(ice action) Check out the extreme activity at the all-new Barbegazi Winter Action Sports Festival, a weekend-long event at Montreal’s Olympic Park showcasing experts in snowboard, freeski, snowskate and freestyle sled (aerial tricks on a snowmobile!). A little less extreme, but still very wintery and oh-so-Canadian, is the Ice Fishing Village set up with all the rugged amenities down at the Old Port– get a taste of the country (yes, you can keep and eat the fish!) in the middle of the city. The Old Port’s skating rink beckons the active among us, while the Snow Village entices with a bit more luxury. And, of course, you could also catch the Habs in hockey action.

(winter city lights) Take the chill off winter with music, entertainment, traditional and gourmet food, and outdoor activities – including a ferris wheel, giant ice slide and live music in the heart of downtown – at the 14th Montréal en Lumière festival, starting Thursday, February 21. The fest opens with La Pista Tango, a tango-meets-circus show with live orchestra on stage at Place des Arts’  Theatre Maisonneuve. Also explore new cuisines at special lunch events, happy hours and dinner spreads, and see the art of famed singer Tonny Bennett, French music star -M-, theatre-dance show The Humanity Project, charming music duo Luc De Larochellière and Andrea Lindsay, and more.

 (world-wide circus) Montreal lives up to its reputation as a circus capital with the 34th Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain, a Paris-based competition and best-of tour featuring some of the top circus acts in the world. See acrobats, trapeze artists, jugglers, clowns, contortionists and more family-friendly entertainment February 19 to March 2 at Montreal’s professional and educational circus centre Tohu.

(theatre & dance) J.M. Coetzee’s Nobel Prize-winning book questioning how we measure civilized behaviour is writ large on stage in Waiting for the Barbarians, based on the, at the Segal Centre, to February 17. Centaur Theatre delves into the true story of murder in 1950s rural Ontario in Innocence Lost, to February 24. Huge, colourful, theatrical Indian dance show Bharati – The Wonder that is India wows to February 17 at Place des Arts. Learn a few moves yourself at the Bal Du Dimanche Samba Brésilienne on February 17, 2 p.m. at Place des Arts. As part of Montreal Black History Month, activist-writer Aphra Behn’s play Oroonoko is at the MAI to February 17 – and American Black civil rights activist Angela Davis takes the stage for a discussion at L’Astral on February 18.

(hot live music) Friday night is right with the electro-indie-pop of Passion Pit, with high-energy opening act Matt & Kim at Metropolis, or sit back and let the romantic vibes of Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band wash over you at Cabaret Mile End, or check out the very talented and charming Katie Moore and Aroara at Casa del Popolo. Also on February 15, the Imani Gospel Choir sings songs inspired by civil rights movements in the USA, part of Montreal Black History Month. On February 16, California-based producer-songwriter Toro Y Moi shares his unique musical style at Club Soda and legendary Detroit DJ Dez spins at the PHI Centre. Latin-Grammy-award nominated soulful singer Prince Royce rolls into Metropolis on February 17. California pop band Maroon5 bring their disturbingly catchy tunes to the Bell Centre on February 20. The Montreal New Music International Festival opens February 21 with the Ensemble de la SMCQ paying homage to Claude Vivier, and runs until March 3. And February 21 also brings the fine and dandy Indigo Girls to the Corona Theatre and hip and inventive Slim Twig and U.S Girls to Casa del Popolo.

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(poutine party) It’s finally happened: Quebec’s signature dish of fries, cheese curds and gravy has been turned into a festival (of sorts). Montreal Poutine Week, February 1-7, sees the late-night meal of choice elevated to imaginative heights as 30 restaurants whip up a special poutines at special prices – with proceeds going towards the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation. Tour the town from Old Montreal to Mile End in search of your favourite, from variations on the classic to gourmet interpretations.

(outdoor fun & games) More comfort food is on the agenda at First Saturdays at the Olympic Park on February 2, 1-7 p.m. – bring the kids to skate, slide and play at the Olympic Park’s Winter Village  and warm up with hot dishes from fabulous Montreal food trucks Grumman 78, Pastaga, Lucky’s, Pas d’cochon dans mon salon and Gaufrabec. For those yearning for a game of pick-up hockey, head out to one of Montreal’s bustling outdoor rinks. Meanwhile, out at the Ecomuseum Zoo, the Zoolympics are underway February 2 and 3: to mark its 25th anniversary, the Ecomuseum challenges families to a contest (with prizes!) involving animal trivia, physical feats and fun.

(fashion forward) Get a leg up on what’s haute for next fall/winter at Montreal Fashion Week, February 4-7 at Arsenal. The runway is rife with established and new Montreal designers showcasing their gorgeous concepts, and fashion is on everyone’s mind at conferences, exhibits and more, such as a series of fashion film screenings that includes a tribute to Montreal-born designer Rad Hourani.

(theatre & dance) A huge original Dali painting is both backdrop and inspiration for La Verità, a colourful, theatrical circus show created by Daniele Finzi Pasca, at Place des Arts to February 3. Catch the final night of the Opéra de Montreal production of Johann Strauss II’s lively Die Fledermaus, featuring tenor Marc Hervieux, on February 2. Montreal’s Beautiful City Theatre lets out all the stops in Godspell, The Musical, with final nights February 1-2, at Centaur Theatre. The revolution of an African price turned slave unfolds in Oroonoko, written by Aphra Behn and directed by Paul Van Dyck, at the MAI, February 6-17, part of Montreal Black History Month. And in contemporary dance, choreographer Karine Denault’s Pleasure Dome sees dancers and musicians shaking it up together, February 6-9 at Agora de la Danse.

(art & the world) The diverse land, history and culture of Peru at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts immersive Peru : Kingdoms of the Sun and Moon exhibition, opening February 2 – see pre-Columbian masterpieces along with modern art from the country’s creative forces. Six artists create sculpture, photography, painting and multidisciplinary works of art inspired by Martin Luther King’s famous speech in the I Have a Dream: The Exhibit, part of the Montreal Black History Month activities, at Espace Georges Emile Lapalme. And new photography and multidisciplinary exhibitions by artists Laurent Grasso, Lynne Cohen and Jonathas de Andrade open at the Musee d’art Contemporain, beginning February 7.

(music makers) Outdoor electronic music festival Igloofest keeps dancers and good-time-lovers warm out there with its third weekend of fun, featuring UK producer Ewan Pearson, US DJ Magda, France’s Agoria, housey-experimental Audiofly and more. Music is on the Black History Month program on February 2 with Ladysmith Black Mambazo at L’astral and Kalmunity remixing Blaxploitation era funk at the Phi Centre. Julie Doiron rocks, croons and keeps it real at Casa del Popolo on Sunday, February 3. On Monday, indie-rock duo Buke and Gase delight at Casa del Popolo. Eclectic rock singer-songwriting Ty Segall plays Cabaret Mile End on February 5. And on February 7, pop star Shawn Desman plays Le National, while it’s all Gershwin, Bernstein, Daugherty and Copland tunes for the Orchestre Métropolitain‘s Made in the USA show, at the Maison symphonique de Montréal.

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Liam Maloney is a photographer who specializes in editorial and long-term documentary work. Though he travels the world for work, Montreal will always be home for him and we were thrilled to hear that he was interested in spending a day shooting some outdoor hockey games for us.

For these photos, Maloney visited rinks in Verdun, the Plateau and Little Italy. If you’re looking for a complete list of Montreal’s outdoor and indoor ice, make sure you check out the great Patiner Montreal website, which not only maps out all of the city’s rinks, but offers interactive information on ice conditions, hours of availability and more. Game on.

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(New Year’s Eve) Montreal’s long-time reputation as a party town is based almost entirely on fact, with a few tall tales thrown in to keep people guessing – and New Year’s Eve always has the potential to be the stuff of legend. Sure, NYE isn’t technically in January, but its after-effects usually continue for at least a day or three, so consider the Montreal Buzz Guide to New Year’s Eve 2012, a key to starting the month out right. Whatever your style, the guide has a suggestion: dinners out, fun with the family, big parties, small parties, dancing and romancing.

[www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5Nr5GUPT9g]

(snow city) Montreal’s Snow Village, the first and only of its kind in North America, steps it up another notch this year to bring a bit of New York City into the wintry mix. The Snow Village still has a giant snow slide and other outdoor activities, hot tubs, a heated igloo, a fully equipped hotel and restaurant, and more, but with a few big-city twists. The site, located in Parc Jean-Drapeau just across the water from the city centre, officially opens January 18, but the bar and restaurant, along with many activities – including a train ride and snow sculpture workshops for kids – will be open starting January 4. And there’s more to do in the snow at the outdoor skating rink in the Old Port, open all winter with rentals available on site, and over at the Olympic Park Winter Village.

(on-stage spectacle) Live theatre and dance is big in Montreal, especially during the winter months, with visiting troupes and local companies taking the city’s stages. World-wide award-winning hit Billy Elliot: The Musical comes to Montreal for eight shows January 8-13 at Place des Arts – based on the film of the same name, the show tells the story of a young British boy who dreams of becoming a dancer. Beautiful City Theatre puts on rock-musical classic Godspell, The Musical, January 24-26 and 31 at Centaur Theatre in Old Montreal. On a smaller scale, Centaur Theatre’s Wildside Festival showcases plays that are a little off the beaten track – and always entertaining – January 3-13. In dance, Danse Danse brings us La Otra Orilla, a new flamenco show from dancer/choreographer Myriam Allard and singer Hedi Graja, at Cinquième Salle January 16-26. Contemporary dance is always on the program for L’Agora de la danse, celebrating the 10th anniversary of Andrew de Lotbinière Harwood’s Discovery bal January 11-12 and choreographer Marie Béland’s Bleu-Vert-Rouge January 23-26.

(spa zone) Warm up in January at one of Montreal’s fabulous spas, such as beautiful Bota Bota, located on a refurbished boat on the St-Lawrence River just steps from Old Montreal, tranquil Spa Scandinave in the heart of the old city, or head over to the thermal waters and Finnish saunas of Strøm Spa Nordic located on Ile-des-Soeurs – they even have a Night Under the Stars late-night spa/nightclub event. Wherever you are in Montreal, there’s a spa close by, whether in Old Montreal, downtown or in the nearby Plateau neighbourhood.

(dancing on ice) Get your groove on at Igloofest, Montreal’s one-of-a-kind outdoor electronic music festival, spanning four weeks this year, with big-name music talent, awesome visuals and crowds ready to dance the night away. Igloofest goes down every Thursday to Saturday night from January 17 to February 9 at Jacques-Cartier Quay in the Old Port, kicking off with none other than Sasha on the main Sapporo stage and running strong from there with house, dubstep and all kinds of electronic music in between and beyond.

(educational fun) Science and music combine in Musik: From Sound to Emotion a cool, kid-friendly, hands-on exhibition about how music works on our minds and bodies, featuring videos from pop-punk band Simple Plan and an opportunity to create a personal composition, at the Montreal Science Centre until March 10. Watch Montreal history unfold and see rare artifacts from Richard Béliveau’s vast collection of samurai armour, weapons and more at Pointe-à-Callière, the Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History – where if the temperature drops below zero degrees celsius, visitors get an equal percentage off the admission price throughout January and February!

(out-there art world) Montreal’s high-tech art, culture and education centre, Society for Art and Technology (SAT) opens its state-of-the-art, surround sound-and-image Satosphere to new media artist Rocco Helmchen and composer Johannes Kraas, who show their panoramic symphonic audio-visual show Chaos and Order, every night from January 15 to February 22 – an immersive work of art that uses fractals, geometric forms and chaos theory to blur the edges of reality, mathematics and the imagination.

(live music) As always, Montreal has a packed live music schedule. Among the bigger names this month are popular hardcore rock band Quicksand, playing January 8 at at the Corona Theatre, followed at the same venue by the greatness of The Walkmen and Father John Misty on January 15, and All Time Low, Yellowcard and Fireworks on January 16. On January 10, Montreal indie-pop-rock band Purity Ring prooves why they’ve gotten so much hype, with Young Magic, at Le National (1220 Ste-Catherine E.). Wakey Wakey raise the roof with rollicking love songs at Cabaret du Mile End (5240 Parc) on January 24. British electro-pop singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding comes to Montreal with St.Lucia on January 26, while Reel Big Fish brings a good ol’ time to Theatre Corona Virgin Mobile, and The Harley Show revs its engines with motorcycle mania and rock n’ roll at the Bell Centre. On January 28, still going strong in his own special way, Marilyn Manson takes the stage at Metropolis. And rock n’ roll nostalgia is in full force at The Queen Extravaganza at the Bell Centre on January 30.

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(New Year’s Eve) Welcome a brand-new year in true Montreal style: the Montreal Buzz Guide to New Year’s Eve in Montreal offers an array of ideas, from five-course meals to pub crawls, family-friendly outings in the Old Port to champagne-fuelled comedy shows, jazz clubs to multi-room parties, and all kinds of late-night dancing. New Year’s Eve in Montreal is a party no matter what your idea of a party is.

(festive food) Montreal has become a destination for feasting on gourmet comfort food, especially for meat eaters, from pork belly to tourtière. The SAT Foodlab throws an end-of-the-world, prix-fixe dinner, Souper Apocalyptique, on December 21. And then there’s the Christmas Day tradition, mostly among people who don’t celebrate Christmas but also among people who just want to eat a lot of good food, of going for a huge Chinese lunch or dinner: lots of duck, hot soup, fried seafood, dumplings and house specialties. Follow it up with sweetness: chocolates, truffles, freshly baked bread, croissants and more, all made in Montreal.

(last-minute shopping) Get one-of-a-kind gifts at the biggest craft and artisinal fair in Canada, Salon des métiers d’art, where over 400 Quebec artists and artisans set up booths full of professionally handmade clothing, toys, home decor, food and much more – at Place Bonaventure only until December 22. Our Holiday Gift Guide is also full of Montreal-made ideas and suggestions for stores to shop for everyone on your list. Of course, picking up a little something for yourself couldn’t hurt, right? Peruse the guides for fashion-forward women and men before hitting the shops.

(super-entertainment on stage) Let Cirque du Soleil’s Saltimbanco blow your mind with gasp-worthy acrobatics, genuinely funny clowning, and feats of strength and stamina, all in one bright, colourful, musical show. What makes this run super special is that it’s the last time Santimbanco – see it until December 30 at the Bell Centre. Also in circus happenings, Cirque Alphonse’s Timber! turns Montreal circus centre Tohu into in a Christmas-y forest populated by lumberjack acrobats, clowns and laughs, on until December 31. And the traditional, balletic holiday fare Les Grands Ballets’ The Nutcracker continues to December 30 at Place des Arts.

(outdoor fun) Even in winter, Montrealers spend time outdoors, burning off steam (and calories) with winter sports or just walking through the city – there’s plenty to see, and this time of year much of it is illuminated. On Saturday night at 8 p.m. and on New Year’s Eve at midnight, the Telus Fire on Ice fireworks explode over the picturesque Old Port, also home to a huge outdoor skating rink. Families will also want to check out Noël sur l’avenue along Mont Royal Avenue east of Mont Royal Park, and the further-east Olympic Park Winter Village, where from December 22-24 and again December 27-31, kids and adults alike can go ice skating and sledding, hang out with Rudolph and the other reindeer, sing Christmas songs and more – there are even fireworks on December 31.

(music nights) In the holiday tradition: hear the Notre-Dame Basilica organ in action on December 23-24 and 28-31 at 2 p.m., join the Arte Musica choral concert Let’s Sing Christmas! at the Montreal Fine Arts Museum on December 28-29, 2 p.m., and listen to choirs at the Montreal Botanic Gardens greenhouse on the afternoons of December 22-23. Less traditional: Party with the locals at the Third Annual Passovah Holiday Special on December 21 at Casa del Popolo, with bands, DJs and good, good people. The Objet Inusité International Summit on Audio Art is on at Eastern Bloc on December 21, with installations during the day and performances at 8 p.m., culminating December 22 with a bang at Sala Rossa with arty, fun music from Valleys, UN, Agor, Orkestar Kriminal ad DJ Matteo Grondini. On December 22, Indie Montréal throws a fab fundraiser Christmas Party at Divan Orange with David Martel , Ainsley McNeaney and Motel Raphaël. And fans of Alexisonfire either already have a ticket to their sold out shows or will be outside at Metropolis December 22 and 23 trying their luck getting one. And long-time UK punk band Snuff make it to Foufounes on December 30.

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(illuminated learning) Hands-on learning about how music works on our minds is at the heart of Musik: From Sound to Emotion, a cool new exhibition at The Montreal Science Centre. Every step of the exhibition’s journey is interactive – each visitor carries an MP3 player to listen to music of all kinds (including by pop-punk band Simple Plan, who collaborated on the exhibition), answer questions and create a personal composition. Less high-tech, but delightfully educational nonetheless is a visit to the Insectarium and The Botanical Gardens, where the main greenhouse is decked out for Christmas with lights, new plant life, choir performances on some afternoons, and even a craft fair December 7-9.

(glorious showtime) Lumberjack acrobats tumble among pine trees in Cirque Alphonse’s Timber!, a comedic, musical circus for the whole family, December 18-31 at Montreal’s one-and-only circus centre, Tohu. Geordie Productions specializes in creating shows for children that their parents can also truly enjoy – this year they’ve put a new twist on Robin Hood, the classic tale of do-good outlaws and their merry ways, playing December 7-16 at the Centaur Theatre in Old Montreal (453 St-Francois-Xavier). For more traditional holiday theatre fair, see Les Grands Ballets unveils its colourful annual performance of The Nutcracker, December 13-30 at Place des Arts, while Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol becomes a musical, complete with 14 songs, at Theatre Rialto on December 14.

(holiday history) A question possibly on many a kid’s mind this season: Who is the real Santa Claus? Pointe-a-Calliere Museum of Archaeology and History answers with an theatrical tour of international holiday traditions, from St. Nicholas, Melchior and Babushka to Santa Claus, throughout December – see the museum’s website for tour times. For toys and nothing but toys, visit The McCord Museum’s Toys 3 – The Voyage exhibition, where children aged 3 to 9 can travel through the adventureland of Abracadabra, where 200 historical toys are on display in wild jungles and next to crackling campfires.

(joy of art) The Montréal Museum of Fine Arts gives the gift of free tours and art activities this season: wander through an indoor forest of 35 Christmas trees, decorated in different styles, see museum’s permanent collections, kids and parents can make their own tree decorations and wrapping paper in a Holiday Decoration Workshop (Saturdays and Sundays, drop in), paint a pastel and ink landscape (Saturdays and Sundays, 1 and 2:30 p.m.) and listen to stories (in English Saturdays and Sundays, 1 p.m.). The Musee d’art contemporain also has art workshops for the family every Sunday afternoon, with a different theme each week. And traditional and contemporary art as well as plenty of craft – including all kinds of hand-made toys – that you can not only look at but buy is in abundance at Montreal’s artisanal and craft fairs.

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First up, Ice Fishing in the Old Port. What I love most about Ice Fishing in the Old Port is doing for hearty laughs and good instagram photos, what the founders of Montreal did bitterly for survival probably in this exact spot hundreds of years ago. Back then many did not survive. Today on the other hand, we can enjoy the 300, 000 feet of ice in heated shelters, and all the materials necessary to catch species like walleye, perch and burbot. Check out their website to find out how to reserve. Big groups and families welcome!

Aptly nicknamed “Chess on Ice” – curling is a game of strategy, wit, and ice sweeping. Back in the 18th century, Scottish soldiers would play this sport out of modified cannonballs. At the Stewart Museum on Ile-Sainte-Helene you can slide and brush your way back in time with costumed instructors, cups of hot broth, and ye ol’ tales around a crackling fire. I don’t know if it’s against the rules, but how much fun would hot toddies and old-fashioned curling be? Especially when there are period costumes involved. Check out the details here.

I remember the first time I went snowshoeing as a child; I was convinced that this is what like walking on the moon felt like. I’ll admit that when I went snowshoeing last year, logic held no place in my heart and still thought the same thing. Starting January 5 and going all the way until March 9, strap on a pair and see the wonders of Montreal from Mount Royal in a 75 minute guided tour on snowshoes. The family-friendly trek starts shortly after sunset, and it might not take you to the moon, but from atop the mountain you’ll certainly feel a lot closer.

Many Canadian children learn to skate before they learn to walk. Nothing beats gliding atop frozen water like a wintery Jesus and pretending you’re Joannie Rochette. Montreal has tones of places to skate this winter: The beautiful Bonsecours Basin with the Montreal skyline in the background, Beaver Lake surrounded by the urban wilderness of Mont-Royal, the winter wonderland of Parc Lafontaine, or the hockey loving Maisonneuve Park. Hate the cold? Try Le 1000 Atrium at 1000 De La Gauchetiere West for an indoor simulated skating experience sans frostbite.

Just because we can’t watch the NHL this winter, doesn’t mean we can’t get our fill of ice game. The Stars de Montreal is the Women’s hockey team! Remember these are many of the same women who have lead Canada to gold medal victory at the past three winter Olympic games. They’ll be playing home games December 8 & 9 plus January 19 & 20. Plus tickets are only $10!

If you’ve never tried Cross-Country Skiing before, chances are you’ve made fun of Cross-Country skiing. If ice fishing and curling doesn’t torch enough calories for you, then look no further than the deceptive nature of Cross-Country. This is a serious workout, and can be a fun challenge if you’ve never tried it before. Note: If you’ve never done it before, take a lesson because it’s far more difficult than just willing yourself forward. Check out trails on Mont Royal, Parc Maissonneuve, Cap Saint-Jacques or the Bois de L’Ile Bizard. Although if it snows enough this holiday seasons, there’s nothing stopping you from skiing anywhere really.

“Toboggan” comes from the French-Canadian word “tabaganne” which comes from the Native American (Micmac) word “topagan” which means, “sled.” Now, I would never claim to be a skilled tobogganist, but there is a certain art to it. The art being going fast enough to be “yay toboggan!” but not so fast you crash and smash your pelvis. Which my friend has done tobogganing. The best tobogganing in Montreal is on Mont Royal by Beaver Lake. Although all you really need is a snowy hill. So look, climb, and conquer. Be safe and wear a helmet!

Last but not least, my favorite winter sporting activity: Outdoor Aerobics during Igloofest. Put on your sleekest snowsuit, channel your best Fonda, and jazzercise yourself slimmer to the beats of the best DJs in quite possibly the coolest (pun not intended, and it stays) atmosphere ever. Also, instead of icky water like at a real aerobics session, you can refresh on breaks with not-water, ergo alcohol.

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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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As you can see in the video above, Montreal has large, busy spots like Parc LaFontaine, as well as tons of smaller-but-super-cool rinks, like the one (located near Ontario and Papineau) hosting the nighttime hockey game. I’ve already written, if I do say so myself, a pretty good post on Where To Skate in Montreal. I’d also like to point you towards a new interactive website called Patiner Montréal, which not only displays what you can do at each one of Montreal’s outdoor rinks, but the condition and quality of the ice in each spot. All that’s left is to go get out there!

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