19 things to do in Montreal this weekend: July 6 to 9

Jul 6 2018, 12:59 am

Short work weeks are awesome, it’s already the weekend! Thankfully, the heat wave is expected to subside. The weather in Montreal is slated to be nice this weekend, July 6 to 9, as we ease into more comfortable summer temperatures.

The first full weekend of July has a lot to offer Montrealers, from circus festivals to a beachside village, jazz fest and Comiccon, here are 19 things to keep you busy this weekend.

International Firework Competition

canada day fireworks

@jfsavaria / Instagram

As if you didn’t get your firework fix last weekend, the L’International des Feux-Loto Quebec kicks off its regular summer program this weekend.

The competition is a gathering of major companies who represent their respective countries through the latest techniques and innovations in the field of pyrotechnics.

There are great spots all over the island to take in the fireworks, Clock Tower Beach, Parc Jean-Drapeau, Mont Royal or Village au Pied-du-Courant but the Jacques-Cartier Bridge is a local favourite.  The bridge is completely closed off to vehicular traffic and it’s a perfect vantage point to see the fireworks in all their glory.

When: Saturday, July 7
Time: 10 pm – 11:45 pm
Where: Various spots around the city
Price: Free

Carifesta Caribbean Festival

Like it has every year in Montreal since 1975, Carifiesta returns this weekend to honour its Caribbean community in the city.

The festival’s main attraction is the parade. The parade features vibrant colours and exciting costumes dancing to the sounds of Caribbean music. It starts at the corner of Saint-Catherine Street Ouest and ends at Le Square Phillips.

Once the parade anchors at its final stop in the square, the partying, music and dancing continues well on into the night joined by a variety of food trucks, all serving traditional Caribbean food.

When: Saturday, July 7
Time: 12 pm
Where: Starts at Saint Catherine Street Ouest and Rue Forty and ends at Square Phillips
Price: Free

Parc Safari Zoo

Get your animal fix by heading to Parc Safari, an easy 40-minute drive off the island. The park offers an optional Safari Adventure upon entering, you can drive up and see a variety of exotic animals from your car including zebras, ostriches, buffalo, llamas, and camels. Inside the park, take a walk down the Forest Trail where you have an amazing vantage point view of monkeys, cheetahs, hyenas, and bears. Don’t forget the lions, but we didn’t have to tell you that.

When: From now until October 8
Time: 10 am – 5 pm
Where: 280 Rang Roxham, Hemmingford
Price: Prices vary depending on age. Tickets available at the entrance or online

Montreal Comiccon

comiccon mtl

erikadesign05/instagram

Montreal Comiccon’s lineup is completely stacked this summer.

Join hundreds of artists, celebrities, and actors at the localized genre festival for pictures, autographs, workshops, and Q&As. Comiccon is headlined by Game of Thrones’ Jason Momoa, The X-Files’ David Duchovny, supermodel Pamela Anderson, and all around bad-ass Chuck Norris.

When: July 6 – July 8
Time: Friday, 1 to 8 pm; Saturday, 10 am to 7 pm; Sunday: 10 am to 5 pm
Where: 1001 Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle, Palais des Congrés
Tickets: Available online, starting at $25

Complexe Atlantide

Complexe Atlantide is a huge amusement park fused with water slides, mini putt, a wave pool and animals located in Saint-Calixte, an hour outside of Montreal. It’s situated right in the middle of a campground and guests are encouraged to stay for as long as they wish.

Complexe Atlantide also hosts a petting zoo, a haunted house, a variety of restaurants, and an ice cream parlour. You can’t really call yourself a family oriented park until you have an ice cream parlour on site.

When: Every day in July
Time: 10 am to 6 pm
Where: 11155 QC-335, Saint-Calixte
Price: Varies depending on your selection, tickets available online

First Fridays

The largest food truck festival in the province happens the first Friday of every month. The Olympic Stadium is known for a lot of things but First Fridays have got to be high on the list.

The city’s food trucks gather at Olympic Stadium showcasing an array of mouthwatering local food allowing Montrealers to sample dishes from over 50 food trucks. You can expect to find everything from tacos and churros, to mac and cheese and lobster rolls.

It’s free to enter and prices vary according to selected food truck item.

When: Friday, July 6
Time: 4 pm – 11 pm
Where: Olympic Stadium
Price: Free admission

Festival of India

Indian food

Alex Hubenov/Shutterstock

Montreal’s 40th annual Festival of India returns on Saturday for an exciting weekend full of Indian culture.

The two-day event will feature all sorts of festivities, including a parade down Saint Laurent Boulevard (starting at Rue Milton), restaurant outlets, live music, dancing, yoga workshops, kid’s games, and a souvenir shop.

When: July 7 – 8
Time: 12 pm – 7 pm
Where: Parc Jeanne Mance
Price: Free admission

Daddy Yankee at Montreal Beachclub

Montreal Beachclub is the host of North America’s biggest outdoor club. Located in Pointe-Calumet, an easy 45-minute drive from Montreal, Beachclub can host up to 10,000 guests. The club is beachside and forms an intriguing fuse of the beach and electric dance music.

This weekend is headlined by Puerto Rican singer/songwriter/rapper/DJ Daddy Yankee.

If you want to cool off and fist pump at the same time, Beachclub is right for you.

When: Sunday, July 8
Time: Noon – 7 pm
Where: 701 Rue 38, Pointe-Calumet
Price: $15 entrance

Shane Murphy at Jazz Fest

Shane Murphy is a popular musician from NDG. He’s got a silky smooth voice and deep, soulful tunes. He’s bringing his prominent presence to the Bistro à Jojo this weekend. If you want to listen to some real, strong jazz Shane Murphy might be your guy.

When: Friday, July 6
Time: 10:30 pm
Where: Bistro à Jojo – 1627 Rue St. Denis
Price: $20

LA RUE COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE

quartier des spectacles

quebecoriginal.com

The circus comes to the streets of Montreal this weekend!

LA RUE COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE is a circus festival that includes tightrope walkers, trapeze art, balancing and trampoline acts, fire art, jugglers, gymnastics, live music, and human pyramids, all using the urban landscape of Montreal as their stages.

When: July 6 – 8
Time: 5:30 pm – 11 pm
Where: Spread out among the Quartier des Spectacles
Price: Free

Brodinski and Voyage Funktastique at Piknic Électronik

The weekly electric dance music festival is headlining this Sunday’s show with DJs Brodinski and Voyage Funktastique, spinning beats on two separate stages.

The venue hosts local food trucks, bar outlets, a relax zone and outdoor activities.

When: Sunday, July 8
Time: 2 pm – 9:30 pm
Where: Parc Jean-Drapeau – Plain des Jeux
Price: $19

Village au Pied-du-Courant Garage Sale

The man-made village under the Jacques Cartier Bridge is hosting a garage sale this weekend. The beachside venue will be selling second-hand books, clothes, toys and home supplies.

The village will also have its usual hammocks, beach sand, mini-games, food trucks and bar service. A great way to relax on Sundays.

When: Sunday, July 8
Time: 3 pm – 8 pm
Where: 2100 rue Notre-Dame Est
Price: Free admission, garage sale prices vary (cash only)

Demolition Derby

Calixa-Lavallée brings even more heat to Montreal with a massive and explosive demolition derby. Over 150 cars lineup and mash each other throughout the day. The venue hosts food outlets and lots of beer.

When: Sunday, July 8
Time: 12:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Where: 602 Chemin de la Beauce, Calixa-Lavallée
 Price: $25 to sign up and join the derby, $12 to watch

Haunted Red Light Ghost Walk

red light district

Secret Montréal/Facebook

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

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.

When: Friday, July 6
Time: 8:30 pm – 10 pm
Where: 1219 Boulevard Saint Laurent
Price: $26.50, available online

The War on Drugs at Jazz Fest

Jazz Festival

@festivaljazzmtl/Instagram

Arguably the most anticipated free concert of the entire festival happens on Saturday.

The War on Drugs’ A Deeper Understanding just won the Grammy for Best Rock Album of the year. The Philadelphia-based quartet stops by Jazz Fest this weekend as part of their major world tour.

When: Saturday, July 7
Time: 9:30 pm
Where: TD Stage, Place des Festivals
Price: Free

Dragon Boat Challenge

Parc Jean Drapeau hosts the International Dragon Boat Montreal Challenge & Cultural Festival from July 6 to 8.

It’s too late to sign up to compete in the challenge but there’s plenty of spots left for spectators. If you’ve never seen 20 people in a boat race each other, you’re in for a treat.

When: July 6 to 8
Time: 12 pm – 6 pm
Where: Parc Jean Drapeau
Price: Free

Tango Dance Lessons

The Verdun Greenhouses is hosting tango style dancing lessons on Friday. The course is open to all and any dancing style and accepts people from any level of dancing experience.

Learn to move before this summer’s weddings!

When: Friday, July 6
Time: 1 pm – 4 pm
Where: Municipal Greenhouses – Boulevard Lasalle, Verdun
Price: Free

Shakespeare in the Park

shakespeare

Shakespeare by the Bow/Facebook

The untraditional rendition of Shakespeare returned to Montreal on Thursday and will run embark on a month-long journey until August 8. The long-running outdoor theatre event is celebrating its 30th year and takes on a Shakespearean classic this summer in the form of Romeo & Juliet: Love is Love. It’s a contemporary, gender-bent take on the classic love story.

Organizers invite guests to bring their own chairs or have some to rent for $5. Snacks and drinks are also available for purchase on site.

When: From now until August 8
Time:  7 pm – 10 pm
Where: Various outdoor venues across Montreal
Price: Free

iSaute Nuit Blanche

iSaute is a giant venue that has over 50 interconnected trampolines, a trampoline basketball and dodgeball court, obstacle courses, a giant ball pit and gladiator fighting.

The indoor trampoline park is hosting an all-night tropical party on Friday.

Price of admission includes a slice of pizza, a slush drink, iSaute traction socks and 7-hour access to all of iSaute’s activities. Kids 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

When: Friday, July 6
Time: 11 pm – 6 am
Where: 8700 du golf, Anjou
Price: $35

Comedy At The Art Loft

festivals

Comedy mic (Fer Gregory / Shutterstock)

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. Every week features a variety of talented headliners, hosts and local comics. This week’s host is the very funny Quinn McMorrow. There will be a DJ and snacks. BYOB and 420 friendly (very 420 friendly).

When: Friday, July 6
Time: Doors open at 9 pm, show starts at 10:30 pm
Where: 4152 Boulevard Saint Laurent
Price: $10 at the door (cash only)

See also
DH Montreal StaffDH Montreal Staff

+ Listed
ADVERTISEMENT