A signature event of Montreal’s winter, Nuit blanche will take place this year from March 2 to 3. On the program for this 21e edition, more than 100 activities in eight centers of the metropolis around a single theme: fantasy.
The Société de transport de Montréal network will once again be open all night this year to allow festival-goers to discover seven routes in eight sectors of the city: the Quartier des spectacles, downtown, Old Montreal, Plateau Mont -Royal, the Latin Quarter, the Village, Mile End and Hochelaga. The routes (“A night to create”, “A night that exposes itself”, “A night at the cinema”, “A night with the family”, “Tell me about the night”, “Night music” and “Dance your night”) will be available on the Montréal en Lumière website and application.
This year again, the Quartier des spectacles will come alive until 2 a.m. and will be the setting for numerous free activities, such as the Ferris wheel, the aerial skating path and the ice rink on the quiet esplanade. On this ice rink, at 7:30 p.m., Skate Canada will offer a figure skating show, also free. Several DJs will ignite the Place des Festivals from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Spirits lovers will be entitled to free tastings at the Quartier Gourmand, in the heart of the Montréal en Lumière outdoor site. Later, from midnight to 6 a.m., the MTelus will be the scene of a Moonshine evening – a multidisciplinary collective inspired by African club culture.
La Maison de Radio-Canada will open its doors to the public, who will be able to attend the recording of a special edition of Jeannot BBQ, hosted by Jean-Sébastien Girard (8 p.m.); sing at a great karaoke hosted by Philippe Fehmiu (9 p.m.); attend the recording of an edition of a Custom-made concert with Jeremy Dutcher, hosted by Claudine Prévost (11 p.m.); and visit the production studios (throughout the evening).
Notice to budding artists: creative workshops will take place at the McCord Stewart Museum, the Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. UQAM will also organize several activities, including a video projection on the facade of the Grande Bibliothèque.
Night owls are also expected at the Belgo building (exhibitions, dance, performance, etc.), at TOHU (evening of circus, song, rap, visual art) at Frédéric-Bach Park (snow sculpture, dance, snowshoes and sleds), at Cinémathèque québécoise (cinema evening) at the PHI Center (traveling fair), at Espace OSM (collective work of art in virtual reality) and at Espace ONF (photo next to a Oscar and films). At the Urban Salon, at Place des Arts, thirteen poets from Quebec including Joséphine Bacon will participate in a poetry night, echoing those of 1970, 1980 and 1991.
The STM’s “unlimited evening” ticket allows an unlimited number of trips between 6 p.m. in the evening and 5 a.m. in the morning.
Alcohol until 6 a.m. or 8 a.m.
Furthermore, the City of Montreal announced Thursday the return of its financial support for Nuit blanche ($200,000 this year), while indicating that it had accepted requests from establishments wishing to serve alcohol until 6 a.m. or 8 a.m. during the event.
The executive committee approved the requests of 71 commercial establishments and performance halls, which will be able to serve alcohol until the morning. They are located in Quartier des spectacles, in the Latin Quarter, in the Village, but also on Saint-Laurent Boulevard, between Laurier and Sherbrooke streets, and in Plaza Saint-Hubert. “Mitigation measures are planned by the owners of participating establishments in order to ensure good coexistence of these activities and the safety of night owls,” specifies the City in a press release.
The City launched a pilot project in 2022 for the development of its Nightlife Policy, which aims to develop and regulate nightlife. As part of this, establishments can request to extend their operating hours during seven events organized during the winter, including Montreal in Lights.