Montreal on the Cheap » Festivals

Montreal Italian Week, Aug. 6-15/2010

MarijkeD — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 13:58:02 +0000

Italians in Montreal join together to offer Montreal another week of Italian sounds, sights, and flavours. From August 6 to 15, 2010, you’ll find many events going on around the city.

Rather than just copy and paste their website, I suggest you go check out the Semaine Italienne de Montreal website for the activities, schedules and locations.

Hellenic Flame, Greek Festival, Aug. 6-8/2010

MarijkeD — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:54:06 +0000

Montreal’s Greek community invites you to join in on the Montreal’s many cultural celebrations and festivals by presenting its annual Hellenic Flame.

What: Dancing, music, food, costumes and fun for all.

When: August 6th to August 8th, 2010. Events begin at noon each day.

Where: Parc Jean-Drapeau

For more information: Check out the Hellenic Community of Montreal.

Free Shows – Montreal Jazz Festival 2010

MarijkeD — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 12:02:29 +0000

I fell down on the job – didn’t get some jazz fest stuff out in time for you to enjoy the past weekend. I’m sorry about that! I went out of town and it slipped my mind.

Not to despair though; there are still many shows to come. So many so that I’ll send you over to a blog that already has all the free shows listed. It makes much more sense than re-entering them all again.

So, if you want to see what’s cooking at the 2010 edition of the Montreal Jazz Festival, I suggest you go over to Evelyn Reid’s About.com Montreal pages for the rest of the festival:

Rhythm of My Culture: July 10-18, 2010

MarijkeD — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 10:51:52 +0000

Parc Jean Drapeau has a lot to offer again this summer. Check out the Week-ends du Monde…the Rhythm of my Culture, which runs for two weekends:

Travel around the world in two weekends…you can do just that this summer at Parc Jean-Drapeau! A unique crossroads of cultural diversity, Week-ends du monde provides Montrealers of all origins with a veritable showcase that allows them to celebrate and share with the entire population their culture and tradition through such things as music, dance or culinary discoveries.

Staged on the weekends of July 10 and 18, Week-ends du Monde also strives to bring together the city’s cultural diversity within one same event. Week-ends du Monde…the rhythm of my culture.

Rates: Free

July 10/11:

Saturday, July 10

Festival Cambodgien | Parterre

Festival du Monde Arabe de Montréal | Carrefour du monde

Jamaica Day | Plaine des jeux

Les rythmes folkloriques | Place des traditions

La nuit des pêcheurs | Place des traditions

Sunday July 11

Festival International du Merengue et de la Musique Latine de Montréal | Parterre

EUROfEST : Roumanie et les cultures européennes à Montréal | Carrefour du monde

Les rythmes folkloriques | Place des traditions

Carnaval brésilien de Montréal | Place des traditions

July 17/18

Saturday, July 17

Festival cubain | Parterre

Festival Turc du Québec | Carrefour du monde

Vive le Mexique! | Plaine des jeux

Les rythmes folkloriques | Place des traditions

La nuit des pêcheurs | Place des traditions

Sunday, July 18

Fêtes Créoles Internationales de Montréal | Parterre

Festival Turc du Québec | Carrefour du monde

Fête nationale de la Colombie | Plaine des jeux

Les rythmes folkloriques | Place des traditions

Check out their website for location and how to get there.

Formula 1 Racing Returns to Montreal, events June 11-12, 2010.

MarijkeD — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 23:49:16 +0000

Can’t afford a ticket to watch the races but have F1 fever? Don’t worry about it. As always, the Crescent Street Merchants Association has put together an amazing array of Formula 1 events, many inexpensive or even better – free.

Check out this schedule, which is part of the information available on the Crescent St. Merchants Association website, where you will also find more information:

Thursday, June 10, 2010
12:00pm         Opening Ceremony
1:00pm            Celebrity Pit Stop Challenge, presented by Ford
4:00pm            Official Weigh-In for the “Gala du Boxe Budweiser”
5:00pm            Media Pit Stop Challenge, presented by Ford
5:00pm            DJ LouLou on the Virgin Mobile stage
5:45pm            Driver autograph session at TW Steel
7:00pm            Rebound on the Virgin Mobile stage
9:00pm            DJ on the Virgin Mobile stage
9:30pm            Virgin Mobile presents Karl Wolf

Friday, June 11, 2010
All Day             Pit Stop Challenge, presented by Ford
12:00pm          DJ on the Virgin Mobile stage
5:00pm            DJ on the Virgin Mobile stage
5:30pm            Driver autograph session at TW Steel
7:00pm            Rise Up on the Virgin Mobile stage
9:00pm            DJ on the Virgin Mobile stage
9:30pm            Virgin Mobile presents Bedouin Soundclash

Saturday, June 12, 2010
All Day              Pit Stop Challenge, presented by Ford
12:00pm          DJ on the Virgin Mobile stage
5:00pm            DJ on the Virgin Mobile stage
7:00pm            Body Groove on the Virgin Mobile stage
9:00pm            Special guests on the Virgin Mobile stage
9:30pm            Virgin Mobile presents Faber Drive

Annual Kahnawake Pow Wow, 20th Anniversary, July 10 & 11, 2010

MarijkeD — Mon, 31 May 2010 12:47:46 +0000

The territory of Kahnawhake, just across the Mercier bridge, is celebrating the 20th year of this annual event. Starting as a celebration to show its neighbours some of the the aspects of Native life, the event has gotten larger and more popular as the years go by. Don’t worry if you don’t have a car! Public transit is available, just see below.

Where:

Kahnawake Mohawk Territory
Just 10 miles south of Montreal
Routes 132 & 138 (off Mercier Bridge)
Public Transportation available from Angrignon Metro

General Public Welcome
NO DRUGS, ALCOHOL or PETS
General admission $7.00 5 & under free, 60 & over $3.00

Gates open: 9am on Saturday & 9am on Sunday
Dance Competition begins at: 1pm & 7pm Saturday 12 noon Sunday

Free Friday Night Social 7pm:
Hosted by Kahnawake Cultural Center

*Handicapped facilities available

Pow Wow Office
9am-4pm MON-FRI
CALL: (450) 632-8667
FAX: (450) 632-2813

E-MAIL: info @ kahnawakepowwow.com

Montreal International Fireworks Festival, Starting June 12, 2010

MarijkeD — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:37:13 +0000

Fireworks is one of the marvels that can fascinate both children and adults. Why not take advantage of a beautiful summer evening and enjoy this spectacle?

You can buy tickets to watch the show from the LaRonde site (pricey!) or you can spend the day at LaRonde and stay to watch from a spot you’ve found in the park. Or, you can do what thousands of others do: find a vantage point from somewhere in the city and watch for free. The Jacques Cartier bridge is closed to vehicular traffic so pedestrians can stand on the bridge to watch the delightful shows.

You can also watch the show from many good vantage points in Old Montreal and on the other side of the river from Longeuil. You could always try to get a job in one of the highrise office buildings and go in to work on Saturday night…

The drawback from watching offsite is you may get a delay on the explosions in the air, since you will see it before you hear it. As well, the explosions are choreographed to music that you can hear when you’re on the site. I’m told there is also an FM radio station that broadcasts the music though.

If you do go onsite to watch, the strongest recommendation anyone can make is TAKE THE METRO. Thousands of people will be leaving the park at the same time as you. The bridge can’t be opened until all the pedestrians leave. Therefore, the best thing to do is park somewhere near a metro station elsewhere on the island and use public transit to go to LaRonde.

The show this year are every Saturday from June 12 to August 14 2010, beginning at 10:00 p.m.

June 12: Italy
June 19: Taiwan
June 26: Poland
July 3: Portugal
July 10: Tribute to Celine Dion
July 17: United States
July 24: Canada
July 31: Sweden
August 7: France
August 14: Jupiter Awards ceremony

Montreal Beer Festival, June 2-6, 2010.

MarijkeD — Tue, 25 May 2010 19:13:15 +0000

The Montreal Beer Festival (Mondial de la bière) is back in Montreal for its 17th year.

Beer tastings, beer making, workshops, professional issues and more, as well as
entertainment and shows. Brewers from five continents attending and more than 300 beers offered.

Where:

Windsor Station and courtyard

Downtown Montréal
1160, De la Gauchetière Street West
(Metro Bonaventure or Peel)

Admission: free

Tasting:

Tasting coupons: $1 each
Cost of one tasting: 1 to 5 coupons (for most beers)
Quantity served: 3 to 4 ounces

Glass: The souvenir glass is designed to accommodate one or two 4-oz. samples per tasting.

When:

Wednesday, June 2 to Saturday, June 5, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sunday, June 6, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

International Festival of Films on Art, March 18 – 28, 2010

MarijkeD — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:43:23 +0000

Here is your chance to watch a whole lot of movies out of 230 films from 23 countries, showing at nine downtown venues

All movies are their original versions with subtitles in either English or French. Versions originales avec sous-titres français ou anglais/Original versions with French or English subtitles

The International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) is a non-profit organization devoted to the promotion and presentation of the world’s finest productions of films on art and media arts. A competitive 10-day event, FIFA is the most important annual festival of its kind in the world. It has become a focal point for artists and artisans from the art and film communities,as well as for art and cinema enthusiasts.

Cost:
Adults, 12.00

Youth: 11.00

You may also buy a book of 8 tickets for 80.00

For information on the different films, locations and times, visit their website at http://www.artfifa.com

514-842-2112, 514-874-1637

St Patrick’s Day Parade – March 14, 2010

MarijkeD — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:40:06 +0000

Montreal has the great distinction of having the longest continuous-running St. Patrick’s Day Parade and this year’s edition should be as much fun as the others. It’s the 186th year. And, if the great weather holds up, it may be one of the warmest!

Coming up Sunday, March 14th, don’t forget to come downtown and check out the fun and the love affair between the Montreal Irish, those who love them and St. Patrick’s day.

The parade begins at noon at the corner of Fort St. and Ste. Catherine west.

Have fun!