‘Honouring the past, inspiring the future’ is the theme for Montreal’s 31st annual Black History Month, with a jam-packed schedule with a variety of activities in both languages. The closing party is in person at Club Soda, Friday at 7:30pm… see artists Tizzo, Naya Ali, Raccoon, Icey Da Zoe and J-Ron, as well as 2022 spokesperson Shah Frank.
Canada’s first- and longest-running Black theatre company presents its annual Vision Gala and fundraiser as well, Saturday at 7:30pm. Black Theatre Workshop will host performances by poet Roen Higgins and singer Joy Mwandemange, as well as honour emerging artists Maryline Chery and Raphaël Joseph.
And West Island Black Community Association celebrates individuals who have flourished in different fields at its Black Excellence show, on Zoom Saturday, 8pm.
Indigo Pointe-Claire hosts a book signing for the Big Dreamers book series, which highlights the achievements of Black Canadians for young readers. Saturday, 12 to 3pm.
There is not just one but two circus shows just launched this week in Montreal!
7 Doigts de la Main presents Cadence, a half-hour show on ice at the delightful, new Esplanade Tranquille. The outdoor refrigerated ice rink, on Sainte-Catherine and Clark, features ice dancing, extreme jumps, a contortionist and a clown -and my favourite circus act, the Cyr Wheel! Meanwhile, two narrators recount the history of skating and competition through the years (in French). Dress warmly and pack your skates! The rink is open for business, but closes for twice-daily presentations of Cascade, until March 5.
Cadence is presented under the cadre of the ongoing Montréal en Lumière, so while you are there, check out the rest of the fest’s outdoor installations. There is an elevated skating loop set up on Jeanne-Mance, La Grande Roue, light installations, tir d’érable and snacks and drinks, seesaw, giant projections - and more! And Nuit blanche is back this Saturday, with free activities to keep you busy until midnight or so. Check out the fulll programming here.
The other circus in town is Cabaret Celeste, a new show at the recently renovated Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel. A meeting room has been converted to a cozy cabaret space for this Cirque Éloize production, which was cancelled hours before its original opening back in December (thanks, Omicron). Celeste draws inspiration from the astrophysical… think tarot, horoscopes, planets and deities … and it is by equal turns sensual and silly! I loved the creative clay juggling act, and the master of ceremony’s Cyr wheel act. The talented and gorgeous Coral Egan provides the vocals through a slew of pop songs, ranging from Frank Sinatra to Coldplay to Leonard Cohen.
Indie venue Montreal Improv is back, at its new home in St Henri. Catch one or more of the five shows up this weekend! Tickets and schedules here.
Comedian John Mulaney has had quite the year (rehab, divorce, new relationship, baby!) so no doubt his opening monologue will be fascinating when he returns to host Saturday Night Live, with 2000s scenesters LCD Soundsystem as musical guest.
Another weekend opens with a pile of fresh snow in the city! Enjoy it - check out the latest updates about the city’s cross-country ski trails and outdoor rink conditions.
And if you’re in NDG this Sunday, stop by the Winter Pop Up Fundraiser for the ALS Society of Quebec. Pick up almonds, hot chocolate and bags of doughnuts for the cause, at Café Gelato, 5674 Monkland Ave. Sunday, 11am-2pm.
ONGOING
The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts presents Nicolas Party: L'heure mauve, a look at the Swiss artist’s pastels, watercolours and sculptures, set against murals he’s painted in the Museum… plus with 50 works selected by Party from the Museum’s collection. The show title is a reference to ‘that fleeting moment when the fading light casts purple hues over the landscape’ - how dreamy!
The McCord Museum has just launched the fascinating JJ Levine: Queer Portraits. The Montreal artist presents 52 intimate images of people who self-identify as queer, selected from three different series taken between now and 2006.
The Montreal Science Centre reopened this month. Explore evolution in Human or explore the process of invention in Fabrik - Creativity Factory. Plus, the movie theatre is open, so you can sit back and learn about Sea Lions and the Great Bear Rainforest - in IMAX 3D!
While the kids play at the Science Centre, maybe you can sneak off to Bota Bota floating spa or Spa Scandinave in the Old Port? Because spas reopened this week! Also, The Old Port’s skating rink is open, with tickets available online.
Visions Hip-Hop QC: Exhibition is an expansive portrait series opening this weekend at the Phi Centre. Painter Marven Clerveau has curated a ‘visual and sonic journey’ to portray the people who have shaped the hip-hop scene in the province. Marven speaks with artists like Webster, Tammy Tuesdayz and Know Kandu, as well as local music managers. Until March 26.
The 14th edition of Massimadi: Afro LGBTQ+ film and arts festival presents over 20 films available to stream online, for free! Like the animated inspirational interview feature Well Rounded, an exploration of masculinity through the words of poet Geroge Matthew Johnson in All Boys Aren’t Blue and portrait of Chicago trans icon Mama Gloria. Until March 11
The SAT has extended -22.7°C, a new immersive show by French music producer Molécule, who journeyed to Greenland to record sounds of the environment on his ‘survival electrokit’. He incorporates Arctic ice, wind and snow into a rich soundscape for your ears while your eyes will be treated to Belgian studio Dirty Monitor’s stunning visuals. Until March 5. (It’s only 40 minutes long, so if you’re still tentative about public events, this is a great place to ease yourself in!)
Stream the NFB’s Oscar-nominated animated short film, Affairs of the Art, about the everyday obsessions of an eccentric family.
Walk or drive through Cavalia’s magical Illumi circuit in Laval. If you caught the show last year, it’s nearly entirely a brand new show, with many new ‘universes’ to discover, like the candy blizzard, giant puppies and kittens, an Aladdin-inspired palace and a ‘submarine tunnel’. Until March 13.
The Opéra de Montréal presents two performances available to rent online, Bizet's Carmen and Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel.
Run away to the circus, at least metaphorically, with Pointe-à-Callière It's Circus Time! Over 350 objects will explore the 200-some year history of the art in Quebec, through costumes, props, training equipment and more.
It's free to visit the McCord Museum until Wednesday, where you will want to check out the new show Parachute: Subversive Fashion of the '80s. It's a moody, bold look at the style and messaging of the decade through the stylings of Parachute, a made-in-Montreal label created by a British fashion designer and an American architect. Their concept stores were soon found in New York and Los Angeles, and their creations were in demand from the likes of Madonna, Peter Gabriel and David Bowie! And don't miss the harrowing Indigenous Voices of Today, which highlights the voices of people from different Indigenous communities. The show both reveals the craftsmanship of every day traditional objects like waterproof parkas and sewing tools, then explores the exploitation and oppression of Indigenous families and land, then finishes with realistic questions about reconciliation.
Monet - Dr Mitch-approved! The people who brought you the Van Gogh immersive experience now shift their attention to one of the most iconic of the French Impressionist painters, with Imagine Monet. Now on at Arsenal Gallery in Little Burgundy, it's like taking a bath in works by Claude Monet (1840-1926). The roughly 35-minute show introduces you to his work, and then you are immersed in his iconic water lilies and Japanese footbridge scenes, as well as rich snapshots from nature, beaches and busy French streets and ports. A meditative visit with one of the greatest painters. Extended until March 27.
Exporail, the Canadian train museum in St Constant, has free entry this Sunday. See the current show: Train, a Railroad to Dreams: A World in Miniature. It’s an homage to toy trains… so you start with the smallest of the trains, then pivot to marvel at the 50 life-size vehicles on display in the Grand Gallery.