The Bulletin: So much to do in one weekend, it'll make your head spin [Issue #157]

Wow. What a weekend.

Over a dozen local creators and companies as well as hundreds of Montrealers gathered for our first-ever holiday market, and for that, we're incredibly thankful. It was a wild ride and we had a ton of fun getting to meet so many of you in person, and we're looking forward to doing it all over again next year.

Now, we don't want to get too full of ourselves, but our full weekend of holiday-related festivities felt like it kicked things off in Montreal. Sure, there was a Santa Claus Parade and no doubt a bunch of other holiday stuff to do, but it really cemented in our minds that the city is locked in.

If you thought last weekend couldn't be more Christmas-y, you're about to get walloped over the head with a bag of presents: We got holiday bar pop-ups, TONS of more markets to check out, a massive tree went up in the Old Port, store decorations are up... if don't want any of that, you may need to stay in until it's 2026.

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

There's a lot of 'em, but we tracked 'em down:

Thursday

🖼️ The McCord Stewart Museum opened On the Menu – Montreal: A Restaurant Story, tracing how dining out shaped the city’s identity from deli counters to fine dining.

💃 Catch the debut of Un-nevering at Espace Libre, choreographer Thea Patterson’s moving new work that blurs grief and creation into a piece that gently questions whether anything ever truly ends.

✨ SOUK rings in its 20th edition, celebrating two decades of bold Montréal design and inspiring talent.

✍️ Live model drawing nights return with Dear Musa where you can gather in an intimate setting to draw, sip wine, enjoy cheese, and create with others.

✨ Lumino opens for its 16th edition with more than 30 original works from local artists, bringing the grandiloquence of a museum out in the natural world.

Friday

⛸️ The Esplanade Tranquille rink is officially open, turning a downtown square into a free, 1500 m² skating loop by day and an interactive, glowing ice canvas by night.

🎧 Grimey drops an “Essentials” pop-up inside the historic RCA building, mixing live music, DJ sets, and giveaways for a one-night hang in Saint-Henri.

🎁 Jamais Assez returns for this year’s holiday season– get your hands on new curated selections and ready-to-go gift sets.

🎄 Collectif Créatif MTL takes over Time Out Market Montréal for a weekend pop-up featuring a curated lineup of local makers, unique holiday gifts, and plenty of festive energy to ease you into the season.

🕹️ Get nostalgic and competitive at Arcade MTL with their latest lineup kicking off with Street Fighter II Turbo.

Saturday

🔊 Club SAT goes full femme-power with a high-energy techno night, with hypnotic beats that will keep you dancing until 5am.

🎪 Le Cabaret Divin takes over Centre St-Jax with a holiday circus spectacular of acrobatics, live music, and big communal energy during a shared, luminous ritual.

🌈 A Very Queer Market returns with a special Holigay edition, inviting you to browse community-made gifts and trinkets, sip a drink, and meet queer artists.

🍁 The Indigenous Winter Market 2025 returns in a brand-new venue with expanded food vendors, hands-on workshops, and vibrant performances celebrating Inuit and Indigenous makers and culture.

📖 Bring the kids, nieces, or nephews to Pulp for a charming kids’ storytime, celebrating seasons, mindfulness, and community—plus a possible festive Christmas story!

🎅 Find something special for your holiday list at The Maisonneuve Market’s festive block party, featuring gourmet treats, Santa visits, live choirs and DJs, and a vibrant lineup of artisans to shop from.

Sunday

🎶 GAMIQ marks its 20th anniversary at Le National, handing out 38 Luciens and packing the night with performances from some of Québec’s sharpest alternative voices—all backed by house band Les Brasspectables and hosted by Benoit Poirier.

🎬 It's the last weekend for image+nation, returning for its 38th edition with more than 125 films lighting up Montréal’s screens—Queer comedies, family heartbreakers, sultry dramas, and bold shorts from emerging voices across 38 countries.

📖 Drawn & Quarterly launches its holiday flash sale with 35–50% off all books for two days only.

🎥 Same goes for Montreal’s RIDM festival, where another year showcasing over 100 films from over 40 countries in various venues throughout the city comes to an end this weekend.

🎧 Spend Sunday at L’Amour de jour for a cozy afternoon of groovy tunes, good company, and warm vibes.

🦌🛷 Mark your calendars for The Mcgill Farmers Market that returns December 1 and 2 and shop local food, drinks, crafts, and more for unique gifts this year.

Pour one out for Entre-Deux in NDG; this weekend will be their last. Read on for more details.

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.

The Montréal Raclette Party brings chef Yoann Van Den Berg to Atwater Market on Nov 27–28 for wood-fired raclette, a live demo, and exclusive flambé tastings.

Dînette Bardèz begins its soft launch with Levantine-inspired snacks served 11–7 daily (closed Tue/Wed), including a fresh-baked manakeesh sandwich now on the menu.

Snowbird Tiki Bar unveils its new Lotus Lounge on Nov 27, adding a themed back room with 30 extra seats and a full night of tropical vibes.

Benjamin Steakhouse Parisien opens Nov 27 downtown, serving AAA Canadian beef in a French-inspired setting with breakfast, lunch, brunch, and dinner on the menu.

Café Redwood opens exclusively for the MTL Cookbook Club that will be sampling recipes on November 27.

The Secrets Christmas Bar opens under Kwizinn from Nov 20 to Jan 4, serving festive cocktails and full holiday vibes all season.

Bar Bello presents an updated menu—head out to Little Italy to try their shareable pizzas made with with handmade doughs on Nov 28.

Celeste Restaurant opens its doors with a soft launch on Nov 28, offering only a handful of tables for its first month and taking reservations exclusively by phone.

Herman Artisan Brewery turns three and is celebrating with eight new beers, surprises and food on Nov 29.

Vino Disco's opening hours will extend until 6 AM with full bar service on Nov 29, alongside a DJ set to keep you moving all night.

Taste the holiday spirit with themed cocktails at the French Line on Nov 29 until Dec 31st.

Bid farewell to the last five years of Entre-Deux with their last service on Nov 29 as they clear out remaining stock.

Bernice is throwing the tastiest rave yet on Nov 30 with brioche and sausage rolls.

Bon Delire Bar joins forces with Frenchline and Bishop & Baggs for a unique karaoke night.

SANTAAAAAAAAA (in the 2025 parade downtown this past weekend) | Photograph: Eva Blue / @evablue

Here, you'll find a weekly round-up of our stories from the past week, plus the latest local news.

Maguire built a Canadian model of place-based design with shoes tailored to how women move through Montreal, New York, and Toronto. But they didn't grow by suddenly being a viral hit. Read more.

That shit is bananas. Montreal’s Equifruit says the era of cheap bananas is cracking, arguing a small price hike could finally support farmers in a fragile, climate-stressed supply chain. Read more.

America’s oldest brewing school is relocating from Chicago to Montreal, a move local brewers say will boost the city’s beer scene just as Quebec’s craft industry looks for its next wave. Read more.

OG Montreal diners may remember Mezcla, now returning as a 24-seat Peruvian speakeasy where chef Marcel Larrea finally gets full creative control with a blind tasting menu and a little fuck-you freedom. Read more.

The REM just leap-frogged the country’s broken transit playbook to deliver a fast, driverless, standardized rail system for a fraction of Toronto or New York’s costs, says Macleans. Read more.

Nili is the Mile End’s anti–fine dining café: a tiny Moroccan-French spot with twice-a-week prices built for drop-ins and late dinners with channeled Casablanca roots and New York neighbourhood-joint energy. Read more.

Ruby Foo’s was once Montreal’s flashiest night out—here's a look back at its 1,300-seat, neon-soaked Chinese restaurant where everyone from Trudeau to Maurice Richard showed up. Read more.

Who is Ivy Studio? Well, any time you experienced a redefinition of Montreal’s commercial landscape with a bold, immersive space that reshapes how the city looks and feels? That'd be them most likely. Read more.

The long-promised fix to the Jacques-Cartier Bridge’s notoriously perilous bike path has been punted to 2055, with Ottawa opting for minor “statu quo amélioré” tweaks despite deadly collisions and booming bike traffic. Read more.

Wing, the century-old Chinatown factory behind Montreal’s iconic noodles and fortune cookies, is closing after 75 years—an emotional end to a family-run pillar of the neighbourhood. Read more.

Our new mayor and Premier François Legault held their first meeting, aligning on homelessness and French-language protection while sparking some tensions. Read more.

Sherbrooke Street West is the fifth-coolest street on Earth? It's praised for its museums, indie shops, leafy courtyards, and a 300-year backstory. Thoughts? 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.

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👋 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 / Samuel Vadnais, Head of Partnerships / Anahi Pellathy, Editorial & Production Coordinator / Phylida Tuff-West, Editorial Intern / Kaitlyn DiBartolo, Editorial Intern / Jeremy Cox, Editorial Intern / AnnaClare Sung, Editorial Intern