“Oh, definitely,” enthuses Natalie Émond, vice-president of marketing for Pêche Blanche Ice Fishing Village. “Weekends are quite busy, and we recommend that people make reservations in advance. On a busy weekend day we might have as many as 400 people here.”

It’s a simple matter of location, location, location. Which in this case is the Clock Tower Basin in the historic Old Port, a ten-minute walk from Old Montreal’s Champ de Mars metro station. The proximity is not lost on Pêche Blanche’s rapidly expanding patronage.

“We see real fishermen, the ones who come at 7:30 a.m. and stay all day, but they’re not the norm,” says Émond. “It’s mostly families and tourists, people who would normally take their car and drive an hour and a half in order to go ice fishing.”

“People are mostly fishing perch and walleye, and we had a pike come out last Saturday, which was the first of the season. And a lot of burbot as well.” Er, burbot? “It’s not a very nice looking fish, but apparently it’s very good.”

But can you eat ’em? The answer is yes. And no. While there are several species of fish that are only catch and release – sturgeon, muskellunge and catfish primarily – there are numerous others, including perch, walleye, pike and the aforementioned inglorious burbot, that are yours for the keeping. And to answer the bigger question, yes, they are safe to eat.

“The fish are definitely edible,” says Émond. “[Journalists from] La Presse came and caught a few fish and brought them back to the Université de Montréal to have them analyzed and the mercury in the fish was way, way under the government norms for edibility.”

The Ice Fishing Village is open every day until 8 pm, Sunday to Wednesday, and until 11 pm Thursday to Saturday. And for the nervous among us, have no fear. “The ice is 23-inches thick at the thinnest,” reassures Émond. So no need to worry about taking an impromptu winter swim in the boat basin? “Absolutely not!”

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THE DETAILS

Pêche Blanche Ice Fishing Village, Clock Tower Quay, (514) 284-3456

The post ICE FISHING HOT SPOT IN THE OLD PORT appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

People in Montreal love to cross-country ski and you don’t even have to travel very far to enjoy some of the best trails. The stunning Mount Royal Park, located in the center of the city, has 22km of trails for all levels and ambitions. If you don’t have skis, don’t worry. You can rent them there.

Parc Jean-Drapeau also offers great cross-country skiing for families, mostly because the ground is fairly flat which makes it appropriate for beginners. An added bonus is that the park itself has been transformed into a winter wonderland for the Fete des Neiges. The Botanical Gardens (one of the largest botanical gardens in the world) is full of great trails that cover the beautiful snow laden grounds. And it’s free of charge. The only problem is you can’t rent skis, but if you’ve got them, this has all the makings of a perfect winter afternoon.

If you enjoy feeling like a free spirit pioneer, blazing a trail through uncharted lands and you like to work those glutes, try snowshoeing. It’s the magical sport of yesteryear, but don’t fret if you’re without snowshoes. You can rent them at Mount Royal Park, which offers a byzantine number of trails and it’s great for all members of the family. Parc-Nature du Bois-de-L’Île-Bizard is a little difficult to get to but totally worth it if you’d like to snowshoe through one of the city’s most resplendent parks.

There’s a new winter sport in town. It’s called “kicksledding” and it’s exactly what it sounds like. The growing trend in North America (originally from Scandinavia) has winter enthusiasts buzzing with delight. Some call it the “winter bicycle” while others just call it a really good time. The premise is simple, it’s basically a scooter that you slide around on. It’s great for children, seniors and everyone in between. You can rent a kicksled at various locations in and around the city.

Snow tubing is a perennial favourite. Some endearingly refer to the popular tubes as air donuts, so what’s not to love? Whatever you call it, children and enthusiastic adults will delight in the speed (and relative safety) it provides. Mount Royal Park is a sure bet for renting a tube. If you’re a maverick with your own crazy carpet or sled, you can do it just about anywhere this time of year, but if organized chaos is what you’re after, Mount Royal Park again the perfect place, on account of it being a mountain. Parc Jean-Drapeau is also a popular spot and if you’d like to go somewhere quaint, Parc-Nature De L’Île-de-la-Visitation is a beautiful metropolitan getaway.

One of the best aspects of Montreal is the skating rinks. Whether it’s a date or an afternoon with the family, there’s the perfect rink for every occasion. The frozen pond at Parc La Fontaine is free, beautiful and central. If you’re looking for a fun place to take a date, definitely go to Bonsecours Basin in the Old Port. It was one of the first skating rinks in Montreal and being in the Old Port, the atmosphere is unbeatable. Beaver Lake is always a good bet for a great view of the city, with optimum skating conditions. It tends to get pretty packed up there, especially on the weekends, so there probably won’t be enough room to do your best Elvis Stojko impression. But that’s okay, you don’t have to be Elvis Stojko to enjoy winter sports.

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If you’re not sure what to do with the kids this season, why not whisk them away to the Fête des Neiges festival for some outdoor winter fun and tube sliding. This year, the slide features 11 sliding lanes with two “extreme sliding areas” that have a 12-foot high departure platform…

For those of you with a devil-may-care attitude, try the thrilling zip line where you can pretend you’re a superhero and fly down one of the four downhill ropes that are more than 300 feet long and 24 feet high. If you’re more athletic (I won’t judge) why not try a game of pick up hockey in the beautiful scenic ice rink over looking the frosted city of Montreal. Then, wind down with a horse and carriage jaunt or a nice relaxing dog sled through Parc Jean Drapeau.

For the fiscally conservative, there are lots of free things to take advantage of. Namely Human Foosball, which, of course, is priceless. Then delight in ice rinks, downhill skiing hills and a giant trampoline. What’s that you say? You need to cut loose? You feel like dancing? Fete des Neiges has the answer to your dancin’ prayers at their Boulatheque- which is like a discotheque but colder. All this fun stuff with a backdrop of artfully crafted snow sculptures in the picturesque park. There’s even inflatable games at the great Polar Circus or check out the Tiny Fingers workshop where children are taught the subtle art of snow sculpting.

If all that activity is making you hungry, explore the Skater’s Bistro for some hot toddies and hot (or iced) ciders. The Skater’s Bistro is known for their delicious smoked salmon, so it’s the perfect meal to complete the experience. If you have a sweet tooth, order the crepes. With all the fun things to do this winter at Parc Jean-Drapeau, all you need is to paint the town red to get rid of your winter blues.

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THE DETAILS

Fête des Neiges, January 21 to February 5, 2012

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Until March 31, Parc Jean Drapeau will be home to Montreal’s most wonderfully wintery attraction, the Snow Village. In fact, the Snow Village is an hommage to the city itself, boasting icy reproductions of Montreal’s building and monuments, not to mention a hotel, restaurant, bar, convention centre, chapel and, fittingly, a whole bunch of igloos. An obvious must-see for locals and tourists alike. To make reservations, visit the Snow Village website or call (514) 788-2181.

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(snow globe party) Igloofest is arguably the party of the winter – or parties plural, since the electronic music and dancing extravaganza happens over three weekends. Igloofest brings together thousands of people in one place (the Quay of the Old Port over the weekends of January 12–14, 19–21 and 26–28 – yes, Thursday is part of the weekend now), featuring some of the best in electronic music (like Diplo!). Put on your best parka or dig up that one-piece neon ski suit from the ‘80s and get ready to get down with crowds of Montrealers, young, old and in between. Being outside in winter shouldn’t be this fun, but it is, and I thank Igloofest for it.

(snow city) There’s something fabulous about returning to the luxurious confines of a hotel room after a wintry day wandering a wonderful city. Montreal takes that indulgence a step further with this city’s first Snow Village, located on the shores of the St-Laurent river at Parc Jean-Drapeau. The Snow Village combines an igloo-like hotel with a restaurant, bar, conference centre, maze, ice slide and, for the marriage-minded and God-alert, a chapel. Whatever you go for a drink or for a night, Snow Village Canada seems to be nothing short of a one-of-a-kind Canadian experience.

(arty warm up) Art galleries around town open their doors again in January with new exhibitions – check out galleries on every floor of the Belgo Building (372 Ste-Catherine W.), including Galerie Push, Galerie Pangée, Pierre François Ouellette, SAS, Skol and several other prominent, top-knotch galleries. Meanwhile, over at The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the fun and fabulous and free (yes, free) Big Bang exhibition continues until January 22 – with a room of floor-to-ceiling graffiti art by En Masse collective, a video installation from Denys Arcand and Adad Hannah, photos and furniture inspired by Group of Seven artists, a wall of plush toys and much more.

(park hopping) For extreme and not-so-extreme outdoor winter activity just a hop, skip and a jump away from town (not to mention accessible via the metro), Parc Jean-Drapeau is the place to be this January. Not only is the park home to the new Snow Village Canada, but the Fête des Neiges winter festival offers fun for the whole family, with a tube slide, zip-line, hockey and skating along the river during the weekends of January 21–22, 28–29 and February 4-5. For more outdoor fun, January 7 marks the last night of the Telus Fire on Ice events at the Quays of the Old Port, featuring a fire works show with a Little Mermaid Theme (true!), fire dancing shows starting at 7:10 and 7:40 p.m. and a fab outdoor skating rink.

(take a chance on) Musical lovers and disco divas unite for Broadway hit Mamma Mia!, January 3–8 at Place des Arts. Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus’ musical, performed around the world for years and still going strong, sets the songs of ‘70s Swedish pop band ABBA to a tale of family, friendship and love on an idyllic Greek island. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll sing along.

(strange stage) Walk on the wilder side of theatre at the 15th annual Wildside Festival, January 3–14 at Centaur Theatre in Old Montreal. The notorious fest features independent, affordably priced shows that push the boundaries of traditional theatre: see Montreal theatre star Kirsten Rasmussen’s motivational-speaker-inspired Blink Blink Blink, the bilingual comedy Bifurcate Me, award-winning Countries Shaped Like Stars, A Thousand Paper Cranes and more. Elsewhere in indie theatre, Guy Sprung directs Infinithéâtre’s Ars Poetica, a story of publishing, poetry and cell phones, January 17 to February 12, at Bain St-Michel (5300 St-Dominique).

(dancetastic January) Montreal dance promotion organization Danse Danse does an amazing job this month with sure-to-satisfy shows: internationally acclaimed dancer and choreographer Akram Khan’s Gnosis, January 24 – 25, and his Vertical Road, January 26 – 28, both at Place des Arts; and always-engaging Montreal choreographer and dancer José Navas’ Personae, January 11–28 at Cinquième Salle. Dancer-choreographers Martin Messier and Caroline Laurin-Beaucage bring evocative new creation Soak, presented at the 2011 Festival Transameriques, to the Monument National, January 26–29. And for something even more different, Ted Tafel’s Janvier takes us to an old railway building where memories and dreams intertwine in dance, at 661 Rose-de-Lima, January 13–15 and 20–22, 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.

(whole hog) I’m not going to say that I totally understand this event, but I can say that mega-spectacle Show Harley looks awesome. Not only does Alice Cooper perform (!), along with other rock acts, but fifty custom Harley-Davidson motorcycles rev their engines and generally look cool while a sound and light show goes on in the background. Fans can get up close and personal with the bikes and talk shop with professionals and fellow fans. VIP access to Show Harley includes a back-stage preview starting at 3 p.m. on January 28, while the main show goes down at 8:30 p.m.

(get in the game) I hardly ever talk about hockey in this column, but that’s not because I don’t like it. I mean, as a Montrealer I have to at least watch five Habs games (minimum) a season or I get kicked out of town, and as a person who likes to hang out with friends and drink beer, hockey offers ample opportunity. Tickets for January games at the Bell Centre can still be had (nosebleeds or otherwise), or if the sports bar scene is more your speed, there are plenty of places to partake of our national, competitive winter pastime.

(pop sounds) Pop Montreal may happen in the fall, but the music fest’s programming wends its way throughout the year: on January 6, Pop Montreal presents La Route Chante: A Community Show for Lhasa, much-loved Montreal singer who passed away in early January 2010. The show features the amazing Montreal talents of Plants & Animals, Arthur H, Patrick Watson, Katie Moore, Ariane Moffatt, The Barr Brothers, Socalled and many more who played with Lhasa over the years – at the Rialto Theatre (5723 Parc), 8 p.m. On January 14, keep the Igloofest party rocking at the official after party (starting at 10 p.m.) at SAT with Rich Aucoin (love him!), Lunice, DJ Mini and Francis Oak – yaay! On January 18, indie rockers Real Estate come to La Sala Rossa, on January 19, Swedish metal band Ghost are joined by Blood Ceremony and Ancient Vvisdom at Theatre Corona, and on January 23, krautrock-inspired British band Fujiya & Miyagi play La Sala Rossa. Machine Head , Suicide Silence and more bring the metal to Metropolis on January 28. And British singer Charlie Winston, who won fans at Osheaga in 2010, woos the crowd again on January 28 at the Corona Theatre.

The post THINGS TO DO IN MONTREAL: JANUARY appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

The holiday season is special everywhere but, though we’re a bit biased here at the Montreal Buzz, we’re pretty sure it doesn’t get much more special than this. From skating on the The Quays Skating Rink to the wonderful Christmas village found at the Old Montreal Extravaganza Festival, from Mile End’s Noël dans le Parc to shopping on St-Denis, McGill & Sainte-Catherine, and finally the wonderful night sky artistry of TELUS Fire On Ice, if this video doesn’t put you in the festive spirit then you’re probably a grinch. But you’re not, so enjoy.

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(art fair fare) The Mile End neighbourhood, a hotbed of art at any time of year, is host to several art fairs this month. The Rover Art Fair celebrates the third anniversary of community and arts website Rover Arts with a sale of painting, photography, sculpture, etchings, drawing and multimedia by truly talented Montreal artists – open December 2-4, at 135 Van Horne. Printmaking collective Super-Presse Club sets up shop at music venue and hangout joint Casa del Popolo, Thursday to Sunday afternoons for the month of December. And a wide variety of local artists gather on December 11 at The Plant Art Market (185 Van Horne) to sell affordable art and delicious food and drink.

(one-of-a-kind holiday shopping) This year we’re blessed (non-denominationally) with an abundance of art and craft sales featuring amazing work by Quebec artists, designers, food makers and other creative types. In Old Montreal, find whatever your heart – or the hearts of your friends and family – desires at the massive Salon des Métiers d’Art, December 2–22, at Place Bonaventure. Or go hip and sleek in the Plateau at Smart Design Mart, December 2–4, and downtown at Souk at SAT, Dec 9–10. In the name of Pop Montreal and cuteness everywhere, the Puces Pop Craft and DIY Fair brings together 85 vendors of handmade art, craft and design, from jewellery to socks, toys to posters and preserves, December 10–11, at St-Enfant Jesus Church (5035 St-Dominique). And the Fair Trade Boutique Commerce Equitable event in downtown Montreal, features food, clothing, jewellery and more, at 1444 Union Avenue, December 1–3.

(circus lights) What would December in Montreal be without a glittering, over-the-top performance from Cirque du Soleil? A little less glamorous (if such a thing is possible) and a little less unique, that’s what. The Montreal-born, world-famous circus-and-more company unleashes its Eastern-meets-Western show Dralion, opening December 18 at the Bell Centre, a high-wire, high-flying, culture-blending whirlwind of acrobatics, juggling, contortion and that special and strange Cirque du Soleil je ne sais quoi.

(winter family fun) During December, Montreal’s Biodome, Insectarium and Botanical Gardens offer an entertaining, educational and relaxing retreat from daily life. Step into the natural plant and animal world of the tropical rainforest at the Biodome, see butterflies and more at the Insectarium and learn why there are so many insects on the planet, and take a surprisingly stimulating stroll through the wintery Botanical Gardens, where a “green” craft fair sets up December 8–11 along with storytelling and a knitting bee, and, on December 9 and 16, go for “snowflake walk”, and throughout the month see art installations among the (sometimes dormant) flora and fauna.

(theatre nights) Theatre-going is big this month, so whether you’re a regular or merely intrigued, a play might just be the thing. Hot, fast-paced bilingual production Ana, pairs the creative thespian minds of Scotland and Quebec in a story of women through the ages, at Espace Go, to December 10, while Cabaret Gainsbourg, a music-and-marionettes show, takes us back to Serge Gainsbourg’s 1960s, at Place des Arts, also to December 10. If this your theatical interests totally piqued, read more about Montreal’s holiday theatre lineup.

(dancing days) For traditionalists, the dance show of the season might be the annual production of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens‘ The Nutcracker (December 10–30), with its family-friendly sparkle and joyous romping. For dance fans looking for more of a challenge, however, look to dancer-choreographer Dave St-Pierre, whose highly physical, provocative work Le Cycle de la boucherie is at La Chapelle, to December 17. Multi-disciplinary collective creation Utopia: Is It Possible at Studio 303 incorporates performance, video, manifesto, song and dance among some of Montreal’s best dance minds and bodies, December 10–11. Katherine Macnaughton and Amy Blackmore’s dance film So There’s This Girl screens December 5 at Mainline Theatre.

(art going) This season, the current exhibitions at Montreal’s art institutions are not to be missed. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts opens its doors for free all month for special exhibition Big Bang, featuring the work of living artists inspired by pieces in the museum’s collection. At the McCord Museum, photographer Edward Burtynsky takes us on a mind-expanding world-wide tour in stunning (in beauty and in disturbing message) exhibition Oil, and the museum’s Toys 2 exhibition offers a great place to set the kids loose. And experience some of the best in Quebec’s contemporary arts scene, from painting to film, sculpture to sound art, at the Musée d’art Contemporain’s Quebec Triennale.

(pressurized art) Under Pressure graffiti art festival takes a seasonal turn for new exposition and show, Arab Winter, launching December 2 at Fresh Paint Gallery. The multimedia, multi-disciplinary event features Montreal musicians, painters, calligraphists, graffiti artists and short films from El Seed, Sundus Abdul Hadi, Tamara Abdul Hadi, Sawsan Mahdi, Karim Jabari and The Narcicyst, all raising questions about what the Arab Spring means to them.

(it is to laugh) Lighten up at Comedy Works all month in different ways, including the comedy club’s special holiday show, hosted Massimo and featuring DeAnne Smith, Peter Radomski, Kevin Gasior and Nick Brazao – and every Tuesday, $5 gets you an abundance of hilarity hosted by Mike Paterson. Over at Theatre Ste-Catherine on December 5, bilingual improv comedy Improspection finds the funny in deep thoughts about relationships, work and life in general.

(merry music) The big news in music this week is that Prince is back! On December 2, the man himself and his big, bad band gets down at the Bell Centre. That same night, The Tea Party returns from the 90s to pleasure fans at Metropolis and synth pop abounds as Austra and Young Galaxy make a beautiful noise at Cabaret Mile End. December 3 sees indie faves Timber Timbre at Eglise St Jean Baptiste and on December 5, much-loved U.S. singer-songwriter Bon Iver makes the crowd melt at Metropolis. On December 8, the sweet sounds of Sarah Slean set the tone at La Sala Rossa. The music goes on throughout the month – check the Montreal Buzz next week for a full list of holiday-time concerts.

The post THINGS TO DO IN MONTREAL: DECEMBER appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

The exhibit not only enchants children, it brings back a sense of childhood to us all. I happened to see TOYS 2 on a day when children were visiting. There were constant squeals of delight as the tots started to search for the mouse, which is the theme of this fun exhibition: a cat looking for a mouse. Through nursery rhymes and themes, visitors are invited to join in the search.

The clues start at the entrance where there is a rather boring, grey industrial-looking wall. Suddenly four miniature doors open one at a time to reveal a cheerful hint. Entering the colorful room I started at the first scene – a diminutive battlefield. Every young boy’s dream, it is a scene packed with a squadron of tough toy soldiers. But it seems they cannot see the huge creature bellowing behind them. However, help is on the way as high above, hanging from the ceiling, colourful parachutes hover protectively.

My next stop is a huge igloo. It brought back memories of building a secret space, fortified with blankets and pillows. Indeed, using this childhood memory, the designers layered real pillows on a round frame. Inside teddy bears and dolls drift on ice floes. Next stop, the ‘dress-up’ room. Spilling out of an old suitcase were costumes, feather boas and huge butterfly wings. Kids could then admire themselves in funhouse mirrors.

The final stop is four child-sized tables and chairs, with board games from the past and present. Although many of the toys in the show are old and lovingly worn, some being made over 100 years ago, TOYS 2 is very today. Two large touch-screens give easy-to-read information.

For example, a toy elephant, made around 1900, is on four wheels so that a child could pull it. You can read facts about the pieces and toys in the exhibit, which are all borrowed from the 11,000 treasures in the museum’s collection. (TIP: On top of the weekly “Family Sundays” filled with fun and educational activities, there will be several “Crazy About Toys” workshops for kids: December 27-31, 2011 and January 2-7, 2012.)

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THE DETAILS

Toys 2, November 18, 2011 to March 11, 2012

McCord Museum, 690 Sherbrooke Street West, (514) 398-7100

Photo Credit: Guy Labissonnière, McCord Museum

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(walk in the park) This time of year is great for walking in any of the city’s many parks and neighbourhoods – the leaves have turned orange, yellow and red and are falling fast as our usual winter wonderland months approach. Walk the wide, level path up Mount Royal (and take the steps to the top for a great view of the city), or dress warmly and head to Parc LaFontaine for an afternoon picnic. Parc Jean Drapeau, located on an island in the middle of the St-Lawrence River and home of the Biosphere, offers plenty of free and natural distraction too.

(artistic freedom) Buzz abounds about the MMFA’s Big Bang show, a multidisciplinary event-exhibition that can be enjoyed on many levels, whether you’re an art aficionado or just looking for a dry place to spend a rainy day – it runs until January and entry is free! Twenty artists have teamed up to show not only their talents, but the interplay of their work with works in the museum’s collection – from the video work of Denys Arcand and Adad Hannah to choreographer Marie Choinard’s photography and En Masse collective’s graffiti-like mural art – the show is an intriguing and entertaining journey. Access to the museum’s wide-ranging permanent collection remains free as always – current exhibitions include Dorothea Rockburne’s first Canadian retrospective In My Mind’s Eye, an installation called Resolute Bay by Quebec artists Louis Couturier and Jacky Georges Lafargue and paintings by Michael Merrill, inspired by the architecture of the Museum’s new pavillion.

(public entertainment space) Inside the Place des Arts complex is a newly-appointed public performance space: L’Espace Georges-Emile-Lapalme. And by public performance, I mean free performances – awesome! As part of this month’s Arab World Festival, the series Charabia (Babble) features film screenings, music, dance and visual art every evening until November 13. Meanwhile, as part of the Quebec Triennial, artist Lynn Marsh’s video installation, The Philharmonie Project (Bruckner: Symphony No. 5, movements 1 & 4), shows until the beginning of January. On November 17, enjoy a little klezmer-Quebecois music from Gadji Gadjo, and on November 18, hang with the Yoel Diaz Cuban Jazz Trio. Dance features too: learn the polka on November 20, and on the evenings of November 23–24, see performances from Louis Bédard Danse, Wants and Needs, and Isabel Mohn.

(modern art movement) The Musée d’art Contemporain’s Quebec Triennial, continues with free entry every Wednesday evening alongside the free events series featuring Montreal artists, performers and musicians – Tim Hecker on November 9, Dominique Pétrin and Georges Rebboh on November 16, Sylvie Cotton on November 23, and Martin Tétreault on November 30. Galleries – public, commercial and artist-run – in the Belgo building at 372 Saint-Catherine West are always free and open to the public: check out Galerie Pangée, Skol, Galerie B-312, Art 45 and many more. Up near Jean Talon Market, visit Battat Contemporary, currently showing new provocative work by truly great Canadian artist Sophie Jodoin.

(zine scene) While you can spend a fair amount of pocket change at Expozine, the two-day fair is more than a marketplace – it’s a celebration of Montreal’s incredible independent creators of books, comics, zines, poster art, crafts and assorted miscellany. Now in it’s 10th year, the event brings together not only over 270 exhibitors from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the US and Europe, but acts as a community meeting place and a free-form idea-generation zone. Often, Expozine happens around the same time of our first snow fall, but this just makes the whole experience somehow cozier – plus there are snacks and warm beverages: November 26–27, noon to 6 p.m. at Église Saint-Enfant Jésus (5035 St-Dominique).

(a lot like christmas) I’m just not ready yet. Seasons tidings and all the trappings seem to come earlier every year. But can I really feel irked in the face of the Montreal Santa Claus Parade? It’s been going on since 1925, after all, and tradition is tradition, just as happy, excited kids is the kind of excitement I can fully buy into. On November 19, see Santa Claus among the 20-plus floats making their way along Saint-Catherine street in downtown Montreal, from Fort Street to Saint-Urbain. And on November 25, Plaza St-Hubert hosts it’s own, if lower-key, Christmas Parade, starting at 7 p.m. on Saint-Hubert at Bellechasse and traveling down the plaza’s shop-strewn street to the corner of Jean-Talon.

The post FREE THINGS TO DO IN MONTREAL: NOVEMBER appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

(night terrors) Oh, we do love Halloween in Montreal. With parties – especially Saturday night – at every place under the moon. Halloween stalwart The Rocky Horror Picture Show goes down – in a live theatrical production! – at the Rialto Theatre, October, 29–31, and the results of the 48-Hour Horror film festival screen on October 29 at Blue Sunshine. Plus burlesque-like Blood Ballet Cabaret on October 30 at Belmont, Live Band Karaoke at La Sala Rossa on October 31, and a ghostly Haunted Tour up Mount Royal, beginning at 8 p.m. at Barfly, also on October 31. If you don’t have a costume yet, try a costume store like Malabar (5121 Parc) or Image In (34 Mont Royal East), any dollar store, or just buy some cheap black eyeliner and get all evil on yo’ face.

(danse macabre) Dancer and movement artist Stéphane Gladyszewski immerses us in intensely emotional corporeality in his Corps noir ou l’inconscient convié, a multi-media dance creation, part of Festival ArtDanthé at Theatre LaChapelle, November 2–4. The choreography and amazing dance talent in Sylvain Émard’s newest creation Fragments: Volume I captivates at Cinquième Salle at Place des Arts, to October 29. And if you’re looking for high drama and ballet bombast, Les Grands Ballets has just the ticket: choreographer Peter Quanz’s full-length, two-act ballet, Rodin/Claudel, at Place des Arts, also to October 29.

(film fantasies) Montreal’s LGBT-focused Image+Nation film fest runs to November 6, featuring over 125 feature, shorts, documentaries and, yes, musicals! And, because apparently Montreal can’t get enough of film fests in the fall, our very own celebration of all things French and filmic, Cinemania, begins November 3 for 10 days of films from cinema greats and up-at-comers, at the Imperial Cinema (1430 Bleury). And, in celebration of International Animation Day, learn more about the history of animation at the National Film Board’s Get Animated mini-festival, with screenings, workshops and talks at the NFB’s Cinerobotheque, to October 30.

(surround screen sound) While Montreal has been host to a brilliant and eclectic arts community since its urban beginnings, the city’s technological leanings have been slower in their notoriety. But with Montreal’s success in the video game industry and high-tech start-ups, the truth is coming out: we’re secretly a bunch of techy nerds, but, you know, the cool kind. And cool stuff like the Satosphere, a 360-degree immersive sound-and-video theatre at the Society for Art and Technology is proof. Now operational, the Satosphere is host this week to Six mil Antennas, an experimental film and audio creation that integrates coding, design and photography, October 27–28. For that matter, there’s also J.E.U.X., a transdisciplinary event that blends video games with round-table discussions and art, at Eastern Bloc, November 3–5, 6:30 p.m. each night, free.

(freshly painted) Artists challenge concepts of gallery space as non-profit arts organization Cease brings together five great Montreal-based art entities – En Masse, DÉCOVER Magazine, MASSIVart, and Papirmasse – for Cease It 2, a site-specific, multi-media installation art project featuring the work of 17 artists, at the two-level Fresh Paint Gallery. Exhibition opening party is October 28, show runs to November 26. And The Musee d’art Contemporain’s Quebec Triennial 2011 weekly free performance features Karl Lemieux on November 2 (a Wednesday, also the museum’s weekly no-entrance-fee evening). Check out great work by contemporary Quebec-based artists and afterwards, step outside and watch the blue spotlights of Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s art installation at Quartier des Spectacles.

(devilish drama) Plays within plays, dramas within dramas – it’s the stuff of life and TV sitcoms, and it’s hilarious as long as you’re not directly involved. Theatrics and comedy abound in Ferenc Molnar’s The Play’s The Thing, by Ferenc Molnár, the story of two playwrights, a young composer and love gone awry via communication breakdown, all set in an Italian castle – at the Segal Centre, October 30 to November 20. Enter the unconscious mind of a newspaper humour columnist in Pierre-Michel Tremblay’s dark comedy Coma Unplugged, produced in English by Talisman Theatre, to October 29 at Conservatoire d’art dramatique et de musique (4750 Henri-Julien).

(animal instincts) Most of us don’t hang around with horses regularly – we might pass them in the car as they graze in a field somewhere, being all majestic and stuff, but up-close-and-personal horse time isn’t an everyday occurrence. That’s okay though: feed your inner horse lover at Odysseo, the newest horse-fantasy live spectacular from the creators of Cavalia, to October 30, in Laval. And animal life and metaphor come alive in amazing performer Cat Kidd’s funny, emotional, brilliant show Hyena Subpoena, set in South Africa’s Kruger Park and in fact-meets-fiction memory, at Les Ateliers Jean Brillant (661 Rose De Lima), to October 29.

(night of the living music) Start your Halloween weekend with the psychedelia of The Australian Pink Floyd, a quadraphonic, 3D stereographic spectacle, October 28 at the Bell Centre. Or if all the Halloween-party hype is too much for you, turn to a soothing night of music instead. On October 29, Indie-folk duo The Civil Wars play sweet sounds at church-turned-cultural-venue Gesu (1200 Bleury), and Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls bring their style to the already stylish Corona Theatre (2190 Notre-Dame East). Meanwhile, The Slackers chill out at Cabaret Mile End (5240 Parc). On Sunday, October 30, Selena Gomez teen pops it up at the Bell Centre. On Halloween actual, October 31, gloom and doom descends on Casa del Popolo (4873 St-Laurent) with A Winged Victory For The Sullen, featuring members of Stars of the Lid. And fittingly named, sort of, Holy Ghost is resurrected at Le Belmont (4483 St-Laurent). November 1 sees psych-metal Danava at La Sala Rossa (4848 St-Laurent) and UK hip-hop producer Star Slinger at Il Motore (179 Jean Talon W.).

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