Montreal’s Gay Village is centered roughly between Berri-Uqam and Papineau metro, bordered by Sherbrooke Street on the northern edge, and René-Levesque on the south. Smack dab in the center on Saint-Catherine is Beaudry metro, easily identified by the rainbow bars above the main entrance. The best way to discover the Village is to explore the streets and meet the people. However if you need a little assistance, here are some notable Village hotspots…

Notable restaurants in the Gay Village include the highly-rated Mezcla, a “nuevo latino” restaurant that combines South American flavours with European style cooking. Mezcla has an extensive seafood menu, with private import wines from Latin America. Miyako Sushi is one of best Japanese restaurants in the area with good service and prices that won’t make you squirm. Other higher-end restaurants in the area include the amazing BYOB O’Thyme, mediterranean-style Ella Grill, and the open-kitchen Kitchenette.

If you’re looking for something a little more on the casual side try Quebec classic St-Hubert, the always tasty Resto Pub St. André, La Piazzetta, Mozza (BYOB) or village favorite Saloon (complete with cute waiters.) You can dine your way across the globe in the Gay Village, with some international cuisine like Couscoussiere d’Ali Baba, the Korean rice bar Be Bap (BYOB), and the insanely yummy NosThés Bistro which offers up great value Taiwanese with an impressive selection of exotic tea.

During the summer Montreal’s patios bloom to life. Restaurants with great open air seating include Bistro Florin graced by a large poplar tree, or Sky with huge pitchers of Sangria on the rooftop. One of the highest rated restaurants in Montreal on TripAdvisor (coming in at #8) is located a block east of the Gay Village called Le Grain de Sel. It has a neighbourhood vibe with some exquisite French cuisine. Want a sleazy one night stand with a burger? Five Guys Burgers on Saint Catherine is all the meat you’ll need.

Finding a fun, local watering hole in Montreal’s Gay Village is probably the easiest thing you’ll do all week. Every block has at least some sort of bar/lounge that will satisfy your thirst and preference. Starting with the always lovely Gotha Lounge, it’s intimate with a fireplace and a big beautiful bar. Try not to be deceived by initial appearances, Bar Relaxe on Sainte-Catherine is a solid place to grab a quick drink and chit chat with a friend. One of the hidden gems near the Gay Village is a little door and staircase right outside Berri-Uqam metro called l’Escalier. Escalier is filled with chill people, cheap beer, with nooks and chairs to get lost in.
Drinking with a purpose always feels more productive, so flipping through the extensive song list (and settling on any Celine Dion) at the Village karaoke bars Club Date and Cocktail will be an easily achievable goal. If you’re a man’s man looking for other men, Bar Le Stud and l’Aigle Noir cater to a slightly more beefy demographic. Grabbing a drink while taking in one of Mado’s famous Drag Shows is particularly popular with students on Tuesday nights, due to the cheaper cover. The deadliest cocktail list in the Village is at Saloon, I suggest trying the “Bangkok.” I’m sure there was no pun intended when the owners named it.

Generally the consensus among frequent nightlife patrons is the Gay Village has some of the best dancing in town. Big open floors, flashy light shows, and people who, you know, actually dance. Club Unity is big on Friday nights filled with a young college crowd grinding to Top 40, while Saturday brings a slightly more mature crowd and House music. Apollon sits inside a stunning building (a former post office) and is worth going any night between Thursday and Sunday. The crowd is mixed, the bartenders are shirtless, and the space is a fun place to explore. Especially the basement level called Katakombs. Complex Sky has several dance floors, a gentle crowd, and music that fluctuates in quality depending on the room you find yourself in.
Even after the regular clubs close, if you’re still itching to move, the Gay Village has two afterhours clubs you can hit. Stereo is renowned for its sound system and weekly lineup of world-class DJ’s, and Circus does its name honour after the clubs close. Don’t forget to grab breakfast on your way home at Chez Cora, L’Oeufrier or Resto du Village!

While wining, dining, and dancing is always a good time for a Friday night, it’s those Sunday afternoons in a coffee shop reminiscing about that wild night out that are often the most enjoyable. There are a bundle of cozy cafés for your latté sipping pleasure in the Gay Village. Autour d’un pain is the best-smelling café because it also doubles as a bakery.

There are the chain coffee shops like Starbucks, Second Cup, Java U, Tim Hortons and Presse Cafe, but why would you bother when you could support local small business by going to places like Le Pouce Gourmand, De Farine et d’Eau Fraiche, Pourquoi Pas, and 1000 grammes (formally known as Kilo). La Mie Matinale is filled with handsome men, sandwiches, coffee, treats, and pictures of singer/actress Dalida, so naturally it’s worth every minute and dollar spent there.

Starting with White Party Week (March 28-April 1) there will be lots happening in the Village during these busy few days. Also in March, ARTSIDA and the Edgy Women’s Festival will be taking place throughout Montreal. The real festivals begin in the summer though, when the Village transforms into a pedestrian boulevard with patios, performers, and people watching. Divers/Cité will take place July 30-August 4, followed by Fierté Montreal Pride, August 12-18. Fierté Montreal Pride week will see Community Day, Dyke March, and free concerts draw huge crowds to the Village. Check out some highlights from the full summer festival season in Montreal:

While not all festivals happen in the Gay Village, all of them are LGBT-friendly. All of January and into February, Montreal will be spending hours outdoors dancing at Igloofest, the coolest electronic music festival ever. Following in February is Montreal en Lumiere with Nuit Blanche, a celebration of culture in the Plateau, Old Port and Downtown. The summer season includes Jazz Fest, Just for Laughs, and Completement Cirque!

There are two primary shopping arteries in the Gay Village. Saint-Catherine that runs west-east and Amherst going north-south. Amherst is filled with many antique shops and stores that specialize in home decor like Cité Deco, Montréal Moderne, Spoutnik, and Second Chance. If you’re strolling down Saint-Catherine and hunting for something a little kinky, Priape and Fetish Armada are both high-quality stores with all the leather and rubber you could shake a stick at. For men’s clothing check out Evolution, Podium, Ernest, or the very cool Boutique Osez just off Saint-Catherine on Wolfe.
If you’re in the market for art, stop by the galleries in the area: Galerie Dentaire (yes, doubles as a dentist’s office), Galerie Hermine, Galerie Nowhere, and Zephyr. All can be found dotted along Amherst. Last but not least, if you’re looking to buy something for a little furry friend, Doggy Style on Amherst is stocked with bones and toys!

The post WHAT TO DO IN MONTREAL’S GAY VILLAGE IN 2013 appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

Divers/Cité was once again a cultural hotbed of Music, Art and Performance. The events that stood out to me were MASCARA, Grande Danse and the Grand Bal. All three events attracted thousands of people all having fun together. That’s what Divers/Cité is all about: celebrating diversity and having lots of fun while doing it. Mado once again went above and beyond with the largest drag show on the planet: Mascara! From The Wizard of Oz to Britney Spears, the dancers were en pointe with the costumes, choreography and music. What a spectacular show.

The Grande Danse and Grand Bal were almost surreal. I got to go backstage and take a peak out into the crowd as a world-renowned DJ’s spun right next to me. This is what I saw:

It was an absolutely awe-inspiring from that view of tens of thousands of people all dancing under the setting sun. It was pretty powerful stuff that all these people were here to celebrate the message of Divers/Cité. Then we went over the Grand Bal. Which was another experience all together. Watching the band “Funk You” performing was hilarious as it was entertaining. They brought the house down, and I’m extremely jealous of their costumes. The Grand Bal culminated with the jaw-dropping set of Jimmy Moore doing Lady Gaga. She had an egg. She had the freaking egg. The dancing, the costumes, the sets were top notch and was my favourite experience of Divers/Cité over all. This has all gotten me so excited for Fierte Montreal Pride next week!

The post HAVING A BAL AT DIVERS/CITE 2011 appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

Thursday, July 28, 2011: The big show on Thursday starts at 8:00pm, so take this whole day to rest and rejuvenate your delicate body for the fast paced weekend headed your way. I suggest a leisurely Bixi ride through the Old Port, lunch on a terrace, some therapeutic shopping, or forget the world in a long and blissful spa day. The chic gays of the world deserve the most chic spa in Montreal, so Bota Bota could fulfill your needs. Bota Bota is a spa on water. Literally, the spa floats on water. Located just west of les Quays of the Old Port this spa is urban pampering done right. Cocktail bar while getting a mani-pedi? I’ll take a double!

Float away from the spa and get some grub on your way. You’ll need some protein before the show, so grab a burger at the newly opened 5 Guys Burgers on Rue McGill. Seasoned fries, succulent patties, could this day get any better?

8pm, now it’s time for 1, Boulevard des Reves, the longest running variety show in Quebec. Sixteen artists will give you a taste of anything and everything. From Misstress Barbara live to Inuit sensation Elisapie Issac, plus Shequida from New York City! Lounge on one of the D/C terraces and enjoy the show projected on the big screens. D/C has managed to combine Montreal’s love for terraces with my love for big screens, and adds amazing cultural performers! Woohoo!

Friday, July 29, 2011: So you’re going to have to look fabulous all weekend. Why not be inspired by one of the masters of couture? Friday afternoon would be the perfect time to see the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit “The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier” at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. After your salacious appetite for fashion has been ignited, take to Rue St. Catherine to find that perfect outfit for tonight’s New Society.

New Society brings the best of 4 international DJs, 1 massive outdoor dance floor, and thousands of lights, beats and beautiful people. The show starts at 4:30pm with the last DJ taking the stage at 9:30pm and the night’s not even close to over after the crowds vacate Berri Street. UK-based DJ Pagano is spinning at Parking, the official after-party venue for New Society. Set to start at Midnight, this night will just get wilder. See you on the other side.

Saturday, July 30, 2011: Leave your hangover for another day because this will be a busy one and we don’t have a moment to spare! Wake up, late Brunch at Les Folies on Mont Royal. Bixi through the little ruelles of Le Plateau south to Berri Uqam Metro station. Park Bixis and take the Metro on the Green Line east towards to Botanical Gardens. Look at all the pretty flowers, gape in awe at the 300 year old bonsai trees. Head back downtown, early dinner at a pub on Crescent Street (Sir Winston Churchill Pub!). Bixi back along east along Maisonneuve and look around for prime seats. You’ll want the best view for Mado’s MASCARA extravaganza! The show starts at 8, which I’m sure is 8:30 in Drag Queen time. Take in all the sighs, and just enjoy! Take a little nap, and the head out to the official D/C Party at Club Stereo! This all-night rave goes from 1am, with Peter Rauhofer taking the stage at 4am! All partied out? Sleep now, little ones.

Sunday, July 31st, 2011: I hope you saved your energy, because this where you go all out. (You must be thinking “are you kidding me?, I barely remember the last three days…”) But really, the past week has been a training camp for today. This is the big leagues. Le Grand Finale. Le Grande Danse & Le Grand Bal. Looking at the line-up the theme seems to be “If you can’t take Montreal to Ibiza, bring Ibiza to Divers/Cité.” The DJs are Spanish superstars all giving you the best for the 10-hour dance marathon. Take breaks by hitting some Village Terraces. Grab a coffee at Java-U, go have some cocktails at Drugstore, fuel up at Pica Pica. You’ll need all this energy. You explored Montreal on your previous days, now it’s all about dancing the night away. Scoot on over to the Loto-Quebec Stage in Parc Emilie Gamelin at around 9:30pm to see the world-famous Jimmy Moore do a Lady GaGa impersonation set. Fasten your seat belts gays, because the Grande Everything is going to blow you away. After party is back at Parking with DJ David Tort. Expect long lines, and hot men.

All Divers/Cité activities have a suggested $5 donation. This is for charity people! Give what you can!

MAIN ATTRACTIONS:

Thursday July 28: 1, Blvd Des Reves. Loto-Québec Stage, rue Berri / 6 PM : DJ Stéfane Lippé / 8 PM : Show

Friday July 29: New Society. Loto-Québec Stage, rue Berri / 4:30 PM / VJs – Cameron Brothers

Saturday July 30: Mascara. TELUS Stage, rue Berri / 7 PM : DJ Gigi / 8 PM : Show

Sunday July 31: Grande Danse: TELUS Stage, rue Berri / 2 PM // Grand Ball: Loto-Québec Stage, Parc Émilie-Gamelin / 3 PM

AFTER PARTIES:

Friday July 29: Pagano@Parking : Parking, 1296, Rue Amherst / 10 PM / 15$

Saturday July 30: D/C Party: Stereo, 858, Rue Sainte-Catherine Est / 1H / 65$

Sunday July 31: D/C Bal: Stereo, 858, Rue Sainte-Catherine Est / 1H / 65$

Sunday July 31: David Tort @ Parking: Parking, 1296, Rue Amherst / 10 PM / 15$

The post A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO DIVERS/CITE appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

Transformations is the latest body of work from the famed Robert Laliberté. It explores many different types of transformations and is described as “visual poetry”, saying that each photograph can be interpreted in a unique way by different people. The only thing Laliberté doesn’t want anyone to feel is “nothing”.

“I hope not a single person leaves without feeling some sort of emotion from my photos,” says Laliberté. I was treated to a small sneak peek of this year’s collection and emotions do run high in these pieces. Some are deeply personal to Laliberté, one in particular, Angel, focuses on some of his friends during his life that have died from AIDS. This exposition has a more classic Laliberté feel to it, going back to the themes of blending the male figure with nature. The link Laliberté draws between the two is that we are all organic beings.

In Transformations there will be 21 pieces, with over 60 photographs integrated within. This exhibit will be his second show that uses digital processing to create a transformation in his photos. Although it will be nothing like his last show, which took lots of photoshop and 5-6 photographs to create intricate designs and creatures. This exhibit takes a much more subtle approach, using photoshop in a much more direct way to tell the stories in his photographs. Traditionally, Laliberté seems to use god-like masculine bodies, toned objects of desire. However, Laliberté says that he uses many different types and shapes of bodies. His ease and expertise in photographing men started when he began shooting the covers of Fugues Magazine (a gay-centric magazine published in Montreal). To date, he has shot well over 150 Fugues covers, something he attributes as an important milestone in developing his career as a photographer.

So when anyone is in town walking around the Gay Village during Divers/Cité or Montreal Pride, be sure to pop into Galerie Dentaire. The show is being produced by Kat Coric ART + IDEAS and is sure to bring your through a journey of emotions, beauty, nature and the human form.

THE DETAILS

Robert Laliberté’s TRANSFORMATIONS, July 13 – August 9, 2011

Galerie Dentaire, 1239 Amherst, (514) 523-5535

The post ROBERT LALIBERTE: TRANSFORMATIONS appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

[DAYS OF THE WEEK (WEAK NEED NOT APPLY)] Monday: Billiards Tournament at l’Aigle Noir (1812 St-Catherine East) starting at 7PM. I have a feeling there will be more strokes and balls than appropriate for a Billiards game. Tuesday: Mado’s Variety Hour starting at 11:30 PM at Cabaret Mado (1115 St-Catherine East). Mado hosts a gang of Drag Queens sashaying on stage and being fabulous. Get there early if you want a good vantage point. Wednesday: Ladies night at Stock Bar (1171 St-Catherine East). Need I say more? Hilarity comes in all shapes and sizes. Thursday: Live acoustic music at Gotha Lounge (1641 Amherst). Let the good vibes roll. Friday: Friday No Parking at Parking Nightclub (1296 Amherst). Shooter boyz, gogo boyz, drag boyz, muscle boyz, circus boyz and more boyz. Saturday: Poplife at Club Unity (1171 St-Catherine East) . Multiple bars, Huge amazing terrace, glamorous music… They’re not selling pop music, this is a pop lifestyle. Sunday: Thank god for Rebecca Black teaching me the days of the week or that paragraph would have been real tough. Sunday is nap time event at Club Your Bed (1234 Mattress Street West). Go rest up.

[DIVERS/CITE 2011]: July 25-31, 2011. Rue Berri, Parc Emilie-Gamelin and other venues in Montreal.

Once again, the colourful festival in Montreal returns! Check out the full Divers/Cité post here. Watch movies in a park, see artistic ballet dancing (bonus: the dancers are nude, but trust me it’s really classy), opera and a plethora of international DJs! I’m looking forward to Mascara the most. It’s just the most extravagant thing I’ve ever seen. Le Grane Danse, Le Grande Ball, it can all be hard to handle. So the best way to deal with the overload of creativity and fun is the just breathe deep and dive right in.

[Baby, you're a Firework] Every Saturday night, see the beautiful fireworks light up the Montreal skyline. There’s nothing that screams gay more than shooting rainbow colours up into the air and spraying fun and magic for all the world to see. Try going to Papineau metro and getting a good view! The show starts at 10PM and usually lasts around 30 minutes. Click here for the full schedule.

[Zoofest brings the Freaky Naughty]

The logo for Zoofest is a lion head with wings. Therefore, I will go to whatever it tells me to. I will honour this idol until the end of time. Zoofest is the wacky, quirky, open minded festival where anything goes. Some things may be offensive. Somethings may be adorable. But all will be unforgettable. From July 9-31st, you’ll have plenty of time to be disturbed/entertained. Check out all the theatre, burlesque, funny, dancing and magical programming here.

[Gays like country music too]

The blonde power house vixen of country music Taylor Swift is coming to the Bell Centre on July 14. Taylor Swift is a statuesque 5’11 and has hair like Rapunzel. For this reason she is my gay fantasy. It’s a fact that, like Shania, she is bringing the country to the gays, and the gays to the country. This show is one that can’t be missed if you’re a gay country boy like me.

[Aires Libres Encore & Street Sale] AIRES LIBRES started in late May, but now ALL the decorations are up, all the street art is installed and all the gays have come a-flocking. Tents, festivals, street performers, buskers, sales and shenanigans are happening every day along this stretch of St-Catherine between Berri and Papineau. And it’s only getting wilder the deeper into this sweltering summer we  get. There’s a street sale happening July 14-17 so make sure to head down and look at all the sweet swag up for grabs!

The post GAY MONTREAL: JULY appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

So come one, come all to every festival this great city can offer (a little festanimal told me there are over 100!). Whether you’re gay, straight, bi or otherwise, these festivals are for everyone! However if you’re gay, it’s sometimes fun to see other gay things at not specifically gay events. You follow? So here is a guide to a few gay things at Montreal’s summer festivals!

[Jazz Festival] For the International Jazz Festival of Montreal 32^nd edition there will be 800 concerts, 600 activities, 3000 musicians, 9 outdoor stages and 1 power lesbian. You guessed it, the world’s original lesbian k.d. lang is set to take the stage at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier on Monday, June 27. Oh k.d., I will never forget that you were my first Gay leader before Ellen oh-so-shamelessly snatched that crown off your glorious mop of hair. Food for thought: Is it k.d. lang that looks like a middle aged Daniel Radcliffe, or is it Daniel Radcliff that looks like a young k.d. lang? Think about it.

OK, I’m not saying Prince is gay. I’m totally not. He’s obviously a very straight man. But you can’t have a song called Purple Rain and then dress in a sequined suit complete with Victorian neck collar and not at least be mentioned here. In a last minute addition to Jazz Fest, Prince will be performing at Metropolis on June 24 and 25 in what should be a couple of very intimate evenings given the size of the venue. Quick question: when did Prince become Prince again and not the Artist Formerly Known as Prince?

Pink Martini will also be playing Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier on June 28. Pink Martini is not only a name with many homosexual tendencies, but Thomas Lauderdale (the lead pianist and group founder) is also the cutest gay ever.

[Just for Laughs] I think it’s safe to say LGBT people are among the funniest in the world. So I’m a bit bummed out with the lack of gay/gay-centric (Kathy Griffin, Margaret Cho) comedians at the 2011 Just For Laughs Festival. However that doesn’t mean there is NOTHING for us. For example, there is gay-for-pay Eric Stonestreet of Modern Family fame. He plays the campy Cam who has more rainbows than hair. While not gay in real life, he’ll be most likely hilarious on Friday July 29 in a show called Modern Love.

Then you have Eddie Izzard who is apparently “straight” but has dabbled in transvestism. He describes himself as a “male lesbian” or a “lesbian trapped in a man’s body”. So I guess he likes girls. But sometimes likes dressing like one as well. Regardless of these details, he is a funny guy who will be performing his show Stripped, July 11–13. What’s even cooler is that Izzard is totally bilingual so he’ll be doing English and French versions of his show!

Last but not least there is Daniel Tosh. The gay rumors have swirled, but he maintains he’s straight. So like many before him, he has settled into the “wish he has gay because he so darn cute” category. Look at those lips! I totally have a crush on him. He has that adorable lanky nerd thing going on and is a total dreamboat. He’ll be doing “Tosh Tour on Ice” Friday July 29.

[Gay Festival Season Preview] So once we’ve had fun with the gay festival foreplay, we dive right into the juicy real Montreal gay stuff! Divers/Cité, which is queering out July 25–31 in and around the Gay Village. See Dave St. Pierre and Daniel Léveillé performing at FLEXX, Misstress Barbara, Ana Paula, Mado, Lady Miss Kier and Alyson Calagna. Oh my gay that’s a lot of international names!

Montreal Pride Celebrations will take place from Tuesday, August 9–14. With the parade on Sunday, August 14 at 1:00PM! This year’s theme is “Share the Pride” with the parade theme being “3011: Odyssey of the Future”. I’m telling you all this now so you can start moulding those space body suits. I know I am. In 2011, more than 140,000 people lined the streets to watch this parade! Details for programming are still mum, but we can be sure this will top the record breaking 2010 Pride!

The post EVERY FESTIVAL HAS A LITTLE GAY IN IT appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

The past weekend was epic in Montreal.

A big part of the epic-ness was the annual Divers/Cité festival — a week long celebration of LGBT culture, music, art and more. There was a whole slew of artists, including Lady Bunny & Joey Arias, Sister Sledge, Frankie Knuckles, DJ Ana Paula and plenty of sassy others!

If you didn’t make it this year, then you best pull out your big gay calendar for 2011 and circle the last week in July. You’ve got a date with Montreal.

I was boppin’ about the festival enjoying the mixed drinks and drag queens. And in between martinis, I managed to snag a couple of photos. Enjoy!

——————————————————————————————————————

Body paint = fun times

——————————————————————————————————————

Redefining street meat.

——————————————————————————————————————

Girlfriend, you lookin’ gooooood!

——————————————————————————————————————

The Afro-beats made gay hips sway. Even more than usual.

——————————————————————————————————————

A sea of sweaty, hot dancin’ people!

——————————————————————————————————————

Glad to see the festival encouraging eco-friendly behavior!

——————————————————————————————————————

I think a lot of people at Divers/Cité love sausage.

——————————————————————————————————————

The sun is setting, but the party is just starting!

——————————————————————————————————————

Montreal’s famed queen Mado hosts another fantastic drag/dance production!

——————————————————————————————————————

The cast of Mascara do a stellar rendition of Glee!

——————————————————————————————————————

Frankie Knuckles was a MAJER crowd fave!

——————————————————————————————————————

Sister Sledge closes the festival with their anthemic “We Are Family.”

The gays rejoiced!

——————————————————————————————————————

The post MONTREAL PHOTO ESSAY: DIVERS/CITÉ appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

Montreal’s famous LGBT Cultural festival, Divers/Cité, is just around the corner.

There is a stellar line up of musicians, DJs, dancers and Drag performers.

And of these Divers/Cité Drag performers, the famous Lady Bunny is arguably the most epic.

I caught up with Lady Bunny just before she jumped a plane to Poland for Euro Pride.

——————————————————————————————————————

DANIEL: I hear that you’re off to Poland this afternoon. What’s that all about?

LADY BUNNY: Well it’s Polish gay pride and Euro Pride all together. I hear that the prostitutes there pay you to have sex with them! Oh, and I’ll be doing a DJ show.

I gots to get me to Poland! And shortly after EuroPride, you’ll be bopping up to Montreal. What can we expect from the Montreal show?

I have two different shows that I’ll be doing with Joey Arias, who I fondly refer to as “Jewy Hairyass.” The first night is a Go-go themed night with Scott Ewalt spinning. It’s going to be very ‘60s, very psychedelic! Joey and I will be doing a duet!

Let me guess… “I Got You Babe”?

I’ll never tell!

Oh, I can keep a secret… And the second night?

It’s going to be a longer show at Jello Bar with some of our regular material. Joey Arias singin’ the blues. Me doin’ my thing.

Have you performed in Montreal before?

Yes! I love Montreal. I loved performing at Jello Bar bar back in 2005. It’s a great crowd – not tiny, but definitely intimate. I also did a larger event outdoors.

What’s Montreal’s reputation down there in New York City?

Sexy guys! A bit of the French influence gives a note of mystery. And head cheese… kidding! There’s a reputation of being funky, as in hip (not smelly). Liberal. Just a fun, open, accepting place. A bit like Amsterdam… sexually liberated.

It’s funny because in America, for years, we’ve joked that Canadians are a bit behind the times. But after 8 year of Bush, we’re now the laughing stock of the whole world.

What projects are you working on at the moment?

Well I don’t think you’ll get it in Canada, not right away anyway, but there is this syphilis epidemic…

Joking! I’ve entered the world of reality TV. RuPaul has started a show called Drag U. The concept is that the queens of Drag Race will make over real women into Drag Queens! There will be eight episodes. I’m also shooting a stand-up thing for LOGO with some other queens in August.

If you weren’t such a fab performance artist, what do you think you’d be doing?

As a drunk it’s important that my work be connected to places that serve alcohol. I could’ve been a janitor, I suppose. I was a performer as a child. You’d pay $5 and my mom would take you back into a dark room with a donkey. That donkey is Joey Arias.

But seriously, I was always a ham. Whether it was acting, dancing or singing. I was destined to be on a stage…

[pauses]

Sweeping it.

Well on that note, we’ll see you on the Montreal stage! Safe travels!

Bye hunny!

——————————————————————————————————————

THE DETAILS

Lady Bunny & Joey Arias
Divers/Cité
July 27: Mardi à GOGO @ Velvet Club ($15)
July 28: Cabaret New York @ Jello Martini Lounge ($20)

——————————————————————————————————————

If you love Joey Arias as much as I do, check out the hilarious backstage interview I did with her last time she was in town!

The post DIVERS/CITÉ: LADY BUNNY IS READY TO DO MONTREAL appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

One of the biggest LGBT parties of the year in Montreal is just around the corner.

After nearly 20 years of celebrating the best of gay culture, music and art, Divers/Cité has another stellar line up of performers set to seduce the city from July 26 until August 1.

And you, of course, are invited.

Here are some of the highlights from the 2010 Divers/Cité programme:

[mascara] Montreal’s own Queen of Drag will host the 13^th edition of this epic production. The event is famous for the dancing, the costumes and the snark-a-licious quips of Mado – a true Montreal institution.

[lesbomonde] An event for the ladies. Featuring House and R & B, featuring DJs from England and Toronto.

[sister sledge] The gals that brought us the ultimate gay anthem, “We Are Family,” will be on the Divers/Cité stage at 10 PM on August 1.

[lady bunny & joey arias] An evening entitled Cabaret New York will feature these two iconic Drag Queens flirtatiously sharing their talents.

[la grand danse] A 10-hour non-stop dance party, considered the largest free outdoor dance event in North America. Don’t miss it!

[ana paula] The Brazilian spinstress will close off the festival at Stereo at the D/C Ball.

——————————————————————————————————————

Here’s a peak at their 30 second video teaser…

If you’re planning on traveling from Toronto or Kingston, why not ride the Gay Train? Rainbow High Vacations and conXity.com have teamed up with Via Rail for a fun deal that includes a free drink and a $10 donation to a local Pride organization with every ticket sold. Brilliant!

——————————————————————————————————————

——————————————————————————————————————

Where to Stay: The Hotel Gouverneur has a special Divers/Cité rate. Take advantage of that!

Where to Eat: The gay village will be full of options. Check out this Village Culinary Tour that highlights some of the best eating in the gayborhood.

What else to Do: If you’re a sucker for indie music, the Osheaga Festival will also be happening the same weekend!

The post DIVERS/CITÉ: THE MONTREAL GAY EVENT OF JULY appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.