where: Dorchester Square

Daniel Tiradoat the Comedy Nest

The Comedy Nest reopened to the public at the beginning of the summer and the quaint comedy club is welcoming Daniel Tirado for a weekend set.

Tirado has performed at Just For Laughs, Gotham Comedy Live, and appeared in Marvel’s The Punisher. He is a classically trained actor trapped in a funny person’s body, says the Nest and his week-long set will dive into jokes about his heritage, language, and his “unique and hilarious perspective on the world.

Featuring opening comics from Montreal (including JFL vet Joey Elias), get ready to have some chuckles all weekend at the Nest.

When: July 16 and 17
Time: 8 pm (and 10:30 on Saturday)
Where:
 Comedy Nest, 2313 Rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest (3rd floor)
Price: $6 – $12, available online

Grab a poutine

 

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Why not make this weekend a poutine-filled one?

Travel across our beautiful province and devour some of Quebec’s best-tasting poutines. Heck, maybe you even turn it into a social media documentary of some kind?

If you need help choosing the best poutineries, this bucket list guide might help guide you to traditional trifecta dish heaven.

ECOSYSTEM

We’ve spent a lot of time inside over the past 15 months, and now you can spend it underwater.

Sort of.

A new exhibition at the Society for Arts & Technology (SAT) offers guests a calming and trippy dive into a seabed, offering a soundscape we don’t often get to hear from the immersive venue of the Satosphere — a 360-degree dome with a spherical panoramic projection screen 13 metres high.

It’s like a movie theatre on steroids.

When: From now until August 21
Time: 5 pm – 6:30 pm – 8 pm
Where: Satosphere, SAT – 1201 St Laurent Boulevard
Price: $20, available online

Oasis Plage Saint-James

Montreal beach

Quartier des Spectacles

An urban beach has opened right in the middle of downtown at the front steps of one of Montreal’s oldest buildings.

The Oasis Plage Saint-James, one of the 11 outdoor installations created by the Quartier des Spectacles, features shade, comfy furniture, a seaside soundtrack, and sand, offering downtown pedestrians an impromptu beach getaway.

The Oasis is free to attend and allows for alcohol to be consumed on-site so long as you’re eating food.

When: Every day until September 26
Time: 9 am – 8 pm
Where: St. James United Church
Price: Free

MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE

The 12th edition of MONTREAL CiRQUE FESTIVAL kicked off last week and will hang around (literally) until the end of this weekend.

The festival has an array of programming, both indoors and outdoors (which is free), ranging from trapeze artists, magicians, dancers, high-soaring gymnasts, and more.

The free show takes place at the Quartier des Spectacles at 5:30 pm (outdoors).

When: From now until July 18
Time: Various times
Where: Various locations throughout the city
Price: Free – $48, available online

Hey Montreal, remember live music?

The 18th edition of Piknic — Montreal’s outdoor electronic dance music festival — kicked off at the beginning of July and it’s back for its fifth revised edition this weekend.

There are two waves of events this weekend, one at 1 pm and one at 6 pm to ensure phsyical distancing measures can be met.

This weekend’s musicians include Nymra & Sofisticated b2b MAUS, Paso Doble, The Neighbors, and Leylaisonfire.

Piknic says it will follow all necessary health protocols to ensure staff and clients are protected from COVID-19.

When: Saturday, July 17
Time: 1 pm – 5 pm or 6 pm – 10 pm
Where: Plaine des Jeux, Parc Jean-Drapeau
Price: $20, available online

La Ronde

 

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Quebec’s biggest amusement park is now open every day for the rest of the summer.

Take a trip to La Ronde and tackle Le Monstre, Ednor, Le Vampire, and all the other rides that flip you upside down.

When: Every day until September
Time: 10 am – 7 pm
Where: 22 Chemin Macdonald
Price: Starts at $29.99, available online

A/Maze: Montreal Escape Game

Hey, you escaped lockdown. Now try getting out of prison!

A/Maze has reopened its Atwater location, including four themed escape rooms: Prison Break, Laboratory, Military Facility, and Secrets of the Lachine Canal.

It might be a good way to escape the workweek.

When: Every day
Time: 2 pm – 10 pm
Where: 3550 rue Saint-Jacques
Price: $13 – $25 per person, varies per adventure

H2O Adventures – Swan Ride

Sure, you can take a kayak or canoe, but why not really stand out and tackle the canal in a swan?

Besides being great for the ‘gram, it’s pretty fun to float down the canal in a giant bird.

If the weather bodes well, hop on a swan boat and check out the historic canal. Swan hopefuls need to book online before paying for the event to ensure there’s enough space.

When: Every day
Time: 10 am – 8 pm
Where: 2727B Rue Saint-Patrick 
Price:
$60, available online

DodgeBow Archery

Have you ever felt like shooting a friend with a bow and arrow? Because you totally can (completely safely).

DodgeBow, the only one of its kind in Montreal, is exactly what it sounds like — dodgeball fused with bow and arrows. They have a wide variety of activities, all of which include running around with a bow and arrow. Accuracy and agility put to the test!

When: Daily
Time: 9 am – 9 pm
Where: 4767 Dagenais Street
Price: Starts at $25.95, available online

Cabaret Mado

 

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This 1920s-inspired nightclub has a variety of gay-friendly cabaret shows every night this weekend. All are destined to be immensely entertaining and colourful.

When: July 16 – 18
Time: 4 pm – 12 am
Where: 1115 Ste. Catherine Est
Price
: Varies per event, available online

Biodôme Montreal

 

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After being closed for more than two years for renovations (and a pandemic), the Biodôme de Montréal is finally reopened.

Using some elements from Biodôme’s original 1976 design, guests can now observe the birds in the Tropical Rainforest from treetop level, enter a beaver lodge, and really experience what subpolar cold feels like – just like the penguins.

Walk through replicas of four ecosystems found in the Americas without even leaving the island.

When: July 16 – 18
Time: 9 am – 6 pm
Where: 4777 Pierre-de Coubertin Avenue
Price: $16.50 – $21.50, available online

Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything

Maybe you’re not in the mood to go out on the town? If that’s the case, this virtual exhibition of Leonard Cohen might be up your alley.

The online exhibition is divided into four main themes that are omnipresent in Leonard Cohen’s body of work: Poetic Thought, Spirituality & Humility, Love and Loss & Longing.

When: From now until February 2024
Time: 24/7
Where: Online
Price: Free

Voiles en Voiles

 

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Ahoy matey!

Channel your inner Jack Sparrow and climb through giant pirate ships in Old Montreal as part of a high-flying obstacle course.

When: Every day until September
Time: 10 am – 6 pm
Where: Place des Vestiges, Old Montreal
Price: $19 to $54 per person, depending on the type of swashbuckling adventure you choose.

Clock Tower Beach

 

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If the weather bodes well this week, check out Old Montreal’s free beach. Parasols, beach chairs, and a gorgeous view of Montreal — you can’t go wrong.

When: Every day this summer
Time: 11 am – 7 pm
Where: 1 Clock Tower Quay
Price: Free

Parc Safari

 

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Lions, tigers, and bears — oh my!

Parc Safari is up and running for the spring and summer season for anyone looking to get off-island and check out a slew of exotic animals, including zebras, elephants, big cats, hyenas, deer, and more.

They also have live shows and amusement park rides.

When: From now until September
Time: 10 am – 6:30 pm
Where: 242, Rang, Roxham Road, Lacolle
Price:
$16 to $41, available online

Marché des Éclusiers

 

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This two-storey, indoor-outdoor market is right on the canal and offers fresh produce, coffee, baked good, and hooch for people who want to be as Old Port, as Old Port can be.

When: Every day until September
Time: 8 am – 11 pm
Where: 400 de la Commune Ouest

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

 

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When was the last time you went to a museum?

The MMFA is showcasing a slew of great exhibitions, including “Riopelle
The Call of Northern Landscapes and Indigenous Cultures” highlighting North and Indigenous cultures and consists of nearly 160 works and more than 150 artifacts and archival documents.

When: The MMFA is one every day
Time
: 10 am – 5 pm
Where: 1380 Sherbrooke Ouest
Price: $19, available online

Tyrolienne MTL Zipline

 

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Take a zip across Old Montreal.

For a smooth $19.99, zip across the Old Port and take in seriously breathtaking views of the Montreal skyline.

When: Every day until September
Time: 11 am – 9 pm
Where: Hangar 16, 363 Rue de la Commune Est
Price:
$19.99

Jardins Gamelin

 

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It’s tough to get more Montreal than the Jardins Gamelin at the Quartier des Spectacles.

The space is full of thematic gardens, greenhouses, a butterfly house, and a musical atmosphere.

Grab a snack, soak up the sun, and chill out this weekend.

When: Every day until September
Time: 24/7
Where: 1500 rue Berri
Price: Free

Scandinavian Spa

Saint-Bruno’s gorgeous thermal spa is open for the summer season and it’s calling you to release all those inner toxins.

The thermal spa centre, Förena Cité thermale, set at the base of Mont Saint-Bruno, opened to the public last January.

Inspired by Scandinavian culture, the Förena Cité Thermale is spread over 60,000 square meters at the base of a mountain offering its guests thermotherapy, massages, beauty care, and restoration.

The spa specializes in a three-stage complete thermal cycle that will “maximize the benefits of thermotherapy to your body,” according to the spa’s website.

When: July 16 – 18
Time: 10 am – 10 pm
Where
: 50 Rang des Vingt Cinq E, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville
Price: Ranges per activity, starts at $60 (more details online)

Casino de Montréal

The Casino de Montréal, the biggest casino in Canada, has reopened to the public if you feel like strutting your stuff and checking out the wild games, lights, music, and food.

Heck, you can even keep your wallet at home and have fun.

When: Every day
Time:
9 am – 12 am
Where: 1 Avenue du Casino

Oasis Surfing

 

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This surf spot in the South Shore has an indoor wave pool, so you can surf (and learn to surf) for relatively cheap.

You know, instead of flying to the Caribbean.

Surf’s up, dudes and dudettes!

When: July 16 – 18
Time: 11:30 am – 9 pm; Friday, 10 am – 9 pm; Saturday, 10 am. -6 pm; Sunday
Where: 9520 Boulevard Leduc Suite 01, Brossard
Price: $39.99 – $69.99, available online

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