The Bulletin: Porchside Music Crawls, Springtime Dancing, and Soju at the Bookstore [Issue #181]

Morning, Montreal.

Looking towards the long weekend, everyone at the office can’t help but look out the window. It’s a bit like when you’re a kid and you know summer vacation is approaching. I’m not one to appreciate the aristocracy either personally, but there’s a feeling of tense excitement in the air as we look forward to getting one more day to enjoy the city. Thanks Vic.

The city, of course, it responding in kind. Scroll on through what’s coming up, and there’s a wealth of things to come. It’s almost overwhelming, really, and a wonderful precursor to what’s shaping up to be a memorable summer (we’ve got some big announcements in the pipeline on the front too so stay tuned), even if the season hasn’t even actually kicked off proper yet.

I can safely say on behalf of everyone at the magazine that we’re happy to bring you another edition of the Bulletin packed with promise, because we’re all chomping at the bit to get out there and have a good time. Let us know what you got up to by tagging us in your stories on Instagram with @themain; we’re genuinely curious.

Now, on with the show.

— JP Karwacki, Managing Editor

PRESENTED BY LA CABINE COMÉDIE CLUB

La Cabine Comédie Club just opened near Laurier station, and it's already selling out shows. Now they're adding something the east end has long been missing: English-language comedy nights, in a proper club setting.

Every Sunday at 7 p.m., Open Mic brings out everyone from touring pros to first-timers. Every second Saturday at 10 p.m., Cabine Fever Prime Time goes all-in with Montreal's best and visiting headliners.

For the whole month of May, use promo code MORECOWBELL for free tickets to any show. Bring a friend, or several.

The Editors' Picks

The places our editors keep coming back to. Every one has earned an editorial badge.

One Story to Read This Week

Montreal's Jewish food story is usually told through two dishes: the bagel and the smoked meat. Kat Romanow, co-founder of the non-profit The Wandering Chew, thinks that's both where most people stop and where the more interesting story begins.

Her guide maps five neighbourhoods and two distinct culinary traditions, from Wilensky's pressed bologna sandwich to the cheese bagel, a horseshoe-shaped pastry with strudel-like dough and sweet farmer's cheese that is almost entirely unknown outside the community.

A reminder that Montreal's most iconic food traditions were built by people whose own traditions are still hiding in plain sight.

Thursday

🎧 Palomosa Festival begin at Jean-Drapeau, featuring three days of multi-genre music, with live performances, DJ sets, and visual arts.

🎬 Montreal Asian Film Festival presents the opening ceremony for their 13th edition at Cinema du Musée.

🍶 Planning ahead here, but: Librarie Saint-Henri Books hosts Soju Club on Thursday, May 28th. Tickets available now.

🏒 Watch the Habs take the Sabres in Game 5 of the NHL playoffs, Round 2.

Friday

🖌️ The first day of Montreal’s Comic Arts Festival kicks off with interviews, panels, and creative workshops on St. Denis.

🍕 Paperole hosts the launch for artist Benoit Tardif’s book Pizza Punk Arena, and the opening for his related exhibition.

Saturday

🎸 NDG fills the streets with music on the first day of Porchfest, raising money for Head and Hands Montreal with a lineup of bands across the neighbourhood.

🪩 Ferias takes over Systeme for a night of movement. Tickets available here.

👨‍🎤 Pouzza Fest, Montreal’s punk rock festival, comes downtown for its second night.

🏍️ Roll the Bones pops up in Théâtre Paradoxe for a vintage bike and art show, with live music. $20 tickets.

🎹 Place des Arts’ Wilfrid-Pelletier hall ****hosts La La Land in concert, with live music accompanying the Oscar-winning film.

📖 A week of Lire Queer Readerfest begins, with queer bookclub meetings across Montreal reading works in English, French, and Spanish.

Sunday

🪩 Kinetic and Disco Dessert take over Vino Disco for an extended night of disco and funk, with Vincent Lemieux, Salvo, Lara Bee, and Dimitry until 6 a.m.

🎤 Australian comedy troupe Sooshi Mango drop by the Olympia Theatre as part of their Home Made world tour.

🎧 Piknic Electronik returns for the 2026 season with MCRDJ, Jordan Gardner, Syana, and Amper—at Jean Drapeau.

🪩 Ferias hits the dance floor at Plongeoir, with sets from Alina and Guthrie.

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.

Cams Déjeuner is in soft opening this week, Wednesday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The new Cafe Brut opens their doors in Griffintown, serving an array of coffees and matchas.

Cafe Cadence welcomes customers for their soft opening.

Quebec Cider Week returns for its 10th edition, with tastings, workshops, promotions, and more. Across the city, May 7-17.

Serviette comes to Montreal, with a celebratory magazine launch party on Thursday, May 14 at Double’s.

Cidre Intrus pops up at WILLS for Cider Week, with music by Lou-Tech. May 14, 4 PM to late.

Charles Dumais and Haute Saison’s Yan collaborate for a festive and gastronomic night on Thursday, May 14. Limited seating, book now.

Pichai welcomes winemaker Fabio Geo on Thursday, May 14, for one night only. $165 for a 6-course menu and pairings.

325F x Cremerie Meumeu starts on Friday, May 15. Lasts all summer.

La Courtepointe hosts a whole-hog pop-up with guest chefs Dave Plant and Marc Côté on May 15, with seasonal vegetables and à la carte plates from 4 p.m. onward.

Baumier hosts their first event of 2026, a celebratory spring BBQ, on Saturday, May 16. Coffee from Koha and beer from Herman.

Seizon's pastries—cardamom buns, cinnamon brioche, saffron buns—pop up at Even Coffee for one morning only. Saturday, May 16.

Castel Franco and La Rama team up for a Sunday brunch with a crowd-sourced playlist. Sunday, May 17, from 11 a.m. onward.

Caffe Italia celebrates their 70th birthday on Monday, May 18, with 1956 prices for cappuccino and espresso.

Café Hélico turns 8 with a terrasse BBQ, festive cocktails, and Menaud beers. Monday, May 18, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Pichai celebrates its 5th anniversary on Monday, May 18, with Toronto's Jamil's Chaat House cooking alongside them, big wines, cold beers, and DJs. No reservations, first come first served, from 5 PM.

The forthcoming Mediterranean supperclub Alia MTL opens Race Week reservations for May 21, 22, and 23.

Menu Extra x Le 9e draw inspiration from 1930s French hospitality with their Grand Prix dining experience, a three course tasting menu from Francis Blais. Saturday, May 23.

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

Carlos Ferreira arrived in Montreal at 19 speaking no French or English. Thirty years later, his daughters are making sure the restaurant he built is just getting started. Read more.

Dunkin' is coming to Canada, and Tim Hortons only has itself to blame. Read more.

The Michael Jackson biopic is estate-approved, consequence-free, and exactly as revealing as you'd expect. One star. Read more.

The architect behind l'Édifice Godin vanished for 20 years, changed his name, and became a city councillor. His buildings are still all over Montreal. Read more.

A Quebec architect distilled years of designing across three continents into one idea, and then they built a prefab cabin company around it. Read more.

Little Italy's bar scene runs from a century-old dive to a Negroni vending machine, with 16 stops worth making in between. Read more.

Two Bouillon Bilk alumni took over a Mile End bakery, built most of the room by hand, and opened one of the more quietly compelling new restaurants in the city. Read more.

A new Griffintown café with banana-infused espresso, a 16-foot marble counter, and bigger ambitions than its 24-seat capacity suggests. Read more.

Peter Farrelly's World Cup comedy had a decent premise and a great co-star, but Mark Wahlberg’s a black hole of performance. One and a half stars. 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 & Editor-in-Chief / Jean-Philippe Lauzon, Co-Founder & Head of Tech / JP Karwacki, Managing Editor / Whitney Domingo, Community Manager / Samuel Vadnais, Head of Partnerships / Anahi Pellathy, Editorial & Production Coordinator / AnnaClare Sung, Junior Staff Writer