It’s a good thing there are a few time-travelling opportunities in Montreal over the next couple of days because August absolutely flew by.
If you’re hoping to fill up your time for the last weekend of the month, Montreal has a slew of great things to check out.
From food to concerts, giant puppets, Star Wars, and everything in between, here are 16 things to keep on your radar this weekend in beautiful Montreal.
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MUTEK
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After two-hybrid local editions, the MUTEK festival of electronic music and digital creativity is back with a fully international 23rd edition. The event celebrates the return of artists and audiences to Montreal from all over the world until Sunday.
When: From now until August 28
Time: Various
Where: Théâtre Maisonneuve, MTELUS, Société des arts technologiques [SAT], and Esplanade Tranquille
Price: Various
Festival Marionnettes Plein la rue
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Giant puppets are taking over Verdun this weekend.
And for three weekends after that.
The 11th edition of the Festival Marionnettes Plein la rue celebrates marionettes, street theatre, magic shows, stop motion animation, and human-sized puppets.
When: Fridays and Saturdays from August 26 to September 10
Time: 10 am to 7:30 pm
Where: Promenade Wellington
Price: Free
18th-Century Public Market
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Montreal will be doing a little bit of time travel this weekend as an 18th-century public market is blasting in from the past.
On August 27 and 28, Pointe-à-Callière will transform into a different era for the 29th edition of the Pointe-à-Callière’s Public Market.
Guests can learn about the city life under the French regime, meet characters, and admire the know-how of the First Nations.
To give the market the 18th-century feel, there will be actors on-site dressed as merchants, entertainers, craftspeople, and farmers from the time period.
When: August 27 to 28
Time: Saturday, 10 am to 7 pm; Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm
Where: Pointe-à-Callière, 350 Place Royale
Price: Free
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
A galaxy far, far away is coming to Place des Arts.
One of the most iconic soundtracks in the history of film will be played out in concert at the Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier this weekend.
The Quebec entertainment company, GFN Productions, has announced two dates for Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in concert. Experience the power of the force with 78 musicians of the FILMharmonique, led by Erik Ochsner.
Montreal’s Orchestre FILMharmonique will be performing the 1980s film’s iconic soundtrack, bringing John William’s Oscar-winning score to life as the original film plays on the big screen.
When: August 26 & 27
Time: 2 pm and 7:30 pm
Where: Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier
Price: $74.20 to $149, available online
McKibbin’s Irish Pub — 1997 Throwback Bash
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Montreal is full of throwbacks this weekend. If the 18th-century market doesn’t entice you, how about a little ’90s bash?
Remember how good life was in 1997? Titanic just came out, the Spice Girls were everywhere, you had to feed your Tamagotchi every few hours, and Nintendo 64 was the king of entertainment.
If you’re in the mood for a little 1997 throwback this weekend, be sure to stop by McKibbin’s Irish Pub’s downtown location on Saturday night. The celebration includes DJs on the back patio and third-floor dance club, live music, and $5.75 mixed drinks, $6.50 pints, and $4 shots.
When: Saturday, August 27
Time: 9 pm to 3 am
Where: 1426 Bishop Street
A Taste of the Caribbean
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A slew of celebrity chefs from the Caribbean is coming to Old Montreal this weekend, offering a massive menu of delectable dishes including jerk chicken, conch fritters, ceviche, and pineapple plates.
Plus dancing and music. What else could you need?
When: August 25 to 28
Time: 2 to 11 pm
Where: Quai de l’Horloge
Price: Free entry
Twenty One Pilots
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You can catch the alternative rock duo behind hits like “Stressed Out” and “Ride” at the Bell Centre this weekend as part of their ongoing Icy Tour.
When: Friday, August 26
Time: 8 pm
Where: Bell Centre
Tickets: Starting at $52, available here
Festival Fuego Fuego
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The biggest Latin music festival is coming to Monreal this weekend.
Fuego Fuego, the new music festival will feature some of the biggest artists in reggae, reggaeton, Latin trap, Latin pop, and dancehall music. The very first edition will take place in the heart of Montreal on August 27th in a vibrant and festive setting at the Esplanade of the Olympic Park.
When: Saturday, August 27
Time: 12 pm
Where: Olympic Park Esplanade
Price: $198 – $375, available online
Parc Safari
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How about sneaking off the island and meeting up with some safari animals this weekend?
Parc Safari, in the quaint town of Hemmingford, has lions, tigers, and bears (oh my), as well as monkeys, elephants giraffes, and so much more.
There’s also a water park and amusement rides.
When: August 26 to 28
Time: 10 am to 5 pm
Where: 242 Rang, Roxham Road
Price: $31.99 to $48.99 (free for kids under 23 months old)
Sunflower field
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How about a little sunflower power this month? A spectacular flower field is ripe for the picking.
In August, La Belle de Coteau-du-Lac will host its annual prized sunflower fields. “Sunflowers are the queen flowers of photoshoots,” says the farm in French. “Our flowering sunflowers is the ideal place to come and strike a solo pose, with baby, children, friends, loved ones and even your four-legged friend — in a multitude of varieties of vibrant sunflowers.”
The sunflower field will host a vast plot of thousands of flowers, in 60 different varieties including yellow, red, orange, and creamy white colours.
The farm also has a food court with several picnic tables, benches, and seats in the shade and also offers professional photographers (for a price) if you’re looking for a top-of-the-line shoot.
When: August 25 to 28, September 2 to 5
Time: 11 am to 6 pm
Where: La Belle de Coteau-du-Lac, (75 Coteau-du-Lac, QC-201)
Price: $6 to $25, depending on bouquet size
Village des Écluses
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If you want to spend the rest of the summer by a beach but don’t feel like making a long trek out of Montreal, Village des Écluses has got you covered.
Located on the picturesque Lac St-Louis on the shores of the Saint Lawrence River, the beach resort offers sand between your toes, paddleboarding, kayaking, and surfing — all an easy 40-minute drive from Montreal.
Nicki Minaj said it herself, “let’s go to the beach-each, let’s go get a wave.”
When: Every day until mid-September
Time: Thursday to Sunday, 9 am to 11 pm; Monday to Wednesday, 9 am to 5 pm
Where: 2 Chem. du Canal, Pointe-des-Cascades
Price: Free admission
Mosaïcultures Québec 2022
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If there’s one excursion to add to this summer’s must-do list, Quebec City’s animal kingdom garden might be the king of the jungle.
From now until October, the Mosaïcultures Québec 2022 at Parc Bois-de-Coulonge in Quebec City is showcasing a dazzling display of more than six million plants and flowers that pay tribute to the “life that vibrates on our planet.”
The summer-long exhibit is marketed as a “hymn to the Earth,” and features works that are “a pleasure for the eyes but also a reminder of the fragility of life.”
When: From now until October 10
Time: 10 am to sundown
Where: Parc Bois-de-Coulonge – 1215 Grande Allée O
Price: $12.50 to $60, available online
Dancing Lights That Flew up to the Universe
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In celebration of its 15th anniversary, the PHI Foundation for Contemporary Art is presenting Dancing Lights That Flew up to the Universe, a new exhibit from acclaimed Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.
The exhibition will introduce visitors to the “spiritual and philosophical depth of the artist’s work,” says the PHI museum, including two striking “infinity mirrored rooms.”
Both mirrored rooms will be filled with hanging light globes that alternate colours before going dark. “The viewer is absorbed into darkness for a moment before the glowing spheres slowly flicker back on, initiating again a cycle akin to life and rebirth,” says PHI.
When: From now until January 15
Time: Wednesday to Friday, noon to 7 pm; Saturday to Sunday, 11 am to 6 pm
Where: PHI Centre
Price: Free, reservations required
Frida Kahlo – The Life of An Icon
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Montreal has been graced with the life of Frida Kahlo in the form of an immersive and inspiring art exhibit.
The Life of An Icon offers seven different transformational spaces with VR experiences, holographic videos, and 360° projections.
The exhibition presents an arrangement of archival photos, original films, digital environments, art installations, and collectibles to music that aims to “reproduce the most relevant moments of [the artist’s] life,” says the website, offering visitors to discover the incredible story of Frida Kahlo.
When: August 2 to 31 (no Mondays)
Time: Wednesday and Thursday, 10 am to 7 pm; Friday and Saturday, 10 am to 9 pm; Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm
Where: Arsenal Contemporary Art – 2020 William Street
Price: $27.58 to $40.23, available online
Uplå
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You can take your family adventures to new heights this weekend, thanks to North America’s biggest trampoline park which just opened outside of Montreal.
Uplå is a labyrinth of 20-foot-high suspension bridges and trampolines that connect to a network of unique and colourful treehouses, all of which are suspended in the air at the foot of Mont-Saint-Grégoire.
What’s wild about Uplå is that the park is open year-round, rain, shine, or snow. We’ll have to wait a few months to see what North America’s biggest trampoline park looks like covered in snow.
The park recommends soon-to-be trampoliners to book online to guarantee a spot.
When: Year-round
Time: 8 am to 6:30 pm
Where: 45 Chemin du Sous-Bois, Mont-Saint-Grégoire
Price: $20 to $30
VAN GOGH – Distorsion
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Have you wondered what it would be like to walk through a masterpiece?
The wonderfully colourful world of Vincent Van Gogh has been brought to life at OASIS, and visitors can walk freely through animated renderings of classic works like Almond Blossoms, Starry Night, and many more.
When: From now until August 31
Time: 9 am to 9:40 pm
Where: OASIS immersion, 301 Saint-Antoine
Price: $24 to $32, available online
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