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LA FÊTE DU QUARTIER : October 1 marks the inaugural edition of a food and culture event for residents of the Quartier des Spectacles!

Press release | For immediate release

Montreal, September 14, 2022 – The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership announces the first edition of the Fête du Quartier. The event, presented as part of the Journées de la culture, is aimed at reaching out to the neighbourhood’s residents. On October 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Esplanade Tranquille, visitors will enjoy free activities and meet the cultural players who energize the Quartier des Spectacles. Art and food will both be featured, with the participation of chef Daniel Vézina and Galaxie Brasserie.

MAKING MULTIPLE CONNECTIONS

Taking place on Esplanade Tranquille – the neighbourhood’s collective backyard – the Fête du Quartier is an initiative aimed at bringing together the Quartier’s cultural players and its residents. In lounge spaces set up in the Esplanade Tranquille pavilion, members of the public will be able to sit and chat with performing arts professionals, including those of Maison Théâtre and Théâtre du Nouveau Monde. This special access will allow participants to learn about various aspects of artistic work and for the residents and professionals to share their visions and hopes for Montreal’s cultural heart.

“As well as being a draw for people who love culture and a captivating place for workers and tourists, the Quartier des Spectacles is a neighbourhood with thousands of residents. With this first edition of the Fête du Quartier, the Partnership wants to make people aware of everything the Quartier has to offer. We also want to provide a fruitful setting for stimulating and engaging discussions between the public and cultural organizations,” said Monique Simard, chair of the board of directors of the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership.

TOMATO PARTY WITH DANIEL VÉZINA

Chef Daniel Vézina and the team from Galaxie Brasserie invite visitors to join in a big tomato cooking party in celebration of the harvest. This food-focused part of the festivities will take the form of a culinary demo and free sampling of a tomato coulis with squash, lovingly prepared by the chef and his collaborators. It’s a great opportunity to get some wise advice from an expert chef with more than 30 years of experience, and to share some delicious food among neighbours. Everyone can sample the results from noon to 4 p.m., while supplies last.

LIVELY ESPLANADE TRANQUILLE

There will be free cultural activities for visitors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Esplanade Tranquille. First, Look-up! by POLIQUIN-SIMMS² will amaze spectators with circus routines on sway poles, and Buzz Cuivres, the roving brass quintet, will play an entertaining selection of jazz and blues numbers. There will also be a circus performance called Voyageurs by the Kaoso collective, singing by the Chœur enharmonique de Montréal with choirmaster Julien Patenaude, and Tea Time by the Kaoso collective, a most original tea party with some curious characters. Finally, at 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., the public is invited to discover the neighbourhood’s history and secrets by joining a professional guide for a walking tour of the Quartier des Spectacles. Throughout the day, the giant chess and Scrabble boards will be available to all, no registration required.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

La Fête du Quartier
Esplanade Tranquille in the Quartier des Spectacles
October 1, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m
Tasting: noon to 4 p.m.*
See the Facebook event

^{*Available to Quartier residents only between 11 a.m. and noon.}

ABOUT ESPLANADE TRANQUILLE

Esplanade Tranquille is the newest public space in the Quartier des Spectacles. Located at the intersection of Clark and Sainte-Catherine streets, it is a human-scaled space: a backyard for all Montrealers. This versatile, all-ages, all-seasons plaza in the heart of downtown features a warm design and a diverse cultural program, as well as a refrigerated skating rink in winter and a large terrasse in summer.

The public space pays tribute to Librairie Tranquille, a bookstore once located on the site, and its owner, Henri Tranquille (1916-2005). It is an important place in contemporary Quebec history, since the store hosted the launch of the Refus global manifesto in 1948. The Esplanade Tranquille project is the result of a collaboration among stakeholders, with funding from the governments of Quebec and Canada and the Ville de Montréal. The work was done as part of the major projects component of the Fonds Chantiers Canada-Québec.

To learn more about this new public space in the Quartier des Spectacles and its constituent spaces, see the online press kit.

ABOUT THE QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES AND THE QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES PARTNERSHIP

The Quartier des Spectacles is Montreal’s cultural heart, boasting North America’s most concentrated and diverse group of cultural venues. Year round, the district is home to countless festivals and events, and hosts innovative urban installations involving cutting-edge lighting design, immersive environments or interactive digital spaces. The Quartier des Spectacles is a showcase for new multimedia technology, making Montreal a global leader in the urban exhibition of digital content.

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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