As the month of May comes to a close, the sun shines on Montreal’s green spaces, from the Botanical Garden to Parc Jean-Drapeau and all over downtown’s Quartier des Spectacles, where Museums Day, Mutek and Festival Transamériques festivals, opera, live music and more keep this week bright…

(green living) Visit Montreal’s beautiful and expansive Botanical Garden this weekend for the 16th Great Gardening Weekend, May 25-27. The weekend features the largest horticultural fair in Québec, over a hundred gardening and landscaping specialists, thousands of plants, some of them rare, and a series of talks and demonstrations. Meanwhile, the McCord Museum opens its Urban Forest for the summer on May 26, a tree-filled natural retreat, free of charge to visit, in the heart of downtown, and also one of nine locations for Montreal’s new food truck project.

(museums day) Visit 34 of Montreal’s museums and major art galleries free of charge on May 26 during Montreal Museums Day! See the Peru exhibition at the MMFA as well as new work in the museum’s sculpture garden, visit the MACM to see 10 years of critical yet playful work by experimental artist Michel de Broin and a solo show from Eve Sussman and her collaborative team Rufus Corporation, and go to Montreal’s history and archaeology museum Pointe-à-Callière for their Cultural Feast, May 25-26, a free outdoor event celebrating the diverse culinary history of Montreal: feast on everything from fish and chips to Japanese food (and there’s whiskey too.)

(electronic ambience) Get in on the latest and greatest in cutting-edge electronic music and arts at Mutek, whether you want to dance all night with thousands of other people at Metropolis or hear experimental music in sit-down settings like Montreal’s new Symphony Hall. Experience three different shows by Matthew Herbert, a.k.a. Wishmountain, the UK’s Jamie Lidell, Catalan house beatmaker John Talabot, Detroit techno minimalist Robert Hood, Germany pianist Nils Frahm, Japanese audiovisual artist Ryoichi Kurokawa, Montrealer Ghislain Poirier, and opening night event dedicated to German label Kompakt, and much, much more.

(avant-garde performance) Daring theatre, dance and performance art from around the world comes to Festival Transamériques, May 22-June 8: see German director Thomas Ostermeier’s modern interpretation of Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People, South African artist-choreographer Robyn Orlin’s Beauty Remained For Just A Moment Then Returned Gently To Her Starting Position…, Italian company Motus’s premier of politically charged Nella Tempesta, Melbourne’s Back to Back Theatre’s Ganesh Versus The Third Reich, Canadian choreographer Ame Henderson’s What We Are Saying, and much more. For the full schedule of performances, see the FTA website.

(on screen) See Dromos, a new, immersive surround-sound-and-vision show at the SAT dome, created by French artists Maotik and Fraction, inspired by Paul Virilio’s concept of dromology. Until the end of the week, experience two exhibitions at the PHI Centre: Philomène Longpré’s interactive video system Cereus Queen of the Night, and Gabriel Coutu-Dumont’s multidisciplinary Wonders of a Transient Universe. Also at the PHI Centre to May 28, a series of films curated by Martin Scorsese, including Ahmed El Maanouni’s Trances, Bahram Beyzaie’s Downpour and more. Experimental, high-tech audio-visual art festival Sight and Sound continues at Eastern Bloc to May 29, with installations, workshops and a performance by on May 25. And for one more week, swing and make music outside in the Quartier des Spectacles via music-art installation 21 Swings.

(opera, theatre & classical) Don’t miss the final performance of The Opera de Montreal and the Orchestre Métropolitain coproduction of Massenet’s Manon, on May 25, directed by Fabien Gabel, with soprano Marianne Fiset, Canadian baritone Gordon Bintner and Portuguese tenor Bruno Ribeiro. Les Grands Ballets presents Dream Away, the latest surreal work by award-winning choreographer Stephan Thoss, to May 25. See what’s up with the hype about Greg Kramer’s adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, starring Montreal actor and screen star Jay Baruchel, at the Segal Centre until May 28. And The Montreal Chamber Music Festival continues to June 1, with not only mixes traditional chamber music but chamber-inspired jazz.

(live music) The weekend starts with a big outdoor show by Icelandic indie-pop band Of Monsters and Men with openers Half Moon Run, at l’Esplanade du Centenaire along the historic Lachine Canal – the show is part of a series of Osheaga preview shows that also include The National, The xx, Grizzly Bear and The Tragically Hip in June. Also on Friday night, see French new wave band Indochine and We Are Wolves at the Bell Centre, Canadian pop singer Kristina Maria with live band, DJ Nasty Naz and a dance crew, at the Corona Theatre, and Marina And The Diamonds with opener Charli XCX at Metropolis. On Saturday, May 25, catch Fall Out Boy on their comeback tour at Metropolis. Sunday, May 26 marks Piknic Electronik second weekend of the season, featuring Dave Clarke, FM Radio Gods, Joubin, Hissy Fit and Lindus Phrase. On May 30, also making a comeback is R&B singer-songwriter D’Angelo, at Olympia Theatre, hip hop stars Pusha T and Fabolous co-headline on their “The Life is So Exciting” tour at Club Soda, and Montreal’s Radio Radio and Organ Mood give us a taste of their new sounds at the PHI Centre.

The post Things to Do in Montreal: May 24-30 appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

We’ve curated what we think is a pretty great list of our favourite videos featuring Montreal-  check them out…

THE MAN WHO LIVED ON HIS BIKE: This short film by Guillaume Blanchet is simple, cute, and jaw-dropping. Montreal is one of the most bike-friendly places in North America with dedicated paths, trails and a city-wide public bike renting system called Bixi, not to mention the upcoming Montreal Bike Fest.

SEB TOOTS MONTREAL SNOWBOARDING RUN: We’re all happy that the trees of Mount-Royal are now leafy green and we can picnic, bike, hike, and hang around the Tam-Tams, but we can still reminisce about the fun winter things like this awesome video of Montreal native Seb Toots snowboarding.

SHANGELA PERFORMS “TURN ME OUT” AT MONTREAL GAY PRIDE: Shangela is an up and coming drag culture icon. During Fierté Montréal Pride 2012 she seriously turned it out in one of the fiercest performances to ever take the stage. Skillfully filmed by Tourisme Montreal videographer Guillaume Langlois.

SAINT-LAURENT: This adorable little love story features the coolest people and places of Boulevard Saint-Laurent. Can you spot your favorite?

COME LIVE SOME MONTREAL MOMENTS: What is a #MTLmoment? It’s a moment that is crazy, spontaneous, fun, with great friends and full of laughter. Those times when you say “I gotta Instagram this” while soaking up some of that Montréal je-ne-sais-quoi. Check out some #MTLmoments , or tag your own on Instagram.

YOURS TRULY, MONTREAL: For a museum that is built upon really old stuff (the ruins of the first settlement of Montréal) the Pointe-a-Callieres museum has some pretty cutting-edge features. Created by Moment Factory, Yours Truly, Montreal is an immersive video projection directly on these beautiful archeological sites. It’s make history fun!

MONTREAL – TRIBUTE TO LIVE THE LANGUAGE: A gorgeous video that hits all the “raphys”: Geography, Cinematography, Typography. A tribute to Live the Language by Xuan Pham and Roman Koscianski.

LES BOULES ROSES: Claude Cormier’s “Les Boules Roses” in Montréal’s Gay Village have become an integral part of summer in the Gay Village. People flock to the terraces that pop up along Saint-Catherine when the pedestrian-only festival Aires Libres starts every May, and the pink balls cast a dreamy glow over each and every one. Fabulous!

FITZ & FOLLWELL.: Who doesn’t like a video with a cute puppy and trendy bikes? Fitz & Follwell is definitely the trendiest place to get a personally guided bike tour of Montréal. Oh, and the tour usually comes with some form of Montreal snack/beverage.

FIREWORKS IN MONTREAL: The amazing International Fireworks Competition that lights up the Montreal skyline twice a week from June 22 to August 3rd, 2013. This video is just a sneak peek of what you can expect from this year’s edition, but every year they manage to make it even more dazzling.

BONUS VIDEO:

I’LL FAIT BEAU DAS L’MÉTRO: This is the amazingly campy first advertising campaign for Montréal’s Metro that was released in 1976. Kudos to anyone who does a 2013 version, guerrilla style. Montréal’s Metro is the fastest way to get anywhere, and if you’re coming into the city for a trip they have great deals on weekend passes!

The post 10 Great Montreal videos appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

In Montreal, C2 stands for commerce and creativity, as in C2-MTL, an annual gathering of leading innovators from a broad spectrum of industry who have but one thing on their minds: finding creative answers to commercial questions. And, especially this year, C2 also stands for culture and cool…

Now in its second year, C2-MTL – taking place at Arsenal (a converted shipyard built in 1846), May 21-23 – fairly explodes the notion of the traditional business conference. No soul-destroying PowerPoint presentations here. Instead, 20 internationally renowned keynote speakers from a multiplicity of disciplines – including, for example, Virgin’s Richard Branson, former supermodel and now business exec Elle Macpherson, and French architect and designer Philippe Starck – sharing their experience vis-à-vis immersive multimedia presentations.

An imaginative array of panel discussions, collaborative workshops, interactive exhibits, conceptual spaces and festive events all serve to augment the emphasis on creating next-level networking opportunities and real-world business solutions. Which is to say stimulation, not simulation.

C2-MTL is about the whole brain, left and right sides combined. Well-satiated senses are conducive to creating and C2’s arts and cultural partnering in particular reflects that. This year the Montreal Opera will play a key role at the conference opening with uniquely conceived solo performances blending digital media. Cirque du Soleil will contribute with a 47-performer strong original creation upped with “an extra dose of dazzle” from fashion legend and keynote speaker Diane von Furstenberg. The Montreal International Jazz Festival will kick in with Musique Risquée, featuring prominent Montreal DJs Vincent Lemieux and Akufen (they’ll also be curating music on C2’s outdoor plaza).

Modern dance will come in the form of the Festival TransAmérique choreographer Ginette Laurin and her new Arab Spring-inspired work Khaos. And to cap it all off, three of Montreal’s cutting-edge music festivals – M for Montreal, Osheaga and Igloofest – will all sponsor live entertainment on C2-MTL’s closing night at the Intel Forum onsite. Look for performances by indie-folk-rock tastemakers Half Moon Run, longstanding top-shelf turntablist Kid Koala and internationally acclaimed electro/techno dance DJ Tiga.

THE DETAILS

C2-MTL, May 21-23, 2013

Arsenal, 2020 Rue William, (514) 931-9978

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Now that warmer temperatures are back, the month of May is turning out to be a busy one for food events in Montreal. If you are a foodie, the following 3 events are sure to be up your alley

Food Revolution Day – Boxed Lunch Sale: Chef Jamie Oliver is the instigator of Food Revolution Day, a day of awareness for better food education celebrated in over 60 countries around the world. Appetite for Books is participating in the May 17^th international event by preparing $10 “good food” boxed lunches made by chef Jonathan Cheung and featuring favourite Jamie Oliver recipes. All proceeds raised on that day will be donated to the NDG Food Bank’s Good Food Box Program. May 17, 2013 at 12 P.M, Appetite for Books, 388 Victoria Avenue

Salon j’ai faim: This event is in its very first edition this year. Its mission is to celebrate local food initiatives and innovation. The show will host about 50 exhibitors who will showcase their local products, from all natural sodas, to vegan cooking classes to urban organic vegetable gardens. Also on site will be artists exhibiting their work, conferences on how to start a food business as well as activities for the whole family, including kids workshops. May 18-19, 2013 from 11 A.M. to 6 P.M, Église Saint-Enfant Jesus, 5035 St-Dominique

Pointe-à-Callière’s Cultural Feast: This event takes place in Old Montreal, right in front of Pointe-à-Callière, Montreal’s Museum of Archeology and History and celebrates the city’s cultural diversity. Activities, food stands and presentations by food enthusiasts are on the menu as well as a very special spotlight on tea in the form of conferences and tasting. Several international delights and sweet treats will be served by some of Montreal’s restaurateurs. A kid’s corner with face painting and games will surely delight the younger crowd so don’t hesitate to make it a family outing! May 25from 11 A.M. to 7 P.M and May 26 from 11 A.M. to 6 P.M. Place D’Youville, outside the Pointe-à-Callière Museum, 350 Place Royale

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Festivals and outdoor activities spring forth this week with a bout of beautiful weather just in time for the long weekend: celebrate La Fête de Montréal with street entertainment and food; be inspired by the art of Festival Transamériques and Chromatic; fall under the spell of the Montreal Opera, the Chamber Music Festival, and live music from electro-dance to glam rock…

(outdoor life) The fun starts outdoors on Friday, May 17 with free, all-day party La Fête de Montréal in the heart of the Quartier des Spectacles. The day celebrates Montreal’s 371st anniversary with performances from circus troupe Les 7 Doigts de la Main, folk-rock band Irreverend James and the Critical Mass Choir, choreographer-dancers Jocelyne Montpetit and Manon Oligny, artist Armand Vaillancourt and more. Food is also front and centre at the festivities with a variety of gourmet food trucks and a happy hour cocktail party at 4:30 p.m., followed by DJ sets by Vincent Lemieux and a multimedia musical event at 9:30 p.m. Sundays are for relaxing in the open air, chilling with drummers and dancers at the Tam Tams on Mont Royal or at this summer’s first weekend of Piknic Electronik (pictured above) at Parc Jean-Drapeau, starting its 11th season off right with two days and two stages of music to dance to: on May 19, hear house-label Leftroom producers Jay London and Laura Jones and the UK’s Matt Tolfrey, while on Monday, Detroit house legend Carl Craig headlines. And thrill-seekers flock to the sunny opening weekend of La Ronde amusement park.

(daring performance) Some of the highest caliber multidisciplinary theatre, dance and performance art comes to Festival Transamériques, May 22-June 8, featuring international and Canadian talents, including German director Thomas Ostermeier’s not-to-be-missed modern interpretation of Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People on May 22-24, and South African artist-choreographer Robyn Orlin’s Beauty Remained For Just A Moment Then Returned Gently To Her Starting Position…, an engaging, humorous critique of South African society – and society in general, for that matter, dressed in elaborate costumes made of recycled materials.

(art & the street) Multidisciplinary art festival Chromatic, May 18-22 at art gallery and studio space The Darling Foundry puts on a long weekend of all kinds of avant-garde art, film screenings, music and more, indoors and outdoors – there’s even an art party on Saturday night with music by Capitaine Soldat, Aroara, Memoryhouse, TEEN, Rock Forest, High Klassified and Toast Dawg. On May 19, bring the family for a picnic on Ottawa Street outside the gallery, complete with free art workshops for kids. May 22 closes the show with an Art Affaire party. Catch two art exhibitions at the PHI Centre: Philomène Longpré’s interactive video system Cereus Queen of the Night, and Gabriel Coutu-Dumont’s multidisciplinary Wonders of a Transient Universe. And experimental Sight and Sound Festival continues to blend art and technology, with performances at Eastern Bloc to May 29. And make music outside just by swinging on  music-art installation 21 Swings, outside along de Maisonneuve Avenue in the Quartier des Spectacles.

(love & mystery) The Opera de Montreal, alongside the Orchestre Métropolitain reach new heights with Massenet’s opera of love and poverty, Manon, directed by Fabien Gabel and featuring soprano Marianne Fiset, Canadian baritone Gordon Bintner and Portuguese tenor Bruno Ribeiro. Dream Away, the latest work by award-winning choreographer Stephan Thoss, is a surreal exploration of movement and gesture, presented by Les Grands Ballets to May 25. Thoroughbred and highly trained horses make up the magic of Odysseo, a theatrical new show from the makers of Cavalia, to June 9 in Laval. And Greg Kramer’s adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, starring Jay Baruchel, unravels mysteries of man and nature at the Segal Centre until May 28.

(chamber & classical music) The Montreal Chamber Music Festival mixes traditional quartets with chamber-inspired jazz, to June 1: on May 17, hear Brazilian guitarist Chico Pinheiro and his ensemble perform music from their new album There’s a Storm Inside; on May 18, it’s the Swingle Singers 50th Anniversary Celebration at Église St-George, singing tunes from The Beatles to Bach; and on May 22, hear solo performances of Bach played on impressive instruments from the Canada Council Musical Instrument Bank. Meanwhile, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra plays out its spring season with the family fare of the Magic Horn, a story of a genie told through the sounds of exotic musical instruments. On May 21, the Orchestra tackles surrealist music of the early 20th century, and on May 22-23, David Zinman conducts Mahler’s Fifth.

(may music fests) Pop-punk is the name of the Pouzza Fest game, as are Pabst and poutine, all a part of the fests take over of 10 downtown Montreal venues by 150 bands – there’s even a Sunday breakfast show at Foufounes and BBQ dinners at Katacombes. Among the headliners: Me First & the Gimmie Gimmies, New Found Glory, A Wilhelm Scream, The Planet Smashers, Saves the Day, and man, many more, including free outdoors shows at the Quartier des Spectacles (at the corner of Clark and Ste-Catherine) on Saturday and Sunday starting at 11 a.m. Later in the week, catch a variety of great solo acts at the One Man Band Festival, May 23-26: on Thursday night, see Bloodshot Bill, Danny Lutz, André Daneau and more.

(more live music) Friday night is alright for an electro-groove party with RJD2 at the SAT. On Saturday night, the man behind The Twist performs the kind of rock and roll that inspired a generation: Chubby Checker gets the crowd dancing at the Rialto Theatre, in the Mile End neighbourhood. On May 19, glam-rock band The Darkness prove they still believe in a thing called love, with Free Energy opening, at the Corona Theatre, while Connecticut-based rapper Chris Webby  rhymes to the beat at L’Astral (305 Ste-Catherine E.). Listen to the sweet and sometimes sad music of Montreal’s Folly And The Hunter and Aidan Knight at Cabaret Du Mile End on May 22. And on May 23, UK indie post-rockers The Boxer Rebellion bring their big sound to Petit Campus (57 Prince-Arthur E.), while The Shins get mildly happy, with openers Ra Ra Riot, at Metropolis.

The post Things to Do in Montreal: May 17-23 appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

Whether it’s late at night, or early in the morning, pizza is one of those wonder foods that you can eat at any time of day, hot or cold, on a plate or wrapped in a napkin…

From perfectly charred traditional thin-crust to the pillowy soft and chewy, Montreal’s pizza scene is diverse and here are some of Montreal’s best pizza spots.

BEVO is a charming spot in the heart of Old Montreal. Situated in the corner of a beautiful cobblestoned pedestrian mall, their tables spill out onto the sidewalk forming an informal terrasse, perfect for people watching and enjoying the summer air. Bevo features a wood-burning oven and a pizza menu with 10 signature pizzas. The Margherita is traditional favourite; sauce, fresh cow’s milk mozzarella, and basil, a perfect way to showcase the BEVO’s fresh ingredients and perfectly cooked crust.

A long time player in the Montreal pizza game is a place that on a good night can see a lineup of 45 minutes. Pizzeria Napoletana sits in Little Italy and has been pumping out pizzas for over 60 years. They have a roster of 41 different kinds of pizza – from the Salumeria (mozzarella, mushrooms, procuitto, capicole, Italian sausage and grilled red peppers) to the Primavera pictured above: mushrooms, mozzarella, anchovies, olives, clams and artichokes. With so many choices to make, the only bad choice would be coming here while on a diet.

In the Mile-end neighborhood sits Magpie, a rustic spot filled with pizza, microbrews, oysters and oldschool Dum-Dum suckers by the cash register. Wood-fired pizza is what they serve here and my favourite is the Proscuitto: fluffy dusty crust, topped with cherry tomatoes, bocconcini cheese, arugula and prosciutto. Salty ham balanced by the bitter greens and sweet sauce – a little bit of everything, paralleling this eclectic neighborhood.

One of the go-to spots for pizza in the McGill ghetto is none other than Amelios. This family-run restaurant has seen its share of hungry students walk through their doors and be fed accordingly. One of the must-haves is the Florentine: spinach and cheese pizza with a signature artichoke sauce. Their second location in the posh Outremont neighborhood has the exact same great menu.

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THE DETAILS

BEVO, 410 Rue St-Vincent, (514) 861-5039

Pizzeria Napoletana, 189 Rue Dante, (514) 276-8226

Magpie, 16 Rue Maguire, (514) 507-2900

Amelios, 201 Milton, (514) 845-8396 & 1205 Bernard, (514) 903-8397

The post Montreal’s best pizza appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

Thousands of people, Montrealers and tourists alike, of all skill levels and ages, take part in the Montreal Bike Fest every spring, in cycling tours of the city and other events. For over 40 years, non-profit organization Vélo Québec has been boosting biking for recreation, commuting and as a great way to tour Montreal’s many neighbourhoods – the Bike Fest takes this advocacy to the next level, with the Tour de l’Île de Montréal, the Tour la Nuit, an entertainment event at Olympic Stadium, a fashion show and more.

Serious cyclists take advantage of the just-right springtime weather on Sunday, May 26 in the Metropolitan Challenge, featuring 75, 100, 125 and 150-km routes leaving from Saint-Lazare, but for a more casual, chilled-out, city-focused bike ride, choose the Tour la Nuit on May 31 – experience Montreal by bike at night, surrounded by, oh, about 17,000 other cyclists, many of them in wild costumes, biking for 25 kilometres through the city streets. The event begins at 8:15 p.m. out on Boulevard Pie-IX and finishes with a party at Olympic Park’s Esplanade. Encouraging families to get and stay active together, the Tour la Nuit is free for all kids aged 12!

Also free for kids is the Tour de l’Île de Montréal on the morning of Sunday, June 3, a ride now in its 29th year, with options of 25 and 50 kilometres as well as a 100-km morning tour all along the city’s shoreline. Cyclists who want to test their speed and stamina can go for the 50 or 100 km Express routes, with average speeds of 30 km/h for 1½ hours. For families and others who want to stop and smell the roses, or at least glide past them more slowly, bike together on a loop of of either 25 km or 50 km, ending at a new finish site this year, Olympic Park’s Esplanade, complete with ferris wheel!

If you’re not bringing your own wheels to town or renting a bike from one of Montreal’s many bike tour and rental shops, opt for Montreal’s public bike system, Bixi, offering a $10 deal for the Tour la Nuit and the Tour de l’Île. But if you’re in Ottawa or Quebec City and looking for a challenge, bike over to Montreal on May 31 or June 1 and hop the train home after the Tour de l’Île with a special-to-the-festival VIA Rail Canada package. On the other hand, just soak up the fashionable side of cycling at the Montréal Cycle Chic fashion contest at a Happy Hour event on May 30, organized by new bike-culture magazine Vélo Urbain.

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 THE DETAILS

The Montreal Bike Fest, May 26-June 2, 2013

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The Mondial is a tasting party held every year inside Montreal’s Palais des Congres and on the esplanade outside. It’s a free-for-all in which visitors purchase tickets ($1 each) and exchange them for glasses of samples from around the world. Though it’s true that almost everybody is a fan of drinking beer, the Mondial is an event that elevates beer to its highest form. It’s one of the foremost events of its kind in the world, and is frequented by bloggers and beer critics from around the world, as well as regular people who just love tasting beer as well as drinking it.

This is the Mondial’s 20^th edition: The festival is now two years older than the age of majority in this province, and thus, all grown up. So, to give it the respect it deserves, we asked a beer expert how best to enjoy it: Aaron Marchand, a Canadian beer judge certified by the BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program). While it does seem counterintuitive to need guidance on how to get the most out of an event that celebrates everything about drinking hops,  Marchand had a thing or two to teach us.

While other events like the Great American Beerfest and its British counterpart are replete with “guys in giant foam hats throwing up in planters,” says Marchand. “In Montreal it’s a smaller, and therefore more exclusive (read: classier) event.”

But you don’t have to be a professional beer nerd to enjoy the Mondial de la biere, he says; there’s something there for everybody.  Local beer drinkers go for a rare chance to sample brews from around the world that we don’t normally have a chance to sample here in Quebec. Tourists come for the love-in of local microbrews because it’s an excellent place to sample many of our brews in one location (Marchand recommends Dieu du Ciel, Benelux and Hopfenstark, for starters).

Marchand’s advice for beginners seems like something we might have figured out for ourselves: Fan out, diversify, and regroup to taste as many beers as possible. Bring a group of friends and make a day of it. Pace yourself. In general, start with lighter, less hoppy beers, and move towards more alcoholic ones. Or, try the opposite strategy, which has been known to lead to a good time as well. He also recommends hanging out with locals to find out about sideline events that happen around town the same week as the festival. Finally, he shares some advice about how to taste the rarest, most unusual and worthy finds.
“At the risk of offending people, I’d say that if you go to a booth and there are a bunch of girls in hot pants and tube tops, they are trying to disguise lack of flavor in their beer,” he says. “You want to go find the booths frequented by fat guys in beards.”

 THE DETAILS

Mondial de la biere, May 29-June 2, 2013

The post Expert advice on enjoying Montreal’s Mondial de la Biere appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

Whether it’s the masses of printed fabric on the sideboard, the golden baubles hiding beneath them, or the pages and pages of band posters and drawings on the kitchen table, it’s clear this is as much a workshop as a beautifully appointed living space. Morales first left her mark on the Montreal fashion scene when she opened a storefront on Saint-Laurent in Mile End in the early 2000s.

Since then, she’s gone through various transformations, as an artist is wont to do, to finally end up with a select handful of regular clients and a devil-may-care approach to fashion. She doesn’t follow the constraints of fashion weeks, or the strict rules of fashion seasons – she makes beautiful things (dresses, mainly) when she feels like it, and launches exciting new collections when she is so inclined.

These days, the breadth of this dynamo’s talent will be displayed in an eight-day frenzy at the forward-thinking Phi Centre, mere steps away from Morales’s home. The 8-Day Week by Renata Morales is one of Phi’s five people invited over the year to curate the whole centre their way. “Given the dates that were offered to me – June 5 to 12 – and the excitement of summer, being outside, and the way the Phi Centre is made, for spaces to be transformed and used so many ways – it all inspired an eight-day party,” says the designer.

The café space, just as you enter, will be transformed into a pop-up shop open from noon to midnight every day and featuring designs by herself and other Montreal marvels, including Complex Geometries, Denis Gagnon, Andrew Floyd Jewelry and Of / Golf Wang. “I’m making a special line of prints and tops for the Phi Centre, and then there’ll be some of my dresses; I’m also bringing back some prints from the past that we’re reworking,” says Morales.

There will also be an exhibition by amazing faux-Flemish-historical painter Joe Becker, some film screenings, and more music than you can shake a stick at: Young Paris, The Salivation Army, Tenderness, Prison Garde, Tonstartssbandht and the list goes on.

“I like the celebratory part of summer – we made it through winter again! The Old Port comes alive. Every day you can come to the Phi to eat and shop; there’s a DJ all day and then in the evening you come to see cutting-edge musical acts. There’s a karaoke night too, for those who like that!” Clearly, Morales has thought of everything.

THE DETAILS

The 8-Day Week by Renata Morales, June 5-12, 2013

Phi Centre, 407 Saint-Pierre, (514) 225-0525

Photos by Coey Kerr

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Immerse yourself in festive, summery Montreal at its best with the free outdoor frenzy of the FrancoFolies de Montréal, June 13-22, 2013. Just like the Montreal Jazz Fest will a bit later in the season, the Francos animate the whole Quartier des Spectacles with music and joy – the only difference is that the acts in this fest are in French. What better way than to experience la belle ville? Among the indoor paying shows this year there are at least seven umissably cool acts – do yourself a favour and check them out.

Marseilles’ Keny Arkana is a newbie at the Francos but an old hat at speaking her mind and dropping sick rhymes made en France. Catch her with Quebec’s own Souldia, from the FaceKché 187 collective, who opens. (June 14, 7 pm, at Club Soda)

There’s no hotter name in the French world than Karim Ouellett, a French Canadian prince of folk, pop, electro and soul. His opener is soulful blues funnyman Féfé – previously from the Saïan Supa Crew – on his first trip to Québec. (June 16, 7 pm, at Club Soda)

As the 1990s ambassadors of French rap, IAM shared the stage with Public Enemy, James Brown and Madonna. They’re back in Montreal with blamd new licks – and some old school hits too. The Québécois duo Taktika has the honour of opening. (June 18, 9 pm, at Metropolis)

Coeur de Pirate is one of Quebec’s sweetest superstars. She’s played huge venues with dozens of accompanying musicians over the last few years, but this show sees her play solo, in a warm, intimate space. Electro popper Fanny Bloom opens. (June 20, 8:30 pm, at Gésu centre de créativité)

He’s got am=n enchanting voice and sings sweetly about dark things. Peter Peter has a sound you’ll remember, situated somehwerre between electro and poetry. French band La Femme will kick the night off with some addictive electro punk. (June 20, 7 pm, at Club Soda)

Her accent is only half the ear candy – Lisa Leblanc, from Acadie, has guts and attitude and a killer smile too. She paints pictures of moments with each song and will have you signing along even if you’re just guessing the words. Switzerland’s answer to Cajun, Mama Rosin, open. (June 20, 9 pm, at Metropolis)

Oxmo Puccino is fierce and sharp and a hell of a lyricist – no wonder the French rapper has taken Quebec by storm. He’s back at the Metropolis, a venue that’s fast becoming his home away from home. The famous Disiz, previously from La Peste, will get the party started. (June 22, 9 pm, at Metropolis)

THE DETAILS

Les FrancoFolies de Montréal, June 13-22, 2013

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