This summer's seeing more red tape than usual, but it's still going hard.

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

Thursday

• @festivaljazzmtl begins, and it'll be running until July 6; the Gazette's done a great job collecting the best shows to see.
• @larondesixflags has unveiled its programming for this year’s fireworks festival, and it all starts tonight with a Tribute to Boy & Girl Bands before the international fireworks go up in July.
• The @mtlenarts festival, a community event to support and promote the visual arts and celebrate local creativity, begins—it'll feature performances from more than 100 local artists.
• @airecommune's Osheaga night returns with an atmospheric evening where you can make the most of the Montreal summer with some incredible DJs.
• @marchefloh is hosting a launch party for its new space, Le Basement, from 5pm to 9pm with screen printing on site by @thenorthfrank sounds by @tapes.world

Friday

• Local purveyors of good vibes, @laylitparty, will be at @piedducourant to serve up an effervescent evening of music & artists from the Arab/SWANA region & diaspora.
• Branle-Bas d'Hochelaga is a neighbourhood @sdc_hm festival that combines summer shopping at good prices with a host of free circus activities—bonus, it'll end in a live fire show.
• Have you checked out @theatreparadoxe's free concerts on Terrasse St-Georges? Every Friday, it features a different artist.

Saturday

• @phicentre is hosting free monthly performances designed to take over its spaces, starting with Marcella França's Zone de confort on June 29 and 30.
• @the.opiumden's first official temporary vintage boutique and café starts on June 29 and 30 with a selection of curated books, clothing, home goods and art.
• @mileendimprov and @verycoolshowmtl is doing their monthly showcase featuring David Kaufman, Vance Gillis and all their funniest friends.

Sunday

• @vitrinefest's multidisciplinary collection of visual arts, music, comedy and food & drink returns for an even bigger second edition across the Sud-Ouest.
• Montreal scratch DJ, music producer, theatre producer, film composer, and visual artist @realkidkoala is performing their new multimedia show The Storyville Mosquito all weekend.
• Pretty sure it ain't exactly 'legal', but there's supposed to be a party at Verdun Beach at 3pm with lots of drum and bass, techno and psytrance.

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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.

"Truly a reflection of who I am and what I stand for"

A project discreetly in the works since chef Danny Smiles announced his departure from Hudson’s Willow Inn in December 2023, Le Violon is easily filling the shoes of its address once held by its predecessor, Maison Publique. Here's why Montreal's so excited about this new project. (The Main)

Le Violon: Stepping into a painting of fine dining in the Plateau

Taking over the address that once housed Maison Publique, Le Violon is a new neighbourhood project that celebrates kinship and thoughtful, ingredient-driven cuisine.

J.P. Karwacki

• @evas_mtl in Saint-Henri is celebrating its 2nd anniversary with street food and vibes on July 1 from 3pm 7pm. Be there or be square.
• A special @fleurs_cadeaux pop-up's going down at @bar.wills with Japanese grilling, guest DJs, freshly brewed beer, and featured cocktails on June 30.
• Speaking of Wills Bar, @interludenm and @jus.sec will be doing a tap takeover full of new ciders and sweet, sweet wines on June 27.
• @lieuxcommuns.vin is doing a pop-up at @kabinetmtl all weekend long with a festive BBQ and incredible cuvées, from June 27 to 30.
• New pizza pop-up kids on the block, @cornerpizzaaa, is hosting a pop-up at @turbo_haus on June 28 at 5 p.m. sharp and it'll go until sold out.
• Local beloved brewery @lespacepublic is celebrating the opening of its terrasse after a postponement; expect good times ahead. They'll also be hosting a cookout with @octo_mtl later on July 3rd.
• @courarriere.mtl is a new restaurant that's opened behind @hotelsaintsulpice in Old Montreal.
• @leblossom.sushi's @chefkhang is hosting their first-ever omakase event below the pink leaves of its cherry tree installation, 12 services on July 2.
• Vineyard @tresprecieuxsang is doing a special event on the back patio @pumpuimontreal on June 30—expect a lot of wine (and hot dogs!).
• @musubi_mtl is the newest addition to @marchejeantalon, offering delicious things like traditional onigiris and grilled mochi skewers.
• Maybe you missed this opening: @clairejacques.mtl, the brainchild of @laurence_theberge, who worked alongside @patrice_demers since Day 1 at Patrice Pâtissier.
• @macbar_et_fromage is officially reopening on June 29, and they're going to have music, cocktails, and more than just pasta and cheese.
• @luluepicerie & @kineticmontreal had to cancel their last block party plans due to weather, so they're planning a bangin' party instead.
• On June 27, local cider shop @cidre_intrus welcomes @charles.turcotte for the launch of their new collection in collaboration with @les_saisons.co.
• Another under-the-radar opening for us: @matimontreal, which softly launched in May, is a new Greek taverna that's chic 'n' open seven days a week.
• @saelow_mtl is celebrating a year in business with a BBQ on June 30.

Let's go to the Dep

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

An ongoing environmental crisis in Mohawk territory

"For months, George has investigated a scheme that’s seen thousands of truckloads of contaminated soil dumped throughout the Mohawk territory — taking down license plate numbers, recording cell phone videos and even confronting drivers over the contents of their trucks." (The Rover)

Riding Shotgun: A Tour of Kanesatake’s Secret Dumpsites – The Rover

An investigation by The Rover found major real estate developers using Mohawk territory as a landfill.

The RoverChristopher Curtis

Montreal's 10 most dangerous intersections

Cyclists beware: These are the results of a survey of around 1,500 cyclists carried out by the Transportation Research (TRAM) group at McGill University reveal. (Le Devoir)

L’intersection Ontario/Berri est la plus dangereuse, selon les cyclistes

C’est ce que révèle un sondage mené par l’Université McGill auprès de 1500 personnes qui roulent dans la métropole.

Le DevoirFlorence Morin-Martel

"A Band-Aid on a gaping wound"

Moving Day, when a critical mass of Quebec leases expire, is just around the corner. But in the midst of a housing crisis, it’s become a time of desperation for many, as greater numbers of tenants are being forced to move and then realizing they have no place to go. (Montreal Gazette)

Allison Hanes: Montreal’s Moving Day has always been stressful. Now it’s a time of crisis

The city has been preparing emergency services for those who have no place to live on July 1. But that’s a Band-Aid on a gaping wound.

Montreal GazetteAllison Hanes

Montreal: A "Canadian town"

Just something to (maybe) get you riled up: We just love it when Insider runs a story from someone's perspective and it's just got so many odd notes, from putting a first-person photo of your apartment where you like to say you go people-watching to calling a croissant "gooey". (Insider)

A day in the life of someone who lives in Montreal — the ‘Paris of North America’

I live in Montreal, a Canadian city with a distinctly European feel. Some people even call it the Paris of North America. Here’s what a day is like.

InsiderMira Miller

French North America represent

In Montreal, 74,939 voters were registered during the 2024 EU elections. This figure could rise to 77,000 for the legislative elections, for a diaspora estimated at 200,000 people. Remember that Montreal represents the largest electoral list outside the European continent. (Radio-Canada)

Élections françaises : hausse d’électeurs à Montréal

Le vote électronique pour les élections législatives françaises débute mardi et plusieurs constatent un certain engouement de la diaspora de Montréal.

Radio-Canada

You knew, but yeah, it ain't good 📉

Tenants who have not yet found an apartment for the next year will have to expect to pay much more than what they were paying until now, warns the Rassemblement des comités logement et associations de locataires du Québec (RCLALQ) in its annual analysis of the price of housing available on Kijiji. (Pivot)

Le coût des logements disponibles continue de flamber – Pivot

La hausse du loyer moyen des logements disponibles est encore une fois très importante cette année.

PivotFrancis Hébert-Bernier

Back when the underworld ruled Montreal

This tells the story of the power struggles between mayors and police in the Red Light era that was ended by Jean Drapeau and Pax Plante toward the end of the 1950s. It’s written by the granddaughter of Albert Langlois, chief of police at the time, who was accused of corruption. (Radio-Canada)

Vices et vérités : dans l’ombre du Red Light | Radio-Canada.ca

Sophie Langlois revient sur la carrière de son grand-père, chef de police à l’époque du Red Light.

Radio-Canada.ca

Advice for art collectors

Based in Montreal with a presence in New York, Toronto, and London, Robin Rosenberg's full-service art advisory has established itself as an invaluable resource for collectors for more than two decades, specializing collection ideation, post-purchase logistics, and everything in between. (Artnet News)

Robin Rosenberg on Why You Should Prioritize Quality Over Quantity

Based in Montreal, Robin Rosenberg Fine Art is a full-service art advisory and undergoing an exciting expansion.

Artnet NewsArtnet Gallery Network

Keeping skin in the game

Bad times for the tattoo industry: Following the usual slow winter, spring has not kept its usual promise of bringing back traffic. Dependent on a clientele with disposable income reduced by inflation, tattoo artists are now struggling to make a living from their art. (Le Devoir)

Des tatoueurs se font un sang d’encre face à la baisse de la clientèle

Tributaires d’une clientèle au revenu amoindri par l’inflation, ils peinent aujourd’hui à vivre de leur art.

Le DevoirMarc-Antoine Franco Rey

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.