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Ah, as the snow melts, it’s like the festivals spring up with the crocuses and tulips. While

Ongoing

Butterflies Go Free

February 22 – April 29, 2018
Botanical Garden, 4101 Sherbrooke E

Butterflies fill the Jardin Botanique’s main exhibition greenhouse. Walk in the tropical habitat and see how many creatures mistake you for their favourite flower. Information HERE.

Francouvertes

February 19 – May 7 2018

Only one can be the best, but over the next few months let your ears decide which of these artists deserves to advance to the next round. At Club Lion D’Or. Info HERE.

Montreal Digital Spring/Printemps Numérique

March 21 – June 21, 2018

Montreal celebrates all things that beep, bop, light up, and involve bits, bytes, and digital whateverness. It’s an umbrella event that covers many smaller ones. Conferences, exhibitions, and installations are at the fore. Details HERE.

Salon Aventure et Plein Air / The Outdoor Adventure Show

April 7 – 8, 2018, Palais des Congres (201 Viger Ave Ouest)

With warmer weather, everyone is jonesing to get out of the city and into the great Canadian outdoors. Whether canoeing, birdwatching, rafting, hiking, camping, or taking on both larger and smaller adventures, you can meet your tribe at this show. Special zones are dedicated to scuba and “paddling”. No, not that type of paddling, but we suspect there is some crossover Website HERE. $12 adults, 12-17 year olds and seniors $10

Printemps Nordique/FIKA(S) Festival

April 4 to 29, 2018

Scandinavia celebration in Montreal. This is the third year that Montreal celebrates fellow folks who know what winter is all about. Musical programming includes Arvvas and Ane Brun, but also pay attention for events related to food, film, and cultural value exchange. Link HERE. 

21 Balçoires (21 Swings)

April 9 -May 27, 2018

Promenade des Artistes

Sit and swing to a bit of carnavalesque music. This public art installation is an annual delight. Details HERE.

Mac n Cheese Week

April 9 – 15

Comfort food and cheddar. What could be betta? Details HERE.

Vues D’Afrique

April 13-22, 2018

Cinema from Africa takes central stage at Vues D’Afrique. This annual festival, now in its 34th year aims to encourage both dialogue and public engagement as it showcases works from both Africa and Creole countries. There is also programming dedicated to films made in Quebec and Canada. Keep an eye HERE for details.

Mutek_IMG Forum

April 11-13, 2018

Digital creation is at the heart of this musical and cinematic mash up. Immersive experiences, especially VR, is highlighted. There are also speakers and digital related art activities. Experimental musician Philippe Lambert’s Dream will be performed, as will Ma Réserve, a VR film based on a Paul Aster novel. Daytime programming is free, but requires pre-registration. Details HERE. 

Parents and Kids Fair

April 5-8, 2018, Place Bonaventure

Got kids? Well, this is fair has exhibitors and goods for sale intended for parents-to-be and those with little ones under the age of six. Exhibitors relate to daycare, education, recreation, and more. Benoît Gagnon is the new spokesman. Details HERE.

Le Braderie de Monde Québécoise

April 12-15, 2018, Bonsecours Market (350 St. Paul E)

The annual fashion show features hot designers with one-of-a-kind and sample pieces. Between 60 – 100 designers participate. Brighten up your spring and summer wardrobe by checking out this fab event. You can get stuff by Rudsak, Second Yoga, Lady Dutch, Mackage, Atelier B, Bodybag, and so much more. Details HERE. 

Montreal ToyCon

April 15, 2018

Courtyard at the Marriott, Montreal Airport (7000 Place Robert Joncas) 

What will you be buying for your nieces and nephews and inappropriately adolescent friends for the holidays? Check out ToyCon, which is a toy, sci-fi and anime event. Details HERE.

Blue Metropolis/Metropolis Bleu Festival

April 20-20, 2018

Hotel 10 (10 Sherbrooke Ouest) is the centre for most events

Montreal is a literature-loving city in more than two languages. With so many talented writers calling this place home and so many others with personal ties to the city, the annual Blue Metropolis festival is always a love-in. It’s super low-key while still drawing big names. Get ready for book launches, performances, panel discussions, and even a naughty bits book club. See bluemetropolis.org for more info.

420 Day

 

April 20 

After St. Patrick’s Day, Montreal finds another reason to celebrate under the influence of mind altering substances. Yes, we all know pot is about to get legit and taxed and regulated and all that. On April 20, city smokers gather en masse by the monument on Mt. Royal Par. If you’re not smoking, watch out for the cloud. Some of the many things you’ll see: slacklines, hula hoops, bongs, reggae, tams, djs, activists, hippies, dreadlocks, dmc embroidery floss bracelets, all the pot kitsch you could ever want.

Papier

April 19-22, 2018

The annual festival to promote artworks done on paper is always a great gathering for collectors, professionals, and creators. There are plenty of paper goods to collect on some of the nicest paper you will ever touch. Check this art festival and enjoy how a simple medium can be the basis of a myriad of works. Info HERE.

National Women’s Show

April 20-22, 2018

Palais de Congrès

Kesha says she’s a mother f-ing woman and we know what she’s talking about. Ladies of all sorts, don’t let anyone tell you that there’s a problem with doing it for yourself. A perfect showcase of normative femininity (fashion, mini makers, food, and wine) with no bad feels. Details HERE.

 

Montreal Electric Vehicle Show

April 20-22, 2018

Place Bonaventure

Electric cars en masse — as well as bicycles, scooters, and tri carriers onsite. Test electric cars on specific motorways set up for the event. Essentially anything that moves electrically is going to be on exhibition. See if one of those electric plugs on the city streets are in your future. Details HERE.

Montreal International Design Show

April 28, 2018 (open to the public)

Place Bonaventure

If you fantasize about Ikea hacks or want to know what is cutting edge at the cutting edge of furniture, costumes, and design, this is the place for you. People who listen to 99% Invisible will be in attendance. Details HERE. 

Gueule d’Erable Festival

April 28-29, 2018

Old Port

Maple food products including beer, cocktails, maple taffy, and all things touched with sap. There is also a sugar shack currently set up in the Old Port until April 15. Details HERE. 

 

Ongoing at the Museums

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

1380 Sherbrooke Ouest

Napoléon. Art and Court Life in the Imperial Palace

Feb 3 – May 6, 2018

400 unique works including many never on display before are here to give a new perspective on the Emperor who asserted the legitimacy of the Bonaparte dynasty at the head of France.

Nadia Myre. Scattered Remains

November 15-May 27, 2018
Algonquin First Nation of Kitigan Zibi Anishnabeg artist, Nadia Myre revisits the history of Indigenous peoples in her symbolic works.

Mnemosyne. When Contemporary Art and the Art of the Past Meet

until May 20, 2018
Works by 14 contemporary Quebec and Canadian artists are on display at the Michal and Renata Hornstein Pavilion for Peace.

 

MAC/Musée d’Art Contemporain

185 St Catherine Ouest

 

That’s How the Light Gets In

December 12, 2018 – August 19, 2018
Quebec and Canadian artists explore the theme of how light comes into their work, inspired by Leonard Cohen’s phrase “There’s a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”

Leonard Cohen

November 9, 2017 to April 9, 2018
Inspired by the work of the late Leonard Cohen, 40 different artists present 20 works.

Montreal Science Centre

2 rue de la Commune Ouest

 

McCord Museum

Michel Campeau: Life Before Digital

February 16 – May 6, 2018

Montreal photographer Michel Campeau shows us the world through his pictures taken back when cameras used film and Kodak still existed. Get inspired by the 50s.

Gabor Szilasi The Art World in Montreal, 1960-1980

December 7, 2017 – April 29, 2018

Fab, funk, and pop all come together by looking at the unpublished photographs of Gabor Szilasi who took pictures of many vernissages in a documentary style.

Wearing Our Identity. The First Peoples Collection

ongoing

The heritage of the First Peoples of Canada is on display through this exhibition of different types of dress. Ritual outfits as well as clothing made to match the environment showcase diversity and ingenuity among the different nations.

Pointe à Callière

350 Place Royale

Queens of Egypt

April 10 – November 4, 2018
The little archaeology museum that could, PAC, is bringing in 350 prestigious objects related to ancient Egyptian queens. Some even ruled as kings (Hatshepsut, I’m looking at you!). Details Here.

CCA / Canadian Centre for Architecture

1920 Rue Baile

Lab Cult: An Unorthodox History of Interchanges between science and architecture

March 22 – September 2, 2018

Science and architecture work hand in hand. These are a series of case studies from the 19-20th centuries that showcase how these two fields come together.

Where’s Class?

until August 5, 2018

This exhibition examines the idea of distance education and how we learn “offline” through spaces that are designed for collective learning experiences.

 

Announced and Upcoming

Montreal Medieval Fair/Salon de la Passion Médiéval et Historique

May 4 – 6, 2018

Got chainmail? There’s a place for that. What about a double handled sword replica? Yup. Leather goods, metal work, and all things SCA can be found at this one. Bring your own chalice. Deets HERE.

Santa Thérèse Festival

May 18 -20 2018

If you can get off island, you can check out a rather outstanding line up: Feist, Nick Murphy (Chet Faker), Vlooper, Lil Uzi, Milk & Bone, Wolf Parade, Stars, Tommy Kruz. For info, click HERE.

Tattoo Nouvel Ere

May 25-27, 2018

Ink it up. What’ll it be? The new trend seems to be small, symbolic, black and white images, but there’s always something new. Figure out what you’ll beautify yourself with next. Details HERE. 

IleSoniq

August 9-11, 2018

Details: HERE