The Bulletin: Packed Dancefloors, Bar-hopping, and a Last-minute Valentine's Day Planner [Issue #168]

But that's the professional reason of why I stayed here. There's more to it than that. I had a major crush on Montreal: Its sunsets over the Van Horne overpass, listening to punks thrash in Saint-Henri, the camaraderie of its bar and restaurant scene, polishing off wine in parks, the local weirdos who keep the city's character on the bleeding edge... That's a passion that's fed into my work, and it's why I left a relatively comfy job in communications at an architecture firm to join The Main and talk to folks like yourself through storytelling.

One of the things I love most about my work here at the magazine is where it takes me and the writers who contribute. Together, we get to meet all manner of individuals and groups doing some of the coolest things imaginable, from carving paintings out of wood and running diners to brewing wine, growing mushrooms, building speaker systems, and making people want to dance. I also get to continue curating the city through a 100+ collection of guides to the city that's growing with every passing day.

I'm a 'what if?' kind of guy, and often daydream about what it would be like to be these people, doing what they do. But the reason why I don't pack it all up and take off to roll up my sleeves in a workshop or get my hands dirty on a farm is because I know my place is here, in Montreal, doing what I do. Stories are life, and demonstrate the power a single string of words can have over us. It's a drug, really.

If there's one thing we aspire to do at The Main that I want to tell you about, it's that we want you to feel you've got the finger on the pulse, feeling an artery full of Montreal's lifeblood and how it pumps genius and creativity at all hours. We want you to feel as excited to read our stories as we feel when we first encountered the new, the strange, the comforting, and the mysterious.

So, every week, I'll still be here to serve you up a fresh edition of the Bulletin. Support us if you can, because our articles and this newsletter—however long it can get when there's a lot happening in one weekend—are meant to get you excited about this town. There's so, so, so much happening all the time that it's important to get yourself oriented ahead of a weekend full of possibility.

This is where we give you a good reason to go out, to dance, to ponder art, to take in new perspectives, to meet someone special, to see a good film, to tell and listen to stories, to eat, to laugh, to drink, to learn, to get educated, to question and to answer, to live.

Glad you're here. Now, let's get you ready. See you next week and the one after that, and the one after that, and the one after that, and the one after that...

JP Karwacki, Managing Editor

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

Thursday

🍻 Taverne Tour turns 10 with its most stacked lineup yet—Protomartyr, Lydia Lunch, Christopher Owens, and 100+ artists take over 20 Plateau bars and taverns.

📚 Owning Our Histories launches at Concordia's Webster Library with a zine exhibit featuring rare riot grrrl publications, gay erotic zines, and social justice ephemera from the 1980s to 2000s.

📷 Richard Avedon: Immortal opens at the MMFA with nearly 100 portraits exploring aging—Patti Smith, Samuel Beckett, Toni Morrison, and decades of other faces.

🛍️ Morphoze opens a pop-up shop on Wellington from Feb 9–27—clothing, visual art, pottery, skincare, and workshops from Montreal makers.

Friday

🔊 Ferias brings Paranoid London to Parquette for a live acid house set running 'til sunrise, with Edmonton's Khotin and Newfoundland's Cuerpos rounding out the bill.

🖤 Deep returns with a Valentine's Eve session at a secret location—Daura, Wetdogg, and Neonlichter spinning leftfield techno on the Pomelo sound system until the sun comes up.

💋 Butch Femme Soirée brings a lesboqueer Valentine's cruising night to Club DD's—formal wear, slow dancing, and free entry for singles and couples alike.

🔊 Cymatiques IV pairs composers with video artists for a night of audiovisual experimentation at PHI—four live performances exploring where sound and image collide.

Saturday

🏓 Ping Pong Club hosts a Valentine's night with DJ Mrktbeatz—mood bracelets at the door, free Fireball shots for singles, 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.

🗡️ The Princess Bride screens at Place des Arts with a live orchestra performing Mark Knopfler's score—fencing, fighting, true love, miracles, and all the rest.

🎤 Confabulation's Shortest Story packs up to 30 true-life tales into one night at Centaur Theatre—two minutes each, no notes.

💘 Flush x Love Songs takes over Le Salon Daomé for Valentine's night with DJ Hermano, Xibaona (live), and T-Nex—plus graduation sets from the Flush DJ academy.

🎤 Valentine's Day Karaoke at North Star invites the heartbroken to belt out breakup songs—free entry, drink specials, and tissues provided.

💃 Datcha hosts Love Special on Valentine's night with Andie, Bisoubizou, and Ultreme—slow jams and dancing from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Sunday 

🫖 Foil Gallery hosts In:Fusion—high-grade Sri Lankan teas and an ambient set by Monsieurmadam, 7 to 10 p.m.

🌹 Flowers After Dark takes over Baby Far West with R&B and global sounds—Dallas selector Love Ave makes his Canada debut, Zach Zoya performs, and Lakay Zoe Express brings Haitian patties.

💔 Anti-Valentine's Open Mic brings poets Gillian Sze, Meryem Yildiz, Andréa Baptiste, and Ahmad A. Malik to Bar Le Record for an evening of heartbreak and verse.

🛼 SAT Roller Dance brings Valentine's vibes to the SAT with DJ Blackgold spinning while you skate—two sessions, rental skates available, red and pink encouraged.

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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.

The new rotisserie spot Cécile opens up today in Ahuntsic.

Café Got Soul unveils a "new food era", curated by Chef Zo, tonight from 5 to 7 pm.

4e Mur runs a Valentine's special until Feb 15—discounted French Kiss and Negroni combo, a puzzle game, and half-price brownies.

Dobe & Andy celebrates Lunar New Year with a $150 seven-course menu for four—yi mein, lion's head meatball, XO fried rice, and more. Reservation only, Feb 13–15 and 20–22.

The Thai pub CUP offers a $70 four-course Valentine's menu from Feb 12–15—there's a $50 wine pairing too.

Sun Ramen pops up at Kitano Shokudo on Feb 15 with wonton duck ramen and cocktails by Italian Soda Girl—no reservations, noon to 9 p.m.

Restaurant Bruce brings back Sunday Roast for Valentine's weekend on Feb 15—starting at 5 p.m., reservations on OpenTable.

Verdun Beef offers a $125 Valentine's takeaway box for two—tartare, duck ravioli, mini beef Wellington, and chocolate caramel cake, ready to heat and assemble at home. Pickup Feb 12–15. Verdun Beach is doing dinner too if you'd rather go out.

Barrio hosts a Galentine's Day dinner on Feb 13—shared platters, tacos, margaritas, and a decorated communal table, hosted by Dine & Dish.

Pasta Pooks offers a Valentine's Day tasting menu for two with wine pairings and a surprise dessert course—reservation only.

Tokio Ramen's pop-up returns to La Sala Rossa from Feb 12 to 15 as part of Taverne Tour.

Nouveau Palais teams up with local gourmand Pork Futures for a Valentine's Day Sausage Party (literally serving sausages) on Feb 14.

El Pequeño Bar launched a new baseball-themed cocktail menu with collectible trading cards—swing by for classics and a wax pack for the nostalgia.

...And there's a whole bunch more of Valentine's Day dinners to be found at spots like Moccione Pizza, Siamo Noi, Nili, Le Red Tiger, Monkland Tavern, and Bar Vivar.

Thé Jinjin and Chef Sonya Sammut team up for a Lunar New Year tea pop-up at J'ai Feng on Feb 15–16—matcha drinks, tisanes, and delicate choux pastries.

Monogram Coffee takes over the pourover bar at Café Éclair on Feb 16—expect a special menu and Monogram beans on espresso all Brewer's Cup weekend.

La Porcelaine hosts a Divorce Party at Taverne Marion on Feb 17—champagne, caviar, and cocktails by Le Baratineur's Barbara, starting at 9 p.m.

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

Cheap daycare, park culture, and creative communities once made raising kids on an artist’s income possible in Montreal—can the next generation still pull it off? Read more.

After losing Le Coq de l’Est to bankruptcy, Omar Zabuair staged a pop-up to test if the chicken—and the city’s appetite—still holds up. Read more.

NDG’s family-run Kavanagh Auctions swapped the slow grind of antique retail for fast-paced global bidding, turning Montreal’s old-money objects into international lots. Read more.

What started as a risky sugar shack purchase became a family-run empire blending Italian tradition with Quebec terroir—now spanning three restaurants and an award-winning buffalo cheese farm. Read more.

Got Olympic fever? Us too, so we looked back on how Montreal’s 1976 Olympics still spark debate—between architectural ambition, political fallout, and a debt that lingered for decades. Read more.

Netflix’s Warner Bros. takeover has Montreal’s indie cinemas questioning theatrical windows, catalogue access, and who controls the future of film. Read more.

After settling its dispute with a neighbour, La Tulipe’s owners say they’re still the “big losers” and are now asking governments for financial help to reopen the shuttered venue. Read more.

These bagels are getting HEATED. A blink-and-you-miss-it Heated Rivalry cameo sent St-Viateur Bagel merch sales soaring and sparked fresh tourism buzz for Montreal. Read more.

We're not done talking about potholes. Montreal drivers are dodging a record number this winter, blamed on aging infrastructure, wild temperature swings, stalled repair contracts, and shrinking road budgets. Read more.

After 60 years, Steve’s Music Store is restructuring and closing several locations as it battles declining sales and online competition—hoping to keep its downtown flagship alive. Read more.

McGill spent over $1.1 million on outside lawyers to fight faculty unionization, as organizers say the university’s shift toward corporatization is reshaping campus power. Read more.

Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada is auditing a dozen bike paths over safety and traffic flow concerns—a move that’s already raising alarms among cycling advocates and the opposition. Read more.

Montreal will cut at least 250 city jobs this year—merging departments, trimming management, and targeting $16 million in savings as part of a broader restructuring plan. 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 / Amber Spector, Social Media Manager / Samuel Vadnais, Head of Partnerships / Anahi Pellathy, Editorial & Production Coordinator