Things to Do in Montreal: April 11-17

Montreal celebrates spring this week with outdoor art and activities, from big-screen film art to a tailgate party, and an array of fabulous food, affordable fashion and entertainment to suit all styles…

(the city in spring) Quartier des Spectacles lights up with the outdoor McLaren Wall-to-Wall exhibition, a massive celebration of creativity in the digital arts and a tribute to Oscar winning animator Norman McLaren. Also in the Quartier des Spectacles, Les 21 Balançoires invites everyone to swing and make music as they soar, outdoors along President Kennedy Avenue. Springtime is literally in the air at the Botanical Garden’s Butterflies Go Free event, home to thousands of live, colourful butterflies from around the world, until April 27. At the nearby Planetarium, every evening see Choreographies for Humans and Stars, an outdoor digital artwork, while on April 16, Australian scientist Dr. Anya Salih talks about the mysterious phenomenon of coral fluorescence. And on Saturday, April 12, major league soccer teams Montreal Impact and Chicago Fire face off at Olympic Stadium, preceded in the afternoon by an official tailgate party outside, complete with beer, BBQ and DJs.

(food fashion) As the snow melts away, the maple syrup still flows and Quebec’s sugar shack tradition continues until the end of April: eat your fill of syrup, crepes, meat pie, sausages and more at one of the city’s sugar shacks and try some of the city’s favourite maple treats, from coffee to cake. For something different yet still seasonal, partake of the SAT Foodlab’s creative Easter Menu until April 22. Or travel via your tastebuds by trying out Thai. After all the indulgence – or before – go spring shopping at sale prices at the Braderie de la Mode super sale, featuring all manner of made-in-Quebec clothing and accessories for men, women and kids, April 10-13 at Bonsecours Market. And fancy up your fingers and toes with bright, seasonal manicures and pedicures at one of Montreal’s best nail salons.

(dance theatre) Les Grands Ballets presents the Houston Ballet’s Marie-Antoinette, while dancer-choreographer Peter Trosztmer works with artist-producers Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon to blend film, dance and music in Norman, a tribute to Norman McLaren, both until April 12 at Place des Arts. Toronto choreographer-dancer D.A. Hoskins and The Dietrich Group merge dance and contemporary art in the challenging, theatrical, interactive show Land of F*ck, at Place des Arts, April 15-19. Francophone performance festival Vue sur la Relève brings theatre, dance and music to multiple venues in the city all weekend. And learn to dance the Brazilian Samba for free on April 13 at Place des Arts. Drama comes to Theatre La Chapelle in Theatre 317’s production of The Memory of Water, a story of three sisters brought together for their mother’s funeral, to April 12, and Scapegoat Carnivale Theatre’s Blind, about the persecution of people with albinism in Tanzania, plays to April 13 at the MAI. Homer’s classic epic The Iliad comes to live on stage courtesy of family-friendly theatre company Geordie Productions, to April 13 at Centaur Theatre. On the other end of the spectrum, the Suicide Girls Blackheart Burlesque show stops in Montreal to entertain and titillate at La Tulipe on April 13. And more wild things abound as New York City’s Heels on Wheels Glitter Roadshow comes to town on April 13, while rock opera ignites the masses as Jesus Christ Super Band brings the cult classic film Jesus Christ Superstar to life, April 11-20 at Théâtre Ste-Catherine.

(art days) The Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal continues to host Christian Marclay’s amazing video work The Clock, while the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts captures spring colours in a beautiful painting exhibition by Scottish artist Peter Doig, which shows alongside multi-artist contemporary art exhibition 1+1=1. Controversial and famed British artists Jake Dinos Chapman disturb and delight in the exhibition Come and See, originally shown at London’s Serpentine Galleries and now at DHC/Art in Old Montreal. The inaugural edition of the Montreal Digital Spring exhibition, ongoing to June 21 at dozens of the city’s art venues, features new digital art by locals and international artists, including multimedia event Polynôme, a compilation of four immersive video works playing weekdays to April 2 18 in the 360-degree Satosphere dome at the SAT.

(live music) Hear Pink Floyd’s classics in a spectacular, big-stage light and laser tribute show as Brit Floyd hits the Bell Centre, April 11. While on the Canadian country-music side of things, Corb Lund strums our worries away at Petit Campus. The Montreal Symphony Orchestra presents a special program for families on the afternoon of April 13, featuring Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. On April 14, chill out with American electronic ambient musician Tycho, playing at the Corona Theatre. English-Irish pop boy-band The Wanted romances and dances at Metropolis on April 15, while Atlanta’s The Coathangers rock out for real at Divan Orange. April 16 brings the heavy metal of Iced E
arth to town at the Corona. Also on Wednesday night, Australian-born, NYC-based Betty Who gets people dancing to her fun synth-pop sound to Il Motore on April 16. London-based folky indie-rockers Fanfarlo raise the roof at La Sala Rossa on April 17, while ultra-talented Julianna Barwick loops and layers her voice to beautiful effect at Nomad Nation, presented by Pop Montreal. And one of the biggest LGBT parties of the year, Bal en Blanc, kicks off on April 17 with Hustler White and DJ Aron at Unity and Carte Blanche with DJ R3hab at New City Gas – the fest’s main event – featuring DJs Hardwell, Deep Dish, Carl Cox, New World Punx and many, many more – goes on all night April 20 at Palais des Congres.

Take advantage of your stay in Montreal with this Sweet Deal package!