The days are getting colder, the nights are getting longer, and Mariah Carey has begun to break free from her icy prison: The holidays have begun, my dudes.

"No!" you say with the heart-wrenching emotion of Mark Hamill realizing Vader is his father. "It's not true! It's too early!" 😫

For Americans, maybe. For us? Nah. Better to start thinking now about how to dive into everything the city has to offer in the next month and half. It's better than waiting until you're crushed among shopping mall crowds with five days to go and thinking "this'll do" when looking to gift someone something special. Keep an eye out on our feed for gift guides and more in the coming days!

And for those that aren't *quite* there yet, this weekend's got a lot of live music, a huge wine event, promising pop-ups, and in-depth stories to keep you company.

Read on for more.

Activities, parties, points of interest, art exhibitions, you name it: These are the weekend events you don't want to miss.

Thursday

🇬🇷 Check out the 10th Edition of the Montreal Greek Film Festival, showcasing contemporary Greek films that capture the depth and diversity of Greek society.

🌭 “In Conversation with Matty Matheson,” moderated by Danny Smiles, takes places at Le National; tickets include a pre-signed book and reserved seating.

💲 Three Sud-Ouest SDCs are launching a crowdfunding campaign to support local businesses: For every $20 coupon purchased, you receive a $10 bonus.

Friday

🩰 The student-led Passerelle 840 of UQAM’s Dance Department unveils its 2024 Fall Festival with emerging artists showcasing unique choreographic worlds.

🎭 Ma vie rouge Kubrick, a stage adaptation by Eric Jean of Simon Roy’s exploration of The Shining’s impact on his life, runs at Salle Fred-Barry.

Saturday

🪩 Better Off Dancin’ is back at Osmo X Marusan’s underground space for a night of funky, housy, and groovy tunes. Party starts at 10 PM—tickets are $12.

🤘 Montreal’s first-ever deathcore festival will take place at Piranha Bar with a lineup packed with intense performances of raw energy and heavy sounds.

👾 Bit Brigade performs live rock covers of NES/SNES soundtracks while speedrunning the games on stage at Foufounes Électriques.

☺️ Cavernǎ offers a six-hour retreat from the everyday with a club transformed into a sanctuary for music lovers at Abreuvoir Bar et Terrasse.

🛍️ Bazar Vintage MTL returns with 40 vintage vendors at Église St-Jean Berchmans. Free admission—don’t forget your reusable bags!

🎸 Ursa MTL hosts a rock music showcase featuring Cloned Apparition, Customer Service, Birds of Prrrey, and Seventh Dose—arrive early to secure your spot!

Sunday

📚 Discover radical literature from Montreal’s queer, feminist, anti-colonial, anti-imperialist, Marxist, and anarchist publishers at the Left Wing Book Sale.

💃🏾 The 6th edition of the Montreal Bachata Festival invites Bachata lovers to a celebration with performances, workshops, and masterclasses led by top artists.

📽️ Passage à Istanbul by Levan Akin, a moving story of generational divides in vibrant Istanbul, screens at Cinéma Beaubien.

Free groceries, right here. 🛒

As a reader of The Main, you’re eligible for a free $40+ grocery basket. All you need to cover is a $6 delivery fee.

How? We’ve partnered with Lufa Farms to bring fresh, sustainable groceries directly to your door.

And if you want a suggestion of what to do with them? Your basket will have everything you need to make an awesome BLT.

Don’t miss out—baskets are available while supplies last.

WHAT TO EAT & DRINK IN AND AROUND MONTREAL

Scope the latest restaurant openings, recommendations on where to eat, plus new menus, old classics, and everything in between.

RAW WINE hits Montreal like a ton of crates of wine on November 16 & 17 with its celebration of natural, organic, and biodynamic options.

New restaurant alert: Top Chef Canada 2024 participant chef Rémi Lemieux is heading Mémo as chef and co-owner—expect tasting menus and more.

Le Petit Dep's Plateau location has transformed into a festive Christmas tavern called La Taverne de Noël until January 13th.

Geschickt Wines from Alsace heads to Stem Bar on Nov 15 to offers five cuvées by the glass and meet-ups with its winemakers Aurelie and Arnaud.

Café Kuya's hosting an exclusive pop-up on Nov 17 with the talented team from @ginhawa_kitchin. First come, first served—arrive early to secure your spot.

Rosato Italo Disco returns to Vinvinvin on Nov 15. Expect a special menu, endless rosé, DJs lighting up the dance floor, and winemakers and friends.

Elena and Primavin teams will host Giulio Armani from Denavolo, Philipp & Jessika from Lesom Weine, and Andrea & Daniela from Colle Florido on Nov 16.

Leonor is a new bar that's taken over the space housing the old Mal Nécessaire in Chinatown, and it's bringing a solid nightlife event to its revived space.

Sun Ramen is hosting a pop-up at Kitano Shokudo on Nov 16 with two special ramen bowls, appetizers, desserts, a drink menu inspired by Japan.

The Mile End is now home to Star Bar, a seven-days-a-week bar for neighbourhood hangs and pizza.

Every second Sunday, Projet Pilote invites guests to enjoy a handpicked selection of wines from the cellar at 50% off alongside a November table d’hôte.

Celebrate the 12th anniversary of Bar de Courcelle on Nov 15 with a special surprise announcement and a free show by Raindog at 8:30 PM.

Babeurre is hosting Café-Beigne, a special event on Nov 16 celebrating their collaboration with Fantôme Café: $2 filter coffee, decadent donuts, and contests.

Lieux Communs and Wills Beer team up Nov 17 for a casual staff meal featuring lasagna and sides from 4 PM until late—no reservations needed.

The talented chef Antonin Mousseau-Rivard brings an exclusive, one-night-only cocktail menu to Marion Taverne on Nov 19.

Behind is a vernissage by Scott Usheroff featuring 51 monochrome photographs that reveal the raw, unseen world of restaurants on Nov 19 at Sora 45.

Tourisme Montréal’s restaurant event, MTLàTABLE, ends its 12th edition on November 17, including both dinners and brunches. Read more.

The team at Mon Lapin has started announcing a new project: Rôtisserie La Lune.

🎁 Support local stories, gift local media 🎁

This holiday season, why not gift some exclusive merch that celebrates the iconic corner store culture of dépanneurs? We've got cozy tees designed by Montreal's own Mr. Sign and screen-printed right here in town.

Every purchase helps support future content! Don’t forget: If you’re a paying supporter of The Main, you get 10% off everything in our shop.

Give a gift that makes a difference. Ain’t nothing like this out there!

Shop the collection & support local media. ❤️ 📰

Here, you'll find a weekly round-up of the latest local news, from entertainment to current affairs and more.

Giddy up, Montrey'all. This here's the tale of how our city found its place in Quebec's longstanding embrace of cowboy culture. Read more.

Inside Montreal's oldest bathhouse, Bain Colonial, culturally varied patrons queer and not collect and embrace a carefully balanced community. Read more.

Created by nationalism, revived by nostalgia. Learn the history of Laurentide, that curious beer you can grab quilles of at dive bars. Read more.

Suggested tips must be calculated based on pre-tax bills, says a new Quebec bill that takes aim at pricing transparency. Read more.

What happens when you combine Montreal, New York, and Rome? You get Villeray's newest restaurant Bona Fide. Read more.

Dock workers in Montreal rejected their employers’ latest offer, and that's led to a lockout that started Sunday with big effects on the country. Read more.

An investigation finds 1500+ commercial short-term rental operations claim to be someone's ‘primary residence’—most, if not all, are not. Read more.

An interview with Venezuelan conductor and music director of the OSM, Rafael Payare, on his ambitions for performances in the city. Read more.

Some (not so) big news that speaks to the reality of living in Montreal: Two or more languages is advantageous and provides cognitive benefits. Read more.

Our mayor's often seen as starting the city's pro-bicycle transition. But efforts to create cycling infrastructure began long before her. Read more.

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And that wraps yet another weekly bulletin. We’ll be back with more curiosities, local stories, and events to discover next week.

If ever you catch something we should know, don't hesitate to reach out to us on Instagram.

👋 Masthead: Philip Tabah, Founder & Head of Creative / Jean-Philippe Lauzon, Co-Founder & Head of Tech / Daniel Bromberg, Co-Founder & Head of Operations / JP Karwacki, Managing Editor / Amber Spector, Social Media Manager