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OK, they say the days are getting longer. I barely noticed. But just the same, staying in and watching every single show on Netflix has its time and place… some other time and place. Buck up. Put on that parka and get out and see some stuff.

New Years Eve at the Old Port

December 31-January 1, 2019, 7 p.m. – 2 a.m., Quai Jacques Cartier

Montreal has fireworks and usually a decent line-up of performers This year catch Émile Bilodeau, Andréanne A. Malette, Afrikana Soul Sister, Hubert Lenoir, Roxane Bruneau, and Lydia Képinski performing. It’s crowded, but kind of fun too. Information HERE.

Marions Nous/Salon National Marriage

January 5-6, 2019
Place Bonaventure (800 de La Gauchetière)

Another event I almost didn’t include, but if you hit the seduction salon and then went and spent some time hunting together, now you might as well find out how best to tie the knot too. See gowns for brides, bridesmaids, mothers of brides, and exes. Get ideas for how to turn the big day into something only a bridezilla would love. Meet wedding planners, sample cakes, and enjoy the spectacle. More info HERE.

Wildside Festival

January 8 – 20, 2019
Centaur Theatre (325 St. Francois Xavier)
Tickets: $16/13

The Wildside takes the best of the Fringe Festival and adds a few extra shows for good measure, promising some of the hottest theatre all year. Crime After Crime (After Crime), Macbeth Muet, Hyena Subpoena, Body So Fluorescent, Sapientia, and The Gentle Art of Punishment make up the rotating shows. Tickets and showtimes are HERE.  For our review of Crime After Crime (After Crime) you can read HERE while Sapientia is HERE.

Dômesicle Partys

January 12 – Feburary 23, Saturday nights; SAT (1201 St Laurent)

Get ready to dance to the DJs and let the music free your mind and your tushy. Get ready for some fine immersive VJ shows as well. For information on who and when, check HERE.

Le Happening Gourmand

January 10 – February 3, 2019

If trying new and old restaurants is on your bucket list, you might want to take advantage of Le Happening Gourmand, a mini-restaurant month happening in Old Montreal. Nine of the city’s best restaurants are offering lunch and dinner menus at costs of $24 and $29, with a brunch at $17. After eating, you can get a discount ticket to Igloofest for $25 and dance off the extra dessert. A few of the participating restaurants are Bevo, Brasserie 701, and Maggie Oakes. There are also brunch meals available. For more information and to book a space, click HERE.

Barbegazi Festival

January 12-13 and 19-20, 2019, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Esplanade of Olympic Park (4141 Avenue Pierre-de Coubertin)
free access to site; some activities are extra

Barbegazi means frozen beard. This festival is meant to get your warm ass outside so you can freeze your beard while doing weird winter sports. If you don’t have a beard, you can participate too. Try the obstacle course, snow skating, wood cutting, Christmas tree toss, or arm wrestling. Okay, you can just watch others do these things if weird sports aren’t your thing. Info HERE.

Igloofest

January 17 – February 2, 2019, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, 
Old Port Quai Jacques Cartier
Tickets: $18/20

Igloofest brings in the world’s coolest DJs and mixes them with those from the local scene. Know any of these: Four Tet, RL Grime, Baauer, Tommy Kruise, Gramatik, ? If you don’t, check out Igloofest and find out how they can make you move). The festival usually has all kinds of other cool things in the space to distract you when you need to relax in front of a fire pit. Tickets are here and all information is HERE.

Alternative Media Fair

January 17 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Concordia University, 1515 Rue St Catherine Ouest

Concordia Co-op Bookstore likes to give independent writers, zinesters, activists, and all those of the DIY, fuck the fucked up system ilk a chance to share their works and creations. It happens monthly. Details HERE.

Salon de l’amour et de la seduction

January 18-20, 2019
Place Bonaventure (800 Gauchetière W)
$17.50/$22.50

If you want some inspiration for getting frisky or just enjoy expanding your knowledge about all things seductive, this annual salon is for you. Fashion shows, erotic circuses, seminars on topics like oral sex and anal sex, as well as workshops are all part of the event. Major names in the erotic scene are coming as well. For more info on tickets and schedule, click HERE.

Montreal International Auto Show

January 18-27, 2019
Palais de Congres de Montreal, 201 Viger W.

Wall to wall cars of all kinds. Every major manufacturer will showcase their latest cars. But, if you’ve ever just wanted to sit in a Maserati, Tesla, Porsche, or Kia, now is your chance! You can also test drive the 13 preferred models as well as electric vehicles. Many cars are unveiled at the show like the Jaguary E Pace and R8 Spyder v10. For info click HERE.

Fête des Neiges

January 19 – Februrary 10, 2019 Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Parc Jean Drapeau
free admission to site

Shows, events, music, Parc Jean Drapeau gives you a reason to get outside every weekend. To stay warm, try yoga in the snow or snow aerobics. Most people want to give the dog sled rides a go ($10/16), take a turn down the frosty slides, try your hand at axe throwing. There are many different outdoor activities overall with things like curling, cross-country skiing, and an ice pirate ship. Information and scheduling can be found HERE.

Hackatown

January 19-20, Polytechnique Montreal

On the theme of the smart city, software developers, designers, marketers, and anyone who is a student who thinks they have something to contribute can join a team and participate in this free event. More info HERE.

Banff Mountain Film Festival Tour

January 22-27, 2019 (in French), February 8 2019 (in English)
UQAM, Salle Marie Gérin Lajoie (1400 Rue Berri, Pavillion Judith Jasmin) in French; University of Concordia (1455 De Maisonneuve Ouest) in English
$24.50

The Banff Mountain Film Festival tours the world, presenting the same line-up of films wherever it goes. The films are screened in their original languages with subtitles. The tour features the best films from its 2017 collection, each focusing on some aspect of man’s relationship to the mountains. Some of the films that will be screened include For the Love of Mary, Ice & Palms, and RJ Ripper. For more info, click HERE.

Lux Magna Festival

January 24-27, 2019

Let your light shine, your great light, with this music, film, and spoken word festival held at the trifecta of Casa, Sala, and la Vitrola (now also La Sotterenea). The schedule is still being put together, but it’s guaranteed to be chin stroking. Info HERE.

Latin Dance Festival El Gran Baile Infinite Pleasure Edition

January 24-28, 2019; Theatre Rialto (5723 Avenue du Parc)

Latin Dance is a pleasure to watch. 500 people come together to share their passion for music and Latin dance. Competitors in this festival have a chance to win slots in the World Salsa Summit. More info to come soon. Keep an eye out HERE.

Con U Hacks

January 26-27, 2019; Concordia University’s Sir George William’s Campus

Not to be outdone by the Polytechnique’s hackathon, Concordia has its own. 600+ students participate in workshops and expositions as well as just general hacking solo or in teams of four. Students get to participate, and food is free. Info HERE.

The Montreal Boat and Water Sports Show

January 31- Feb 3, 2019; Place Bonaventure (800 de la Gauchetiere West)

If getting into your own yacht and sailing off into the great blue of the Caribbean all winter (or just your local lake all summer), this show is for you. Find out about what’s new in the realm of boats and everything you could possibly think of related to water sports. Info HERE.

Bouge d’ici

January tbd
Mainline Theatre (3997 St Laurent)
Tickets: pwyc-$15

If you’re ready to find out just how awesome Montreal’s indie dance scene is, you better bouge!bouge!bouge! to Bouge d’ici. This annual dance festival pairs up and coming choreographers with established mentors to produce both short and long works. In addition to a few special events, like the Cabaret Bouge d’ici, there are workshops on different types of dance and the biz. The ambiance is welcoming and open minded. Keep an eye on the Mainline Theatre website HERE for information about the festival.

If you have an event that should make our monthly list, give us a shout at [email protected]