The perfect guide to what’s free at Montréal en lumière

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In addition to having a great line-up of paid performances and delicious fine dining, the 15^th anniversary edition of Montréal en lumière has refreshed its outdoor sites. On Place des Festivals and the Place des Arts Esplanade, festivalgoers will have tons of things to choose from. Montréal en lumière starts February 20 and ends on March 1 with the 11^th annual Nuit blanche. To make sure you don’t miss any of the great free activities, we asked a pair of experts for some tips and advice.

We spoke with Laurent Saulnier, Montréal en lumière’s VP programming and production and Nuit blanche project manager Josiane Lapointe.

^{Photo: Frédérique Ménard-Aubin}

What’s new at the outdoor sites?

Laurent Saulnier: Place des Festivals will have a bunch of new experiences. First, there’s the Cour RBC, a temporary structure made of shipping containers. You’ll find a typical Montreal laneway setting with a lounge-style bar from 5 to 8 p.m. and a dance bar after 9 p.m. And chefs from Laloux, Chez Lévesque, Accords and Renoir will be cooking snacks.

Then there’s Nucléus, right in the middle of Place des Festivals. This is an interactive laser show inside a giant cube. Visitors have to dance to activate the array. The more people join in, the more spectacular it is. It’s something completely new!

On one of the walls of the Maison du Festival Rio Tinto Alcan, as part of the Montréal en visages installation, we’ve installed an enormous inflatable face. There will be a photo booth where people will be able to have a picture taken. That image will then be projected on Maison du Festival. Right next to that there will be an interactive floor. By walking on it, visitors will trigger animations and projections on Maison du Festival.

^{Photos: Laurent Saulnier, Courtesy Montréal en lumière / Josiane Lapointe}

Some classics are coming back too…

L.S. : Yes. The Ferris wheel will be back, but we’ve moved it to Sainte-Catherine Street. The long urban ice slide, which has become one of Montréal en lumière’s signature attractions, will return to the Place des Arts Esplanade. There will also be two photo exhibitions. The first one, in front of Maison du Festival, will look back on Montréal en lumière’s first 15 years. The second, outside Place des Arts metro, is about Haiti, a country we’re paying tribute to this year. There will also be a Saveurs d’Haïti food stand and a Haitian tap-tap bus on the site.

Finally, tell us about this year’s free concerts.

L.S. : There’s one every evening at 8 p.m. in Place des Festivals. The first one is on February 20 with Louis-Jean Cormier, and the last one is on March 1 with Poirier and friends. In between, you can come out and see Jimmy Hunt (February 21), Caféïne (February 22), Bet.E & Stef (February 26), Dead Obies (February 27) and Jason Bajada (February 28). Afterwards, starting at 9 p.m., DJs will keep the music going.

Nuit blanche has more than 200 activities all over the city, including 55 in the Quartier des Spectacles – downtown zone. What’s the best way to make the most of it?

Josiane Lapointe: You have to start early, as soon as the activities get going, and be prepared to stay up late. The program is very eclectic, and there are plenty of free activities. In Quartier des Spectacles, a lot of them will be musical.

^{Photo: Frédérique Ménard-Aubin}

What are some of the highlights in the Quartier?

J.L. : That depends on your tastes. Métropolis will be open until 5 a.m. with a program put together by Espace Musique. The Monument-National will have Le cabaret de la nuit, with Jipé Dalpé and Antoine Gratton, and Club Soda will present the Karnival de Poirier. SPASM, the gore film festival, will take place at Café Cléopâtre.

Bouge de là!, a revival of the cult TV show, comes back for a second year at the MusiquePlus studios. It looks like it might become a tradition.

The Musée d’art contemporain will be open until 3 a.m. and will also present the Petite Nuit blanche for children from 6 to 9 p.m. There will be special activities at the École de joaillerie, where they will try to make the longest chain possible.

In the UQAM Cœur des sciences agora, MUTEK will celebrate its 15^th anniversary with 15 hours of non-stop music, from 7 p.m. to 10 a.m. And there’s so much more!

^{Photo: Frédérique Ménard-Aubin}

Any tips for planning an evening at Nuit blanche?

J.L. : You have to carefully read the program and do your research ahead of time. The mobile app also puts the entire program at your fingertips and lets you see what’s going on nearby. It’s also important to check the weather forecast and dress appropriately if you’re planning to participate in outdoor activities. There will be free shuttles for getting around. The metro will also be open all night (regular fares apply).

Montréal en lumière February 20 to March 2, 2014

^{Posted on February 21 2014}