Thing to do in Montreal: September 19-25

The race is on: it’s time to get in the last drops of Pop Montreal before it ends! Meanwhile, there’s lots of other unmissable stuff – this is fall in Montreal, after all. So grab a sweatband, some water, and get your entertainment on…

[pop for all] Hope you saved some money for the last weekend of Pop Montreal, because that’s when the Puces Pop Fair takes place, selling all sorts of amazing crafts, foods and art works for 10 whole years now. Don’t miss a collaborative art project by Montreal great Dominique Pétrin at Quartiers Pop, or the photo exhibition of musicians’ portraits by Richmond Lam at Art Pop. Start the day off right on Saturday September 20 with a set by DJ Bass Princess at noon, followed by a 1 pm BBQ and art maze at Kids Pop, for the families out there- but don’t eat too much because there’s a dance party right after. Take in a show by local cutie Ari Swan at 3 pm, featuring her and her violin, then some Heavy Soundz at 4:40. The evening then there’s the dulcet toned Katie Moore at 10 pm, at the same time as Li’l Andy and Noni Wo and Panda bear (so many choices!). The night ends with a sure-to-be-memorable 2 am set by JJ Fad. On Sunday September 21, The Possibilities Are Endless play at 6, then there’s Stars or Bonobo at 8 pm, Suzanne Vega at 9:10, and the Unicorns at 10:30. Amos the Transparent and Pierre Kwenders take the stage at half past midnight, and then at 1:30 am Calypso Rose Kobo Town close out the whole shebang.

[film images] The great Spike Lee will be in town for the annual Montreal International Black Film Festival, where he will be awarded the inaugural Pioneer Award. The festival will show the Canadian premiere of his latest, Da Sweet Blood of Jesus, as well as a tribute to his body of work. Other notable screenings include the Cannes success Hope, on opening night, by director Boris Lojkine, as well as Half of a Yellow Sun, by Biyi Bandele, which was lauded at TIFF. Check it all out from September 23 to 28. See the world’s best photojournalism at the World Press Photo exhibition at Marché Bonsecours until September 28, where you’ll see striking images from around the globe. Some of the shots prove exactly how much crazier fact is than fiction. Don’t miss the last couple of days of the Art Public Treasure Hunt, which puts a much-deserved spotlight on the city’s wealth of public art. Register for the last two 90-minute FREE bus tours right here.

[dance moves] Soak up the last of Quartiers Danses on September 19 and 20, when contemporary dance hits the streets of Montreal with free performances, films and exhibitions all over town. On Friday at 5 pm, there’s a free performance outdoors at Place des Festivals by Catherine Lafleur and Geneviève Lauzon, while at 1 pm on Sunday the conservatory of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts will be taken over by dancer Katia Gagné who will perform to the live sounds of Parts + Labour. Agora de la danse kicks off its fall season on September 23, with a new work by Thomas Lebrun. There’s also an exhibition by amazing photographer Holly King that opens on same night. The Grands Ballets Canadiens pursues its run of Léonce and Léna until September 27; the troupe interprets the political satire ballet choreographed by Christian Spuck with its usual innovative flair.

[big-time showtime] Let the dramatic ups and downs enthrall your senses September 23, 25 and 27 at the Place des Arts as the Opéra de Montréal launches its fall season with Nabucco, by Verdi. Coproduced with the Washington National Opera, Minnesota Opera and Opera Philadelphia, it mixes political intrigue with romance and includes the famous aria “Va Pensiero.” Also at Place des Arts, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, led by its conductor Kent Nagano, presents a tribute to Strauss on September 23, featuring 21-year-old British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor – among today’s most exciting musical talents.