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

Content

  • Articles
  • Food & Drink
  • Arts & Culture
  • History Lesson
  • Bulletin
  • Events

Guides

  • All Guides
  • Best Restaurants
  • Best Cafés
  • Best Bars
  • Best Brunch
  • Best Bakeries

Explore Montreal

  • Browse Directory
  • Restaurants
  • Bars
  • Cafés
  • Bookstores
  • Leaderboard
  • Editor's Picks
  • New Places

About

  • About us
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
  • Advertise
  • Pitch us
  • RSS Feed

Legal

  • Terms of service
  • Membership Terms
  • Privacy Policy
Follow us
InstagramTwitterTiktokLinkedin

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

    Content

    • Articles
    • Food & Drink
    • Arts & Culture
    • History Lesson
    • Bulletin
    • Events

    Guides

    • All Guides
    • Best Restaurants
    • Best Cafés
    • Best Bars
    • Best Brunch
    • Best Bakeries

    Explore Montreal

    • Browse Directory
    • Restaurants
    • Bars
    • Cafés
    • Bookstores
    • Leaderboard
    • Editor's Picks
    • New Places

    About

    • About us
    • Subscribe
    • Shop
    • Advertise
    • Pitch us
    • RSS Feed

    Legal

    • Terms of service
    • Membership Terms
    • Privacy Policy
    Follow us
    InstagramTwitterTiktokLinkedin

    The Main Media Inc. 2026

    ✦ Built By Field Office
      --°C|Friday, May 8, 2026|
      Subscribe today to get 3 free articles per month.Get 50% off your first 5 rides with Lyft
      InstagramTwitterTiktokLinkedin
      |
      Advertise
      The Main Logo
      Magazine
      Sections
      • Arts & Culture
      • Beyond Montreal
      • Design
      • Food & Drink
      • History Lessons
      • The Bulletin
      Explore
      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
      ShopWeather
      Subscribe
      Subscribe
      --°C|Friday, May 8, 2026|
      Subscribe today to get 3 free articles per month.Get 50% off your first 5 rides with Lyft
      InstagramTwitterTiktokLinkedin
      |
      Advertise
      The Main Logo
      Magazine
      Sections
      • Arts & Culture
      • Beyond Montreal
      • Design
      • Food & Drink
      • History Lessons
      • The Bulletin
      Explore
      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
      ShopWeather
      Subscribe
      Subscribe
      Arts & Culture

      Things to Do in Montreal This May

      From cider crawls and kimono parades to DJ-fuelled Sundays and neighbourhood street festivals—Montreal in May doesn’t slow down.

      ByJ.P. Karwacki

      May 1, 2026 · 6 min read

      Things to Do in Montreal This May
      Photograph: Café Collectif / Official

      Spring’s in full swing, and May is when Montreal officially remembers how to party. Things have warmed up, literally and figuratively, as locals and tourists can both enjoy the rising action of deep spring before the climax of summer.

      Sounds hyperbolic, we know, but it really ain't.

      Anyway: One look at this round-up of things to do in Montreal during May, and it's clear: The sun’s got stamina, the festivals start stacking, and every park bench suddenly looks like a runway. This is when terrasses fill up before noon, porches double as stages, and even the alleys feel like venues in disguise. Whether you’re sipping saké during Japan Week, catching reggaeton at Fuego Fuego, or shopping local at Marché ASIASIE, the city’s energy shifts from thawing out to showing up.

      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

      The Main

      Comments

      1
      1 comment loaded

      Welcome to The Main's comments section!

      Share your thoughts and join the conversation. Please be respectful and constructive.

      All Comments

      A
      Anonymous
      Apr 30, 2026

      MCAF is actually May 15-17, as per their website.

      Loading replies...
      Follow on Google
      Arts & Culture

      Things to Do in Montreal This May

      From cider crawls and kimono parades to DJ-fuelled Sundays and neighbourhood street festivals—Montreal in May doesn’t slow down.

      ByJ.P. Karwacki

      May 1, 2026 · 6 min read

      Things to Do in Montreal This May
      Photograph: Café Collectif / Official

      Spring’s in full swing, and May is when Montreal officially remembers how to party. Things have warmed up, literally and figuratively, as locals and tourists can both enjoy the rising action of deep spring before the climax of summer.

      Sounds hyperbolic, we know, but it really ain't.

      Anyway: One look at this round-up of things to do in Montreal during May, and it's clear: The sun’s got stamina, the festivals start stacking, and every park bench suddenly looks like a runway. This is when terrasses fill up before noon, porches double as stages, and even the alleys feel like venues in disguise. Whether you’re sipping saké during Japan Week, catching reggaeton at Fuego Fuego, or shopping local at Marché ASIASIE, the city’s energy shifts from thawing out to showing up.

      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

      The Main

      Comments

      1
      1 comment loaded

      Welcome to The Main's comments section!

      Share your thoughts and join the conversation. Please be respectful and constructive.

      All Comments

      A
      Anonymous
      Apr 30, 2026

      MCAF is actually May 15-17, as per their website.

      Loading replies...
      Follow on Google

      More Arts & Culture

      Michael Turns the King of Pop Into a Corporate Tribute Act
      Arts & Culture
      Gianni Fiasche

      Michael Turns the King of Pop Into a Corporate Tribute Act

      Antoine Fuqua’s long-awaited Michael Jackson biopic reduces one of pop music’s most complicated figures to a glossy impersonation stitched together from hit songs and approved mythology.

      What To Do This Weekend (05.07–05.10)
      Arts & Culture
      J.P. Karwacki

      What To Do This Weekend (05.07–05.10)

      From printed art fairs and playoff hockey to cider week and grand opera: May 7 to 10, 2026.

      The Limits of Making Art Out of Hosting
      Arts & Culture
      Chloe Latour

      The Limits of Making Art Out of Hosting

      Marie Ségolène C. Brault built a practice around meals, bars, and radical hospitality, but the intimacy, cost, and expectations behind it reveal how difficult it is to sustain.

      Your Guide to Grand Prix Weekend in Montreal
      Arts & Culture
      J.P. Karwacki

      Your Guide to Grand Prix Weekend in Montreal

      What to watch, where to eat, and why this city makes the Canadian Grand Prix unlike any other stop on the F1 calendar.

      A Local's Guide to the Plateau
      Arts & Culture
      J.P. Karwacki

      A Local's Guide to the Plateau

      A complete guide to the neighbourhood that launched a thousand opinions (and earned every one of them).

      Montreal’s Indie Drag Scene Is Breaking the Rules and Reclaiming the Stage
      Arts & Culture
      Morgan Mullin

      Montreal’s Indie Drag Scene Is Breaking the Rules and Reclaiming the Stage

      Outside the orbit of Drag Race and touring headliners, Montreal's indie drag scene puts experimentation over polish, blending theatre, burlesque, and performance art.

      A Local's Guide to the Plateau

      Previous

      A Local's Guide to the Plateau

      Next

      La Tratt Is the West Island’s Defining Deli

      La Tratt Is the West Island’s Defining Deli

      Latest from The Main

      Arts & CultureMichael Turns the King of Pop Into a Corporate Tribute ActDesignThe Cabin of the Future Is Smaller, Simpler, and PrebuiltNewsletterThe Bulletin: Hip Hop Brunch Bingo, a Camera Flea Market, Tulips for Mom, and Carmen at the Opera [Issue #180]Food + drinkMichelin Expands Its Quebec Guide With New Stars Across Montreal and BeyondArts & CultureWhat To Do This Weekend (05.07–05.10)

      More Arts & Culture

      Michael Turns the King of Pop Into a Corporate Tribute Act
      Arts & Culture
      Gianni Fiasche

      Michael Turns the King of Pop Into a Corporate Tribute Act

      Antoine Fuqua’s long-awaited Michael Jackson biopic reduces one of pop music’s most complicated figures to a glossy impersonation stitched together from hit songs and approved mythology.

      What To Do This Weekend (05.07–05.10)
      Arts & Culture
      J.P. Karwacki

      What To Do This Weekend (05.07–05.10)

      From printed art fairs and playoff hockey to cider week and grand opera: May 7 to 10, 2026.

      The Limits of Making Art Out of Hosting
      Arts & Culture
      Chloe Latour

      The Limits of Making Art Out of Hosting

      Marie Ségolène C. Brault built a practice around meals, bars, and radical hospitality, but the intimacy, cost, and expectations behind it reveal how difficult it is to sustain.

      Your Guide to Grand Prix Weekend in Montreal
      Arts & Culture
      J.P. Karwacki

      Your Guide to Grand Prix Weekend in Montreal

      What to watch, where to eat, and why this city makes the Canadian Grand Prix unlike any other stop on the F1 calendar.

      A Local's Guide to the Plateau
      Arts & Culture
      J.P. Karwacki

      A Local's Guide to the Plateau

      A complete guide to the neighbourhood that launched a thousand opinions (and earned every one of them).

      Montreal’s Indie Drag Scene Is Breaking the Rules and Reclaiming the Stage
      Arts & Culture
      Morgan Mullin

      Montreal’s Indie Drag Scene Is Breaking the Rules and Reclaiming the Stage

      Outside the orbit of Drag Race and touring headliners, Montreal's indie drag scene puts experimentation over polish, blending theatre, burlesque, and performance art.

      A Local's Guide to the Plateau

      Previous

      A Local's Guide to the Plateau

      Next

      La Tratt Is the West Island’s Defining Deli

      La Tratt Is the West Island’s Defining Deli

      Latest from The Main

      Arts & CultureMichael Turns the King of Pop Into a Corporate Tribute ActDesignThe Cabin of the Future Is Smaller, Simpler, and PrebuiltNewsletterThe Bulletin: Hip Hop Brunch Bingo, a Camera Flea Market, Tulips for Mom, and Carmen at the Opera [Issue #180]Food + drinkMichelin Expands Its Quebec Guide With New Stars Across Montreal and BeyondArts & CultureWhat To Do This Weekend (05.07–05.10)

      Related Classics

      From our archive.

      Does Montreal Still Want to Play in the Big Leagues?
      Arts & Culture
      J.P. Karwacki

      Does Montreal Still Want to Play in the Big Leagues?

      The return of the Expos is more viable than ever, but whether Montreal has the appetite for it is another question entirely.

      Requiem for Il Bolero: When the Plaza Lost Its Leather
      Arts & Culture
      Jean Bourbeau @ URBANIA

      Requiem for Il Bolero: When the Plaza Lost Its Leather

      Thirty-five years of tailoring desire.

      Montreal’s Cycling Boom Runs on DIY Repair Shops
      Arts & Culture
      Eliza Lee

      Montreal’s Cycling Boom Runs on DIY Repair Shops

      Across the city, community-run workshops are lowering the cost of repairs, teaching riders how to fix their own bikes, and opening cycling to a wider public.

      I Swear Doesn't Flinch From Making Tourette Syndrome Both Funny and Gutting
      Arts & Culture
      Gianni Fiasche

      I Swear Doesn't Flinch From Making Tourette Syndrome Both Funny and Gutting

      Robert Aramayo's BAFTA-winning performance anchors a film that walks the line between comedy and heartbreak without tumbling down.

      Angine de Poitrine Is Exactly What the Internet Was Waiting For
      Arts & Culture
      J.P. Karwacki

      Angine de Poitrine Is Exactly What the Internet Was Waiting For

      A masked duo from Saguenay that started out as a joke gig tells us a lot about what we actually want from music right now.

      Jerry Seinfeld and Weird Al Yankovic Lead Just for Laughs’ First 2026 Reveal
      Arts & Culture
      J.P. Karwacki

      Jerry Seinfeld and Weird Al Yankovic Lead Just for Laughs’ First 2026 Reveal

      The festival’s first wave mixes legacy acts, internet-era names, and a familiar attempt to prove Montreal’s comedy institution is firmly back on its feet.

      Related Classics

      From our archive.

      Does Montreal Still Want to Play in the Big Leagues?
      Arts & Culture
      J.P. Karwacki

      Does Montreal Still Want to Play in the Big Leagues?

      The return of the Expos is more viable than ever, but whether Montreal has the appetite for it is another question entirely.

      Requiem for Il Bolero: When the Plaza Lost Its Leather
      Arts & Culture
      Jean Bourbeau @ URBANIA

      Requiem for Il Bolero: When the Plaza Lost Its Leather

      Thirty-five years of tailoring desire.

      Montreal’s Cycling Boom Runs on DIY Repair Shops
      Arts & Culture
      Eliza Lee

      Montreal’s Cycling Boom Runs on DIY Repair Shops

      Across the city, community-run workshops are lowering the cost of repairs, teaching riders how to fix their own bikes, and opening cycling to a wider public.

      I Swear Doesn't Flinch From Making Tourette Syndrome Both Funny and Gutting
      Arts & Culture
      Gianni Fiasche

      I Swear Doesn't Flinch From Making Tourette Syndrome Both Funny and Gutting

      Robert Aramayo's BAFTA-winning performance anchors a film that walks the line between comedy and heartbreak without tumbling down.

      Angine de Poitrine Is Exactly What the Internet Was Waiting For
      Arts & Culture
      J.P. Karwacki

      Angine de Poitrine Is Exactly What the Internet Was Waiting For

      A masked duo from Saguenay that started out as a joke gig tells us a lot about what we actually want from music right now.

      Jerry Seinfeld and Weird Al Yankovic Lead Just for Laughs’ First 2026 Reveal
      Arts & Culture
      J.P. Karwacki

      Jerry Seinfeld and Weird Al Yankovic Lead Just for Laughs’ First 2026 Reveal

      The festival’s first wave mixes legacy acts, internet-era names, and a familiar attempt to prove Montreal’s comedy institution is firmly back on its feet.