18 things to do in Montreal this weekend: September 20 to 22

From plenty of comedy, to an all-nighter at La Ronde, some tasty eats, a countryside garage sale, and everything in between, here is a handful of stuff worthy of checking out in Montreal this weekend, September 2o to 22.

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Friday, September 20

Nuit Blanche at La Ronde

As if amusement parks aren’t scary enough, La Ronde is hosting an all-night, after-hours party this weekend.

Instead of its usual daytime hours, La Ronde will be open from 9 pm to 5 am so you can scream, ride, and party without that pesky sun in celebration of La Nuit Blanche.

La Ronde’s concession stands and arcade games will remain open and the site will host a variety of DJs that include: Prince Paris, Poirier, Domeno, Miss Shelton, Tizi, Kleancut, Carl Muren, Marshalls, Castnowski, and Forrest.

When: Friday, September 20
Time: 9 pm – 5 am
Where: La Ronde
Price:  $46.99, available online

Oktoberfest Montreal

Old Montreal is about to welcome a whole lot of Oktober this weekend.

A “traditional Oktoberfest evening” in a giant Bavarian-style tent is on its way to The Quai Alexandra for a night of Schuhplattler dancing, authentic German eats, and of course steins full of beer on September 20 as part of Oktoberfest Montreal.

When: Friday, September 20
Time: 5 pm – 11 pm
Where: Quai Alexandra, Old Montreal
Price: Varies

Montreal’s International Literature Festival

If you’re a fan of books, poetry, art, music, and film, the Montreal’s International Literature Festival is for you. This event will feature talks and readings from local and international authors as well as live readings and musical performances and an art exhibit.

When: September 20-29
Time: Various times
Where: Quartier des Spectacle
Price: Free admission

World Press Photo Exposition

The World Press Photo exhibition has returned to Montreal for its month-long run at Marché Bonsecours.

The worldwide tour showcases the stories that matter through photography.

The 2019 exhibition features the World Press Photo of the Year, and for the first time, the World Press Photo Story of the Year. The winners were chosen by an independent jury that reviewed more than 78,801 photographs entered by 4,738 photographers from 129 countries.

When: Thursday, September 19
Time: 10 am – 10 pm
Where: Marche Bonsecours, 325 de la Commune
Price:$14, available and at the door online

Gardens of Light

As it does every fall, the Gardens of Light returned to the city, shining thousands of bright lights at the Botanical Garden.

Espace pour la vie invites everyone to discover the cultural riches of the three gardens along an illuminated pathway in its flagship autumn event.

The venue is split up into three gardens: the Chinese Garden, the First Nations Garden, and the Japanese Garden.

When: From now until October 31
Time: 9 am – 9 pm (Sunday – Thursday), 9 am – 10 pm (Friday – Sunday)
Where: Botanical Garden, 4101 rue Sherbrooke Est
Price: $8 – $16, available online

Ladyfest 2019

Ladyfest is a celebration of dynamic femme and non-binary talent in stand-up, storytelling, video, improv, and sketch comedy.

The 5th edition enters the weekend with the likes of Aurora Knaut, Michelle Dominique, Sara Meleika, Kayla de Leon, Dawn Ford, and many others.

When: From now until September 23
Time: 7 pm
Where: Théâtre Sainte-Catherine, 264 St Catherine St Est
Price: $8 general admission, $6 students

PIZZA FEST Montreal

A pizza festival is in Montreal until next week, capping off the summer with a slice.

From now until September 24, dozens of restaurants around the city will take part in the festival before one spot is crowned the tasty winner of Montreal’s PIZZA FEST.

If you’re into the classics, all-dressed, just cheese, pepperoni and cheese, or you like your pizza with a bit more spunk, Pizza Fest will have you covered.

Visit the PIZZA FEST website for a full list of participating spots.

When: From now until September 24
Time: Varies per location
Where: Spread out throughout Montreal
Price: Varies per selected pizza

Saturday, September 21

Montreal Vegan Festival

From cooking demos, conferences, cosmetics, clothing, and food (duh), the Montreal Vegan Festival celebrates everything veganism.

When: September 21 and 22
Time: 10 am – 6 pm
Where: Palais des congrès de Montréal
Price: Free admission

MTL 2 Grand Open – Prelims 3

For the second year in a row, the MTL Grand Open returns, doubling up the prize pool money to $2,000 as comic from throughout the city compete for the grand prize over six months and bragging rights.

This weekend’s show is hosted by Troy Stark and features the likes of Yannick Dotes, Paul Ash, Ben Cardilli, Lucy Gervais, Sarah Swinwood, Griffin Schwartz, Lexa Graham, Nazeer Khan, and Stephen Sherman.

When; Saturday, September 21
Time: 8 pm – 11 pm
Where: Montreal Art Centre, 1844 William Street
Price: $10

Garage Sale Weekend – Hemmingford

The quaint town of Hemmingford is hosting its 21st annual Garage Sale Weekend, starting on Saturday. If the hustle and bustle of the city life is too much for you, sneak out to the cozy countryside and see what the country-folk have to offer.

Literally.

Locals will be selling everything from toys, clothes, sports equipment, furniture, and books.

(It’s also a good excuse to make a day-trip out of it and go apple picking and/or Parc Safari.)

When: September 21 and 22
Time: 10 am – 6 pm (Varies per household)
Where: Hemmingford, Quebec

Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives

A handful of mummies will be continuing their world tour as they cozy up to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts for a few months.

The exhibition, Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives, will be the mummies’ first North American exposition, following “tremendous success in Australia, Hong Kong and Taiwan,” according to the MMFA.

As per the press release, the British Museum has reconstructed the lives of six individuals who lived along the Nile from about 900 BC to 180 AD.

If one of them gets up and starts haunting you, however, that’s NOT part of the exhibition.

When: Saturday, September 21
Time: 10 am – 5 pm
Where: Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, 380, Sherbrooke Street
Price: $23

Harvest Moon: Neil Young Cover Night at The Diving Bell

A slew of Montreal artists will be performing at The Diving Bell Social Club on Saturday with a variety of renditions of Neil Young.

When: Saturday, September 21
Time: 8:30 pm – 12:30 am
Where: The Diving Bell Social Club / Club Social Le Scaphandre, 3956 Boulevard St-Laurent
Price: $10, available online, $15 at the door

Cité Mémoire

Head to Old Montreal to admire 25 of the world’s largest projection circuits. Montreal’s history is displayed on buildings and streets throughout the Old Port. Download the free “Montreal en Histoires” app for destinations, details, and schedules.

When: Saturday, September 21
Time: From nightfall until 11 pm
Where: Old Montreal
Price: Free

Through the Echoes

The first-of-its-kind pyramid-shaped entertainment venue, PY1, created by Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté continues its showing all month.

The innovative venue will offer a multi-sensory experience, state-of-the-art technology, and “a unique playground” for multimedia entertainment combining high tech with the talent of the greatest digital creators.

The PY1 experience made its worldwide debut with Through the Echoes, a show produced exclusively for the pyramid last month, located near the Clock Tower grounds in the Old Port.

When: Saturday, September 21
Time: Varies
Where: Montreal’s Old Port
Price: $28.50 – $51, available online

Sunday, September 22

Tam-Tams

Tam-Tams returned to the city last month 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, September 22
Time: 12 pm until sunset
Where: Sir George-Etienne Cartier Monument
Price: Free

La Ronde

Try battling The Goliath, get rocked on Le Ednor or check out the park’s newest ride, Chaos.

When: Sunday, September 22
Where: 22 Chemin Macdonald
When: 10:30 am – 8 pm (11:30 pm during the fireworks)
Price: Available online or at the box office

Piknic Electronik

Piknic Electronik returns for its 20th edition this weekend.

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. 11est of all – the show goes on rain or shine.

This weekend’s artists include Flamingosis, Dead Horse Beats, Artbeat Montreal, SevDee
Mark Magnanimous, Killa Jewel, Ellen Allien, and Due Diligence.

When: Sunday, September 22
Time: 2 pm – 9:30 pm
Where: Parc Jean Drapeau
Tickets: $16, available online

Apple Picking – La Ferme Quinn

If that constant buzz of the big city is a bit draining, trade in your slacks and button-up shirt for a straw hat and overalls.

Take a quick drive out to Île-Perrot and enjoy a variety of farmyard activities at Quinn Farm and apple picking galore.

La Ferme Quinn harvests apples until the end of September, giving Montrealers one whole month to pick from their juicy varieties.

Open from 10 am to 4 pm 7 days a week, admission to La Ferme Quinn is just $5 and gives you access to the pick-your-own apples and tractor and wagon rides.

When: Sunday, September 22
Time: 10 am – 4 pm
Where: 2495 Perrot Boulevard Sud, Notre Dame de l’Île Perrot
Price: $5