Montreal Highland Games – Aug. 2, 2009

An annual event that is a must-see if you like anything Scottish. There are traditional sports competitions, music, and dancing, as well as Scottish artisans.

Their website emphasizes the family, as well:

The Scottish Festival is always a real family event, and the kiddies have not been forgotten. The kiddies’ corner features inflated bounce rides, pony rides and other activities designed especially for them. The Girl Guides offer a changing and nursing facility for babies and their mothers. All these activities for the children are free.

When: Sunday, August 2, 2009

Schedule:

8:30 am     Competitions start, Highland Dancing, Solo piping & Drumming
                  Concessions set up
9:00 am     Concessions open
                  Shuttle bus service from Hurley’s Irish Pub on Crescent Street starts (stops at 8:00PM)
10:00 am  Athletic competitions start on the main field
11:00 am  Beer Tent opens
                 VIP (Patrons’ tent) opens Food and drink available for invited guests only.
                 Scottish fiddle demonstrations start.
12:30 pm  Opening ceremonies start
                 Official party goes to stage for ceremonies and speeches
1:30 pm   Afternoon competitions start; athletics, pipe bands, highland dancing.
                Entertainment in the beer tent starts.

5:30 pm (approx.) Bands assemble for closing ceremonies. VIP tent closes.
7:30 pm  Close beer ticket sales booth.
8:00 pm  Shuttle bus service to Hurley’s stops.
8:30pm  Beer tent closes

Where: George Springate Sports Centre,  directly behind the Pierrefonds Comprehensive High School on Pierrefonds Blvd., one street east of boul St. Jean

 The Festival also supplies free round trip transportation to the site from HURLEY’S IRISH PUB, 1225 CRESCENT STREET, MONTREAL starting at 9:00am. The last bus leaves the Games site at 8:00PM, returning to the Crescent Street terminus. The former pick-up and drop-off spot outside the Lionel Groulx Metro will NOT be available.

Cost: 15.00 for adults, FREE for children under 12 yrs old.

Dragon Boat Festival – July 25 and 26, 2009

The 14th edition of the Montreal Dragon Boat Race Festival will take place on July 25 and 26 in the Olympic Basin.

The Dragon Boat Race is more than just racing. According to the website:

Come out and enjoy the live entertainment, the various arts and crafts, the ever popular Children Drawing Contest, plus many more activities. Shop at some of our various vendors and feast your eyes on a wide range of ethnic delicacies. Attracting over 200 teams from all over North America, it will be a weekend that you will never forget.

When: July 25 and 26, 2009 – Click on this schedule link to see the times of various events.

Where: The Olympic Basin  – click here for directions

Cost: Free entrance – paid parking

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West End Jazz and other music on Thursday nights

What: Local artists, starting out with jazz but with other types of music in the coming weeks, such as reggae and calypso, performing live.

Where: Second Cup Loyola, 7345 Sherbrooke St. W, Montreal  514-509-1624

When: Thursday evenings, beginning at 7 p.m.

Cost: Free
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Benny Library Book Sale – June 13 2009

Library book sales are a great way to get some reading material (both in English and French) you may not have noticed before – and at super prices.

Benny Library in NDG is having a book sale organized by the Partners for the Benny Library, a non-profit community group.

When: Saturday, June 13, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m

           **** RAIN DATE: June 14, same times ****

Where: In front of Benny Library @3465 Benny Avenue, NDG (Tel: 514-872-4147) (Vendome Metro & Bus 105)

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June 8, 2009 – Jazz Festival Announces Free Shows

We know already about the free Stevie Wonder show in Montreal at this year’s International Jazz Festival, but that’s only one of many that they Jazz Fest organizers have in store for us. On June 8, they’re announcing their free program so don’t forget to come back to MOTC to see what we find.

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Soccer: Le Trophee des Champions – July 25, 2009 – starting at 15.00

A great opportunity to see some great soccer at the Olympic Stadium.

What: A one-game final between the winners of the French Championship and French Cup from France. This is the first time the game is being played outside France.

When: Saturday, July 25, 2009 at 3 p.m.

Where: The Olympic Stadium, 4545 Pierre-de-Coubertin, Montréal

Cost: Tickets start at 15.00

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Zumerfest – a Celebration of Yiddish Culture, June 21, 2009 – Free

Here’s a fun-sounding summer event for you. Zumerfest is part of the Montreal International Yiddish Festival, which includes music, plays and more.

What: Zumerfest, a celebration of Yiddish culture, Father’s Day and Montreal’s diversity – a day of music, theatre, dance and art in the park, along with music stage shows.

STAGE SHOW – M.C.: Mendy Cahan is front man of the YXP -Yiddish Express band and the founder and director of Yung Yidish, an organization in Israel that gets young people enthusiastic about Yiddish through concerts and cultural events. He also saves Yiddish books. Yung Yidish has centres in Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv.

HEADLINER: SoCalled (a.k.a. Josh Dolgin & Band) Montrealer SoCalled is a Yiddish rapping, accordion wielding, Klezmer-hip hop maestro. Spanning multiple genres, from Chassidic to funk, Socalled has been a favorite at festivals and venues world-wide. He has appeared on a dozen recordings as pianist, singer, arranger, rapper, writer and producer.

· Featuring: Beyond the Pale a Canadian Klezmer band that has been amazing audiences from California to Crakow. With virtuosity and showmanship, the group performs a cross-cultural repertoire of original and traditional Eastern-European music influenced by the sounds of Klezmer, Roma and Serbian styles.

Special Guests include: Danielle Guillaume (a Haitian singer who will sing a song in Yiddish) & Panday Tinig Choral Ensemble (a Pilipino choir that will sing in Yiddish)

There will also be circus performers, magicians, jam sessions, dance workshops, Theatre in the Park, puppets, face painting, arts & crafts.

Where: Segal Centre – 5170 Côte-Ste-Catherine, Montréal  514-739-2301

Cost: Free

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Back to (Jazz) School: Free Jazz Festival Activity for Kids

Montreal’s Jazz Festival isn’t just for adults. There are lots of kid-friendly activities and most of them are at the best price ever: Free. It’s a great way to introduce children to jazz and be part of the jazz and Montreal fun.

What: Back to (jazz) school

When: July 1 to July 11, 2009, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Where: The Grande-Place in complexe Desjardins

For the 21th year, the Grande?Place stage in complexe Desjardins welcomes master of ceremonies Jacques L’Heureux and his unforgettable character Rémi, as well as James Gelfand’s quartet La Bande Magnétik, and famed Festival mas-cat Ste?Cat, for THE family event at this 30th edition: La Petite école du jazz (The Little School of Jazz)!

 Presented by Rio Tinto Alcan every day at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., from July 1 to July 11, this interactive and educational activity is the perfect way to introduce kids to jazz-even those who are too cool for school!

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Quartz Crystal Bowls, Paiste Planets Gongs Concert

I’m not entirely sure what this is – but it looks interesting. I received this press release and, although the cost is 20.00 per adult, they do have a deal that is 2 for 30.00, which qualifies it for MOTC.

Here is the information I received:

Join us for a Sonically Pure evening of sound with Crystal Journey and the Art of Eden Martin

10 Paiste Planet Gongs, 17 Quartz Crystal Bowls and Vibraphone, artist Eden Martin will capture the evening in colour. On tour across Canada and the United States, Crystal Journey will make a rare appearance in Montreal.

Monday, June 1st

Ecole de meditation Paul Beaudry

9823, boul. St-Laurent

Montreal, QC

7:30pm start

Tickets at the door $20/person 2/$30 children under 12 free

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Free Iced Coffee – Tim Hortons, May 21, 2009

Timmies – Canada’s answer to Dunkin Donuts – is offering a free small iced coffee to anyone who drops by a participating restaurant. *No purchase necessary*

I don’t know about elsewhere in Canada, but there are a lot of Tim Horton’s in the Montreal area, that’s for sure.

What: Tim Horton’s small iced coffee

When: May 21, between 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Cost: Free

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