Montreal’s summertime explosion of culture kicks off in high style with Festival TransAmériques (May 28-June 10). FTA specializes in performance: contemporary dance and cutting-edge theatre in both languages, staged by an array of international talents in beautiful Montreal theatres, including Place des Arts.
The Place des Arts, and more specifically the splendour of Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, will also be the site of some fantastic shows during two of Montreal’s biggest music festivals, taking place back-to-back in June. As part of Les Francos, Montreal chanteuse Coeur de Pirate will play on June 19, while the Jazz Festival presents an orchestral accompaniment to the great New York City singer and guitarist St. Vincent (“St. Vincent Symphonique”) on June 28.
And while you’re there, don’t forget to take in the majestic illuminated art installation known as the ORB, by Spanish urban artist SpY.
Montreal street style photographers flock to our summer music festivals for a reason. Every year at Parc Jean-Drapeau, evenko piles on the festival charm, mounting a holy triad of events at Parc Jean-Drapeau. First up is OSHEAGA (July 31-Aug 2), this city’s large-scale celebration of popular music, community and fabulous looks. While some elements of festival style have become uniform-and practicality can win out in the sun and heat— Montreal glam has a way of shining through. OSHEAGA’s headliners are Twenty One Pilots, Tate McRae and Lorde, while EDM celebration ¡LESONIQ (Aug 8-9) stars Deadmau5 and Dom Dolla and Montreal’s country music gathering LASSO (Aug 15-16) has invited Thomas Rhett and Mumford and Sons.
At the forefront of style events, Montreal’s fashion festival M.A.D. (Mode, Arts, Divertisse-ment) brings the runway to the streets in the Quartier des Spectacles (Aug 20 to 23). Expect fashion shows, parties, music and a pop-up market to shop at.
Art is part of this city’s foundation, as the permanent exhibition at Pointe-à-Callière (350 Place Royale) can teach you. Montreal’s best known art space—the Museum of Fine Arts—recently got a makeover with the re-opening of the Decorative Arts and Design pavilion. The 2,000 square-metre space holds one of North America’s largest collections of its kind, with Dale Chihuly’s brilliant installation “The Sun” at centre stage.
For an alternative perspective, Old Montreal’s multidisciplinary art space PHI (407 St-Pierre) highlights the overlap of contemporary art and digital tech, offering mixed media exhibitions and Virtual Reality experiences, as well as live music, parties and film events.
For a bite and a cocktail not far from PHI, the restaurant Dorsia (396 Notre-Dame W.) and its underground bar Bowie (457 Ste-Hélène) are neighbourhood go-tos for Montrealers with an eye for design (and high-quality food and drink).
Fans of American Psycho take note that it’s slightly easier to get a reservation at this Dorsia—and their business cards are killer.
While the stars and big communal vibes of major music events may dominate the summer festival scene, diversity is what gives the season depth. Don’t sleep on the Montreal Fringe Festival (June 1–21), Just for Laughs (July 15–26), the Fantasia Film Festival (July 16–Aug 2) and Fierté Montreal Pride (July 31–Aug 9).
MUTEK (Aug 25–30) is a late-summer festival to dazzle the senses with a broad spectrum of electronic music paired with digital art. This year, they’ve added Maison Symphonique to their list of indoor and outdoor venues hosting free and ticketed shows in the Quartier des Spectacles, “a monumental listening space where works take on an almost cinematic scale.”
And for fans of vintage cinema who take every opportunity to catch year-round CinéClub/Film Society screenings and retrospectives at the Cinémathèque Québécoise (335 de Maisonneuve E.), you can take your love for Hollywood’s Golden Age outdoors with weekly screenings by Film Noir au Canal (July 12–Aug 16).
Photo JEAN-FRANÇOIS SAVARIA