The Main

Montreal's Cultural Directory

Help us improve! Share your thoughts on how we can make your experience better.

Leave feedback

For partnerships and collaborations:

partnerships@themain.com

Explore

  • About us
  • Shop
  • Advertise
  • Pitch us

Connect

  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Tiktok
  • Linkedin

Resources

  • RSS Feed
  • Subscribe

Legal

  • Terms of service
  • Membership Terms
  • Privacy Policy

The Main Media Inc. 2026

✦ Built By Field Office
    The Main

    Montreal's Cultural Directory

    Help us improve! Share your thoughts on how we can make your experience better.

    Leave feedback

    For partnerships and collaborations:

    partnerships@themain.com

    Explore

    • About us
    • Shop
    • Advertise
    • Pitch us

    Connect

    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Tiktok
    • Linkedin

    Resources

    • RSS Feed
    • Subscribe

    Legal

    • Terms of service
    • Membership Terms
    • Privacy Policy

    The Main Media Inc. 2026

    ✦ Built By Field Office
      --°C|Thursday, March 12, 2026|
      Subscribe today to get 3 free articles per month.ROYALMOUNT Wants to Be Your Dining Destination for a Whole MonthGet 50% off your first 5 rides with Lyft
      InstagramTwitterTiktokLinkedin
      |
      Advertise
      The Main Logo
      Magazine
      Categories
      • Arts & Culture

        Creativity, heritage, and expression.

      • Beyond Montreal

        Travel, adventure, and global perspectives.

      • Design

        The best of Montreal design.

      • Food & Drink

        La bonne bouffe.

      • History

        Stories, lessons, and context.

      • Newsletter

        Our weekly newsletter.

      • See all original stories
      Explore Montreal
      Popular Guides
      • The Best Restaurants in Montreal
      • Best new Restaurants
      • Best Cafés
      • Unique Boutiques
      • Romantic Restaurants
      • Best Bookstores
      • See all Guides
      Neighbourhood
      • Downtown
      • Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
      • Mile End
      • Mile-Ex
      • Saint-Henri
      • See All
      Business Type
      • Restaurant
      • Café
      • Boutique / Store
      • Bar
      • Bakery
      • See All
      Near the Metro
      • Peel
      • Mont-Royal
      • Place-Saint-Henri
      • Place-d'Armes
      • Jarry
      • View all
      Shop
      Subscribe
      Subscribe
      --°C|Thursday, March 12, 2026|
      Subscribe today to get 3 free articles per month.ROYALMOUNT Wants to Be Your Dining Destination for a Whole MonthGet 50% off your first 5 rides with Lyft
      InstagramTwitterTiktokLinkedin
      |
      Advertise
      The Main Logo
      Magazine
      Categories
      • Arts & Culture

        Creativity, heritage, and expression.

      • Beyond Montreal

        Travel, adventure, and global perspectives.

      • Design

        The best of Montreal design.

      • Food & Drink

        La bonne bouffe.

      • History

        Stories, lessons, and context.

      • Newsletter

        Our weekly newsletter.

      • See all original stories
      Explore Montreal
      Popular Guides
      • The Best Restaurants in Montreal
      • Best new Restaurants
      • Best Cafés
      • Unique Boutiques
      • Romantic Restaurants
      • Best Bookstores
      • See all Guides
      Neighbourhood
      • Downtown
      • Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
      • Mile End
      • Mile-Ex
      • Saint-Henri
      • See All
      Business Type
      • Restaurant
      • Café
      • Boutique / Store
      • Bar
      • Bakery
      • See All
      Near the Metro
      • Peel
      • Mont-Royal
      • Place-Saint-Henri
      • Place-d'Armes
      • Jarry
      • View all
      Shop
      Subscribe
      Subscribe

      Related articles

      What to do this weekend (03.12–03.15)
      Arts & Culture
      The Main

      What to Do This Weekend (03.12–03.15)

      From immersive theatre and Oscars watch parties to sugar shack events and thrifting: March 12 to 15, 2026.

      Scream 7 Has a New Contender for Worst in the Series
      Arts & Culture
      Gianni Fiasche

      Scream 7 Has a New Contender for Worst in the Series

      Neve Campbell's return and a promising newcomer in Isabel May can't save a sequel that's messy, overstuffed, and never quite finds its (knife)point.

      Montreal Finally Has a Design Week to Call Its Own
      Arts & Culture
      The Main

      Montreal Finally Has a Design Week to Call Its Own

      Twenty years after earning its UNESCO City of Design designation, Montreal is consolidating its scattered design events under one banner for the first time.

      Red Bull Heavy Metal's Final Stop Was Its Best One
      Arts & Culture
      Joe Kanzangu

      Red Bull Heavy Metal's Final Stop Was Its Best One

      The Olympic Stadium hosted the snowboard spectacle's Canadian debut—thousands showing up to prove Montreal is as serious a winter city as ever.

      A (Mostly) Spoken History of Casa del Popolo, the Venue That Launched a Thousand Weird Bands
      Arts & Culture
      Kaitlyn DiBartolo

      A (Mostly) Spoken History of Casa Del Popolo, the Venue That Launched a Thousand Weird Bands

      Godspeed You! Black Emperor bassist Mauro Pezzente on 25 years of cheap rent, weirdo music, and keeping the lights on in Mile End.

      Montreal's St. Patrick's Day Parade: A 2026 Guide to the Oldest in Canada
      Arts & Culture
      The Main

      Montreal's St. Patrick's Day Parade: A 2026 Guide to the Oldest in Canada

      The 201st edition runs Sunday, March 22 along De Maisonneuve. Here's the route, the honourees, and the history behind it.

      Related articles

      What to do this weekend (03.12–03.15)
      Arts & Culture
      The Main

      What to Do This Weekend (03.12–03.15)

      From immersive theatre and Oscars watch parties to sugar shack events and thrifting: March 12 to 15, 2026.

      Scream 7 Has a New Contender for Worst in the Series
      Arts & Culture
      Gianni Fiasche

      Scream 7 Has a New Contender for Worst in the Series

      Neve Campbell's return and a promising newcomer in Isabel May can't save a sequel that's messy, overstuffed, and never quite finds its (knife)point.

      Montreal Finally Has a Design Week to Call Its Own
      Arts & Culture
      The Main

      Montreal Finally Has a Design Week to Call Its Own

      Twenty years after earning its UNESCO City of Design designation, Montreal is consolidating its scattered design events under one banner for the first time.

      Red Bull Heavy Metal's Final Stop Was Its Best One
      Arts & Culture
      Joe Kanzangu

      Red Bull Heavy Metal's Final Stop Was Its Best One

      The Olympic Stadium hosted the snowboard spectacle's Canadian debut—thousands showing up to prove Montreal is as serious a winter city as ever.

      A (Mostly) Spoken History of Casa del Popolo, the Venue That Launched a Thousand Weird Bands
      Arts & Culture
      Kaitlyn DiBartolo

      A (Mostly) Spoken History of Casa Del Popolo, the Venue That Launched a Thousand Weird Bands

      Godspeed You! Black Emperor bassist Mauro Pezzente on 25 years of cheap rent, weirdo music, and keeping the lights on in Mile End.

      Montreal's St. Patrick's Day Parade: A 2026 Guide to the Oldest in Canada
      Arts & Culture
      The Main

      Montreal's St. Patrick's Day Parade: A 2026 Guide to the Oldest in Canada

      The 201st edition runs Sunday, March 22 along De Maisonneuve. Here's the route, the honourees, and the history behind it.

      Related Classics

      From our archive.

      What to watch during the holidays according to Cinema Moderne
      Arts & Culture
      Holidays 2025
      J.P. Karwacki

      What to Watch During the Holidays According to Cinema Moderne

      Curated by the team behind a tiny-but-mighty Mile End cinema's programming that goes far beyond the usual suspects.

      Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie is the Comedy Movie Event of the Year
      Arts & Culture
      Gianni Fiasche

      Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie is the Comedy Movie Event of the Year

      Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol's time-travel mockumentary is inventive, chaotic, and the most fun you'll have at a theatre this year.

      Nolan Daniel White Is Here to Stay
      Arts & Culture
      Laura David

      Nolan Daniel White Is Here to Stay

      One of menswear's sharpest emerging voices talks building a career from a dorm room and why he's staying in Montreal to pursue it.

      What Netflix's Warner Bros. deal means for Montreal's indie cinemas
      Arts & Culture
      AnnaClare Sung

      What Netflix's Warner Bros. Deal Means for Montreal's Indie Cinemas

      Cinéma Public and Cinéma Cinéma weigh in on theatrical windows, catalogue access, and the future of the theatrical ecosystem.

      Things to do in Montreal this March
      Arts & Culture
      The Main

      Things to Do in Montreal This March

      From festivals for films and sugar shack culture to athletic competitions and the 201st Saint Patrick’s Day’s parade.

      Two Horses is Plaza St-Hubert's punk rock neighbourhood salon
      Arts & Culture
      Elle Magni

      Two Horses is Plaza St-Hubert's Punk Rock Neighbourhood Salon

      For hairstylist Izzy Mulder, building a salon can be political—especially when it's rooted in real inclusivity and ethics.

      1. Articles
      2. Arts & Culture

      Diving into the Montreal Bathhouse Bain Colonial

      On the agenda: Rest, relaxation, and casual encounters, all on Soviet-era carpet—if the chemistry’s right.

      By Daisy Le Corre @ URBANIANovember 12, 2024 - Read time: 7 min
      Diving into the Montreal bathhouse Bain Colonial

      This story originally appeared in URBANIA, an online magazine based in Quebec focused on pop culture and society.

      “You know Bain Colonial? A friend was telling me about it last night. It’s kind of a sauna/social club in the Plateau for queer intellectuals to chat and meet up with people of all ages, but it’s also more than that…”

      My boss has a knack for teasing. That one line was enough to pique my interest. There was just one catch: I’m not a gay man, so I couldn’t set foot in the oldest gay bathhouse in the city. Too bad. 

      Fortunately, I knew someone who could get wet and undressed on my behalf—and his boyfriend would join too.

      Free account required

      For readers who care about Montreal

      Create a free account to read this story and access 3 articles per month, plus our weekly Bulletin.

      Independent. Local. Reader-supported.

      or

      Already a member? Sign in

      Related Classics

      From our archive.

      What to watch during the holidays according to Cinema Moderne
      Arts & Culture
      Holidays 2025
      J.P. Karwacki

      What to Watch During the Holidays According to Cinema Moderne

      Curated by the team behind a tiny-but-mighty Mile End cinema's programming that goes far beyond the usual suspects.

      Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie is the Comedy Movie Event of the Year
      Arts & Culture
      Gianni Fiasche

      Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie is the Comedy Movie Event of the Year

      Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol's time-travel mockumentary is inventive, chaotic, and the most fun you'll have at a theatre this year.

      Nolan Daniel White Is Here to Stay
      Arts & Culture
      Laura David

      Nolan Daniel White Is Here to Stay

      One of menswear's sharpest emerging voices talks building a career from a dorm room and why he's staying in Montreal to pursue it.

      What Netflix's Warner Bros. deal means for Montreal's indie cinemas
      Arts & Culture
      AnnaClare Sung

      What Netflix's Warner Bros. Deal Means for Montreal's Indie Cinemas

      Cinéma Public and Cinéma Cinéma weigh in on theatrical windows, catalogue access, and the future of the theatrical ecosystem.

      Things to do in Montreal this March
      Arts & Culture
      The Main

      Things to Do in Montreal This March

      From festivals for films and sugar shack culture to athletic competitions and the 201st Saint Patrick’s Day’s parade.

      Two Horses is Plaza St-Hubert's punk rock neighbourhood salon
      Arts & Culture
      Elle Magni

      Two Horses is Plaza St-Hubert's Punk Rock Neighbourhood Salon

      For hairstylist Izzy Mulder, building a salon can be political—especially when it's rooted in real inclusivity and ethics.

      1. Articles
      2. Arts & Culture

      Diving into the Montreal Bathhouse Bain Colonial

      On the agenda: Rest, relaxation, and casual encounters, all on Soviet-era carpet—if the chemistry’s right.

      By Daisy Le Corre @ URBANIANovember 12, 2024 - Read time: 7 min
      Diving into the Montreal bathhouse Bain Colonial

      This story originally appeared in URBANIA, an online magazine based in Quebec focused on pop culture and society.

      “You know Bain Colonial? A friend was telling me about it last night. It’s kind of a sauna/social club in the Plateau for queer intellectuals to chat and meet up with people of all ages, but it’s also more than that…”

      My boss has a knack for teasing. That one line was enough to pique my interest. There was just one catch: I’m not a gay man, so I couldn’t set foot in the oldest gay bathhouse in the city. Too bad. 

      Fortunately, I knew someone who could get wet and undressed on my behalf—and his boyfriend would join too.

      Free account required

      For readers who care about Montreal

      Create a free account to read this story and access 3 articles per month, plus our weekly Bulletin.

      Independent. Local. Reader-supported.

      or

      Already a member? Sign in

      Advertisement

      Advertisement

      Advertisement

      Advertisement

      Advertisement

      Advertisement

      Advertisement

      The story of Laurentide Beer: Created by nationalism, revived by nostalgia

      Previous

      The Story of Laurentide Beer: Created by Nationalism, Revived by Nostalgia

      Next

      Heart on Her Sleeve: Gabrielle Laïla Tittley, the Montreal Artist Behind Pony

      Heart on her sleeve: Gabrielle Laïla Tittley, the Montreal artist behind Pony

      Advertisement

      The story of Laurentide Beer: Created by nationalism, revived by nostalgia

      Previous

      The Story of Laurentide Beer: Created by Nationalism, Revived by Nostalgia

      Next

      Heart on Her Sleeve: Gabrielle Laïla Tittley, the Montreal Artist Behind Pony

      Heart on her sleeve: Gabrielle Laïla Tittley, the Montreal artist behind Pony

      Latest Stories

      Montreal, Inc.

      Ciele Is The Running Brand That's Not Really About Running

      MAR 12
      Ciele Is The Running Brand That's Not Really About Running
      Newsletter

      The Bulletin: Placing Bets on the Oscars, a Sugar Shack Street Fair, and Countryside Dining [Issue #172]

      MAR 12
      The Bulletin: Placing Bets on the Oscars, a Sugar Shack Street Fair, and Countryside Dining [Issue #172]
      Arts & Culture

      What to Do This Weekend (03.12–03.15)

      MAR 11
      What to do this weekend (03.12–03.15)
      Arts & Culture

      Scream 7 Has a New Contender for Worst in the Series

      MAR 11
      Scream 7 Has a New Contender for Worst in the Series
      Food & Drink

      Chouchou Is the Modern Chinese Bistro Our City's Been Missing

      MAR 11
      Chouchou Is the Modern Chinese Bistro Our City's Been Missing

      Latest Stories

      Montreal, Inc.

      Ciele Is The Running Brand That's Not Really About Running

      MAR 12
      Ciele Is The Running Brand That's Not Really About Running
      Newsletter

      The Bulletin: Placing Bets on the Oscars, a Sugar Shack Street Fair, and Countryside Dining [Issue #172]

      MAR 12
      The Bulletin: Placing Bets on the Oscars, a Sugar Shack Street Fair, and Countryside Dining [Issue #172]
      Arts & Culture

      What to Do This Weekend (03.12–03.15)

      MAR 11
      What to do this weekend (03.12–03.15)
      Arts & Culture

      Scream 7 Has a New Contender for Worst in the Series

      MAR 11
      Scream 7 Has a New Contender for Worst in the Series
      Food & Drink

      Chouchou Is the Modern Chinese Bistro Our City's Been Missing

      MAR 11
      Chouchou Is the Modern Chinese Bistro Our City's Been Missing