The MVP of this past workweek was Victoria Day Monday because it’s already the weekend. From croissants to Harry Potter, some hooch, and flowers, here’s what Montreal looks like this weekend, May 24 to 26.
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Friday, May 24
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in Concert
rosy__posy__/Instagram
It’s time to freshen up on your spell books, muggles. A live Harry Potter concert is coming to Montreal this weekend.
The cultural phenomena that is the Potter series has delighted fans all over the world, and now, the magic is set to take over Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier for two dates at the end of the month.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will play on a giant screen while a full symphony performs Nicholas Hooper’s magical score from the movie. The film will be played in English with French subtitles.
Be sure to remember that even Dumbledore called music, “a magic beyond all we do here.”
When: May 24 and 25
Time: 7:30 pm
Where: Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts
Price: $62.09 – $121.08, available online
Cirque Du Soleil: Alegria
Alegria by Cirque du Soleil
The world-renowned Cirque du Soleil production is returning home all May.
Alegria, which was first performed by Cirque in 1994, stole the eyes and ears of more than 14 million spectators. Performed under a traditional Big Top tent, the show made its way to 255 different cities over 19 years of touring, until its last performance in 2013.
The show mixes the high energy acrobatics which Cirque du Soleil is famous for with a “rallying theme for change, hope, and optimistic renewal.” The cast is made up of more than 50 performers and musicians, all renowned internationally for their craft.
When: May 24-26
Time: 8 pm
Where: Big Top, Old Port – Jacques-Cartier Quay, de la Commune Street Est
Price: $150 – $412, available online
Graham Kay at the Comedy Nest
As seen on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Just For Laughs, and The Comedy Network, Graham Kay combines optimism with sarcasm in a very unique way for a hugely entertaining stand-up comedy experience.
Check him out this weekend with Julie Kim (CBC’s Winnipeg Comedy Festival) and Fergus Craig (BBC’s EastEnders) at one of Montreal’s most renowned comedy clubs, the Comedy Nest.
When: May 24 and 25
Time: 8 pm
Where: 2312 Rue Saint Catherine
Price: $12 general, $6 students. Tickets available at the door or online
Mondial de la Bière
Cold beer! Bière froide!
If you’re into the hops, suds, and buds, the Mondial de la Bière Festival Montreal might be right up your alley.
Established in 1994 by a trio of beer enthusiasts, the Mondial de la Bière returned to Montreal this week for its 26th anniversary.
The festival is a celebration for beer lovers and connoisseurs, allowing participants to sample over 500 different types of brew from all over the world.
When: From now until May 25
Time: 11 am-11 pm
Where: Windsor Station, 1100, avenue des Canadiens-de-Montréal
Price: Admission is free, VIP tickets available online
Invasion Cocktail
Invasion Cocktail
Returning for its sixth edition, Invasion Cocktail will take place in over 30 bars and restaurants across Montreal and Quebec City. Throughout the week, more than 250 cocktails will be crafted by the province’s greatest bartenders and mixologists.
The festival’s goal is to “allow cocktail lovers to discover new spirits, brands and establishments,” reads the Invasion Cocktail website. “The festival also aims to promote education to industry professionals by introducing Pro Days, a series of seminars hosted by the biggest names in international mixology.”
When: From now until May 31
Time: Varies per location
Where: Various locations around Montreal
Time: Varies per location
U-Pick Tulip Field
Shutterstock
Flower fans can get a whiff of springtime in Laval as the city is boasting fields-worth of the plant, featuring half a million tulips.
Yes, half a million.
And you can pick them, purchase them, and picture them.
When: From now until June 2
Time: 9 am – 6 pm
Where: 1270 rue Principale, Laval
Price: $8 – $10 admission
OFFTA – Live Art Festival
This art festival features a multidisciplinary program centred on contemporary pieces showcased through various art forms, with a focus on experimentation.
When: May 25 to June 2
Time: Various times
Where: 1182, boulevard Saint-Laurent
Price: Free admission
Saturday, May 25
La Fête du Croissant
poitevin_kevin/Instagram
This weekend, foodies searching for a cheap, tasty croissant (or several) will be in luck.
The province’s event celebrating the buttery and flaky pastry returns to over 100 spots around Quebec for one day, dishing out the delicious treat for just under a buck.
Essentially, it’s not a lot of dough for a lot of dough.
Pastry fans can also visit the event’s website to specifically search which local shop is boasting the stellar deal, as well as the event’s European participants in case you want to take this one-day deal real seriously.
When: Saturday, May 25
Time: Various hours per location
Where: Various locations
Price: $1.25 per
21 Swings
grantalias/ Instagram
Spring won’t be the only thing in the air as Montreal’s musical swing exhibition has returned to the Quartier des Spectacles.
The interactive, music art installation, 21 Swings, will have Montrealers feeling like kids again as guests can swing back and forth, creating musical melodies.
The 21 Swings (or Balançoires) installation was custom-made for the Promenade des Artistes in the Quartier des Spectacles. The work was created by Daily tous les jours, in collaboration with animal behaviourist Luc-Alain Giraldeau from UQAM and Radwan Ghazi Moumneh, the installation’s composer.
When: From now until May 28
Time: 10 am – 12 am
Where: Promenade des Artistes, Quartier des spectacles
Price: Free
Encore Books & Records
Encore Books & Records is a cozy, family-run bookshop that sells and buys used books and records.
It’s primetime park and reading time, and the store is crammed from the floor-to-ceiling and their prices are just as good as the selection.
Head into Encore and grab yourself a cheap book, find a nice park (Girouard Park is right out front of the shop) or patio, and get lost in a little bit of literature.
When: Encore Books is open year round
Time: 11 am to 9 pm
Where: 5670 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest
La Ronde
La Ronde – PAGE OFFICIELLE/Facebook
Quebec’s biggest amusement park opened two weekends ago and it’s sure to be busy this one as well.
Though the weather forecast may not be on our side, try battling The Goliath, get rocked on Le Ednor or check out the park’s newest ride, Chaos.
When: Saturday, May 25
Where: 22 Chemin Macdonald
When: 10:30 am – 8 pm (11:30 pm during the fireworks)
Price: Available online or at the box office
Our DNA
Quartier des Spectacles
A centrepiece of Montreal’s architectural heritage, this spiral staircase, created by local artist, Patrick Pérubé embodies “neighbourly culture and friendly back alleys.”
Suspended in mid-air, the double helix of a DNA molecule aims to remind on-lookers that our differences, put together, make up our collective identity.
When: From now until May 28
Time: 24/7
Where: Quartier des Spectacles
Price: Free
La Grande Roue de Montréal
http://www.lagranderouedemontreal.com
Hit up Canada’s largest observational wheel and take in some absolutely breathtaking views of the city, during the weekend. Not to mention, some primetime photo ops that’ll make your Instagram crowd jealous.
When: Saturday, May 25
Time: 10 am – 11 pm
Where: 362 rue de Commune Est
Price: $14.79 – $25
Yoko Ono’s Arising
Vigfus Birgisson/Reykjavik Art Museum
Yoko Ono’s new art exhibition debut in Montreal at the end of April.
As part of the Japanese multimedia artist’s ongoing installation called “Arising,” Ono is asking women to share stories of harm that has been brought on as a result of being a woman. Participants are asked to also send in a photo of their eyes as part of the project.
The installation will be shown accompanied by other interactive works by Ono in which specific instructions will be given to visitors.
When: From now to September 15
Time: 12 pm – 7 pm
Where: Fondation Phi pour l’art contemporain, 451 rue St-Jean
Price: Free
Sunday, May 26
Tam-Tams
nadimsoued/Instagram
Tam-Tams returned to the city two weeks ago 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, May 26
Time: 12 pm until sunset
Where: Sir George-Etienne Cartier Monument
Price: Free
Piknic Electronik
Piknic Electronik
Piknic Electronik returns for its third edition of 2019.
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. Best of all – the show goes on rain or shine.
This weekend’s lineup includes Hernan Cattaneo, Simply City, Numea Daze, Regularfantasy, Massimiliano Pagliara, and more.
When: Sunday, May 26
Time: 2 pm – 9:30 pm
Where: Parc Jean Drapeau
Tickets: $16, available online
Voiles en Voiles
Voiles en Voiles/Facebook
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, May 26
Time: 10 am – 6 pm
Where: Place des Vestiges, Old Port
Price: Prices vary depending on selected activities, tickets online
Coup Sûr
With baseball/softball season right around the corner, head to the cages and get your swing timing down.
Coup Sûr has six pitching machines all throwing at various speeds and each machine throws either baseballs or softballs. They have a closed off radar section too if you want to practice pitching. They supply bats and helmets and boast an impressive Baseball Town store if you’re looking for some gear.
Their pro shop, Baseball Town, is offering 25% on selected items on Saturday in preparation for the upcoming season.
When: Sunday, May 26
Time: 9 am – 10 pm
Where: 3835 Boulevard Curé-Labelle, Laval
Price: 1 token (20 pitches): $5.75/ 5 token special (100 pitches): $23.00
Go Bike Montreal Festival
Bicycle fever hits Montreal this weekend as thousands of cyclists participate in the Tour la Nuit and Tour de l’Île.
Full details can be found on the festival’s website.
When: May 26 to June 2
Time: Various locations around Montreal
Where: Circuit throughout Montreal
Price: Varies per course
Jeux d’échecs géants
Gary Burke/Flickr
Montreal is going to be enlarging a classic hobby this month for you to check(mate) out.
Four giant, playable, chess sets are returning to the Quartier des Spectacles from now until May 31 and it’s free to play.
The giant boards consist of all the required pieces to play an official game and each piece is made out of a light plastic that’s easily moveable.
Sure, it might be a little more difficult to strike your opponent’s queen emphatically, but that’s all part of the fun.
The outdoor chess sets will work on a first come, first served basis as there’s no registration or sign-up required.
When: From now until May 31
Time: 10 am – 8 pm
Where: Corner of Ste. Catherine and rue Jeanne Mance
Price: Free
Thierry Mugler at the MMFA
mbamtl/Instagram
The world premiere of the Thierry Mugler: Couturissime exhibition which was christened by Kim Kardashian is at Montreal’s Museum of Fine Arts.
Set against a spectacular backdrop, the exhibition brings together more than 140 garments made between 1973 and 2001, most of which have never been shown before.
When: Sunday, May 26
Time: 10 am – 5 pm
Where: Musée des beaux-arts de Montreal, 1380 rue Sherbrooke
Price: $16 – $24, available online
Putting Edge Mini-Putt
Putting Edge
With golf season quickly approaching, you might want to hone your putting skills.
Putting Edge is an indoor mini-putt course that (besides having a great name), glows in the dark. Every hole has Canadian-based trivia questions plus the venue has an arcade and they serve alcohol. Need we say more?
When: Sunday, May 26
Time: 10 am – 1 am
Where: 1259 rue Guy
Price: $11.99
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