7 easy steps to a perfect Nuit Blanche

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Every year, the Quartier des Spectacles hosts a good number of the 200 activities organized for Nuit Blanche, which takes place on Saturday, February 27. Here’s a Quartier-focused itinerary to help you make the most of your late-night fun.

Place des Festivals

If you’re starting your Nuit Blanche around 5 p.m., head for the Place des Festivals, where you’ll find a Ferris wheel illuminated with the colours of China – this year, the Chinese city of Shenzhen is being honoured at the Montréal en lumière festival. Nearby, you can enjoy the ice slide, see a show, have a snack at one of the on-site bars and bistros, and visit the booths, including a photo exhibition on Shenzhen. Why not leave with a lasting souvenir of your day in the form of an animated GIF? With the NFB’s #GIFNTAKE, you can create your own animated mini-movie.

MAC

Around 6 p.m., head over to the Musée d’art contemporain to warm up. The MAC will be sporting bright red lights, like a ruby nestled in the snow. This is your chance to get a free look at the solo show by Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson – his first major exhibition in Canada. Inspired by the performance artist’s work, you will surely appreciate the RBC zipline with its sounds and lights, and enjoy a ride with a bird’s eye view of the festival site.

Belgo

Any time after 8 p.m., step inside the Belgo, where the studios will be open to all, giving you an up close and personal look at the local art scene. Be sure to catch the Voisins exhibition, in which five Canadian artists exploit their own vulnerability in an effort to connect with others. Refreshments and snacks will be available at a reasonable price.

SAT + 2-22

Around 9 p.m., make your way to the ground floor of the SAT for a virtual reality experience with the Red Light videomaton and a sampling of immersive video clips. Upstairs, you’ll find the party underway in the Satosphère, where $5 gets you several great DJ sets. Speaking of immersive experiences, the 2-22, just next door, invites you to enjoy an out-of-the-ordinary musical experience: Zoofest polaire. With headphones on, you’ll hear Zoofest comics who will play silent DJs in the building’s atrium.

Place des Arts

Starting at 10 p.m., make your way to Place des Arts, where La soirée est (encore) jeune will broadcast a special show from the Salon urbain. Get ready for a hilarious night! Next, catch your breath and chill out a little with a visit to the Centre de création O’Vertigo, on the basement level of Place des Arts. There you can see Corps commun, a work exploring the muscle memory of ten dancers who have previously performed works by choreographer Ginette Laurin.

Promenade des Artistes + Goethe-Institut

Around 11 p.m., before heading to the Goethe-Institut, stop on the Promenade des Artistes at the corner of Jeanne-Mance and De Maisonneuve and have a seat in one of the rocking chairs around the interactive installation Îlot de chaleur, an urban bonfire consisting of 220 light bulbs. To continue your evening in the same vein, the Goethe is presenting Echolot – Sondeur acoustique, a participatory installation exploring the noises hidden within the words, books and library at the Institut.

Club Soda + Place Pasteur

There’s no better time than midnight for a little high-decibel excitement! Club Soda is the place to be, with Karnival’s hip-hop night, Nuit Blanche’s big dance party for seven years and counting. This year’s featured artists are DJs Kobal, Kyou and Poirier. After warming up on the dance floor, venture back out into the night and walk to Place Pasteur, on Saint-Denis facing the UQAM bell tower, for a stroll in the enchanted forest of Aura, a sound-and-light work by the graduating class in UQAM’s interactive media program.

And there’s still a whole night ahead of you.
You’ll be able to say to yourself, “I really made the most of Nuit Blanche this year!”

LOCATIONS: 1) Place des Festivals - 2) MAC - 3) Belgo - 4) SAT - 5) 2-22 - 6) Place des Arts
7) Promenade des Artistes - 8) Institut-Goethe - 9) Club Soda - 10) Place Pasteur

Nuit blanche

February 27