21 things to do in Montreal this weekend: February 21 to 23

Feb 21 2020, 1:00 pm

As Montréal en Lumière launches into its first weekend, here are a bunch of things worth checking out across the island during the month’s second-to-last weekend.

Friday, February 21

Québec Maple Ferris Wheel

Montreal en Lumière

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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: February 20-23 (and February 27 to March 1)
Time: Monday to Friday, 5 to 11 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 2 to 11 pm
Where: Quartier des Spectacles
Price: Free admission

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: February 21, 22, 23
Time: 11:30 am to 7 pm
Where: Complexe Desjardins — 150 rue Ste. Catherine
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: February 20 to 23 (and February 27 to March 1)
Time: Monday to Friday, 5 to 11 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 2 to 11 pm
Where: Quartier des Spectacles
Price: Free admission

RBC VOLTIGO

Montreal en Lumière

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 3-metre deep pool. As if that’s not enough, she’ll be performing acrobatics in between.

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

Imagine Van Gogh

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: Friday, February 21
Time: 10 am to 6 pm
Where: Arsenal art contemporain — 2020 rue William
Price: $16 to $26, available online

Str8 Up

Montreal en Lumière

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DJ Str8 Up is going to be rocking out during the Montreal en Lumiere festival’s first weekend bringing his “selective taste and deep love of music” to the outdoor crowd.

When: Friday, February 21
Time: 9 pm
Where: Quartier des Spectacles
Price: Free

Natrel Skating Rink

Old Montreal skating Old Port

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A skating rink with Old Montreal as the backdrop – talk about picturesque.

The Natrel Skating Rink in Old Montreal is open to the public every day this month, offering some really nice ice.

Known for its outstanding quality of ice, excellent facilities, and breathtaking views of the city and the Saint Lawrence River, this is the place to go skating in Montreal.

When: Friday, February 21
Time: 10 am to 10 pm
Where: Natrel Skating Rink, Bonsecours Basin
Price: $5.22, kids six to 12; $7.83 general admission, free for kids under six.

Saturday, February 22

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: February 22 and 23
Time: 10:30 am to 4:30 pm
Where: Les Jardineries, L’Esplanade du Parc Olympique
Price: Free admission

Bedouin Soundclash

Bedouin Soundclash is a Canadian band based out of Toronto. The band formed in 2001 and have been described as reggae/ska.

They’ll be rocking out the timeless Théâtre Corona on Saturday.

When: Saturday, February 22
Time: 8 pm
Where: Théâtre Corona, 2490 Notre-Dame Ouest
Price: $32, available online

Robin Hood – Orchestre symphonique de Montréal

osm.ca

The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal is holding its seventh annual edition of the “Bal des enfants” at the gorgeous Maison symphonique.

The continued its tradition revisits a classic of children’s literature, the folktale Robin Hood.

When: Saturday, February 22
Time: 2:30 pm
Where: La Maison Symphonique — 1600 St Urbain
Price:
 $60 – $90, available online

Rachid Badouri

 

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Rachid Badouri is a Moroccan Berber comedian who immigrated to Quebec as a child. The Just For Laughs veteran will be bringing his zaniness and hilarity to the gorgeous L’Olympia theatre on Saturday.

When: Saturday, February 22
Time: 8 pm
Where: L’Olympia — 1004 rue Ste. Catherine Est
Price: $59.45, 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

TIZI

@djtizi/Instagram

A native of Montreal, TIZI has performed at Beachclub, îleSoniq, Igloofest, and Piknic Electronik and claims “she is comfortable in all styles and in front of all types of audiences.”

She’ll be proving that on Saturday, February 22.

When: Saturday, February 22
Time: 9 pm
Where: Quartier des Spectacles
Price: Free

FLAIRBARTENDING

Montreal en Lumière

@carlthulhu/Instagram

Fusing a light juggling show with flair bartending, this dynamic duo will make you want your drink even more after lighting it on fire and flipping it through the air.

When: Saturday, February 22
Time: 9 to 10:15 pm
Where: Quartier des Spectacles
Price: Free

SkyVenutre

If you’ve ever wanted to be like Charlie Bucker from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, now is your chance (to fly at least, not the whole candy eating thing.)

SkyVenture in Laval offers guests the first recirculating indoor freefall simulator in Canada. Dive in solo or with a group and you actually fly.

“Anyone who is in good health can fly in the wind tunnel,” reads the SkyVenture terms and conditions. “After just a few minutes, you will finally understand why birds sing!”

Guests are lifted into the air through the flight chamber’s airflow and an instructor is on-site to ensure 100% safety.

When: Saturday, February 22
Time: 9 am to 8 pm
Where:
 Centropolis — 2700 avenue du Cosmodôme, Laval
Price: $58 – $93.93, available online

Sunday, February 23

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

ski hill Montreal

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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

outdoor yoga

POP Spirit/Facebook

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

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

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.

The rink is free to use but has rather strict schedules so the shinny hockey players don’t hit the ice at the same time as the little skaters.

Rinks can be found at the following spots around Montreal:

  • Villeray-St-Michel-Parc-Extension: François-Perrault Park
  • Montréal Nord: Carignan Park
  • Verdun: Willibrord Park
  • LaSalle: Hayward Park
  • Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce: Confederation Park
  • Ahuntsic-Cartierville: Mésy Park
When: Sunday, February 23
Time: Varies per rink
Where: Various locations around Montreal
Price: Free
DH Montreal StaffDH Montreal Staff

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