The mercury creeping up, patios rolling out and the shirts coming off means one thing: summer in Montreal’s Gay Village. The 2013 edition of Aires Libres will soon be underway once the famous Boules Roses are strung up above the pedestrian-only paradise of Sainte-Catherine street…

Aires Libres is one of the most unique and fun spots in Montréal every summer. It invites LGBT people and friends to enjoy a slice of our vibrant Gay Village all day and every night. There are some exciting things planned this year so here is a brief overview of what’s happening from May 13 to September 6, 2013.

Once again, Les Boules Roses are back. 200,000 pink resin balls will transform the Gay Village into a dreamscape. The balls come in three different sizes, in five hues, strung up in nine unique suspension patterns. .

All summer under the bubblegum canopy, the Gay Village will be buzzing with activity. From outdoor shopping festivals and a big open air art gallery called BoulevArt to some spectacular circus performances in Parc Emilie-Gamelin during MONTREAL COMPLÈTEMENT CIRQUE, there’s nowhere more wonderfully “à la Montreal” to be.

Aires Libres also includes many weekly activities running throughout the summer. Tuesdays at noon between Beaudry and Amherst, you’ll be able to to catch some live music from local musicians. Every Thursday at sunset is a screening of an LGBT movie in Parc de L’Espoir (Saint-Catherine & Panet), courtesy of Image+Nation. Saturday afternoons in Parc de l’Espoir there will be a “Fruixi” stand, which sells fresh and local produce. It’s a delicious and sustainable place to grab a quick snack!

We’ll be covering all the LGBT festivals in Montréal this summer, so check out QueerMTL on Twitter and Instagram to keep updated. A quick preview of what’s to come: Divers/Cité (July 30-August 4, 2013), Fierté Montreal Pride (August 12-18, 2013) and Montréal Fetish Weekend (August 29-September 2, 2013).

THE DETAILS

Aires Libres, May 13 to September 6, 2013

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After gaining international attention, Les Boules Roses are returning to Montreal’s Gay Village for the 2013 edition of Aires Libres…

Somebody somewhere is polishing up 170,000 balls this week in preparation for their starring role dangling above our heads for the third time during the pedestrian-only festival Aires Libres 2013 in the Gay Village. They’ll be gracing us with their presence from May 16 to September 3, 2013, so get your party tanks ready!

Designed by renowned landscape architect Claude Cormier, the pink balls stretch down 1 km of Saint-Catherine from Berri-UQAM metro to Papineau. The balls come in three different girths, and five varying shades of pink that create a dreamy ambiance as you stroll outside day or night.

Les Boules Roses gay marries business with art. It brings people together to enjoy the burgeoning restaurant and club scene, all while experiencing a large-scale art installation. Its impact has earned cool awards like the National Honor from the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects, and Phénicia award for International Influence from the Gay Chamber of Commerce of Québec.

The pink balls make the Gay Village one of the most unique and fun open air spaces in Montreal during the summer months. LGBT and straight people from around the world enjoy the pink while chilling on the plethora of terraces consuming gallons (and gallons) of sangria. Gay locals know that when the balls go up, summer has officially arrived. It ushers in another season of iconic LGBT festivals like Divers/Cité (July 30-August 4, 2013) and Fierté Montréal Pride (August 12-18, 2013).

Keep tabs on everything happening in Montreal’s LGBT scene this summer by following Queer MTL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We have many exciting events happening in and around the Gay Village all summer so stay tuned!

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THE DETAILS

 Les Boules Roses, May 16 to September 3, 2013

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Call them what you want: Patios, decks, terraces, courtyards or verandas. Montreal is King of them. Terraces are the butter to Montreal’s summer loaf. It is where locals eat, drink, play, work, and live during the sweltering summer months. And we wouldn’t have it any other way! Montreal’s Gay Village becomes a pedestrian paradise during the summer months, with the closure of St. Catherine for Aires Libres. This allows the restaurants, bars, clubs, coffee shops, ice cream parlors and bakeries to set up patios out on the street. I’m no scientist, but I’d state very confidently that this is one of, if not the, highest concentration of terraces-per-square-fun anywhere in Montreal.

Just taking a quick stroll through the Village, you can get what the locals call “terracirium” which is “terrace delirium”: a very strange state of shock that one can enter when they are overwhelmed with too many fabulous terrace choices. Locals don’t actually use that word, I sort of just made it up. But have no fear! Here is my guide to thwarting the evil powers of terracirium: Top 8 Terraces of the Gay Village!

La Piazzetta (1101 Sainte-Catherine Street East)

As one of the first nice terraces when you enter The Village from Berri, it is the perfect vantage point to people-watch everyone coming in to enjoy Aires Libres. You’ll have to compete for a spot on this terrace, because it can get quite crowded. Who doesn’t like devouring reasonably priced delicious pizza? I would say this is the perfect Saturday afternoon lunch terrace.

Cabaret Mado (1115 Sainte-Catherine Street East)

What the Cabaret Mado terrace lacks in size, it makes up for in pink. Definitely the eye-catcher, but when has Mado ever opted for subtlety? With big windows that open right into Mado’s, this terrace is perfect for an evening hang out during the weekdays. Grab some friends, watch the always-fun drag show, and then sit outside and enjoy the summer breeze.

Bouche en Folie (1117 Sainte-Catherine Street East)

If you’ve seen my Bixi Through the Village video, you’d know the real star is Bouche en Folie. With over 30 mixable flavours of soft serve ice cream, and owned by the most adorable lady on the planet, Bouche en Folie’s understated terrace has to be the sweetest spot in the Village! Imagine this: Sunday afternoon, 25 degrees, Maple Chocolate Soft Serve, watching hot shirtless boys walk by. Bliss.

Java-U (Right next to Beaudry metro)

A new and welcome addition to the Village, and they really went all out with their terrace debut. Can you say C-L-A-S-S-Y? Comfy chairs, relaxed atmosphere and nice varnished wood accents. Could a gay demand anything more in a terrace? The Java-U, which opened only a few months ago, was a much-needed addition to the coffee bean scene in the Gay Village. So their terrace is pretty much the break out star of Aires Libres 2011. Meet me there with a nice book and cool sunglasses and we shall lounge for hours!

Steak Frites (1302 Sainte-Catherine Street East)

A high-end restaurant with a terrace to match. Large and friendly, this terrace is well designed and integrates beautifully to the already chic decor of Steak Frites. Cozy, romantic and full of soft light. I would take someone special there on a Thursday night dinner date. Ask to sit underneath the big red umbrella or the big green tree. Insider tip: Try the steak and frites (duh).

Saloon (1333 Sainte-Catherine Street East)

Tragically small, but they try their best. I just wish they could make it bigger! Someone call an architect so we can create a two-story terrace that can be disassembled in September and stored behind the door. Also, it should have a fire pole. Every imaginary two-story collapsable terrace should have a fire pole. Saloon is a village staple and their terrace is no different. The giant glowing white pots are really there to contain the line that forms in the summer months. Well worth the wait though!

Drugstore (1366 Sainte-Catherine Street East)

Big, friendly and tons of green umbrellas. If the Village had a “Cheers” where everybody knows your name, the terrace of Drugstore would be it. Snappy service, prices to match and a plethora of drinks, this place is classic done right. They have concocted  3 new types of sangria to be enjoyed out on their terrace. My favourite being the one with White wine and Bleu de Curacao. All night, every night, Drugstore is a safe bet to have a good time.

Cafe Kilo (1495 Sainte-Catherine Street East)

Eclectic, friendly service and a cozy, no-nonsense terrace. Pitchers of beer, pitchers of sangria, pitchers of whatever, all paired with their dizzying array of sandwiches, wraps and soups. Casual lunch or a late night snack – Kilo is essential to any trip to The Gay Village. If you can’t see the sign outside, look for the giant faces.

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Montreal’s Gay Village is amazing no matter what time of the year it is. With the in vogue restaurants, unique boutiques, and cozy cafés, the Village is always a thriving cultural scene. However, nothing is as spectacular as Aires Libres. This is when the gays have been cooped up for too many months, and just burst out into the summer in style. The gays go big, or they go home. So what exactly is it?

Aires Libres is when Rue Ste. Catherine between Berri and Papineau closes down to automotive and cycling traffic and becomes a pedestrian paradise. Themed decorations go up, terraces on every single restaurant, café and club roll out and the gays come on down for another summer of fun. Aires Libres has been such a smash success that every year it gets longer and more impressive. This year, Aires Libres will be stretching deep into September!

The Village undergoes a serious facelift as well. Themes in the past have been really cool! Two years ago was a “come hang out in the village” with hanging clotheslines, and vines to make the Village look like a cute European alley. Last year appeared to be a Wonderland Rose Garden with huge planters of roses, and tiny lights strung throughout the streets. It was all very romantic and enchanting. Judging from the Aires Libres 2011 website, we can expect a “pink bubble” theme, but only on May 18^th will we know for sure. Urban outdoor architect Claude Cormier (the artistic creator for Aires Libres 2011) must have come up with something dazzling!

Aires Libres is an important part of Montreal’s summer. It acts as a stage for the many events that happen in and around the Village. From Divers/cité, Pride, and Community Day, to the Fireworks every Saturday night where crowds gather near Papineau under the Jacques Cartier Bridge. Aires Libres has become a yearly tradition that not only has economical importance, but ecological as well.

So who wants to hold my hand and take a stroll this summer down Aires Libres with me? We can explore the terraces, and watch the street performers!

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DETAILS

Aires Libres

May 18^th – September, 2011

Rue Ste. Catherine between Berri and Papineau

http://www.aireslibres.com/

Guest blogger: Alex Dunphy

Photo credit: SDC du Village, Tourisme-Montreal

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