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Montreal Events
February
La Fête des Neiges (Snow Festival), Montréal: features outdoor events such as harness racing, barrel jumping, racing beds on ice, canoe races, snowshoeing, snow sculptures, skating, and cross-country skiing. The event, the first 2 weeks of February, takes place mostly on Ile Notre-Dame, in the Port and Vieux-Montréal, and in Parc Maisonneuve. 514/872-4537 for details.
Three weekends in February.
May/June
Late May to early June.
Festival de Théâtre des Amériques, Montréal: Two weeks of contemporary theater works from artists throughout the Americas, many on the cutting edge of creativity. Screenings are held at theaters throughout the city. 514/842-0704 for details.
First Sunday in June.
June
Festival Mondial de la Bière, Montréal: This is a 10-day festival celebrating beer. From world brands to boutique microbreweries, over 250 companies showcase their wares at the Old Port, employing workshops, cooking demos, musical performances, and pub food and tastings. 514/722-9640.
Late June to early October.
Mosaïcultures Internationales Montréal: A major horticultural event in which gardeners and floral designers create three-dimensional sculptures and carpets from up to 50 countries and cities in prize competitions in several categories. The Vieux-Port (Old Port) is the venue. 514/868-4000
June 24.
June-July
Festival International de Jazz de Montréal
514/871-1881; 888/515-0515; to charge tickets by phone: 514/790-1245; 800/678-5440; 800/361-4595 in Canada
The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, the world's biggest jazz festival, runs for 11 days, from the end of June to the beginning of July.
July
10 days in mid-July.
Festival d'Eté International (International Summer Festival), Québec City: The largest cultural event in the French-speaking world, this festival has attracted artists from Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America since it began in 1967. There are more than 250 events showcasing theater, music, and dance, with 600 performers from 20 countries. One million people come to watch and listen. Jazz and folk combos perform free in an open-air theater next to City Hall; visiting dance and folklore troupes put on shows; and concerts, theatrical productions, and related events fill the days and evenings. 418/532-4540.
10 days in mid-July.
August
Late August to early September.
Festival des Films du Monde (World Film Festival), Montréal: An international film event since 1976. Some 500 screenings take place over 12 days, including 200 feature films from more than 50 countries.Various movie theaters host the event. 514/848-3883
September
Mid- to late September.
Fall Foliage: The maple trees blaze with color and a walk in the parks and squares of Montréal is a popular pastime.
October
Early October.
Festival International de la Nouvelle Danse, Montréal: This 12-day showcase, held every 2 years (on odd years), invites troupes and choreographers from Canada, the United States, and Europe to various performance spaces. 514/287-1423.
10 days in mid-October.
Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, Montréal: Screenings of new and experimental films along with forums on the latest trends in film and video at halls and cinemas throughout the city. 514/843-4725 for details.
Arts and Entertainment
Casino De Montréal
1 av. du Casino, Île Notre-Dame, Montréal, Québec, Canada
514/392-2746 or 800/665-2274
The Casino de Montréal, on Ile Notre-Dame in the St. Lawrence River, is one of the world's 10 biggest. Take a cab ride from downtown or take the Métro to the Ile Ste-Hélène station and transfer to Bus 167 Daily: 9-5.
Cirque Du Soleil
Montréal, Québec, Canada
800/361-4595
The Cirque du Soleil is one of Montréal's most popular venues. The company revolutionized the art of the circus when, in 1984, it began commingling dance, acrobatics, and dramatic presentation in a single show. Now it's an internationally known and packs theaters worldwide. (There are no animals featured in this circus. All of the spectacular dance and acrobatic arrangements are performed by people. ) Every second summer (in odd-numbered years), the circus performs in Montréal.
Théâtre De Quat'sous
100 av. des Pins Est
514/845-7277
Théâtre de Quat'Sous performs experimental plays.
Théâtre Denise Pelletier
4353 rue Ste-Catherine Est, Hochelaga-Maisonneuve
514/253-8974
The Théâtre Denise Pelletier stages productions in a beautifully restored hall.
Théâtre Du Nouveau Monde
84 rue Ste-Catherine Ouest, Downtown
514/866-8667
Théâtre du Nouveau Monde is the North American temple of French classics.
Francofolies
514/876-8989
The annual FrancoFolies festival celebrates the art of French songwriting. In all, more than 1,000 musicians perform in dozens of different styles, including rock, hip-hop, funk, and Latin.
I Musici De Montréal
934 rue Sainte-Catherine Est,
514/982-6037
I Musici de Montréal is one of the best chamber orchestras in Canada.
Orchestre Métropolitain De Montréal
514/598-0870
The Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal stars at Place des Arts most weeks during the October-April season.
Théâtre St-Denis
1594 rue St-Denis, Quartier Latin
514/849-4211
The 2,500-seat Théâtre St-Denis stages pop-music concerts.
Sports
Montréal Alouettes
McGill University's Molson Stadium
514/790-1245
Canadian professional football returned to Montréal after an experimental 3-year league with U.S. teams. The team that was briefly the Baltimore Colts is now The Montreal Alouettes (Larks) and has enjoyed considerable success since its return, frequently appearing in the Grey Cup, the CFL's Super Bowl. They play on a schedule that runs from June into October.
NHL Montréal Canadiens
1260 rue de la Gauchetière
Ticket and schedule information
514/932-2582
Métro: Bonaventure.
The Canadiens play at the new Centre Molson, which opened in 1996. replacing the beloved old Forum. The team has won 24 Stanley Cup championships since 1929. The season runs from October into April, with playoffs continuing to mid-June.
Blue Bonnets Racetrack (Hippodrome de Montréal)
7440 bd. Décarie, in Jean-Talon
514/739-2741
Métro: Namur, and then take the shuttle bus.
This is the host facility for international harness-racing events, including the Coupe des Elevers (Breeders Cup).
Restaurants, bars, a snack bar, and pari-mutuel betting can make for a satisfying evening or Sunday-afternoon outing. There are no races on Tuesday and Thursday. General admission is free. Races begin at 7:30pm on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday; on Sunday at 1:30pm.
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