Queer Montréal Stretches City-Wide

Montréal’s Gay Village is one of the world’s oldest and biggest, long a beloved hub for North America’s vibrant queer life. But Queer MTL reaches throughout the city, forever expanding and enriching an already active community. You can think of the Gay Village as the mothership, and these new school venues and events as the city’s inter-neighbourhood explorations, laying claim to safe spaces throughout the city. Here’s just a few.

Une publication partagée par Aires Libres (@aireslibresmtl) le 30 Mars 2017 à 7h26 PDT

Montréal’s queer scene offers a party for every taste and a multitude of venues for every crew. Whether a crowded club on the Plateau’s main thoroughfares or tucked away in St. Henri’s back pocket, queer is everywhere.

The Secret is Out

Since its founding in 2012, Lez Spread the Word has evolved from a party series into a Montréal powerhouse. LSTW 2017 is many things: a gorgeous print magazine (Tegan Sara modelling across two matching covers for the first issue), collaborators in the world of cinema (all the way to Cannes and back), and a primary news source for English and French-speaking lesbians. If all that weren’t enough, LSTW still also hosts their monthly club night Oú sont les femmes? at venues like Fitzroy and Renard, featuring internationally renowned guest DJs.

Une publication partagée par GERARD REYES (@gerardxreyes) le 8 Avril 2017 à 16h17 PDT

A Party for All the Boys

Held in the Plateau’s Bar Belmont (which you’ll notice immediately for the queue of handsome lads waiting to get in), the monthly Mec Plus Ultra – MPU for short – has created an all-inclusive and fun-spirited party atmosphere with guest DJs, performances, and the occasional voguing tutorial. Each edition is given its own name and theme, all aimed at causing interaction and networking both flirty and otherwise. At an earlier edition, all attendees were given stickers with an alien from Space Invaders stuck to their shoulders. Upon spotting the matching invader, the task was heading to the bar together for a drink.

Une publication partagée par House of Laureen (@houseoflaureen) le 9 Mars 2017 à 12h33 PST

Above the Neon Sign

Now famous for more than just its buxom neon sign, Café Cleopatra has evolved from its beginnings as a straight stripper bar to include an all-welcoming upstairs room where everyone is welcome and anything goes. A favourite venue for drag nights, Café Cleopatra also hosts the monthly Bareoke – a queer-themed evening that finally unites the equally pleasing hobbies of public singing and public strip-tease.

Montréal’s LGBT population has long been a major player in maintaining the city as an arts capital. These venues keep fighting the good fight in keeping MTL art queer.

Une publication partagée par Never Apart (@neverapartmtl) le 15 Janv. 2016 à 9h51 PST

All For One and One For All

Never Apart is more than just an arts space. Gallery, special event venue, presentation society, and mind-blowing party space, you haven’t experienced queer Montréal until you’ve visited Never Apart. A constantly changing programme featuring LGBT legends and young upstarts just hitting the scene, Never Apart is transforming Montréal into an international focal point in queer art.

A House for the People

The two rooms of Casa del Popolo are eternally buzzing with activity. The front room bar features rotating art exhibitions, while the performance area in back offers some of Montréal’s most exciting and experimental – and quite often queer – programming.

Exploring all that queer Montréal has to offer requires regular refuelling, and these queer-friendly locations excel at nourishment in both solid and liquid forms.

Down on the Corner

More than just a corner store, the Dépanneur Le Pick Up offers yummy sandwiches and baked goods with one of best backyard terraces to watch the denizens of Mile-Ex passing by.

Une publication partagée par AFYM (@anitaymfeng) le 7 Mars 2014 à 20h42 PST

Sing it Loud and Proud

What at first appearances is a steamy-windowed neighbourhood bar, Notre Dame des Quilles reveals itself upon entry as so much more. If you’re hungry, the hand-pinched perogies or deep bowls of macaroni and cheese will fill you up. Don’t leave without trying out the self-serve bowling lanes, and if the idea of singing Haddaway’s ‘What is Love’ along with a roomful of friendly hipster karaoke fans is your idea of fun, Sunday night’s packed Lipster is definitely your jam.

Up next:12 reasons for LGBTQ travellers to visit Montréal in 2017