The Bulletin: Hot air balloons, line dancing to country legends, a digital village, and cat cinema [Issue #142]

By our count, this weekend's one of those rare sweet spots where everything and nothing’s happening at once: rooftop jazz, moonlit noir, backyard art sales, country legends, experimental AV shows, street food feasts, and a techno cruise, just for good measure. And that's only a fraction of what we've got tabulated below.

The big-name festivals are in full swing, but so are the lowkey neighbourhood hangs: archive sales, late-night listening sessions, gallery openings you only hear about from a friend. One minute you’re in a crowd of thousands, the next you’re sipping something weird and fizzy on a curb.

Before we dive in, a note from our desk.

When we launched the Local News section of our site, we had one simple goal: to give Montrealers a reason to check in with us every day. A quick scroll, a hit of local headlines, maybe a comment or two before you moved on with your day.

Like a lot of experiments, we learned by doing, and this one never really took off the way we hoped. Between the upkeep and the way it was set up, it's made more sense to call it a day for the perceivable future.

While we'll keep rounding up headlines from the past week in the Bulletin, we’re sunsetting our Local News project for now, and freeing up our time to put into the stories, guides, and interviews you come to us for.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming:

The city is now a laboratory for digital creativity.

With MUTEK, Montreal will see six days of live electronic music and immersive AV shows, 14 days of free public digital art, three days of big-idea talks, and an entire city switched on. 💡

Ambient sets at Théâtre de Verdure, late-night club energy at the SAT, quantum art and stroller-friendly outdoor stages—this is where artists, coders, musicians, and curious newcomers meet to see what's new and next.

📅 Festival: August 19–24

📅 Forum: August 20–22

📅 Village Numérique: August 14–28

Read the full guide to venues, free events, programming streams, ticket info, and more.

MUTEK Montreal 2025 Guide: Festival, Forum, Village & Lineup Info

A complete guide to Montreal’s boundary-pushing festival MUTEK in 2025: Full lineup, venues, free shows, Forum talks, Village Numérique, and more.

The MainThe Main

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

Thursday

🫖 The Enlightenment Tea Table brings live chamber music on historical instruments to De Stiil Bookshop, blending 18th-century Berlin philosophy with intimate performance.

👢 Spurs Night returns with its no-pool pool party, a yeehaw prom night packed with line dancing, raffles, and a whole lot of queer country flair.

🎸 Montreal guitarist Jordan Officer plays Like Never Before, a free outdoor trio performance blending jazz, blues, soul, and country at Théâtre de Verdure.

🛍️ Marché Floh’s summer patio sale runs until August 17 at 4301 St-Denis, with racks of vintage priced at $10, $15, $20, and $25—red tag items only.

🪂 The International de montgolfières returns to Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu from August 14–17 with hot air balloon launches, live music, and sky-high spectacle.

Friday

🤠 LASSO Montréal brings two days of boot-stomping country music to Parc Jean-Drapeau, with performances by Shaboozey, Sheryl Crow, Jelly Roll, and homegrown Quebec talent.

🏐 The Montréal Beach Pro Tour takes over Parc Jean-Drapeau with five days of world-class beach volleyball, Olympic-ranking matches, DJs, and a full-on festival atmosphere.

🐈 CatVideoFest returns to Cinéma du Parc with the internet’s finest feline content—funny, weird, and heartwarming clips screened in support of local cat rescue efforts.

👨 A #performativemale contest lands in Jeanne-Mance Park with a chaotic callout to Montreal’s most self-aware guys—shirt, pants, and delusion required.

🎹 Little Burgundy throws a block party honouring jazz legend Oscar Peterson with live music, film screenings, an outdoor exhibit, and family-friendly festivities.

🚢 Transition sets sail on the St. Lawrence with a four-hour techno cruise featuring DJs Berti and Dhenz aboard the Bateau Mouche.

Saturday

🖼️ Raymond Biesinger’s second annual P’tit Backyard Vente d’Art & Vintage brings prints, handmade clothes, mid-century finds, and chicken-inspired art to a Pointe-St-Charles alley.

🎶 Moonshine brings back DC’s BRC collective for a 90-minute genre-bending set, joined by Montreal legend Pat Boogie and a stacked lineup of resident and rising DJs.

🎧 P’tit Ours hosts an unofficial MUTEK pre-party with live sets from Hellgrammite, Animal Party, and Creative Sweets—small venue, no tickets, just vibes.

🎈 Frikiton and MURAL team up for a free all-ages block party at Royalmount with DJ sets from Chloé Lallouz, Nana Zen, Santofuego, and more.

Sunday

🎞️ Film Noir au Canal wraps its season with a free outdoor screening of Fargo, introduced by critic Helen Faradji and preceded by a live set from Femoïr.

🤩 Nolan and Stem team up for the third Pétanque dans l’Parc, featuring matches, Mano Cornuto coffee, and an evening of wine, oysters, and grilled snacks.

💻 Village Numérique takes over the Quartier des Spectacles with free digital art installations, workshops, and an open-air circuit celebrating tech, creativity, and community.

The Main can tell your story.

The Main tells stories about the people shaping culture in Montreal—and beyond. Our readers are curious, creative, and actually pay attention. We work with partners who want more than just clicks: brands with a point of view, places with something to say, people doing things differently.

From custom campaigns to sharp, story-driven features, we collaborate to make sure your message lands with the right people, in the right way.

Want to work together? Contact partnerships@themain.com

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.

Festival Streetfood Montréal opens up shop in the Old Port this weekend with 45+ global food kiosks, nightly DJ sets, and a bustling night market vibe celebrating street eats and community.

Burgundy Lion hands the aux cord to the crowd for a 2000s–2010s throwback night with @groovltd, DJ Toni Tones, happy hour prizes, and guaranteed chaos on August 14.

Double’s is throwing a happy hour bash for Myron’s 75th birthday (IYKYK)—expect cheap beers, tequila shots, and approval-based discounts on Aug 14.

Arvi and Sabayon join forces for a trio of six-course tasting dinners from Aug 14 to 16 at Domaine ARVI, pairing seasonal cuisine with estate wines in a countryside setting.

Coco Disco Club opens its doors this Saturday, unveiling a year-long labour of love into a neighbourhood restaurant built on hospitality, heart, and disco dreams.

RibFest Montréal fires up the grills in Pierrefonds from August 15 to 17 as pitmasters from across Canada serve ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and more—plus live music, headliners, and a smoky good time.

Maison Gather debuts its first private dining experience on Aug 16 with a seasonal multi-course meal, vintage tableware, and a slow summer evening shared among eight guests.

Une Table à la Fois and Cara Mia present Le temps des fleurs, a vegetarian lunch in the countryside spotlighting local women’s creativity, harvests, and seasonal beauty.

Polari celebrates one year with an outdoor wine party on De Castelnau featuring BBQ by Denise, a DJ set from Bathio, and bottles flowing till sold out on August 17.

Cariño is popping up at Wills on August 17 with a full menu of pintxos—anchovy-stuffed Gildas, tortilla, seafood rice balls, jamón-topped pan con tomate, and more—available all day with drinks on tap.

Café Cosé turns two with a birthday bash on Centre Street featuring live sets by Taima, Aceethekid, Chops, and Uptown Trav—coffee, vibes, and no food service till 2pm on August 17.

Le 180g celebrates 10 years with an all-day birthday BBQ featuring wine, beer, cider, and a stacked musical lineup including Dr. Mad, Lexis, Icky, and more on August 17.

The first-ever Festival Vins Vivants QC pops off at Domaine Le Grand Saint-Charles on August 17 (about an hour's drive out of town) with tastings, bottle sales, and a festive gathering of Quebec’s natural winemakers.

Dobe & Andy hosts a wild Chinese-Italian fusion blowout for Scuba and Dag’s birthdays and Nick Inferno’s send-off on August 18—$49 for four courses, cocktails, and chaos.

As of August 18, Kabinet launches “5 à 8uîtres” oyster hours every Sunday and Monday from 5 to 8PM (or until they run out)—slurp responsibly.

Bar Suzanne rings in eight years on August 20 with a Duluth street fair bash featuring BBQ, a special outdoor menu, and DJ Seb Joanette on the decks.

Muni (the golf social club down in PSC) serves up Taco Tuesday with two tacos and a beer for $20—all day, every Tuesday, no reservation needed.

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

Montreal’s nightlife just got political: the new Transition Montréal party wants to protect bars and venues from noise complaints and rising rents—with Turbo Haüs owner Sergio Da Silva now also running for office and a “night mayor” on the wishlist. Read more.

When we threw our first-ever Block Party last month—bringing out readers, regulars, and restaurant heads to flip a quiet Mile-Ex Sunday into something bigger—we weren't expecting the press to show up! Read more.

Our city’s red-light past still glows under the city’s glassy new face—just don’t expect today’s sex workers to benefit from fond memories. Read more.

Forget Saint-Michel and Montréal-Nord—these days, it’s Hochelaga where Quebec’s rawest, most independent hip-hop is being made. Read more.

The Burgundy Lion pub is pushing back against a new OQLF order to tweak its English sign—arguing that “Pub” and “Lion” are French, and that Little Burgundy is a proper name worth keeping. Read more.

The Olympic Stadium got a $670K row of 18-metre golden poles that don’t light up and don’t please everyone—some call it public art, others call it a waste. Read more.

From Teslas to moving trucks, abandoned vehicles are piling up across Montreal—and towing companies are stuck footing the bill, waiting months to legally scrap them. Read more.

For one Turkish-Montrealer, it wasn’t politics or poetry that cracked open Quebec culture—it was Occupation Double, the reality dating show that unexpectedly became his gateway to belonging. Read more.

With record heat and the St. Lawrence at a four-year low, Montreal’s drinking water is getting harder (and costlier) to treat—so officials are urging residents to lay off the sprinklers and let the lawns go yellow. Read more.

Nearly half of Montreal’s indoor pools are in disrepair—some held together with tape, rust, and hope—raising questions about access, maintenance, and what counts as “usable” in a city that’s still swimming. Read more.

Drag has officially entered the classroom: A full-year course in the art of drag is now being offered where students learn to lip-sync, rhinestone, and find their fiercest selves. Read more.

Global design festival OFFF is finally landing in Montreal this September, with studio visits, winemakers, and a behind-the-scenes look at Moment Factory. Read more.

Only 8% of Quebecers aged 15 to 29 watch local TV, and fewer still listen to Quebec music—raising the alarm on a generation tuning out its own culture in favour of algorithm-approved imports. Read more.

American tourists are skipping Montreal and Quebec City this summer, with visits down as much as 10%—a mix of political chill, weak border travel, and vanishing road-trippers hitting hotels and high-end restaurants hardest. Read more.

Saint-Laurent borough just cracked open a 25-year-old time capsule—and with it, a wave of turn-of-the-millennium nostalgia. Read more.

Want to sponsor this newsletter, or know someone who would?

Reach thousands of Montrealers and support our content at the same time: Contact us for more info.

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