It’s the day before the big race and the city is oozing with events. Even for the non-race-car fan, there’s plenty of things to do today in Montreal, June 9.
Grand Prix on Crescent and Peel
@babyisthree/Instagram
Both Crescent and Peel Street are closed off entirely during the Grand Prix festivities. The streets host a library of gorgeous vintage and new cars and there’s a plethora of restaurants and bars to choose from/sample.
Crescent’s biggest allure during the festival is the Corona Stage, situated right on the corner of Maisonneuve and Crescent, the stage is a revolving door of local singers and bands.
Peel is offering a go-kart track and champagne.
Take a trip down either street and soak up the sun, and the Grand Prix buzz. Find a spot early and when you’re there, park it.
When: June 9 – June 10
Time: Both streets are open from 10 am – 3 am during the festival
Where: Rue Sherbrooke and Crescent to Rene Levesque and Crescent and Rue Sherbrooke and Peel to Rene Levesque and Peel
Price: Both street festivals are free to enter
FrancoFolies
This is the first weekend of FrancoFolies and Éric Lapointe is performing!
FrancoFolies de Montreal is the world’s largest French-speaking music festival. This weekend’s edition will be their 30th overall and will host 50 concerts on seven different venues across the city. You can expect to hear a variety of genres including hip-hop, rock, folk, and electro. The majority of these outdoor shows are also free.
When: From now until June 17
Time: 9 am – 5 pm
Where: Various venues in Montreal, check website for details
NDG’s Colourful Saturdays
Swing by NDG’s Benny Library and de-stress by colouring and/or painting a variety of different scenes. The library provides coloured markers, pencils, crayons and colouring canvas, and books. Just show up and let your creativity run wild the rest of your afternoon.
When: Saturdays
Time: 11 am to 1 pm
Where: Benny’s Library, 6400 Avenue de Monkland
Price: Free
Moët City at New City Gas
New City Gas will be transformed into “Moët City” today for Grand Prix. The program includes a Moët brunch, a beach-day party, DJs, artists, dancers, and three different Moët champagne micro cities, offering three different Moët products for you to enjoy: Quartier Ice, Rosé, and Imperial.
When: Saturday, June 9
Time: 12 pm – 3 am
Where: 950 Rue Ottawa
Price: $25 general admission, $60 brunch, available online
Stogies Cigar Lounge
Stogies Cigar Bar/Facebook
So long as you don’t mind the smell of cigars, Stogies’ terrace offers a gorgeous view of the Grand Prix’ festivities. The terrace is located on the second floor of the building and overlooks Maisonneuve and Crescent Street. Grab a spot on the intimate terrace and soak in any of the live performances happening on stage from an awesome vantage point. Stogies also boasts an impressive variety of Cuban, Dominican, and Nicaraguan cigars available for purchase.
When: Stogies Cigar Lounge is open year round
Time: 2 pm – 3 am (this weekend)
Where: 2015 Rue Crescent
Price: Stogies is free to enter
Scott Faulconbridge at the Comedy Nest
Scott Faulconbridge is a hilarious, skinny, bald dude. And he’s not afraid to let you know that he’s a hilarious, skinny, bald dude. You may recognize him from NBC’s Last Comic Standing and Just for Laughs. The show also features two funny locals, Wassim El-Mounzer and Abdul Butt. Check out all the comic’s improvisational wit tonight at the Comedy Nest.
The shows are 18+ and last 90 minutes.
When: Saturday, June 9
Time: 8 pm & 10:30
Where: 2312 Rue Saint Catherine
Price: $15, tickets available at the door or online
Village au Pied-du-Courant
Dozens of collaborators and designers have teamed up together to create a man-made beach village under the Jacques Cartier Bridge. The village hosts bar kiosks, restaurant outlets, and a performing stage where Montrealers and tourists can fuse their urban love and beach style together.
This is the Village au Pied-du-Courant’s first weekend of the summer and it’s sure to be packed with entertainment and activities!
When: From now until October 12
Time: 3 pm – 12 am
Where: 2100 Rue Notre-Dame Est
Price: Free to enter
Fringe Festival
montrealfringe.ca
Montreal’s Fringe Festival features over 500 artists who will be delivering over 600 live productions across town in June.
Saturday’s lineup includes Lucky, Greasy: A Lesbian Love Story, Mid Knight, Sex? But I’m a Comedian! Becoming Magic Mike: An Action Adventure Comedy, Drunk Girl, Find Me, Naked Ugly Dancing, Skipping Ur Mom’s Funeral and Eating Pizza Instead and more!
The shows are a variety of comedy, drama, burlesque, dance and a lot of them involve audience interaction.
The best part – every show is only $10. Times and locations vary, check the website for specific details.
When: From now until June 17
Time: Varies according to show
Where: Varies according to show
Price: $10, available at the door or online
The Ormstown Fair
The Ormstown Expo kicked off its 104th anniversary on Thursday and is primed up for a weekend full of activities. It’s a dandy of a time for city-slickers and country-folk alike.
Hosted on the ancient, Ormstown fairgrounds, the fair is a mixture of carnival rides, barn animals, derbies, tractor pulls, live music, and agriculture awareness.
When: June 7 – June 10
Time: Gates open at 8 am, midway rides at 11 am and close at midnight.
Where: 1 McBain Street, Ormstown
Price: $5-$10, dependent on days and age, passes available online
Station F-MR
lacroixjulie85/Instagram
The non-profit organization MR-63 unveiled phase one of their architectural project of giving old STM metro cars a second life.
The park is called Station F-MR and it’s really cool. The park is located alongside the Lachine Canal and its bike path. The station has a cafe, food counter, art gallery, community garden, stage, and relaxation area.
The entire Station F-MR is centred around four old STM metro cars from the 1960s.
When: Wednesdays – Sundays until October
Time: 11 am – 11 pm
Where: Allee fes Barges
Price: Free to enter
Mondial de la bière
Whoa, free beer!? Sort of – the festival is free to enter but the beer samples aren’t. Still, the Mondial de la festival bière boasts an impressive selection of 500 beers from all over the world to check out. The event takes place both inside and outside and has a beautiful beer garden patio.
Saturday is the last day of the festival, so get drinking before last call!
When: Saturday, June 9
Time: Noon to 11 pm
Where: Palais des congrès de Montréal (201 Viger Street West) and Palais des congrès Esplanade (de la Gauchetiere Street between Cheneville and Cote Street)
Price: Online, free to enter. Drink coupons available
La Ronde
La Ronde opened for the 2018 season last month and it was a blast. Test your bravery on the Goliath, Le Monstre, Ednör, or Le Demon. Check out this season’s newly expanded Splash area and the new ride, Le Tourbillon. Forget lunch and supper, fill up on popcorn and cotton candy – it’s the weekend, you earned it.
When: From now until October 28
Time: 10:30 am – 8 pm
Where: 22 Chemin Macdonald
Price: Available online or at the box office
Montreal’s Mural Festival
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When: From now until June 17
Time: 10 am – 7 pm
Where: Boulevard Saint Laurent between Sherbrooke and Mont Royal
Price: Free
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.
The obstacle course features 61 different activities between the Royal Ship and the Pirate Ship. Activities include ziplining, rock climbing, and bouncy castles.
When: From now until October
Time: 10 am – 1o pm
Where: Place des Vestiges, Old Port
Price: Online, prices vary depending on selected activities, tickets available
Free Biosphere
In celebration of Environment Week, the Biosphere is offering free admission to everybody. The Biosphere has a bunch of interactive exhibitions which are aimed at increasing the understanding of major environmental issues related to air, water, biodiversity, climate change, and sustainable development. Definitely worthy of checking out.
When: Saturday, June 9
Time: 10 am – 5 pm
Where: 160 Chemin Tour-de-l’Isle
Price: Free
Dominion Square Tavern
Dominion Square Tavern is an upscale pub food and old-fashioned cocktail bar. The tavern runs out of a refurbished 1927 bar and is located in the historic Dominion Square district. The tavern overlooks Dominion Square park which will feature massive TVs showcasing the race and challenges and its street will be closed off to host Mercedes and Porsche car models. If you’re looking for a classier evening, not to mention Montreal’s tastiest mussels, give Dominion Square Tavern a gander.
Time: 11:30 am to 3 am
Where: 1243 Rue Metcalfe
Price: Dominion Square Tavern is free to enter
Parc Safari Zoo
@curlykay77 / Instagram
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
Electric Avenue
If all the Formula 1 hype has your toes tappin’, head to Electric Avenue’s dance floor to keep ’em going. Electric Avenue is a basement dance club that boasts a colourful dance floor, high-tech strobe lighting, and ’80s and ’90s music. The club is located beneath Le Milsa on Crescent street and will be busy every night during Grand Prix. They offer bottle service, VIP packages, and Formula 1 promotions.
Time: 10 pm – 3 am
Where: 1476 Rue Crescent
Price: $10 cover charge
Disney After Dark
Disney After Dark is back by popular demand at The Wiggle Room. To note, this is not for kids.
Disney After Dark is a re-imagining of all your favourite childhood classic Disney characters, turned into a burlesque show.
The elegant bar is offering happy hour from 7:30 to 8:30
When: Saturday, June 9
Time: Doors open at 7:30 pm, show starts at 9 pm
Where: The Wiggle Room, 3874 Boulevard Saint Laurent
Price: $25 at the door
Montreal Beachclub
Beach Club/Instagram
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.
The 2018 season is well underway and this weekend’s headliner is Markus Schulz. The venue will host food trucks, bar kiosks and of course, the beach.
When: Saturday, June 9
Time: 12 pm – 7 pm
Where: 701 Rue 38, Pointe-Calumet
Price: $12 to enter the beach and $20 for Markus Schulz, available online
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