downtown montreal to do

Shā Tān. Photo by Eva Blue

Things to see and do in downtown Montreal Aug. 13 to 20

Live music and street performances, paintings and art installations, terrasses for takeout picnics, street fairs and more!

With St-Laurent Blvd. in street fair mode and the Quartier des Spectacles full of new terrasses and innovative entertainment endeavours, the city is doing its damnedest to make the summer of 2020 fun for Montrealers — and to draw them downtown, where merchants are suffering from the economic downturn thrust upon them by COVID-19. There is plenty to do downtown, in Old Montreal, Quartier Latin and the Village.

downtown Montreal to do

For those of you (especially under the age of 70), who are still hiding in your homes: we get it, but you can — and should — get out and engage in some activities. Get some takeout. Shop local. Your city needs you. Just bring a mask and a little extra hand sanitizer and keep your distance.

Downtown / Old Montreal weekend activities

The PHI Foundation’s contemporary art exhibition Relations: The Diaspora and Painting continues, showcasing works by artists who tackle the question of the diaspora from various points of view, approaches and aesthetics.

Arsenal gallery presents the Cercania digital and immersive art exhibition. The exhibition includes an interactive projection room 30 meters in length, a sound sculpture of 2,300 channels, a computerized shadow play as well as a fountain that reproduces the ephemeral portrait of the participant using water vapor. cold.

By Marigold Santos, from Relations: The Diaspora and Painting (PHI Foundation)

From Aug. 13 through Aug. 15, interactive experience Les visages de Nuits d’Afrique will be set up in the Place des Festivals, allowing participants to capture their dance steps, which will then be broadcast via video projections on various facades of the Quartier des Spectacles.

Groupe le Vivier presents Les Bruits de la nature in the late afternoon on Aug. 14 and 15 in the Quartier des Spectacles. The event is described as “a musical stroll with a variety of sounds mixing string and wind instruments, percussion, vocals and invented instruments.”

More scheduled events

downtown montreal
QW4RTZ

Aug. 14

The Funkish Chavez group will perform in Quartier Latin in the early evening.

Aug. 15

The “Cabaret ambulant” (Travelling Cabaret) — a live music performance on the back of a truck, glassed in à la Popemobile — will feature the a cappella quartet QW4RTZ, who’ll be rolling through Quartier Latin and the Village by mid-afternoon, then downtown on Ste-Catherine W. and in Chinatown by late afternoon.

In the afternoon, performers from the LNI improv group will entertain in the Old Port (on de la Commune), as well as in the Quartier Latin and on Ste-Catherine in the Village.

In the late afternoon, the Urban Science Brass Band will unfurl some hip hop fanfare on Ste-Catherine, moving from the downtown core to the Village.

Aug. 16

In the afternoon, contemporary dance duo Louis-Elyan Martin and Laurie-Anne Langis will perform in squares in Old Montreal, Chinatown and the Quartier des Spectacles.

At the late afternoon, the hand-to-hand duo Julius & César will perform on Ste-Catherine, between Mackay and Crescent, in Old Montreal’s Place d’Youville and on Ste-Catherine in the Village.

Spontaneous concerts by Artistic Diversity Montreal and Nomadic Music will take place at la Forêt Urbain beside the McCord Museum (690 Sherbrooke W.) every Sunday through Aug. 31.

New TULIP terrasses

Terrasse
Things to do in downtown Montreal this weekend. Photo by Eva Blue

Seven TULIP (Terrasses Urbaines Libres au Public) set-ups and other COVID-safe hang-out spaces have been installed in strategic locations, most of them close to restaurants to allow for takeout picnicking.

Shā Tān (St-Laurent & René-Lévesque). “Urban beach,” with tables, seating, beautiful lanterns and music piped in by ICI MUSIQUE.

The Playground (Place d’Youville) With a colourful fountain and musical swings.

TULIP DADA (Peel btwn Ste-Catherine & de Maisonneuve) With entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays.

Hydro-Québec Park TULIP (Ste-Catherine & Clark) An urban oasis to eat and drink, in proximity to le Central food hall.

TULIP HUB XP_MTL / aka the Monastery (1439 Ste-Catherine) In the Centre St-Jax Garden.

Place des Festivals (Ste-Catherine & Jeanne-Mance) Green space and terrasse.

Jardins Gamelin (Berri & Ste-Catherine)

Placott’arts (Quartier des Spectacles) Seven rest areas featuring installations and visual arts.

For more downtown activities, see the Tourism Montreal website.


For more Montreal city updates, please visit the City section.