PRESS RELEASE
Montreal, August 13, 2025 — Ariane Moffatt and the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership invite Montrealers to a giant dodgeball tournament on Place des Festivals on Saturday, September 6 at 1:30 p.m. The activity, presented as part of the Place aux jeux event, will transform Place des Festivals into two huge playgrounds where teams of 25 players will join the fun. Ariane will be there to play and cheer everyone on!
The tournament is open to everyone age 14 and up, of every level. Teams will be assembled in advance, giving people a chance to get to know each other. A scoreboard will display live updates and there will be a grandstand so that non-players can cheer on their friends and enjoy the festive atmosphere. There will be a draw for prizes.
Free online registration is required by August 29. In case of rain, the tournament will be postponed to Sunday, September 7.
The tournament is organized in collaboration with ABL BLA LAB and Les Ratons-chasseurs.
Starting August 29, the public will also find, in Place des Festivals and along pedestrianized Sainte-Catherine St. West, between Jeanne-Mance St. and Saint-Laurent Blvd., a series of fun interactive installations for exercising body and mind. Giant chess, pear balls, seesaws, the basketball tree with its four baskets at different heights, giant hopscotch, the J-shaped (for jouer) ping pong table and the enormous secret word puzzle with words selected by Ariane Moffatt are all back, along with giant game tables for classics like tic-tac-toe, snakes & ladders and checkers. Les vélos-musicaux (musical bikes) by Atracktiv give the public a chance to play Ariane Moffatt tunes by pedalling, while La Traversée is a game in which players test their balance and stability—both are new additions to the selection of games first presented this spring.
Also part of Place aux jeux is the continuing presence of Colimaçon, an installation consisting of a cascade of balls suspended over the Complexe Desjardins fountain, as well as a fun and festive installation about play, also in Complexe Desjardins, where visitors can photograph themselves to create a unique souvenir.
A video projection by Montreal artist Jérémy Fassio that takes a fond look at iconic schoolyard games will continue to light up the façade of Édifice WILDER – Espace Danse until September 3.
Finally, a children’s crafting workshop, conceived by Ariane Moffatt in collaboration with ABL BLA LAB, will be held on Saturday, August 30 in the Esplanade Tranquille pavilion. On Saturday, September 20, a giant game of musical chairs will be held on Esplanade Tranquille. Details will be announced soon.
The ping pong table
The basketball tree
August 29 to September 28, 2025
Place des Festivals and Sainte-Catherine Street W. in the Quartier des Spectacles
Equipment loan counter
Open daily from noon to 10 p.m.
Giant dodgeball tournament
September 6 at 1:30 p.m.
Details and registration
Place aux jeux, featuring Ariane Moffatt, is a presentation of the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership in collaboration with Complexe Desjardins. This project is made possible by the financial support of the Ville de Montréal.
The Quartier des Spectacles is the cultural heart of Montreal, boasting North America’s largest and most diverse concentration of cultural amenities. The Quartier’s 1 km2 of urban space delights audiences year round thanks to nearly 80 performance venues and creative spaces and 50 annual festivals. The district also showcases innovative urban installations and cutting edge digital art and lighting design. The Quartier des Spectacles positions Montreal as an international leader in urban animation, making it a prime destination for culture and tourism.
The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, founded in 2003, is a non-profit organization with more than 85 members active in the district. It is responsible for animating the Quartier des Spectacles by programming cultural activities, managing and animating public spaces, providing distinctive illumination and promoting the Quartier as a must-visit cultural destination. The Partnership benefits from the support of the Ville de Montréal.
More information: quartierdesspectacles.com
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Please include full captions and credits.
Mélanie Mingotaud
Communications Mingotwo
melanie@mingo2.ca
514 582-5272
Laurie Coulombe
Quartier des Spectacles Partnership
laurie.coulombe@quartierdesspectacles.com
581 998-6066
