The Bulletin: Big bass drops, park theatrics, waacking in the cinema, and riverside reggae [Issue #141]

Summer in Montreal is all about those spontaneous plans that feel like magic: street corners humming with live beats, unexpected art installations popping up out of nowhere, and friends insisting you “just swing by” for what turns out to be one of the most magical nights of the season.

This week, we’ve done our best to gather the city’s can’t-miss moments—from Shakespeare in the park to the block-party energy you can taste, late-night gallery openings to sun-drenched outdoor concerts.

But beyond the thrill of discovery, these events map out the city’s evolving identity: a remixed tapestry of heritage and innovation, where neighbourhood traditions collide with fresh perspectives.

As artists reclaim public spaces and communities rally around shared experiences, Montreal reaffirms its place as a cultural laboratory—one where spontaneity isn’t just an accident, but a deliberate invitation to participate in the story.

Let's get into it.

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

Thursday

🎭 Repercussion Theatre and Persephone Productions bring Oscar Wilde’s razor-sharp satire The Importance of Being Earnest to Westmount Park in a playful, open-air twist.

💃 Festival Orientalys returns to the Old Port, transforming the site into a vibrant open-air medina filled with music, dance, food, and free cultural programming from across the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia.

🏖️ Village au Pied-du-Courant’s Thursday series continues with a high-energy Pikete lineup—Rico Rica, La Niña Kiwi, Ori Lababy, mCherry, and Culturalex—plus food, drinks, and a beachside vibe under the city lights.

🪶 A cornerstone of Indigenous cultural resurgence, the International First Peoples’ Festival returns until August 14 with its 35th edition, bringing concerts, films, art, and traditional performances to venues across Montréal.

Friday

🪩 Music Week à Montréal takes over the city with a free, decentralized festival spotlighting local collectives and diverse sounds through pop-ups, rooftop parties, and block-level takeovers.

☀️ îLESONIQ brings the bass to Parc Jean-Drapeau with two days of electronic, hip-hop, and reggaeton acts, plus food, art, and splash zones to keep the energy high.

🎵 The Montreal Rise Reggae Festival brings three days of live reggae, dancehall, soca, and Caribbean flavours to Bassin Peel.

🇮🇹 ItalfestMTL returns August 8–17 with 10 days of Italian culture, food, and music across Montreal, including a weekend street takeover on St-Laurent.

👾 Otakuthon transforms the Palais des congrès into a vibrant anime universe, with cosplay, manga, games, and panels celebrating Japanese pop culture in all its forms.

🎧 Jojo Flores and Nick Holder spin disco, boogie, and soulful house at GotSoul Sessions at 915 DuPont on August 8—vinyl only.

Saturday

🎨 The Under Pressure Graffiti Festival marks its 30th anniversary with a weekend of live art, hip-hop, and street culture celebrating three decades of community and creativity. There are free walking tours you should check out for this, too.

✨ SUPER TASTE’s 90’s DANCE PARTY: La Vida Loca Edition brings five hours of bubblegum pop, alternative hits, and summer-drenched guilty pleasures to Ausgang Plaza.

💋 Virtualis turns Cinéma L’Amour into a Club Kid fever dream with a Party Monster screening and all-night rave powered by DJs, VJs, and waacking performances.

🎸 The West Island Blues Festival brings a full day of free live music, community vibes, and soulful blues to Dorval’s Pine Beach Park.

🔨 The Montreal Makers Market takes over Église St Jean Berchmans, featuring 80+ local artisans and makers from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

🛍️ The Marché de Fin d’été heads to L’Église de l’Épiphanie in Verdun with over 25 local vendors offering handmade goods, art, and crafts.

🌳 No Clue Collective hosts its first Art in the Park of the summer with extra supplies provided.

Sunday

📷 Effigy brings its vintage-style “fotoautomatica” photobooth prints and keychains to the Marché Monthly pop-up at WIP from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

🎉 La Rue Inspire's block party promises new murals, installations, and more, turning Montreal’s streets into an open-air gallery and inviting the public to rediscover their city.

🌈 The Pride Parade returns, bringing a wave of colour, protest, and celebration to René-Lévesque Blvd. Join the march or cheer from the sidelines as thousands unite to honour 2SLGBTQIA+ rights and visibility.

🌈 Alternatively, Wild Pride will lead a bold, inclusive march celebrating 2SLGBTQIA+ communities through art, protest, and collective joy.

This is how we roll.

🚲 Rent a Cargo Bike. Load Up. Roll Out.

What if the family minivan came with a breeze, canal views, and zero parking stress? Renting a cargo bike in Montreal changes the whole equation. Load up the kids, the dog, a picnic—hell, even your market haul—and cruise the city’s bike paths like it was built just for you (because parts of it actually were).

Griffintown’s Allo Vélo makes it easy: Their front-loading electric bikes are fun, practical, and come with a quick how-to. Read more.

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.

Bello turns two during Italfest (Aug 8 to 10) with a weekend of Negroni-fuelled celebrations, featuring a guest shift from L’Antiquario Napoli, Aperol spritz freezies, BBQ, and disco vibes in Little Italy.

Jinjin brings their signature plant-based matcha drinks and pastries to Cass Café for a one-day pop-up on the sunny boulevard on August 8.

Kamúy rings in its 5th anniversary on August 8 with an evening of food, culture, and an acoustic performance by Jude Deslouches and friends, followed by a festive set from DJ Rocsteady.

The Foire des vins et cidres d’ici heads to Marché Jean-Talon on August 9 and 10 with wine, cider, live jazz, DJs, and tastings starting at $1.

Ketiw in Verdun is hosting a cash-only fundraiser to support Cambodian refugees, with all proceeds going directly to humanitarian projects in Phnom Penh on August 10.

Verdun Beach and Verdun Beef are throwing a street-side corn roast and Wagyu burger bash on Sunday, August 10 from 2 p.m. until the grills run dry.

The Scuderia Cycling Team caps off their first season with a free summer party on August 10 with Corner Pizza, Wills Beer, Le Seltzer, and Café Éclair for good vibes all night.

Double’s and 98 Dough are teaming up for a late-night Backyard Sourdough Market this Sunday, August 10 at 5171 Park Ave.

Danny Smiles' Italian foodstuffs brand Donata is setting up at Milano in Little Italy—August 8 to 10—serving up tomato sauce tastings, stories from the kitchen, and plenty of flavour.

Star Bar is now serving pizza and drinks for lunch every weekend from 12pm—because day drinking deserves good slices too.

After nearly seven years, Bistro Tendresse will close its doors on August 31—there’s still one month left (ish) to savour the vegan love story.

Join chef duo Ethan Denovan and Davis Morrison for L’Amour du Geste, a one-night table d’hôte and cocktail pop-up on Aug 24 in the 100 Génies room with drinks by Jay Lavish, music by @mayalabae, and late-night vibes from 8 p.m. onward.

Throughout August, $1 from every Lady Gaga pizza sold at Fugazzi goes to the GOAL Initiatives Foundation to support youth programs across the city.

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

August’s best new restaurants in Montreal go hard on nostalgia, luxury, and deli meat—redefining everything from sushi and sandwiches to seafood towers. Read more.

Three days, two photographers, and one blur of sweat, pyro, and f-bombs—this is Osheaga 2025, as seen from the frontlines. Read more.

Leadership resignations, community backlash, and political tensions have pushed Fierté Montréal to a breaking point—can the city’s flagship LGBTQ+ celebration survive? Read more.

Long overlooked in Quebec’s rap narrative, Hochelaga has quietly become the city’s most rebellious new epicentre that’d rather go independent than corporate. Read more.

Saving nightlife in the city: The nightlife community is mobilizing against a new proposed municipal noise bylaw. Read more.

Montreal’s Botanical Garden just adopted 57 smuggled cacti seized at the border—six of which are endangered species protected under international law. Read more.

A Quebec judge just greenlit a class action against McGill, the Royal Vic, and the feds over CIA-backed brainwashing experiments at the Allan Memorial. Read more.

Jeannie Arsenault, the guiding voice behind the Wheel Club's Hillbilly Night for nearly 50 years, has died at the age of 81. She is remembered for turning a weekly open mic into a cherished musical community. Read more.

American tourists are spending less time—and money—in Old Montreal this summer, and local businesses are feeling it. Quebec and Canadian travellers have picked up some of the slack, but vendors say it’s not enough. Read more.

Montreal’s McCord Stewart Museum just made global history: William Notman’s vast photo archive—450,000 images capturing Canada from 1856 to 1935—has officially joined UNESCO’s list of humanity’s most valuable records. Read more.

RuPaul is bringing the glam to Parc Jean-Drapeau with a DJ set at Piknic Électronik this September—because even Montreal’s rave scene needs a little drag royalty. Read more.

Montreal’s small bagel shops know they can’t outshine Fairmount or St-Viateur—but they’re betting once you taste their dough, you’ll realize the city’s best bagels don’t always come with a lineup. Read more.

Montreal’s aging water pipes may be doing the city’s street trees a strange favour—leaking just enough to keep them thriving through dry spells. Read more.

A new cleanup expedition is taking on the full stretch of the St. Lawrence River from Montreal to the Gaspé. Read more.

Rat sightings are way up in Montreal, but despite a surge in complaints, critics say the city’s still dragging its feet on rodent control. Read more.

There's a Montreal Cat Tour bringing feline fans on neighbourhood strolls to meet 12 local cats, raise funds, and spread some love. 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 Intern