22 things to do in Montreal this weekend: August 16 to 18

We’ve got you covered if you’re looking for a few events to keep you busy this weekend, August 16 to 18. We’d recommend scooting around from event to event on the city’s new Lime scooters.

See also:

• Montrealers are living their best lives on new Lime e-scooters (VIDEOS)
• 14 shots from first few days of St. Jean’s international hot air balloon festival (PHOTOS)
• Police issue warning about deadly ‘purple’ heroin circulating in Quebec

Montreal Pride

Montreal Pride Week, which welcomes over 225 artists, 250 activities, and 20 free large-scale productions is entering its second (and final) weekend.

The festival is the “largest gathering of the sexual and gender diversity (SGD) communities in the Francophone world and in Canada,” reads the festival’s press release.

This year’s fest comes with a little bit more weight as Montréal prepares to compete to host the WorldPride event in 2023, according to event organizers.

When: From now until August 18
Time: Varies
Where: Montreal’s Gay Village
Price: Varies per selection

KISS at the Bell Centre

Are you ready to Rock and Roll All Nite, again? After what was supposed to be their final stop in Montreal EVER, rock legends KISS have announced one last stop at the Bell Centre this month.

For real this time.

One of the most prolific bands in history, that launched an era of rock ‘n roll legends, KISS’ final tour, appropriately named the “End of the Road,” has been touring North America since January.

The initial announcement was made on NBC’s America’s Got Talent last month, sending the Internet to Shout It Out Loud that they wanted to see the band’s larger-than-life performance for one last time.

When: Friday, August 16
Time: 7:30 pm
Where: Bell Centre, 1909 avenue des Canadiens de Montreal
Price: $69.75 – $1,057.25, available online

Haunted Red Light Ghost Walk

Local tour company, Secret Montreal, is giving guests a chance to learn about the city’s indecent past.

Who knows, you might even see a ghost.

The tour is led by a professional actor and storyteller and the path leads to tales about the dark and lewd history of Montreal’s old Red Light District. Many of the sites are even said to be haunted.

The tour takes place at what is currently known as the Quartier des Spectacles, known for its festivals and entertainment. But Secret Montreal takes its guests on a historical journey of another form of entertainment.

When: Friday, August 16
Time: 8:30 pm – 10 pm
Where: 1219 Boulevard Saint Laurent
Price: $26.50, available online

Italian Week

Montreal’s well-represented Italian community has been celebrating it’s 26th annual Italian Week since last weekend and it concludes on Sunday.

The week-long festival will be celebrated throughout the island, promoting the Italian culture through music, fashion, cars, shops, and obviously, food.

Anchored primarily in Little Italy, the festival also branches out to Montreal-Nord, Laval, Lasalle, NDG, and St-Léonard.

When: From now until August 18
Time: Times vary according to the day, visit the website for exact festival times
Where: Various locations throughout Montreal
Price: Free admission

Comedy at the Art Loft – Samson Cooperman

Comedy at the Art Loft is the hottest underground comedy show in Montreal. It’s the city’s only weekly bilingual show and is run out of a private loft on rue Saint-Laurent and is usually packed with people. It feels like a college part, except a comedian is slinging jokes into a microphone.

This week’s headliner is the very funny Samson Cooperman  Featured acts include Oren Shbiro, Ém Lap, Rodney Ramsey, Viveth Kanagaratnam, Emile Khoury and the show is hosted by Quinn McMorrow.

The venue features a DJ and snacks. BYOB and it’s 420 friendly. Very 420 friendly.

When: Friday, August 16
Time: Doors open at 9 pm, show starts at 10:30 pm
Where: 4152 Boulevard Saint Laurent
Price: $10 at the door (cash only)

Cité Mémoire

Head to Old Montreal to admire 25 of the world’s largest projection circuits. Montreal’s history is displayed on buildings and streets throughout the Old Port. Download the free “Montreal en Histoires” app for destinations, details, and schedules.

When: Friday, August 16
Time: From nightfall until 11 pm
Where: Old Montreal
Price: Free

Le Grand Ribfest de Montréal

Ribbers from Texas, Alabama, New Mexico, Florida, and Tennessee are coming by Old Montreal today for four days of heavy-duty rib cooking.

The site also features a slew of great microbrewery kiosks from all over the province.

Beer and ribs, anyone?

When: From now until August 18
Time: 11 am – 1o pm
Where: Quai Jacques-Cartier, Old Montreal
Price: Free admission

Saturday, August 17

 Lolë  White Tour – Montreal

The Lolë White Tour is returning to Montreal this weekend for one day of yoga fun in the sun.

The annual events takes over the Old Port for one day, inviting hundreds of Montrealers to join in one massive yoga session.

When: Saturday, August 17
Time: 4 pm
Where: Jacques Cartier Pier
Price: $59 – $156, available online

Jackalope 2019

For event-goers seeking that little extra ounce of adrenaline, Jackalope might be for you.

The festival is on its way back to Montreal this weekend and it’s headlined by the World Cup Skateboarding Championship, a bouldering competition, and base jumping from the top of the Olympic Tower.

Yes.

According to the Jackalope website, the three-day festival is “an international showcase of raw talent, outdoor fun, and stimulating exchanges at a unique event.”

The entire event is staged outside at the Olympic Stadium. The event hosts a slew of adrenaline based activities that include: skateboarding, BMX, bouldering, motocross, slacklining, and water gunfights.

When: August 16-18
Time: Friday, 5 pm – 10 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 1 pm – 10 pm
Where: Montreal Olympic Park, 4549 Avenue Pierre-de-Coubertin
Price: $35 to $325, available online

International Balloon Festival

Look up in the sky this weekend, it won’t be a bird, nor a plane, and it won’t even be Superman. It’ll be dozens of hot air balloons.

The International Balloon Festival of Saint Jean-sur-Richelieu is the largest gathering of balloons in Canada. The week-long event caters to the entire family and is an easy 40-minute drive off the island of Montreal.

In what started off as a balloon festival, has grown to host food vendors, bar outlets, live bands, theatre performances, activities, and has garnered a reputation on an international scale.

This year’s outdoor party will feature hot air balloons from Canada, the United States, France, and Brazil.

When: From now until August 18
Time: 12 pm – the end of the show
Where: 5 Chemin de l’Aéroport, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu
Price: $30 – $50, available online

Tonga Lumino

Mont-Tremblant wants to make sure you have giant plans this weekend. Literally.

The renowned ski mountain has transformed into an enchanted hiking trail where participants embark on a quest to find the last sleeping giant of its kind.

Uh. Yes, please.

The adventure, Tonga Lumina, is produced by Moment Factory, the same company known for their illuminations of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge.

This summer’s Mont-Tremblant trail will be illuminated with light projections and mythical storytelling as giant-seekers must trek through a 1.5 km nocturnal hike to find the slumbering giant.

When: Saturday, August 17
Time: Every 15 minutes from 9:15 pm – 10:45 pm
Where: 1000 Chemin des Voyageurs, Mont-Tremblant
Price: $11.99 – $27.99, available online

HUM(AIN) – We Could Be Human: A Learning Machine

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

Sunday, August 18

Montreal Pride Parade

Montreal’s Gay Pride Parade (Défilé de la fierté gai) invites everyone to a fun and flamboyant celebration of the community’s solidarity and strength, demanding for the same respect, dignity and basic rights as those granted to heterosexuals.

When: Sunday, August 18
Time: 1 pm
Where: Boulevard René-Lévesque and Rue Metcalfe and ends at Rue Alexandre-DeSève
Price: Free admission

Tam-Tams

Tam-Tams returned to the city last month and the iconic party keeps up its weekly trek on Sunday.

Tams, the weekly outdoor party at the base of the mountain, is a perfect summary of Montreal, open to both locals and tourists.

The magical outdoor bash is where Montrealers from far and wide, gather in Parc Mont Royal for an afternoon of food, vendors, fun, music, and maybe even a couple of beers and some smoking (shhh, don’t tell anyone).

When: Sunday, August 18
Time: 12 pm until sunset
Where: Sir George-Etienne Cartier Monument
Price: Free

Horos – A Virtual Voyage

Regular ‘real-life’ escape rooms are so 2018.

The Old Port is hosting “Horos” all summer, a free-roam virtual reality escape room that “blurs the lines between what is real and what is imaginary.”

Produced by AR/VR company Phenomena, the escape room blends interactive development with content creation and scenography, giving guests a “turnkey location-based experience.”

The VR voyage of Horos is a two-player immersive game that allows users to simultaneously walk freely in a virtual world which is synchronized to physical space.

When: Sunday, August 18
Time: 10 am – 10 pm
Where: Old Montreal (in front of the Science Center)
Price: $15, available online

Piknic Electronik

Piknic Electronik returns for its fourteenth edition this weekend.

Piknic is an outdoor electric music dance festival featuring DJs and artists from all over the world. There are obviously good tunes, but there’s also good food, good drinks, and plenty of activities to keep you going. 11est of all – the show goes on rain or shine.

When: Sunday, August 18
Time: 2 pm – 9:30 pm
Where: Parc Jean Drapeau
Tickets: $16, available online

Voiles en Voiles

Climb aboard life-size replicas of both royal and pirate ships from the 18th century in Montreal’s Old Port (how fitting).

They are over 100 feet in length and range from two feet high for the young pirates to 35 feet for Peter Pan wannabes.

As the obstacle course gears up for its final stretch run, check out the 61 different activities between the Royal Ship and the Pirate Ship. Activities include zip-lining, rock climbing, and bouncy castles.

When: Sunday, August 18
Time: 10 am – 6 pm
Where: Place des Vestiges, Old Port
Price: Prices vary depending on selected activities, tickets online

This Light Never Goes Out – Jim Carrey Exhibition

A new art exhibition featuring works from Jim Carrey is will be on display in Montreal all summer and this steamy weekend might be a good time to check out some art (and you know, air conditioning).

As part of the Phi Centre’s commitment to celebrating technology-based media, the arts centre will present the world premiere of This Light Never Goes Out, featuring over 50 of the actor’s works in an exhibition that will run from June 20 to September 1.

“Jim Carrey is known to most people as a comedic genius on the silver screen, but since 2016, his Twitter feed has been the canvas for a series of satirical and subversive cartoons, penned in response to headlining news,” reads the Phi Centre’s description.

Carrey’s cartoons weigh in on the American political right, focusing on many who are abusing their power in the United States.

When: Sunday, August 18
Time: 10 am – 10 pm
Where: Phi Centre, 315 St-Paul Ouest
Price: $12.40, available online