The Bulletin: Grab your dancing shoes y'all, leaf peeping is cancelled [Issue #148]

What fools we were to think something like the last day of summer, that good ol' autumnal equinox, was going to mean something.

The calendar date? Arbitrary. The right-on-cue shift to colder days, rainfall, and leaves beginning to turn fiery shades of yellow, orange, and red? It's like no one noticed. None of us here at the office could've possibly predicted just how stacked this weekend could be until we saw it all on paper.

We thought it'd be quiet, but it's loud across the board. We thought it'd be cozy, but it's full of mosh pits and projection mapping block parties. You can slow it all down if you want to, of course, but this weekend? It begs to differ.

Here's hoping the STM strike doesn't interfere with it all!

Ok byeeeeeeee

Activities, parties, points of interest, art exhibitions, you name it: These are the weekend events you don't want to miss.

Thursday

🎸 POP Montreal takes over the city with 400+ artists across music, art, and performance—spotlighting global talent and indie spirit through September 28.

🎤 Ausgang Plaza marks 10 years of Love & Hip Hop with a stacked anniversary show celebrating the energy and creativity of Montréal’s hip-hop and RnB scene.

🪵 Espace Transmission hosts a three day pop-up exhibition showcasing Karim Charlebois’s latest wooden sculptures. 

🔴 The red red réseaux exhibition opens at Le Livart Centre, featuring Latin American diaspora artists that weave art and activism into performances and installations. 

🧵 The second edition of Le Printemps des Créateurs québécois held at Studio Giovanelli showcases a group of local Quebec designers and their creations. 

🤸 Cabaret Le Monastere is back, bringing acrobatics, contortion, and live performance to a unique setting.

🎥 The Montréal International Black Film Festival is back with fresh perspectives on Black cinema from around the globe—screening bold, bilingual films through September 28.

Friday

🥁 collectif9 teams up with drummer Ronny Desinor for a program of strings and percussion—groovy, exploratory music rooted in folk and urban sounds. 

🌌 MAPP_MTL lights up the city with large-scale projection art, turning public spaces into open-air galleries—catch it across town through September 27.

🌷 The KYC Co. and Café Cosé host a Floral Cake & Matcha Workshop, with cake decorating, and complimentary matcha.

📍 MURAL Festival presents a night of music and immersive visuals Moment Factory— all in support of MAPP Festival’s future. 

👗 Montréal Fashion Week spotlights the city’s style scene with shows, pop-ups, and events from designers, schools, and makers across Québec.

🌇 As part of the 29th edition of Les Journées de la culture, 42 architecture firms across Québec open their doors with tours, workshops, and talks.

Saturday

🎶 Below Breakglass 04: Day Party, co-presented by DISCOÑO, lights up three floors with DJs, live jazz, backyard BBQ, immersive installations, a club zone with international and local stars, and a vintage market with pop-up tattoos. 

💿 The POP Record Fair takes over the terrace at Wills Bar with crates of vinyl, CDs, and cassettes from collectors, DJs, and artists, plus a live show and a raffle for a custom Rebicycle. 

🍵🛍️ Bar Uma and boutique Take Three host a sip n shop with fall vintage, local designers, matcha and hojicha.

🍷 Vinorama is having an end of season sale with discounts on their curated wine and groceries.  

🍂 The Autumn Market at Locoshop Angus features local artisans, thrift finds, and family-friendly activities.  

📖 Confabulation MTL kicks off its 16th season with Bookmarked at the Centaur Theatre, sharing true stories inspired by classic books, strong characters, and plot twists. 

🍻 Atwater Market has its fourth annual Oktoberfest with local microbrews, good food, pumpkin decorating, and games.

Sunday

📚 Cafe Bosco hosts a book sale with Saint-Henri Books. 

♻️ ReMode comes to Montreal, offering workshops and tips on extending the life of your clothes.

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WHAT TO EAT & DRINK IN AND AROUND MONTREAL

Scope the latest restaurant openings, recommendations on where to eat, plus new menus, old classics, and everything in between.

Cafe Gentile hosts its third edition of Septembrivo with aperitivo and small bites on Sep 25.

Oktoberfest runs through October 5 at Taverne Atlantic with house-made pretzels, bratwurst, and a tap list featuring Boréale, Silo, Dieu du Ciel!, and Wills Beer. Prost.

Courtepointe terrace wraps up its first season on Sept 27 with 2024 vintage by the glass and fresh pasta with seasonal vegetables to celebrate the end of summer.

Brasserie Réservoir celebrates 23 years with its Equinoxe party on Sept 27, featuring a special BBQ menu, rare cellar beers, and Quebec wines by the glass. 

June Buvette turns 2 on Sept 27, celebrating with a DJ, Tattoos, and special plates of food.

Saturday Cafe pops up in Mile End from September 27–28 with coffee and cocktails at 53 rue de Bellechasse.

Backyard Boogie at Mange Dans Mon Hood celebrates Funny Bones Crew’s anniversary on Sept 28 with a day party and special outdoor menu. 

Café Miracolo (among other spots) will see the last day of Negroni week on Sept 28th. 

La Cave Mamie is doing a tasting of 7 privately imported cuvées from Athenais de Béru on Sept 28. 

Antonietta celebrates 6 years on Sept 28th with vermouth, Mediterranean inspired pizza, and cocktails. 

Dobe & Andy x Daleys Jerk serve classic Cantonese dishes with a Jamaican twist on September 29, offering a menu at  $49-per-person.  

Kabinet hosts the debut of Chat Errant on Sept 29, with a 3-course menu by Theodor Blair and Rory Lones for 65$ per person.

Lil reminder that Deli d’Occasion has opened its doors this month from the team of Bonheur d’Occasion.

Here, you'll find a weekly round-up of the latest local news, from entertainment to current affairs and more.

No stadium. No mid-tier rooms. No Taylor Swift. Montreal’s venue crisis is driving artists to Toronto—but this is a fixable problem. Read more.

Volunteer-run and proudly chaotic, N10.AS is keeping Montreal’s DIY music scene online, on air, and off the algorithm. Read more.

Pop-ups are helping Montreal chefs dodge rent, test ideas, and reshape the food scene—one night, one dish, one vibe at a time. Read more.

Started in bins, now it’s two stores and 99.9% sell-through—LE NINETY’s vintage game is all heart, hustle, and radical transparency. Read more.

Speaking of local vintage juggernauts: Marché Floh just upsized its downtown shop—betting big on secondhand fashion, creative energy, and a three-storey future for circular style. Read more.

Montreal’s new Western bars are trading IPAs for Coors, techno for line dancing—and pulling the cowboy hat curious along for the ride. Read more.

Plan ahead for Oktoberfests, haunted mazes, art fairs, and ska shows—October in Montreal is cozy, chaotic, and built for staying out late. Read more.

Montreal’s STM strike is back—no métro or buses outside peak hours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays until Oct. 4. Plan accordingly. Read more.

Montreal’s $2.3B port expansion won’t fix the real problem: the river’s too shallow for modern ships—and the U.S. is eating our maritime lunch. Read more.

A Cree-led bid could turn Montreal’s former Hudson’s Bay building into a $400M cultural hub—reclaiming space, history, and the downtown core. Read more.

From bold buys to Rihanna’s Super Bowl fit, Ssense built a global fashion empire out of Montreal. Now it’s in bankruptcy protection. Read more.

Montreal just opened its first modular housing site with 24/7 support—offering vulnerable residents a real stepping stone to permanent homes. Read more.

After 60 years downtown, Montreal’s YMCA International Language School will shut down—another casualty of post-pandemic pressures and policy shifts. Read more.

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And that wraps yet another weekly bulletin. We’ll be back with more curiosities, local stories, and events to discover next week.

If ever you catch something we should know, don't hesitate to reach out to us on Instagram.

👋 Masthead: Philip Tabah, Founder & Head of Creative / Daniel Bromberg, Co-Founder & Head of Operations / Jean-Philippe Lauzon, Co-Founder & Head of Tech / JP Karwacki, Managing Editor / Amber Spector, Social Media Manager / Anahi Pellathy, Editorial & Production Coordinator / Phylida Tuff-West, Editorial Intern