Tag: Events

News

Concordia students join hands to bake for solidarity

Post author By Claudia Beaudoin
Post date November 21, 2023
No Comments on Concordia students join hands to bake for solidarity

Daniel Anthony, David Yoon, and Iris Oh (from left to right) bake brownies for Resilience Montreal at the Concordia MFSC on Oct. 30. Photo by Claudia Beaudoin / The Concordian

The Multi-Faith and Spirituality Centre bakes for Resilience Montreal

An enticing aroma filled the hallway of Concordia’s Multi-Faith and Spirituality Centre (MFSC) as brownies baked in the communal kitchen on Nov. 15. Students worked together to make baked goods for Resilience Montreal.

Resilience Montreal, located at the corner of Atwater and Sainte-Catherine, serves as a non-profit day shelter, offering essentials such as food, clean clothes, a place to sleep, and supportive assistance to those in vulnerable situations.

Leading this gathering was Yamile Torres, the interim interfaith facilitator at Concordia, extending a friendly invitation for all to partake in the collective experience.

“At the MFSC, we work to create spaces in which we can not only learn from the communities around us but also to give back to them,” Torres said.

The MFSC hosts monthly volunteering events at the Z-Annex on Bishop St., aiming to actively engage students in their community. This was their second cooking workshop with Resilience Montreal, and they are hoping to offer more in the future.

As the brownies cooled down, students gathered around the dining table, adorning delivery bags with messages and drawings. Conversation and music filled the room as volunteers chatted amongst themselves.

Torres explained that the food is delivered the next day by the MFSC staff, and Resilience Montreal distributes it among the people in need of their services.

Torres hopes that the space and tools available to the MFSC will inspire and encourage their students to pursue their mission of forging connections with organizations that contribute to the Montreal community.

“It felt very community-oriented, and I felt very safe and welcomed there,” said Gloria Raphael, a volunteer and business student at Concordia who participated in the workshop.

Sadath Roshan, an engineering masters student at Concordia, works as the Office and Program Assistant of the MFSC. “I live close to Atwater and I’ve seen Resilience Montreal and the struggles they have on a daily basis. Cooking food for them was definitely something that resonated with me,” he said.

Elie Houde, another engineering student, explained that the volunteering experience fostered an atmosphere for learning and cultivating connections, all while contributing to an important cause. “The combination of service activities, creative tasks, and social games created a unique and enjoyable experience,” he said.

Volunteers shared their appreciation for the sense of belonging that was cultivated at the event. Houde described the atmosphere as “warm and welcoming.”

“We are very aware that our students are busy people that have many responsibilities, so it is very beautiful to see how many of them give a good amount of their time in helping others,” Torres said.

Torres expressed that one of the benefits of these events is the aftermath of our actions. She explained that while the repercussions of our actions may not always be immediately evident, it is crucial to understand that what we do leaves an impact on others and our environment. “And that is a great skill that can allow us to become more responsible for our actions and more active in our decision-making.”

Weekly events are hosted by the MFSC, and the Z-Annex is open on weekdays for students to use.

Tags baking, Events, multi-faith and spirituality, resilience montreal

Community

15 things to do this April

Post author By Kaitlynn Rodney
Post date March 23, 2023
No Comments on 15 things to do this April

James Fay/ THE CONCORDIAN @jamesfaydraws

Spring is in the air, and you can feel the city slowly coming back to life. Here are some things you can do to help you wake up from hibernation.

1. MFF Night Market

What: A nighttime market featuring Montreal artists and live performances

When: April 5 and 19 from 6 to 10 p.m.

Where: Le Frigo Vert

2. Comedy Carnival

What: Nights filled with songs, laughs and food. Sounds like a good time!

When: Every Thursday from 10 to 11:30 p.m. until May 3

Where: 2015 Rue Crescent, third floor

3. Conférence-Débat Upop Montreal

What: If a classroom setting just isn’t for you, try joining in on one of these events to learn about life on Earth

When: April 5, 19 and 26 from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m.

Where: La Brassée, 2522 Rue Beaubien Est

4. Shiny Disco Ball Dance Party

What: Have you ever felt like you were born in the wrong era? Well, for one night you can party like it’s the 1970s at the Shiny Disco Ball.

When: April 8 at 8 p.m.

Where: Plaza Centre-Ville 777 Boulevard Robert-Bourassa

5. Blue Metropolis Literary Festival

What: This year is the 25th anniversary of the Blue Metropolis Literary Festival, and they’re hosting virtual and in-person events revolving around literature and writing workshops.

When: April 12 to 30

Where: Events are all virtual until the April 27, where the in-person festival takes place at Hotel 10 Sherbrooke St. W

6. Le Grande Braderie de Mode

What: Also known as the Big Fashion sale, this semi-annual clothing sale features some of Quebec’s most prominent names in the fashion world.

When: April 13 – 16

Where: Marché Bonsecours

7. Trek Boucherville Roulez et Réparez

What: A chance to try out different bicycles while learning to upkeep and repair them at the same time.

When: April 15 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Where: Trek Bicycle Montréal Griffintown, 291 Rue de la Montagne, Montréal, Canada

8. ToyCon Montreal

What: A convention that displays the latest action figures, collectables and comics. Head over in your favourite cosplay and see what you can find.

When: April 15 – 16 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Marriott Montreal Airport Courtyard 7000 Place Robert-Joncas

9. Festival Vues d’Afrique

What: A festival that consists of themed days focusing on different cultures. It features films, art exhibits, food and round table discussions on a variety of topics.

When: April 20 – 30

Where: 100 R. Sherbrooke E Bureau 3100,

10. Montreal Green Tech Festival

What: A weekend that showcases the newest technological advances in green technology, as well a special showcase event on electric vehicles.

When: April 21 – 23

Where: Olympic Stadium

11. Plural Contemporary Art Fair

What: This event shows off some of the best contemporary art from across the country with a mix of virtual and in-person events.

When: April 21 – 23

Where: Grand Quay of the Port of Montreal

12. Terra Concert

What: A one-hour concert that focuses on the environment as a tribute to earth day

When: April 22 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Where: Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel 400 Rue Saint Paul Est

13. Vegapalooza

What: Celebrate springtime at Vegapalooza, where you can try vegan foods and buy vegan products.

When: April 29 – 30

Where: Maison du développement durable 50 Rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest

14. SAT Cabane a Sucre Experience

What: An immersive and unique sugar shack experience that was a collaborative project put together by different Quebecois artists.

When: March 30 – April 29

Where: 1201 Saint Laurent Blvd

15. The Belgo Building

What: The Belgo building features 27 free galleries and installations open to the public.

When: The building is open every day from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. but each installation has their own opening hours

Where: 372 Saint-Catherine St. W

Bonus: WWF’s Climb for Nature

What: If you’re feeling adventurous and looking for a challenge, you can partake in the WWF’s climb for nature.

When: April 15 – 16

Where: Metro Toronto Convention Centre Hall C, North Building.

Tags April, city, concordia, Downtown, Events, montreal, Spring, The Concordian

Community

15 things to do this March

Post author By Kaitlynn Rodney
Post date February 27, 2023
No Comments on 15 things to do this March

Didn’t get to do all the winter activities you wanted? Well you will surely find something to do this March

1. Montreal en Lumière

What: Montreal en Lumière offers tons of activities. Anything from free shows, art tutorials, a skating rink and even a Ferris wheel. There is something to do for everyone.

When: February 16 – March 5

Where: Quartier des Spectacles

2. Garden of Oddness

What: The learning doesn’t stop just because you’re on break. Montreal’s Botanical Garden has set up a space where you can learn about carnivorous plants.

When: February 22 – April 30

Where: Montreal Botanical Gardens

3. Apik

What: Picture this: hitting the slopes, but close to home. Apik brings winter activities, such as a snowboarding circuit and ski completions, to the heart of Montreal.

When: February 24 – March 5

Where: Quartier Latin

4. Festival Casteliers

What: A festival that looks at and displays puppeteering from all around the world. You can attend shows and tutorials, as well as take a look behind the scenes.

When: March 1 – March 5

Where: Théâtre Outremont, International House of Puppetry (MIAM)

5. Happening Gourmand

What: It’s the 15th edition of this Montreal Food festival. Happening Gourmand puts some of the Old Port’s best restaurants on display with prices that are affordable.

When: March 2 – April 2

Where: Visit their website for participating restaurants across the Old Port

6. Festival Soleil d’hiver Montréal

What: Looking to escape the winter cold without going far? The Soleil d’hiver festival brings a bit of those warm tropical destinations to Montreal. You can enjoy food, cocktails, music and more.

When: March 3 – March 5

Where: Marché Bonsecours

7. Study Abroad Fair

What: Meet with university graduate schools and other groups. They can answer your questions and help you plan a semester abroad.

When: March 4 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: Palais des congrès

8. Cabaret de Cirque

What: A show filled with acrobats and stunts themed around the “multiple facets of this city.”

When: March 9 – March 25

Where: Centre St Jax

9. Bikini Bottom Rave

What: Have you ever wondered what it would be like to party in Bikini Bottom? Check out this Spongebob SquarePants themed rave to find out. When: March 10

Where: Corona Theatre

10. ZEM Social

What: Have you ever heard of Brazilian Zouk? Head on down to Montreal’s ZEM Social to learn, practice and dance the Zouk way.

When: March 18 from 8 p.m. – 1 a.m.

Where: Station Clark – Danse & Fitness

11. Art Souterrain

What: A free interactive art festival that features different installations placed along a route made in Montreal’s underground city.

When: March 18 – April 9

Where: Montreal’s underground network

12. Saint Patrick’s Day Parade

What: Show off your Irish Jig at the 198th Montreal Saint Patrick’s Day parade.

When: March 19 at 12 p.m.

Where: Downtown Montreal (Parade route to be confirmed)

13. Sexposition

What: A “taboo-free” weekend featuring erotic art. In the evening, the venue takes up a nightclub scene with DJs and performances. When: March 25 – March 26

Where: Bain Mathieu

14. Montréal Joue

What: Various Montreal libraries will be hosting themed game nights, including everything from trivia to virtual reality.

When: Beginning February 26 – May 28

Where: Various libraries across Montreal. There will also be some virtual events.

15. Sugar Shack

What: The sweet smell of syrup is among us. Yes, Quebec’s maple syrup season has started. Head on over to Cap-Saint-Jacques’ sugar shack for a sugary treat.

When: Every weekend in March and the week of March break

Where: Parc-nature du Cap-Saint-Jacques

Tags concordia, downtown montreal, Events, fun, March Break, montreal, Montreal en lumiere, Outdoors, sugar shack, The Concordian

Community

15 things to do in December

Post author By Kaitlynn Rodney
Post date December 1, 2022
No Comments on 15 things to do in December

End the year off with one (or more!) of these fun events.

Luminothérapie

What: The thirteenth edition of an interactive installation designed to get you moving and enjoying the fresh air through its use of lights and sound.

When: Dec. 1 – March 5

Where: Quartier des Spectacles

Montreal Brazilian Film Festival

What: A film festival showcasing some of the best work from Brazil. The event features movies of all genres.

When: Dec 2 – 8

Where: Cinema du Parc

Noël dans le parc

What: A festival that features up-and-coming artists from all art forms. They also offer a chance to buy cultivated Christmas trees and wreaths.

When: Dec. 3 – 31

Where: Various places around downtown Montreal

Place Émilie-Gamelin 1500 Rue Berri, Montreal, Quebec

Parc des Compagnons-de-Saint-Laurent, 1W5, 4365-4375 R. Cartier, Montreal, Quebec

Parc Lahaie, Montreal,Quebec H2T 1R7

The world’s smallest comedy night

What: Head on down to Hurley’s Irish Pub for an open mic stand-up comedy show, featuring new and established comedians.

When: Dec. 5

Where: 1225 Crescent St, Montreal, H3G 2B1

Indigenous Holiday Market

What: A chance to pick up some early Holiday presents and support Indigenous communities.

When: Dec. 6

Where: Hall building, Concordia

Riverside Bar

What: Riverside bar gets turned into an igloo for the holiday season, with themed drinks and a chilly vibe.

When: Wednesday – Sunday, starting Dec. 8

Where: 5020 rue St-Ambroise, Montréal, QC H4C 2G1

COVEN Drag Show

What: A bilingual show hosted by some of Montreal’s prominent drag figures.

When: Dec. 16

Where: The Diving Bell Social Club / Club Social Le Scaphandre, 3956 St Laurent Blvd Étage 3, Montreal, Quebec H2W 1Y3

Dupatta & Voile

What: An immersive dance show that takes a look at Bollywood and different aspects of Indian culture.

When: Dec. 17

Where: Hindu Mandir, 50 Kesmark St, Dollard-Des Ormeaux, Quebec H9B 3K4

New Years Eve party – Aurora Halal + softcoresoft + Maara

What: With the help of DJ’s, bring your partying spirit under a 360-degree dome of visuals.

When: Dec. 31

Where: Société des arts technologiques [SAT], 1201, Boul. Saint-Laurent Montreal, QC, Canada H2X 2S6

Montreal Christmas Markets

What: Multiple markets situated in prime locations around the city. Activities range from food tastings to shopping to arts and crafts. There’s something for everyone!

When: All of December

Where: Atwater Market, Jean Talon, and Quartier des Spectacles.

Ogilvy’s window displays

What: Oglivy’s has displayed magical winter scenes through their storefronts for over the past 70 years. Though recently coming to an end, the window displays were donated to the McCord Stewart museum where they will continue presenting the spirit of the holidays!

When: All of December

Where: The McCord Stewart Museum, 690 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1E9

Soundbox by Hennessy

What: A pop-up cocktail bar that explores the connection between Hennessy and hip hop. A small group can enjoy the themed room while listening to a record of some classic hip-hop.

When: Running until March 31

Where: W Montreal, 901 Rue du Square-Victoria, Montréal, QC H2Z 1R1

Visit Mount Royal

What: Get some fresh air and partake in one of Mount Royal’s many outdoor activities, from skating on beaver lake to cross-country skiing and sledding

When: Any day

Where: Mont Royal Park

Museum of Jewish Montreal virtual exhibit

What: The Museum of Jewish Montreal offers lots of exhibits you can see from your own home.

When: Any day

Where: On their website ( see title)

Drink and draw

What: Pack up your art supplies and head over for a live drawing session

When: Every Wednesday

Where: Bar le Cocktail, 1669 St Catherine St E, Montreal, Quebec H2L 2J5

Tags christmas, community, concordia, Events, festival, frontpage, montreal, nightlife, The Concordian

Community

Bug-eating: a whole gastronomical experience

Post author By Esther Morand
Post date November 10, 2022
No Comments on Bug-eating: a whole gastronomical experience

EntomoMiam serves a variety of gourmet insect-based snacks, including roasted almonds & grasshoppers, a tomato and mealworm tapenade, and a cricket and mushroom shortbread. CATHERINE REYNOLDS/The Concordian

The Montreal Insectarium recently introduced entomophagy

With the climate rapidly changing, water is becoming less and less accessible. As the need to change the way we eat becomes more and more apparent, food industries are shifting, presenting new forms of food.

Chef-consultant Daniel Vézina, commissioned by Espace pour la vie, developed a series of edible insect snacks. Between Nov. 2 – 5 these snacks were served at a kiosk at Le Central.

“Insects have a lot of vitamins, and proteins, it’s very relevant to make people discover them,” said Elena Zumaran Vasquez, operations coordinator for Les Amis de insectarium.

Zumaran Vasquez explained that her organization specifically works for insect consumption, a practice known as entomophagy. It’s owing to this collaboration with David Vézina that she now believes more strongly that people are more willing to eat insects: “People don’t necessarily see them, they are presented in a different form, where they are integrated into the food.”.

Though insect-eating is not part of Canadian culture, it is a common snack in some countries like Thailand and South Africa. In Thailand, for instance, is it typical to eat fried grasshoppers, crickets, and even worms.

The tasting at Le Central offered four sample foods. There were green hard candies, made from ant sugar and balsam fir. The flavour of the ant sugar was not very strong and did not taste any different from the candies we are used to.

For salty snacks, there were seaweed chips creamed with a tomato tapenade, mixed with mealworm and seaweed dulse. Apart from being extremely salty, they were good.

The second salty snack was the one that people most feared eating. It was caramelized lime almonds with whole grasshoppers. This was the only tasting with a whole insect in it; and despite their sour lime taste, they tasted good. Nevertheless, I’m not sure if I would eat them like I would eat a bag of chips.

Zumaran Vasquez noted that the reactions to the tastings were quite diverse.

“There’s a lot of positive feedback and a lot of interest. At first people are reluctant, but most of them end up trying [it].”

The insects were so processed with the other ingredients that it was barely noticeable that one was eating insects, except for the almond snack, where the grasshopper was in its complete form.

Despite the original idea behind the snacks being the high nutritional value of insects, these bites were so mixed in sugar and salt that it begs the question, would people even eat these if they were not processed with so many unhealthy ingredients?

A suitable analogy would be that of vegan food industries sometimes trying hard to imitate a taste, only to end up making an extremely unhealthy product. Is the avenue of making foods universal for singular palates through imitation necessarily good, or should the food industry shift entirely to proposing foods completely different from what we know?

The crowd of people lined around the kiosk all seemed to enjoy the snacks. Some were more reluctant at first, especially with regards to the almond and grasshopper snack, but after tasting them, many people were pleasantly surprised.

It was only fifteen minutes subsequent to the tasting that my palate tasted strongly of insects. The unfamiliar lingering taste of grasshoppers stayed on my tongue longer than I would’ve liked.

It is indisputable that insects offer a great nutritional value and fill you up. Perhaps our Canadian bodies merely need to adapt to changing gastronomies and the possibility of insect consumption.

Photographs by Catherine Reynolds/THE CONCORDIAN

Tags bugs, downtown montreal, Events, food, montreal, taste, The Concordian

Community

The 2022 Gem and Mineral Show

Post author By Dalia Nardolillo
Post date November 7, 2022
No Comments on The 2022 Gem and Mineral Show

Countless tables can be found with handmaid jewlery made out of all kinds of differnt rocks. Kaitlynn Rodney/ The Concordian

Hobbyists and collectors flocked to Montreal’s Palais des congrès for the 61st annual Gem and Mineral Show show.

Between Oct. 28-30, the Palais des congrès was the host for the 61st annual Gem and Mineral Show.

This event was hosted by the Montreal Gem and Mineral club.

A brief history

Founding members Dick Britton and Ernest Windisch met at The McGill’s Redpath Museum in 1957.

The rock and mineral display caught the attention of both Britton and Windisch. They bonded over their shared interest in mineral collecting and brought up the idea of forming an official club.

The club was eventually created on Feb. 14, 1957 at Britton’s home, and it has been growing ever since.

The club’s active board of directors were present on-site for this year’s show and were very gracious to serve as our guide.

Constance Guignard, the vice president of the club, met up with The Concordian and explained how the show works and what her own role in the club is.

“I do volunteer work here, and we organize this show every year and use it as our fundraiser. We’re making a comeback after three years. We missed 2020, we missed 2021, so now we are coming back,” Guignard said.

Guignard made an interesting statement about all the different things one could do with gems and minerals that not a lot of people might know about.

“People can sculpt with the gems and minerals. At our club, you know, sometimes people will buy big rocks. We have saws so that people can cut big slabs and do whatever they want with them,” Guignard said.

Walking around the show, one could see all the dealers and vendors present on site. It was easy to get lost in the things to see, touch and learn about.

One interesting kiosk featured a coconut geode visitors could look at and have cracked on-site. The vendors guaranteed a hollow crystal centre.

Another interesting booth allowed visitors to get forever bracelets welded onto their wrists.

Our Community Editor went through with getting the forever bracelet, and spoke with Ash Charania, the owner of Rainbow Minerals.

“Forever bracelets is a trend that just hit Canada. In the past in the US, there have been lineups outside the boutiques for people that want to get this. It always takes a while to get to Canada but it’s finally here. It’s really new so no one really understands it yet,” Charania said.

The look of the bracelet is very dainty and wearers can barely feel it against their skin. The bracelets are custom-measured to the wrist, and visitors can choose between sterling silver, gold, and rose gold for the metal.

While most of the vendors on-site were experienced Gem and Mineral show-goers, this year’s edition was a first for some.

The owner of Petite Plume, Chloé Strum-Thibault, expressed her thoughts about her first time at the show.

“There are so many beautiful things to see that I feel that my eyes hurt. I already spent a lot of money and I know I am going to spend more,” Thibault joked.

Thibault takes inspiration for her jewelry creations from growing trees. Over the pandemic she was truly able to take her inspiration and turn it into her business.

The Gem and Mineral Show not only provided shoppers with gems and minerals from all over the world, but also gave them valuable insights to use towards their hobby.

Photographs by Kaitlynn Rodney/THE CONCORDIAN

Tags community, crystals, Events, gemstones, montreal, Palais des Congrès, show, The Concordian

Community

15 can’t miss things to do this November

Post author By Kaitlynn Rodney
Post date November 7, 2022
No Comments on 15 can’t miss things to do this November

In November you begin to know how long the winter will be, but never fear, here are some events to see.

Montreal Career Fair

Where: Holiday Inn, Centreville Downtown

When: Nov. 30

What: A chance to meet with different industry leaders, explore future job options and ask questions.

Remembrance Day Parade

Where: Place du Canada

When: Nov. 11

What: An annual event put on by the Black Watch in remembrance of the soldiers who fought and died for their country.

Coup de Coeur Festival

Where: various shows across Montreal

When: Nov. 3-13

What: A festival dedicated to French artists from the local and international stage.

Montreal International Documentary Festival

Where: varying cinemas across Montreal

When: Nov. 17-27

What: One of North America’s top documentary film festivals showing works from Canadians and international filmmakers.

Bach Festival

Where: La Maison symphonique de Montréal

When: Nov. 12 through Dec. 21

What : A festival dedicated entirely to famous composer Johann Sebastian Bach, it consists of performances, educational pieces and open rehearsals.

Researchers’ Night

Where: Montreal Botanical Gardens

When: Nov. 11

What: It’s a night from the past, with scientists from different eras coming together to focus on different topics and explain their research and answer questions.

Taylor Swift Dance Party

Where: The Ritz Bar

When Nov. 5

What: A dance party going to 3 am playing solely Taylor swift music from start to finish.

A Railway’s Christmas

Where: The Canadian Railway Museum

When: Nov. 25 – Jan. 3

What: The Railway Museum has decorated many of its vehicles in Christmas holiday fashion and will offer many different activities.

Mundial Montreal

Where: varying locations around Montreal

When: Nov. 15-18

What: An event that features diverse artists and sounds from around 50 regions of the globe.

Singh’s Arcade

Where: 83 rue Ste-Anne, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue

When: any time you’d like

What: An old style arcade with a twist, this space doubles as an art gallery that exhibits different local Montreal artists each month and an arcade to kick some butt at Pac-Man.

Celebration of Light: Diwali Party

Where: L’Orbite 406 Rue Notre-Dame Est Montréal

When: Nov. 4

What: The South Asian Youth Collective is organizing a party in celebration of Diwali, a day celebrated in many cultures to shine bright and be with loved ones before the cold winter months come in.

Paranormal Investigation – Old Sainte Antoine Cemetery

Where: Wilfrid Laurier Memorial

When: Nov. 5

What: A ghost-hunting tour where you will learn about the past events of the area, and even learn about some strategies and tools that are used to communicate and track paranormal activities.

Pokémon Tournament

Where: Three Kings Loot Inc.

When: Every Tuesday

What: Dust out your old Pokémon cards and head on down to battle!

“Get It In Writing!” Workshop

Where: L’Annexe: the Ometz Centre for Young Adults

When: Nov. 29

What: A workshop to teach self expression in the written form, no prior experience is needed!

The Breakfast Crawl

Where: McConnell Engineering Building

When: Nov. 19

What: Similar to a pub crawl, this event involves going to five different breakfast locations around Montreal where you will receive a beverage/meal at every stop. All proceeds go to charity.

Tags Arcade, community, dance party, Events, festivals, frontpage, montreal, the cnocordian

Community Student Life

Things to do in Montreal this month

Post author By Kaitlynn Rodney
Post date October 18, 2022
No Comments on Things to do in Montreal this month

October is not only for frights but many adventurous nights.

Ramen Ramen Fest

Where: In participating restaurants around Montreal

When: Oct. 11-16

What: A celebration of the iconic dish. You can try different ramen dishes around Montreal and then vote for the best online.

Fright Fest

Where: La Ronde, Île Sainte-Hélène

When: every Saturday and Sunday from Oct. 8-30

What: The amusement park has several haunted houses open to try, as well as zombies and vampires parading the park.

Arab World Festival of Montreal

Where: Place des Arts

When: Oct. 29 through Nov. 13

What: A multidisciplinary event that looks at the intercultural exchanges of the Arab and Western world. You can see a variety of performance pieces, art exhibits, and films from all over the world.

Montreal Connect

Where: online and in Montreal

When: Oct. 15 – 23

What: A festival that looks at digital development and its connection with many topics. Expect guest speakers, events and conferences.

Fika

What: An immersive festival of Scandinavian and Nordic culture and art.

Where: Participating locations around Montreal

When: Oct. 17-23

SOS Labyrinthe Halloween Special

What: A halloween themed maze.

When: Every weekend until Halloween

Where: Old Port of Montreal

Imagining a Queer Eruv: A Walking Conversation

Where: Starting in St-Viateur Park Outremont,

When: Oct. 19

What: A walk and discussion with artist and researcher Iso E. Setel.

Walk the Promenade Fleuve-Montagne

Where: From Mont Royal near Pine and Peel

When: Any day

What: A 3.8 km walk that connects Mount Royal and the St. Lawrence river.

Le sentier du cœur de l’île

Where: downtown Montreal

When: Any day

What: An interactive path that you can walk or cycle that goes across some of Montreal’s cultural landscapes as well as art installations.

Quinn’s Farm

Where: 2495 Boul Perrot, Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot

What: Farm visit including apple picking and pumpkin picking.

When: October

Yayoi Kusama: DANCING LIGHTS THAT FLEW UP TO THE UNIVERSE

Where: PHI Centre

What: Yayoi Kusama is one of the most popular living contemporary artists today. She worked alongside the PHI Centre to bring her first exhibit to Montreal in celebration of the location’s 15th anniversary.

When: Wednesday to Sunday until Jan. 15

Festival du Nouveau Cinéma

Where: Participating venues around Montreal

When: Oct. 5 -16

What: A festival showing hundreds of new and interesting films from a wide variety of genres.

Montreal’s Off Jazz Festival

Where: Varying locations around Montreal

When: Oct. 6-15

What: A series of jazz concerts and shows, organised by Montreal jazz artists.

Light The Night

Where: Virtual event

When: Saturday, Oct. 22

What: A fundraiser for those affected by blood cancer.

Carnaval des Couleurs

Where: Quartier de Spectacles

When: Oct. 7-9

What: A celebration of LGBTQ+ communities, with shows and themed workshops regarding issues on homophobia and racism.

Tags Apple, Cinema, Events, frontpage, montreal, ramen

Community

Montreal events roundup for September 2022

Post author By Dalia Nardolillo
Post date September 15, 2022
No Comments on Montreal events roundup for September 2022

Gardens of Light at the Montreal Botanical Garden. KAITLYNN RODNEY/ The Concordian

Five events that won’t break the bank.

Septembers in Montreal are known for pleasant weather and the nonstop events that occur during the entire month.

The best part about living in this city is that whatever you’re into, there’s surely an event for you.

Here are five events that you should check out this month.

First on the list is the World Press Photo Exhibition, for all the shutterbugs out there. Currently underway at the Bonsecours Market in the Old Port, this event launched on Aug. 31 and runs until Oct. 2.

Among the photographs on display is the winner of the World Press Photo of the Year 2022 — Amber Bracken’s Kamloops Residential School. General admission for the exhibition is $15.

If you want a change in scenery, visit the Gardens of Light at the Montreal Botanical Gardens from Sept. 2 until Oct. 31. Here you can witness nature in all its glory right in front of your eyes.

You can take a walk through the Chinese, Japanese and First Nations gardens and admire the lanterns that line them. The price of this event ranges from $11 to $22.

Next up, calling all tattoo lovers! The Montreal Art Tattoo Show is taking place at the Windsor Station from Sept. 16 – 18. The event brings tattoo artists from all over the world together. Interested visitors can book appointments directly with the artists through Instagram or Facebook. The general entrance fee is $25.

The 18th edition of the Montreal International Black Film Festival is taking place from Sept. 20 – 25 in cinemas across the Quartier des spectacles, near Place-des-Arts. This showcase is the only officially bilingual Black film festival of its kind in North America. Information regarding different venues and prices can be found on the event’s website.

Finally, for something truly unique, visit the MAPP_MTL festival, kicking off on Sept. 21 and wrapping up on Sept. 25. This event is completely free and will take place in Mile End and the Quartier des spectacles. Expect performances by various artists, like VJ SUAVE. This duo from Brazil, had the idea of putting a projector in their bicycle and as they pedal, their creations appear on the wall. They will be performing on Sept. 17.

Tags Events, festivals, frontpage, montreal, photo, tattoo

Looking for winter activities to get the holidays started? I’ve got you!

Post author By Mélina Lévesque
Post date November 23, 2021

Our list of things to do in Montreal this holiday season may help make up for the dreadful winter weather around the corner.

It’s getting darker, colder and, and let’s be honest, kind of gross. Our days are getting shorter, while night dominates most of the hours in a day. The light in the sky escapes our eyes at 4 p.m. and, once again, we find ourselves taking our “afternoon” walks in the dead of night. I’m being a tad dramatic, I know. I can hear my mother’s voice making its way through my ears, telling me to “Look at the positive side, bun.”

While it may be easy to dump a cloud of doom and gloom over the Montreal winter, why not embrace the fact that the holidays are just around the corner?

Glistening lights and holiday drinks have entered the chat folks, so pay attention. In the spirit of the season, I’ve put together a few fun and festive things to fill your winter days.

Get skatin’

It’s time to dig your skates out of that bag in your closet, wear your thickest socks, and hit the ice. Let’s be honest, nothing quite says “Montreal holiday season” like skating outdoors. While rinks remain open throughout the winter, there’s something special about strapping on a pair of blades during the holidays.

If you’re thinking of locations, the Old Port is definitely the place to be. The twinkling lights of the city paired with the sound of music and the mystic St. Lawrence River right by the rink makes for an enchanting outing.

If your feet start to hurt (and, let’s face it, they always end up doing so), you can always take a step back from the rink and grab a hot cocoa… or a beer. Did I mention how perfect this activity makes for a fun and flirty date? You couldn’t have picked it better.

If this activity doesn’t seem perfectly storybook enough, I don’t know what is.

Markets, markets, markets!

Tis’ the season to venture out to holiday markets! This has to be one of my favorite holiday traditions, no matter what city I’m in. The best news is that there’s no shortage of them in Montreal. What better way to join in on the holiday-spirited fun than by embracing the magical sights and sounds of each unique holiday market?

Whether you’re hitting the Village de Noël de Montréal at Atwater Market, the Marché de Noël de Jean Talon or Les Jardins d’Hiver at the Esplanade de la Place des Arts, you have options. Of course, several measures have been implemented at these different venues to ensure the safety of all visitors and employees, including the government-mandated vaccine passports.

Regardless of which location you decide to visit, you’ll find food, drinks, and fun little knick-knacks you can pick up for your loved ones as kitschy holiday gifts. Nothing says “holiday season in Montreal” quite like warm and welcoming holiday markets, right?

Let there be light (and sparkles)

As the days get shorter and the nights grow longer, Montreal has several different activities that will light up your winter days — literally. Time to fill up your thermos with a hot drink of your choice (I don’t judge), bundle up, and enjoy some light installations around the city.

First stop: the Luminothérapie playground at the Quartier des Spectacles. Getting your hands on the funky mixture of interactive art and light pieces will make you feel like a kid again. After you’ve had your fun there, take a stroll downtown. Allow yourself to be amazed by the holiday decor and lighting installations, all of which are guaranteed to distract you from the icky winter streets.You can also enjoy some pop-up shows and holiday activities offered from XP_MTL.

Your last stop? You don’t want to miss the stunning multimedia show Aura at the Notre-Dame Basilica. The universally-acclaimed show features stunning visuals and incredible music. The luminous experience will truly take your breath away, making it an unforgettable, magical evening.

Get your tickets for holiday music and shows!

Holiday music and theatre shows are back and better than ever. From Dec. 9 to 28, you can catch The Nutcracker, presented by Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, at Place des Arts. After years of watching the Barbie Nutcracker version (which will never get old), I can say that this activity is definitely at the top of my wish list.

The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal is contributing to the festive joy with several different concerts. Included in the line-up are La Poste du Paradis, Handel’s Messiah, Hervé Niquet and Berlioz’s L’Enfance du Christ (The Childhood of Christ), and many more. You can also make your way to the Bourgie Hall at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts to enjoy their holiday concerts, including A Very Merry Christmas by the Montréal Guitare Trio and A Charlie Brown Christmas by the Taurey Butler Trio.

Take a break from that essay, lab, or project, grab your winter gear, and go enjoy some festive fun! Let’s embrace Montreal’s holiday sparkle while we still can.

Feature graphic by Madeline Schmidt

Tags city, Commentary, Events, holiday, montreal, winter

News

The 30th Black History Month in Montreal

Post author By Fern Clair
Post date February 9, 2021

Montreal’s Black History Month is fully virtual for the first time

February marks the 30th Black History Month in Montreal. This year’s theme is 30 years of success and highlighting individuals who have over 30 years of achievements in areas such as art, media, business, and community.

Black History Month is an annual event, yet with the pandemic, the entirety of Black History Month is virtual, with events being held on Zoom. The launch event was streamed on Facebook on Feb. 1, with over 250 people attending.

One of the twelve laureates selected by Montreal’s Round Table on Black History Month, Kemba Mitchell. They are chosen from numerous candidates, which are nominated by the broader Montreal community for their outstanding achievements.

“Usually there is a huge event of celebration,” said Kemba Mitchell, a social community activist, Chairperson of the West Island Black Community Association, and Concordia alumni. “We are getting our awards in the mail, there is a disconnect.”

Mitchell believes that while there are cons, Black History Month being online created an opportunity that would allow more people to view the events as well as reach people that had no idea about Black History Month in Montreal.

Mitchell is one of 12 laureates who are representatives and spokespersons of Black History Month, nominated by the Round Table in coordination with each year’s theme for their involvement in the community.

“I was taken away,” said Mitchell, explaining how she felt about being nominated. “Sometimes you are in the grind, you are going and going, and don’t have time to reflect on your work. I was humbled by what the acknowledgment meant.”

I celebrate being Black all year round, it doesn’t start in February,” she said. “But I think it is important we have a moment to shine a light on Black history.”

Mitchell explained that conversations about Black history should not be limited to slavery and that Black History Month is to honour the contributions of Black people that are omitted from the education curriculum.

Round Table’s President Michael Farkas was also chosen as this year’s official English spokesperson for Montreal Black History Month, for his decades-long dedication into organizing this event and community work in the city.

“In history books, the beginning of Black people always starts with slavery, that is not where we come from, that is not our origin,” she said. “Black History Month is a way to shine a spotlight on our accomplishments through history.”

Mitchell stated that there was no reason for people not to go to an event this month, learn about the accomplishments of the community, and join in on the celebration.

There are a large range of events happening throughout Black History Month, varying from workshops for children, poetry jams, discussions on Bob Marley, a virtual book launch, and many more.

The president of the Round Table, Michael Farkas, said the major message of Black History Month is to learn about things such as Black inventors — contributions that the Black community made to society that have been swept under the rug.

Quebec can not hide that they were racist, that they come from a society that saw Natives and Blacks as commodities. As slaves, as savages,” said Farkas. “And that’s the foundation until Quebec chooses to change it.”

“The history of Black People is not about slavery, there was a time before, there’s a time during, and there’s a time after,” he said.

Farkas said a good way for people to involve themselves in the community is to simply go there and learn the history, to see the landmarks of Black history throughout Montreal.

Farkas recommended taking a tour with Rito Joseph, who does Montreal Black History walks. It states on Airbnb that he provides a way to deepen people’s knowledge of the Afro-descendant community in Montreal and learn more about its members’ ancestors.

Photographs of Kemba Mitchell and Michael Farkas are courtesy of Kétiana Bello. Montreal Black History Montreal logo courtesy of the Round Table on Black History Month.