22 things to do in Montreal this weekend: February 8 to 10

Montreal’s in for a wild weekend of weather and the city is thankfully also boasting a wild list of events from February 8 to 10.

From concerts to stand-up shows and a slew of outdoor activities, here are 22 things that should keep you busy during the second weekend of February.

See also

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Friday, February 8

Aba Atlas at the Art Loft

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 always packed with people. It feels like a college party, except a comedian is speaking into a microphone.

Every week, Art Loft welcomes a slew of hilarious comedians, DJs and snacks.

This week’s lineup includes Quinn McMorrow as the host and the immensely talented Aba Atlas as the headliner. Featured acts are equally hilarious as Arl Brunet, Reese Turner, Bruno Ly, Sara Quinn and Vincent Fecteau hit the stage.

BYOB and 420 friendly… very 420 friendly.

When: Friday, February 8
Time: Doors open at 9 pm, show starts at 10:30 pm
Where: 4152 Boulevard Saint Laurent
Price: $10 at the door (cash only)

LanETS

The LanETS is a club from ETS (Ecole de technologie supérieure) that organizes what they call “the biggest Lan party of the east coast.”

2000 gamers compete for prizes ($40,000 worth of prizes) and there’s a plethora of cosplay, scavenger hunts, and exhibitors too.

When: February 8 – 10
Time: 6 pm – 9 pm  (Friday), 9 am – 9 pm (Saturday), 9 am – 3 pm (Sunday)
Where: Palais des congrès de Montréal
Price: $20 – $85, available online

Cristoph – Newspeak

Cristoph is an American music producer and DJ who will be spinning a three hour set on Friday at Newspeak.

When: Friday, February 8
Time: 10 pm – 3 am
Where: Newspeak, 1403 Sainte Élisabeth
Price: $18 – $23, available online

Jeff Caldwell Stand-Up Show

Six time Letterman veteran Jeff Caldwell will be in town for two more stand-up shows this weekend.

The comedian is known to audiences through a clean, clever and observational approach to the art.

Apart from The Late Show with David Letterman, the American comedian has performed all over North America as well as The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and Conan.

When: February 8 and 9
Time: 8 pm
Where: The Comedy Nest, 2313 rue Ste.Catherine
Price: $12 – $15, available online

Tinder Tales: A Not-So-Valentine’s Show

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Tinder Tales (as seen on Just for Laughs), is a live show where comics and storytellers share real-life Tinder dating experiences.

We’ve all been there. These peeps are just on stage telling you all about it.

When: Friday, February 8
Time: 8 pm – 10:30 pm
Where: Salle Porto Lounge, 3716 Notre Dame
Price: $33, ticket includes choice of poutine or vegetarian tapas

Britney Spears Dance Party

This one’s pretty simple: all Britney. all night long. From her greatest hits, her albums, cuts, b-sides, remixes, and anything else Britney related – it’s a dance party.

When: Friday, February 8
Time: 11 pm – 3 am
Where: Bar Le Ritz PDB, 179 Jean-Talon
Price: $10, at the door

Saturday, February 9

The Montreal Canadiens vs the Toronto Maple Leafs

The Canadiens had a busy week: they beat the Anaheim Ducks at home on Monday, hosted the high-octane Winnipeg Jets on Thursday and on Saturday night, they host the Toronto Maple Leafs – how perfect.

They’ll welcome the newly extended Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs to a sure-to-be buzzing Bell Centre

When: Saturday, February 9
Time: 7 pm
Where:Bell Centre, 1909 avenue des Canadiens de Montreal
Price: Varies per date and seat selection, available online

Sarah Brightman Concert

Sarah Brightman is an English classical crossover soprano, singer, songwriter, actress, dancer and musician. Brightman has sung in many languages including English, Spanish, French, Latin, German, Turkish, Italian, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese and Catalan.

She’ll be gracing Place Bell with her presence on Saturday.

When: Saturday, February 9
Time: 8 pm
Where: Place Bell, 1950 rue Claude-Gagné, Laval
Price: $98 – $505, available online

Honesca Ice Bike Race

The third annual race combines two well known Montreal activities: biking and trying not to skid on ice.

The one-day event will host three ice bike contests (fork, studded and fat tire bikes), bike limbo (roll under a bar on your bike), a pick-up challenge and the “slowest race without falling over” contest.

There will also be a DJ on site, demonstrations, time trials, local merchants selling winter gear and accessories and of course, food trucks.

It costs moolah to register but attending the event is free.

When: Saturday, February 9
Time: 10 am – 6 pm
Where: Parc Maisonneuve, 4581 rue Sherbrooke Est
Price: Free to attend, registration online

Forum Sports Bar

Start the weekend off with some bowling.

The Forum Sports Bar hosts 16 lanes of 10-pin bowling, a giant square bar, arcade games, billiards and TV screens.

You strike that one off the list.

When: Saturday, February 9
Time: 11 am – 1 am
Where: 2313 rue Ste. Catherine
Price: $8 per game, shoe rental included

La Grande Roue de Montréal

When: Saturday, February 9
Time: 10 am – 11 pm
Where: 362 rue de Commune Est
Price: $14.79 – $25

POP Yoga Neige

Downward dog-sled, anyone?

Montreal-based fitness company POP Spirit is hosting a series of outdoor snow yoga sessions this winter.

Aptly titled POP Yoga Neige, classes will take place every Saturday and Sunday from now until March 24 at Parc La Fontaine and Parcours Gouin, respectively.

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: February 9 and 10
Time: 1 pm on Saturdays, 10:30 am on Sundays
Where: Parc La Fontaine and Parcours Gouin
Price: Free

Fête des neiges

The 36th edition of the Fête des neiges festival rolls into its fourth weekend.

Outdoor activities include snow tubing, cross-country skiing, dog sledding, snow archery, an icy pirate ship, ice skating, ice sculptures, ziplining, a Ferris wheel, Tour de Lévis, axe throwing, a penguin village, a Polar Circus, snow scooters, an inflatable bouncy castle, and a mini igloo play area.

When: From now until February 10
Time: 10 am – 5 pm
Where: Parc Jean-Drapeau
Tickets: $8 – $25, available online

Parc-Nature du Cap-Saint-Jacques

The City of Montreal wants you to see more of this gorgeous province this winter by checking out the city’s biggest national park – for free.

So, pack a lunch, hop on a shuttle bus and spend the day in the great Canadian outdoors!

Parc-Nature du Cap-Saint-Jacques is offering free shuttle services from downtown Montreal this weekend (and six days afterwards).

With 330 hectares of land, the Parc-Nature du Cap-Saint-Jacques is the largest park in Montreal. It’s bordered by Lac des Deux Montagnes and the Rivière des Prairies, offering magnificent views of icy, snowy, land.

The park is also boarded by ecological farms that include cows, goats, sheep, donkeys, rabbits, ponies and pigs as well as a rustic sugar shack where guest can enjoy locally produced maple syrup.

When: Saturday, February 9
Time: 9 am – 4:15 pm
Where: Shuttle pick up Dorchester Square
Price: Free

Winter Games – Parc Olympique

Olympic Park is hosting a variety of winter games on Saturday and Sunday, fun for the whole family.

Activities include ice skating, a snowskate park, ice slides, snowshoeing and a heated cafe to keep you warm.

When: February 9 and 10
Time: 10 am – 4 pm
Where: 4549 avenue Pierre-de-Courebtin
Price: Free

Sunday, February 10

Mont Avila Snow Tubing

If you haven’t gone snow tubing yet, it’s not really winter.

This weekend might be perfect for some snow tubing on Mont Avila. 12 of the mountain’s 13 trails are open and the snow surface is “solid,” as per the website, which means you can zoom down the hill real fast.

Nobody will blame you if you knock back some taffy on a snow stick either.

When: Saturday, February 2
Time: 8:30 am – 10 pm
Where: 500 Chemin Avila, Piedmont
Price: $32 – $38

Fest-Hiver

Brossard is hosting a big winter festival this weekend. There will be igloos, dog-sledding, fireworks, food, maple taffy and a friendly snowball fight (but they never up friendly).

When: Sunday, February 10
Time: 1 pm – 9 pm
Where: Parc Sorbonne, Brossard

Snow Tubing on Mont Royal

Take advantage of the pride of Montreal by snow tubing down it.

Discover the exhilaration of snow tubing down reserved lanes next to the toboggan hill overlooking Beaver Lake.

When: Sunday, February 10
Time: 10 am – 4 pm (until 6 pm on Saturdays and Sundays)
Where: Mont Royal Park
Price: $5 for 4 – 11-year-olds, $9 for 12 years old and up

Alien (1979) Screening

In honour of the 40th anniversary of Ridley Scott’s sci-fi masterpiece, Cinema de Sève is screeening Alien (1979) in 35mm on the big screen.

You can’t go wrong with this classic, it’s like Jaws. But in space.

When: Sunday, February 10
Time: 6:30 pm – 9 pm
Where: Cinema de Sève, 1400 Boulevard de Maisonneuve
Price: $6 – $8

Natrel Skating Rink

From indoor skating to outdoor, we can’t call ourselves true Canadians without offering both.

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 outdoor skating in Montreal.

There’s no better way to stick it to winter than bundling up and hitting the ice.

The chilled 2,500-square-metre rink features a cozy village right in front of the ice and is a puck’s throw away from Bistro Bonsecours for a little post-game refresher.

Natrel’s Skating Rink plays rock, classical and jazz music on large outdoor speakers to add to your soundtrack of whizzing down the ice.

When: Sunday, February 10
Time: 10 am – 10 pm
Where: Natrel Skating Rink, Bonsecours Basin
Price: $6.95 general admission, $4.90 kids aged 6 – 12, free for children under 6

Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids

Travel back in time to remember the good, bad, and awkward parts of growing up. Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids is a live, open-mic storytelling event where courageous adults share their childhood and teenage writing on stage.

Hopeful readers can sign up online.

When: Sunday, February 10
Time: 8 pm – 10 pm
Where: La Sala Rossa, 4848 Boulevard Saint-Laurent
Price: Free, join the waiting list online

Pente à Neige

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.

If you’re up to braving the cold, the second edition of the urban hill is big enough for up to 250 people and there’s also a mini slope on site to accommodate up to 50 mini-skiers.

The hill welcomes skiers, snowboarders, tubers and sledders of any age and features a cozily heated yurt, mulled wine, hot chocolate and music.

Guests can bring their own equipment or it can be rented on site.

When: Sunday, February 10
Time: 10 am – 6 pm
Where: Parc Ignace-Bourget
Price: Free admission