Montreal in the hot months feels like the reason the sun exists – the city shines like a mirage full or music festivals, lively parks and revelers everywhere you turn. You don’t have to ask us twice to stay out of doors, and with these great activities, even the kids will agree. No TV show in the world compares to the fun to be had in the great outdoors…

The gorgeous 245 hectare natural park that is the Morgan Arboretum kicks the party off on May 10 with a hopping evening: Frog Songs: The Symphony of Spring invites you and yours to break out your flashlights and discover the amazing nocturnal life of amphibians from 7 to 9 pm. Join Chris Cloutier as he takes you down to a local swamp in search of our cold-blooded friends. On Saturday, May 18, from 8 am to noon, the arboretum sings spring’s praises with The Birds of Spring, in honour of the peak of the spring migration. The trees are alive with birds all over this beautiful park, and this excursion will introduce you to dozens of species.

Speaking of birds, the Parc des Rapides is a gorgeous natural site at the foot of the Lachine rapids, on the St. Lawrence River, with a tremendously diverse ecological zone. Since 1937 it’s acted as a migratory bird refuge – what’s special is that now’s the time to spot the nests housing the next generation of birdies. The park is home to 225 species of birds, 66 species of fish and 250 types of plants! Plus it’s free to visit.

May 13 kicks off the season of water fun at H2O Adventures, where you can rent any of 50 watercraft, from kayaks to pedal boats to canoes or electric motorboats. Take the kids for a fast ride along the Lachine Canal, or go more mellow and teach them how to canoe like our ancestors did – it’s a good way to give them a history lesson without them even knowing it.

While you’re in that neck of the woods, bike or stroll along the Lachine Canal to the Musée Plein Air de Lachine, an amazing, monumental sculpture garden that’s among the largest open air museums in Canada. The 50 works on view include some by André Fournelle, Michel Goulet, David Moore and Bill Vazan – and for once, this is a museum where kids are allowed to touch the art!

Take the fam sky high with Air Saint-Laurent, Montreal’s own seaplane service from Île Sainte-Hélène, at the foot of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge. Explore the city by helicopter, or aboard their famous Beaver, a seaplane that will take you over the Olympic Stadium, downtown, green spaces and parks galore before landing you back down, amazed.

The Botanical Gardens is natural bliss incarnate, and during the 1000 Days for the Planet, kids get to learn about the planet’s biodiversity every week from Tuesday to Sunday in an exhibition that mashes together science and art. Make sure you keep time to stroll through the picturesque gardens – from the Chinese garden to the rose bushes, it’s all blooming beautiful right now.

And for the simplest, quickest, quintessentially Montreal-est free fun in the sun, go use the swings on President Kennedy and St-Urbain, right in the Quartier des Spectacles. They’ll sing to you.

THE DETAILS

Morgan Arboretum, 150 chemin des Pins, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, (514) 398-7811

Parc des Rapides, corner 6th Avenue and LaSalle Boulevard, (514) 367-6351

H2O Adventures, 2985B St-Patrick, (514) 842-1306

Musée Plein Air de Lachine, Parc René-Lévesque, Lachine, (514) 634-3478

Air Saint-Laurent, departure points depends on the adventure, (514) 447-7950

Botanical Gardens, 4101 Sherbrooke East, (514) 872-1400

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Last autumn, Montreal became home to one of the biggest and most ambitious rock climbing gyms in the country: Allez Up. But Allez Up had been around for many years before, just down the street from its shiny new current location near the Lachine Canal in the neighbourhood of Pointe St-Charles.

With the new facility came more – and higher – climbing walls, more bouldering areas, more space for groups learning to climb, and a soon-to-be-reality dream of turning two old silos into a high-climbing experience like none other. The new space also peaked the interest of people looking for a new way to stay active (and maybe face a few fears and get an adrenaline rush along the way – believe me, I’m proof).

On any given day at Allez Up, seasoned climbers scale the walls alongside newbies and school groups, creating an atmosphere unlike that of a typical gym – here people seem to naturally challenge themselves and learn from each other, getting stronger and more adept in the process. For those who haven’t tried climbing before, Allez Up offers excellent courses for first-time climbers and for younger climbers too, with equipment (harness, shoes, belay device) included, covering essentials such as knot-tying, harness use and belaying (safety first and always!), basic techniques and getting comfortable with climbing high. Always remember: falling is fun.

While rope climbing requires a partner, a necessity that both provides motivation and keeps the sport social, there’s the option to simply stay off the ropes and stick with bouldering, a sport that keeps climbers lower to the ground (with huge mats to land on, of course) but is just as challenging as climbing a wall. Courses for improving technique on the wall and learning how to lead climb take climbers to the next level, as do personal training sessions. With new routes going up regularly, from beginner to seriously advanced, Allez Up keeps the mind and body challenged while still having a ton of fun.

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THE DETAILS

Allez Up, 1555 St-Patrick, (514) 989-9656

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(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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From our beloved and storied hockey franchise the Montreal Canadiens to our surging soccer team the Montreal Impact, from hometown UFC hero Georges St-Pierre to the power and spectacle of the Grand Prix and the thrilling athleticism of the Rogers Cup, Montreal is a year-long destination for sports fans. And if you’re coming to town for the big game and you need a place to stay, we can help with that too.

The post SPORTS COME ALIVE IN MONTREAL: CANADIENS, GSP, ROGERS CUP, IMPACT AND MORE appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.

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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If tailgating isn’t an option in the cold winter months, then take the party indoors and hit up Blackstrap BBQ: the big boss mix plate is something that everyone should experience. A sampling of everything on the menu from smoked ribs and brisket to turkey and fried mac and cheese balls, this meal can feed a small family or serve as a reward to someone who’s just finished watching Silver Linings Playbook.

Momesso’s is an institution for any dude in NDG. This sports bar/restaurant is like your uncle’s basement man-cave that’s stuck in the 80s. Sports trophies and paraphernalia line the walls of this former NHLer’s classic diner that serves up their signature submarines with homemade hot sauce. The “supreme” usually hits the spot – steak, Italian sausage, sautéed onions and bell peppers, topped with cheese, coleslaw and their hot sauce.

Math is manly and so is hitting up Poutineville, who throw down 77 billion different combinations of custom-made poutines to order. From their signature smashed potatoes to julienned or sweet potatoes, this place features a poutine that pays homage to Montreal; a smoked meat poutine with mushrooms and fried pickle.

Il Piatto Pieno is the perfect place for the wannabe Soprano. Fire-cooked pizzas and fresh pastas to order (not to mention it’s BYOW), this spot in Little Italy leaves nothing up to the imagination when role-playing your favourite HBO Mafioso. Red and white checkered tablecloths frame towering plates of perfectly cooked Fettuccini Amalfitana – garlic, shallots, sun-dried tomatoes and cherry tomatoes in a lush rose sauce.

What’s more manly than eating with your hands at a taco joint that’s situated in a converted parking garage, eating off homemade furniture made with recycled shipping pallets while sipping drinks out of a bag? Montreal’s first taco truck has turned their headquarters into a full-fledged dining option. With a rotating menu of inspired items, keep an eye out for their turkey dinner taco – thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings… in a taco! Check their Facebook page for their hockey night specials as well.

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 THE DETAILS

Blackstrap BBQ, 4436 Rue Wellington, (514) 507-6772

Restaurant Momesso, 5562 Chemin Upper Lachine, (514) 484-0005

Poutineville, Multiple Locations

Il Piato Pieno, 177, St-Zotique East, (514) 276-1076

Grumman78, 30 de Courcelle, (514) 290-5125

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Chronically underperforming forward Scott Gomez is providing for one of the more scintillating sagas that are circulating. Gomez, who has been plagued by injuries, scored only two goals last season after going more than a calendar year without scoring. This year, with the permission of the NHL’s new collective bargaining agreement, Habs’ brass have told Gomez he needn’t bother showing up. There likely won’t be any argument: he excels at not showing up.

Last season’s surprise star Erik Cole anchored the Canadiens’ top line, which alone accounted for 40.6 percent of the team’s scoring. Cole has said he is considering early retirement, this with three seasons left on his contract… At the other end of the self-imposed drama spectrum is P.K. Subban. The gregarious Subban, at the heart of Montreal’s young but potentially excellent defensive corps, is the lone contract holdout as the team goes into training camp this week. He wants a kazillion dollars and keys to the locker room for all eternity. He’s 23.

Veteran defenceman Andrei Markov’s story has been more of an epic tale of woe having spent most of the last two years in rehab following consecutive reconstructive knee surgeries. Somewhat understandably, somewhat hilariously, Markov recently told NHL.com that “I don’t want to talk about my knee.” Funny, ’cause that’s all anyone’s going to talk about the first time someone takes Markov heavily into the boards.

And also back in action is Canadiens captain Brian Gionta, who missed 51 games last season with torn biceps and hasn’t played in more than a year, and whose larger-than-height presence (he’s 5’7”) has been sorely missed. Though probably more sorely for him.

But enough about them, the real hockey story in Montreal has always been the club’s unfailingly, outspokenly loyal fans. In light of the recent lockout, the Canadiens organization says they intend to show their appreciation for the perpetual unconditional love with as-yet-unannounced goodwill gestures. In the meantime, they’re proceeding with a number of so-called “Hockey is Back!” initiatives this week.

On January 17, fans are invited to watch the team’s Red vs. White scrimmage at the Bell Centre, for free. On January 19, the first day of the new hockey season, Montreal will face arch rivals the Toronto Maple Leafs. The morning skates for both teams will be open to the public, with the Habs practising at 10:30 a.m., and the Leafs warming up at 11:30 a.m. And in further good news, all are invited to partake in a two-day sale, January 17 and 19, at the Habs Zone boutique in the Bell Centre – all Habs merch is 50% off.

What’s good news for Habs fans – who have never been afraid to show their love with money – is also good news for the many downtown restaurants which cater to hungry Habs fans, and also the many other popular game-watching destinations for which Montreal is renowned. And while the shorter season has doubtless been painful for many up ’til now, the 48-game season promises an intensity that wouldn’t otherwise be seen at this time of the year – the excitement across the city is already palpable as the lockout moves at light speed from forgiven to forgotten. Which brings us to tickets… The Canadiens have sold out every single game since 2004. ’Nuff said. (Cough- scalpers – cough)

And finally, for those who love their technology, the Canadiens – who can be followed/tweeted here – are offering loads of iPhone, iPad, Android and Blackberry apps, Habs browsers and toolbars, and a bunch of other cool and fun geeky stuff on their website. So go (to the ) Habs (website) go!

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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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With 2013 fast approaching, we wanted to look back at some of the amazing moments that made 2012 so special and recognize and highlight all the amazing work our cameraman Guillaume Langlois has done. Please check out all of the videos on the Tourisme Montreal Youtube channel and we’ll see you next year!

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