“Tango is the music of my city, a way to live,” says drummer Daniel “Pipi” Piazzolla. “In our country family and romance is very important, and tango is always talking about these kinds of things.” Along with being one of the festival’s honorary presidents this year, Piazzolla will play a tribute show to his grandfather with his band Escalandrum.

The March 2 show, Piazzolla Plays Piazzolla, has already travelled the world, blending tango and jazz musical styles: “I feel much closer to the tango of my grandfather rather than the traditional tango,” says Piazzolla. “I was born in the modern city of Buenos Aires, but my music reflects the music of my grandfather. He knew the roots of tango, he knew everything about tango – the first gig he played was with Carlos Gardel in New York, he played with the best tango band in Argentina in the 1950s, he had a background in jazz and classical and then started to mix these influences in his music – he invented styles of modern tango.”

Daniel Piazzolla mixes musical styles too, taking inspiration from his grandfather and adding his own elements: “I play contemporary jazz, but I also play the music of my grandfather, music that has had an influence all around the world.” Astor Piazzolla is a household name in Argentina, throughout South America and Europe for his “nuevo tango,” but while tango enthusiasts in North America are well acquainted with his music, the general population might not know how much it has seeped into popular culture as a musical influence on jazz and pop and through films such as 12 Monkeys, which makes heavy use of his Suite Punta del Este.

When it comes to dancing, Daniel Piazzolla and his sextet’s music isn’t necessarily meant for formal tango – dancers in Montreal this week will want to go to the La Pista Tango cabaret and milonga for that – but Piazzolla says people find inventive ways to dance along: “I’m not a dancer, but I see when people dance to my grandfather’s music that they’re mixing traditional, classical and contemporary like he did…. When we play, we never want to lose the soul of the music of my grandfather – we play to maintain that soul and the respect for the music.”

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Piazzolla Plays Piazzolla at L’Astral, March 2, 2013

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The Montréal en Lumière free outdoor site is open from Wednesday to Saturday, right in the heart of downtown’s Quartier des Spectacles, in a car-free area between Bleury and Saint-Urbain and De Maisonneuve and Sainte-Catherine streets. See the city from a different angle while riding the ferris wheel or from the top of the fun, fast and icy Urban Slide, and get moving with all kinds of kid-friendly activities, parlour games, a hockey shoot-out area, laser drawing, photo booths and more.

Entertainment is around every corner at Montréal en Lumière. Look up at Place des Festivals to see a new creative project from Montreal multimedia company Geodezik, known for its image-mapped outdoor projections that fit perfectly on city buildings: they’ll be projecting Abécédaire au carré, a bright and colourful animated story on the facade of Maison du Festival Rio Tinto Alcan at 6:30, 7:30 and 9 p.m. each night; find yourself surrounded by short film BLOOP, about water in all its states, in the RBC Dome, from 5:30 p.m. every evening and from 12:30 p.m. on the weekend; see tango demonstrations and learn a few moves at workshops hosted by dance school Las Piernas Tango; and groove to live music and DJs every night on the RBC Stage. And while the food and drink isn’t quite free it’s plentiful, varied and will keep your energy up throughout the fest.

On March 2, head out in the early evening and stay out late for Montreal’s Nuit Blanche when the city’s museums and galleries – including the Montreal Fine Arts Museum, the Musée d’art contemporain, the Canadian Centre for Architecture (where Pop Montreal sets up a stage) – are all free to peruse, with all kinds of activities and artists on hand, from the Quartier des Spectacles to the Old Port to the Plateau and out at the Olympic Park. Even Montreal’s “underground city” is open all night for Art Souterrain – explore the labyrinthine underground passageways, see awesome and inspiring art, say hi to friendly strangers, and stay warm!

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Montréal en Lumière, February 21 to March 3, 2013

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City of Lights, City That Never Sleeps… what are you when you’re both? You’re Montreal during the annual Nuit Blanche and Art Souterrain, that’s what – the arty party night to end all party nights in the city that parties all the time…

Don’t expect to get any rest if you’re in Montreal on March 2, because the night will come alive as the city revels all the way to the next day. As the grand finale of the 10-day long Montreal En Lumière festival, Nuit Blanche Montreal lights the city on fire through the night with, among other things, more art than you can shake a stick at. In addition to the museums and galleries in the Quartier des Spectacles that stay open all night and generally put on a fiesta (drinks and snacks, performances and spontaneous dance parties are all regular occurrences), there are events happening all over town, from Old Montreal to the Plateau to Mile End and the Olympic Park.

How about you start your night out with a tour on the giant Ferris Wheel in the heart of the main site downtown? If you want to stay in that area, may we suggest the cooking class at the MMFA, followed by the philosophical dance party at the Grande Bibliothèque (‘cause we all know no one could cut a rug like Goethe) and a few more hours shaking your moneymaker at Karnival, a huge fiesta hosted by Poirier at Club Soda.

If you’re wandering down to Old Montreal, get your sing on at PHI Centre or your swim on at the Hilton Montreal Bonaventure before taking in a gumboot show at City Hall. Plateau/Mile End bound? Make sure you stop in at Nouveau Palais for a flick or two, Monastiraki for the famous collage party and Mainline Theatre to witness a theatrical extravaganza. If the Olympic Park calls to you, you’ll get a sneak peek at the brand new, as-yet-unopened Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium, plus you can skate on a superhero-themed ice rink.

Nuit Blanche also marks the launch of an art trail through the underground city: Art Souterrain, which runs from March 2 to 17. During one of the coldest months in the city, culture vultures can take refuge in the toasty underground network of malls and metro stations and be thoroughly entertained all the while, thanks to 7 kilometers of in situ exhibitions, installations and performances by over 120 artists. The word “smorgasbord” comes to mind! Here are five must-sees on the trail.

1) Start at the centre of it all, at the Place des Arts, in Zone 1, with the kid-friendly work of Montreal artist TAVA, who harkens back to an old school comic aesthetic to create an imaginary world with his installation La Voie Lactée (the Milky Way). Kids can use it as a maze!

2) Get brainy thanks to Le Pendule (the Pendulum), a performance/video/installation work by Barcelona artist Julia Mariscal, at Complexe Desjardins, in Zone 2. Barcelona is this year’s guest city, and there are many works by compadres throughout this zone. This one represents a whole environment, with sound accompanying a projection onto sleek metallic spheres that recall planets.

3) Get a taste of home with Mémoire en cours (Memories in the making), an installation by Yu-hang Huang composed of dozens and dozens of little white houses suspended at head-height. Dive neck deep into these symbols of memory-making at Palais des Congrès, in Zone 4.

4) Montreal artists Paul Litherland looks into the contrast of work and home with his photographic project Postes de travail familial (Family work stations), exhibited at the Tour de la Bourse, in Zone 6. Featuring portraits of particular homes, the project will continue to develop over the years to track our growing computerization.

5) Pazzazz, by renowned Montreal artist Dominique Pétrin who was in the last Quebec Art Triennial, is an eye-catching fresque whose style the artist describes as “Greco-Roman mixed with a 1970s dance hall vibe.” See what that means at the CDP Capital Centre, in Zone 7.

Prepare for your Art Souterrain tour by using the free iPhone app and downloading the audio guide here.

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Nuit Blanche, March 2, 2013

Art Souterrain, March 2 to 17, 2013

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Molecular cuisine at Pullman: Chef Alejandro Digillo of La Vinería de Gualterio Bolívar in Buenos Aires has worked with the godfather of cutting-edge contemporary cuisine Ferran Adria. Chef Digillo has received several honours for his trendy yet unpretentious local and seasonal cuisine that focuses on applying new techniques in the kitchen. Expect some showmanship and a little bit of the theatrical when he takes over the Pullman kitchen during this year’s fest. February 26-27, 2013, Pullman, 3424 Parc, (514) 288-7779

Lunch around the world: What better way to spend your lunch hour then to travel around the world in search of exotic flavours? From February 25 to March 1, take your taste buds – and your coworkers – on a whirlwind culinary trip. All 6 of these restaurants will be offering 3-course lunch menus for $14.95. Any of these spots would be wonderful but my personal favourites are Byblos and Rumi. February 25 to March 1, 2013, Various locations

Festival of Quebec cheeses: This free activity is a must for all cheese lovers. It’s a great opportunity to discover more than 60 Quebec-made cheeses and meet some of the cheesemakers who will all be gathered at Complexe Desjardins for a 4-day cheese extravaganza. Quebec cheeses have come a long way in the past 20 years and they now rival some of the best imported cheeses. Go on the hunt for your new favourite cheese, learn how to distinguish regional qualities and discover everything you always wanted to know about the intricate process of cheese making from the masters themselves. February 20-23, 2013, Complexe Desjardins, 150 Sainte-Catherine West, (514) 281-1870

Sweet Sucre at Auberge Saint-Gabriel: Sucre is one of the hottest restaurants in Buenos Aires right now and we are lucky to have its chef Hugo Macchia at Montreal en lumière this year. Chef Macchia has worked in some of the world’s best kitchens, including 3-Michelin starred Mugaritz in Spain. He will be a guest chef at Auberge Saint Gabriel where he should be in his element thanks to the similarities between his native and adoptive restaurants, mainly the large cellar and roaster set in a welcoming, hip ambiance. February 21-22, 2013, Auberge Le Saint-Gabriel, 426 Saint-Gabriel, (514) 878-3561

Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean at the Jean-Talon Market: The Jean-Talon market mezzanine will play host to a makeshift bazaar that will welcome 12 producers and food processors from the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region. Discover these welcoming producers, exchange recipes and ideas and discuss their unique products, from dairy products and meats to spices, preserves, jams and regional specialties. February 23-24, 2013, Jean-Talon Market (Mezzanine level, 2^nd floor), 7070 Henri-Julien, (514) 277-1588

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It will come as no surprise that a festival named after a Swiss-mountain-dwelling gnome who uses his giant feet as skis and takes pride in his frozen beard would favour extreme sports done in extreme temperatures. Barbegazi takes over the esplanade at Montreal’s sprawling Olympic Park February 15-16, generally trying to outdo the mammoth architecture of the Olympic Stadium with dangerous – yet super entertaining – snowboard, freeski, snowskate, snowmobile (“freestyle sled”) and lumberjack competitions.

Watch the action unfold from the safe distance of the sidelines as experts and amateurs take to the Park’s snowy grounds starting at 5 p.m. on Friday, February 15, with snowboard, freeski and snowskate free practice sessions, along with death-defying aerial snowmobiling demos, all to the tune of DJ A-Rock. Saturday’s activities start at noon with more free practice, finals, best-trick sessions and lumberjack competitions, with music provided by DJs Cantin, Ros-B and Funkyfalz, culminating in awards ceremonies for all sports.

On hand to talk about why and how they do what they do are some of the sports’ top athletes, who will sign autographs, answer questions and maybe even give wannabe winter athletes tips on safety and awesomeness. At the end of each day, music and parties are there to chill everyone out: the festival’s kickoff party happens on February 14 at Mr. Smith (4061 Ontario E.), on February 15 at 9:30 p.m. France’s The Trickaz play a live set at the Olympic Park followed by an afterparty at Rose Phillips, (5800 De La Roche), and Saturday night’s Griffon After-Ski Party is sure to be the relaxing breather everyone needs after a weekend of extremes.

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Barbegazi Winter Action Sports Festival, February 15-16, 2012

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Musically, Montréal en Lumière spans genres and the globe, from classic American rock band The Zombies (yes!) to crowd favourite Diana Krall to a whole series of shows inspired by this year’s guest city, Buenos Aires, Argentina, including tango grandmaster Daniel Piazzolla and his sextet Escalandrum and award-winning tango dancers and musicians at the La Pista Tango show at Place des Arts.

Acclaimed pianist Alain Lefèvre returns to Montreal to play his own compositions, soprano Marie-Josée Lord sings a selection of Spanish, Latin and Portuguese songs, blues, folk and gospel is in store with Eric Bibb and Habib Koité, and on February 22, it’s time to party with Montreal ska-funk band The Planet Smashers. Meanwhile, on the more eclectic rock-folk end of things, there’s Pierre Lapointe, -M-, Karim Ouellet, Colin Moore, Thus: Owls, and more, as well as classical, jazz and gospel shows lighting up evenings throughout the festival.

For drama, intrigue and wonder look to Montréal en Lumière’s theatre, dance and circus shows: Trad follows the story of an Irish centenarian and his father as they traverse the Irish countryside in search of their remaining family; The Humanity Project’s 50-person-strong Pigeons International poetically blends theatre and dance; multimedia performance-installation The Speaking Tent tells stories of urban life and traditional ways.

Agora de la Danse joins in with new contemporary dance performances from Harold Rhéaume and José Navas; the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain flies high with some of the best acrobats and circus artists in the world; Magnitude6, full_range blows electronic-music-loving minds with arrangements by Brandt Brauer Frick; and a series of old-school cabaret dinner-and-dancing shows unwinds at Le Balcon.

Along with all that music and on-stage spectacle is plenty of free entertainment. The festival’s family-friendly outdoor site at Quartiers des Spectacles around Place des Arts will feature a disco-inspired ice slide (totally worth the wait in line), interactive projections on the area’s buildings, music,  and much more. All this activity culminates in Nuit Blanche on March 2, a thousands-strong public event that spans the city’s galleries, theatres, underground corridors and outdoor stages – and goes on late, late into the night.

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Montréal en Lumière, February 21 to March 3, 2013

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