Things to Do in Montreal: August 29-September 4

The Labour Day long weekend may mark the end of summer, but Montreal’s enthusiasm for open-air entertainment keeps going strong: eat, drink, shop, see films and hear live music outdoors and in this week and throughout the month…

(outdoor living) Explore Mont Royal Avenue during Nuit Blanche sur la Tableau Noir, a street fair and festival of art and music held August 28-31: the 19th edition features a parade and outdoor film screenings on August 29 and concerts by Arthur H, Random Recipe and more local bands throughout the weekend. The Botanical Garden wraps up its summer of outdoor concerts among the garden’s abundant plantlife: on August 30, hear Éveline Grégoire-Rousseau, Nathalie Cora and Pierre-Yves Martel, while Sunday brings Pierre Lapointe to the Arboretum, along with jazz by the Kite Trio, and dance by Lucie Grégoire. Sway to the classical music of orchestra Harmonie les Vents du Sud, in a free outdoor concert on August 31 at the Olympic Park Esplanade, or rock the all-ages ropes courses of the Esplanade’s Parc Exalto. In the Mile End neighbourhood, the Marché des Possibles entertains with music by Ohara, Auks and Loosestrife on Friday, gymnastics and yoga for all ages on Saturday followed by the film C.R.A.Z.Y. after sunset, and a blow-out closing party Saturday evening with bands Gigi French, Les Filles de Canailles, Dead Man Get Up and Salvation Army. Soak up the sun at the Old Port’s Clock Tower Beach, closing September 1, and for even more beach action, head to the Beach Party at Parc Jean-Drapeau on August 29, where music, volleyball, wakeboarding, boat rentals and more turn a day at the beach into an extreme activity.

(good grub) Sink your chops into a speciality burger made just for Montreal’s Burger Week, September 1-7, featuring 30 restaurants in competition to make the best burger in the city – last year’s Burger Week produced some extremely mouthwatering results, from home-cooked classics to gourmet creations. If you’re craving seafood instead, several of Montreal’s best restaurants  serve up fresh oysters that bring the ocean to the city. Drink it all down with a relaxing beverage – find the best in our Guide to Wine, Beer and Booze in Montreal, or opt for trendy bubble tea. And soak up some late-summer rays on some of the city’s best hotel patios and restaurant terraces.

(film visual art) New international and Canadian film comes to Montreal during the 38th Montreal World Film Festival– including the Cinema Under the Stars film screenings at Place des Festivals, such as Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction on August 29 and Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon on August 31. Documentary film festival RIDM presents a trilogy of contemporary filmmaker Michael Glawogger’s work, screening outdoors at Peace Park on September 2 at 9pm. Newsworthy images from around the globe astound at Old Montreal’s Marché Bonsecours, host to this year’s World Press Photo Montreal exhibition, highlighting some of the most profound professional media photography of 2014. Walk through public art-and-architecture exhibition The Fountain House, by German collective raumlaborberlin in the Quartier des Spectacles, presented by Montreal’s Goethe Institute and part of the upcoming Montreal Biennale art festival. And keep an eye out for a 15-foot red ball in the city’s streets – New York artist Kurt Perschke’s Red Ball art project, part of performance art festival Les Escales Improbables, that playfully alters our perceptions of urban space.

(immersive entertainment) A fantastical safari world comes to life in Tony Award-winning musical The Lion King, the Disney film brought to the stage in vivid colour and spectacular song and dance, to September 7 at Place des Arts. The Old Port transports us into Egypt’s past with an exhibition of Tutankhamen’s Treasures, only until September 1, while Peur Dépôt takes us on a multimedia journey that plays on our basic human fears. Immerse yourself in the 360-degree images and sounds of panoramic show Chaos Order, created by new media artist Rocco Helmchen and composer Johannes Kraas, presented at the SAT’s Satosphère dome, 7:30pm each weekday night. Delve into the strangely romantic coming-of-age tale of The Graduate, adapted from the book to the film to the stage at the Segal Centre, beginning August 31. And glimpse into the bizarre world of comedic duo Tim and Eric, along with Dr. Steve Brule, who turn their TV hit Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! into a live phenomenon on September 4 at Club Soda .

(live music) Montreal’s own Arcade Fire comes home from their world-wide Reflektor tour to play a massive outdoor show with openers Spoon and Dan Deacon on Saturday, August 30 at Parc Jean-Drapeau, in partnership with the upcoming Pop Montreal music festival. Montreal indie-pop bands Tops and Doldrums add punk-tinged sweetness to Friday night at La Vitrola. Electronic music made for dancing starts up in the afternoon on Saturday at Parc Jean-Drapeau as Piknic Electronik unleashes its long-weekend line-up, featuring The One Tash and Jamie XX. The dance party continues late into Saturday night in the city courtesy of The Magician, turning the SAT into a late-night, good-vibes club with openers Moon Boots, Darius and more, while over at L’Olympia, Le Bal Érotique, “Canada`s largest opulent sexy event,” mixes dancing with live performance art and more. Piknic Electronik’s traditional Sunday dance party keeps going with Marciano and Misstress Barbara, while on Sunday night, Krautrock-influenced British band Fujiya Miyagi and Zorch rock La Vitrola. Labour Day Monday sees yet another dancing day at Piknic Electronik, with Surfing Leons, Cashmere Cat and more electronic music on a sunny afternoon. On Tuesday, September 2, synthpop band Future Islands brings catchy tunes and heartfelt good times to town with openers Operators, at Metropolis. Vancouver hip hop artist SonReal and opener Rich Kidd bring beats and rhymes to Sala Rossa on September 3. And the free, outdoor OUMF music and art festival, held downtown on St-Denis Street near UQAM university and the National Library, starts up on September 4 with a night of music from hot Montreal bands Le Trouble, Jacquemort, Seoul, Groenland, Le Couleur, Human Human and Karim Ouellet.