18 things to do in Montreal this weekend: September 6 to 8

This weekend may not boast the same allure as last week’s long Labour Day one, but there are plenty of weekend events happening around Montreal to keep you busy and smiling.

Here are 18 things worthy of checking out from September 6 to 8.

Friday, September 6

Gardens of Light

As it does every fall, the Botanical Garden will shine bright with thousands of lights as the annual Gardens of Light returns to the city this weekend.

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: September 6 to 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

First Fridays

Montreal is about to keep on truckin’ as the fifth First Friday of 2019 kicks off at the beginning of the month.

First Fridays is a special culinary event in which a variety of the city’s food trucks gather at the Olympic Stadium allowing Montrealers to gobble up dishes from dozens of local spots.

The festival, which calls itself “the largest street food fest in Canada,” is known to dish off everything from tacos and churros, to mac and cheese, burgers, and lobster rolls from over 40 participating eateries around Quebec.

Check out a list of participating spots right here.

When: Friday, September 6
Time: 4:30 pm – 11 pm
Where: Olympic Stadium

See also:

• Canadian high school bans all cellphone use anywhere on its property
• This fitness-based monthly subscription service is now available in Montreal
• 13 pics to get you excited for this weekend’s Gardens of Light festival (PHOTOS)

OUMF Back-to-School Festival

The new school year has kicked off and OUMF wants to make sure students get in one last big party to cap off the summer. The ninth edition of the Festival OUMF kicked off and Thursday and it hosts live music, performances, art exhibitions, and a bunch of street-side activities to form a block party on Saint-Denis.

This year’s bash features the likes of Brown Family, Claudia Bouvette, J.A.M., Kap.Dog, Kevin Na$h, Kirouac & Kodakludo, Lit Gang, MTLord, Salimo, and much more.

When: From now until September 7
Time: 5 pm – 11 pm
Where: Rue St.Denis – Quartier latin
Price: Free admission

Ukrainian Festival

The 18th annual Ukrainian festival promotes Ukrainian heritage and culture within the Montreal community and strives to increase awareness of the contribution of Ukrainian-Canadians to the society in Quebec.

Visitors who attend the festival have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with Ukrainian traditions of folk crafts, music, dance, art, fashion, and of course, food.

When: September 6,7, and 8
Time: Friday: 7 pm – 2 am, Saturday: 11 am – 10 pm and Sunday: 11 am – 4 pm
Where: Parc Beaubien – Intersection of Rue Beaubien Est and 9e avenue

Haunted Red Light Ghost Walk

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

Who knows, you might even see a ghost.

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.

The tour takes place at what is currently known as the Quartier des Spectacles, known for its festivals and entertainment. But Secret Montreal takes its guests on a historical journey of another form of entertainment.

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

BECCA & Friends at Honey Martin

If you’re in the mood for some good drinks, a cozy vibe, and some entertaining local talent, head to Honey Martin as “BECCA & Friends” take over the stage in the quaint NDG pub.

When: Friday, September 6
Time: 10:30 pm – 2:30 am
Where: Honey Martin Pub, 5916 Sherbrooke
Price: Free admission

Saturday, September 7

World Press Photo Exposition

The World Press Photo exhibition started its month-long run in Montreal last week.

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: Friday, August 30
Time: 10 am – 10 pm
Where: Marché Bonsecours, 325 de la Commune
Price:$14, available and at the door online

Underdog Stand-Up II

Another edition of the Underdog Stand-Up show is hitting Montreal this weekend.

Local comedians get into the ring and will be throwing punches in the style of jokes.

The popular boxing gym has swapped out its gloves for microphones as a handful of Montreal’s top comics perform on stage. Except it’s a ring.

The show will be hosted by Quinn McMorrow and features the likes of  Wassim El-Mounzer,
Arl Brunet, Harrison Weinreb, Kara Parham, and Oren Shbiro.

When: Saturday, September 7
Time: 9 pm – 11 pm
Where: Underdog Boxing Gym, 9 Ste. Catherine Est
Price: $10

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 7
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 7
Time: Varies
Where: Montreal’s Old Port
Price: $28.50 – $51, available online

La Ronde

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

When: Sunday, September 7
Where: 22 Chemin Macdonald
When: 10:30 am – 8 pm (11:30 pm during the fireworks)
Price: Available online or at the box office

Voiles en Voiles

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, September 7
Time: 10 am – 6 pm
Where: Place des Vestiges, Old Port
Price: Prices vary depending on selected activities, tickets online

Sunday, September 8

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 8
Time: 12 pm until sunset
Where: Sir George-Etienne Cartier Monument
Price: Free

Piknic Electronik

Piknic Electronik returns for its eighteenth 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 Ben Klock, CMD, Madam X, Musik Me Luv, Steinjah, Lock0ut, and many more.

When: Sunday, September 8
Time: 2 pm – 9:30 pm
Where: Parc Jean Drapeau
Tickets: $16, available online

HUM(AIN) – We Could Be Human: A Learning Machine

It seems like Siri has some SIRIous competition as a new art exhibition in Montreal features an AI robot that learns from visitors the more it interacts with them.

As part of musician David Usher’s Hum(ai)n exhibition, a digital character named Ophelia will be speaking with humans all summer. This interaction will help to evolve her cognitive state.

When: From now until September 15
Time: 10 am – 8 pm
Where: Phi Centre, 407 Saint-Pierre
Price:$21.97 – $25.50, available online

Parc Safari

Sneak away from the busy city life and head to the country for some zoo fun this weekend.

Parc Safari has over 500 animals, exciting rides, and fun activities to keep you going back all season long.

The park starts off with the “Safari Adventure” where guests can get close to exotic animals like never before. While driving to the main park entrance, the optional adventure path allows for the more docile but equally large animals to check you out in your car.

Oh, how the tables have turned.

Animals on the “Safari Adventure” include buffalo, zebras, llamas, gazelles, ostriches, deer, peacocks, and camels. You’re encouraged to feed and pet the animals during the low-speed trek and you’ll always want to keep your windshield wipers handy. Your car might get dirty but it’s worth it.

It’s not often you get to brag about llama saliva on your windshield.

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

Thierry Mugler at the MMFA

The world premiere of the Thierry Mugler: Couturissime exhibition which was christened by Kim Kardashian is at Montreal’s Museum of Fine Arts for the last weekend.

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, September 8
Time: 10 am – 5 pm
Where: Musée des beaux-arts de Montreal, 1380 rue Sherbrooke
Price: $16 – $24, available online