Interesting times are afoot this weekend, y'all.

We've all got one foot in winter and the other in spring: Snow continues to fall, but temperatures are rising; our hibernal festivities end this weekend, and sugar shacks are in full swing; the sun still sets pretty damn early, but daylight savings is approaching to fool us into thinking otherwise.

But in-between periods like this ain't so bad. Reading through this weekend, you can hunker down just one more time if you find the weather super gross, but consider this fair warning: There are also lofts lighting up with shows, downtown cores flush with crowds, film festivals, tech meetups, new restaurants, and a whole bunch of other stuff worth exploring.

We've got it all detailed and drawn out for you below. Take a look.

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

Thursday

💡 MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE enters its final stretch until March 9, 2025, with luminous installations, immersive culinary experiences, and one last opportunity to enjoy the festival’s icy playgrounds.

🎙️ David Cross brings his sharp wit and fearless comedy to Théâtre Beanfield with The End of The Beginning of The End tour.

💃 RuPaul brings The House of Hidden Meanings Book Tour to L’Olympia, offering an intimate evening of stories, wisdom, and signature charisma.

🎰 It's Bingo Night at Vinorama—four rounds, four prizes, no corkage fees, and a special by-the-glass lineup.

Friday

🎤 High above Mile End, Maurice Fulton—one of house music’s true originals—makes his Montreal debut with an all-night Ferias set alongside a stacked lineup of local talent.

🏛️ Until March 9, enjoy free admission to MBAM's collections (reservation required), and don’t miss Joyce Wieland: Heart On, a landmark retrospective showcasing over 100 works that cement her legacy as a pioneering force in Canadian art and film.

🎪 Le Monastère blends aerial straps, juggling, and dance trapeze in a breathtaking circus cabaret over two shows this weekend (plus an optional dinner package at Le Pois Penché).

📽️ The Montréal International Children’s Film Festival invites young audiences to explore global storytelling through curated international films.

🎭 Festival de Casteliers brings puppetry to life until March 9, featuring performances from around the world ranging from intricate shadow play to contemporary marionette theatre.

Saturday

❄️ The SAT’s Winter Terrace wraps up its season with a final week of interactive art, DJ sets, Québec films, and winter treats with free entry.

✊ Women of the Industry returns for its 4th edition at Moment Factory, celebrating women in the performing arts and electronic music scene with a 70s-inspired, futuristic cabaret and immersive visuals.

🗣️ Confabulation’s The Shortest Story XVI returns at Centaur Theatre, featuring a rapid-fire lineup of true-life stories told in just two minutes, with up to 30 storytellers.

🇳🇴 FIKA(S) explores Nordic and Scandinavian culture through films, talks, performances and more, bridging northern ways of life with Quebec and Canada.

Sunday

🎧 Habitat Sonore returns to PHI Centre with a new program featuring ambient soundscapes, spatialized compositions, and deep-listening experiences from artists like Wake Island & Radwan Ghazi Moumneh, Totalement Sublime, Moe Clark, and Pursuit Grooves.

🤸 International Gymnix brings over 1,200 elite gymnasts from 12 countries to Montreal for a world-class women’s artistic gymnastics competition.

Where to catch action at Montréal en Lumière before it ends!

Among all the events you can experience for cold-weather culture around the world, Montréal en Lumière—and the all-night entertainment of Nuit Blanche it bookmarks—reign supreme.

This year, the 26th edition of Montréal en Lumière takes place from February 27 to March 9 in the city’s cultural district Quartier des Spectacles.

The Main has partnered with the festival to bring you the best guide possible: Read it here.

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.

Parcelles’ sugar season menu returns for the entire month of April, featuring a multi-course feast centered around maple and seasonal vegetables—one seating per night at 6 PM, $110 per person, some reservations remain!

Bar Dominion teams up with the Rush Hour cocktail competition, where Philippe-Olivier Massaad and Ulysse Portelance-Bédard will battle behind the bar, racing to shake up as many Ramos Gin Fizzes as possible on March 9.

From March 4 to 29, Chef Clément Boivin takes over the kitchen at Sherbrooke's Vin Polisson for a month-long residency, bringing his signature approach to seasonal, collaborative dining.

Pichai is teaming up with Thorsten Melsheimer for a special cuvée launch featuring a five-course lunch on March 9 and a wine-fueled party on March 10 with Thai snacks, schnitzel, and rare vintages.

Pinnacle Wagyu Deli is opening in Old Montreal on March 8th, serving up premium Wagyu sandwiches from 11 AM to 11 PM.

Spaghetti Western hosts the OG Swag Party on March 6, featuring $8 Coors Original tall cans, giveaways, and a country line dancing lesson.

Barroco is now offering a $45 three-course discovery menu every Sunday to Tuesday, featuring a choice of appetizer, main, and dessert—reservations strongly recommended.

June Buvette welcomes Ottawa’s finest, Arlo and Fauna, for a one-night-only culinary collaboration on March 8: Four courses with wine pairings.

Top dining for less: Happening Gourmand and its special table d’hôte menus return to ten Montreal restaurants, including Brasserie 701, Maggie Oakes, Méchant Boeuf, Vieux-Port Steakhouse, and others.

After the weekend, end your Monday on a high note when you can get a poutine and a glass of wine for $19 at Motel Ontario. Not bad.

The Ciné-Club du Réservoir returns on March 11 with Anora by Sean Baker, fresh off five Oscar wins—reserve your spot and enjoy free popcorn with your first pint.

Parfois is taking over La Courtepointe on March 15, serving a seasonal à la carte menu that bridges winter’s warmth and spring’s arrival.

Buboy’s all-you-can-eat sugar shack brunch is back on March 15-16 & 22-23, blending cabane à sucre classics with bold Filipino flavours.

BONUS: Recommended reservations at Montréal en Lumière

Bonheur d’Occasion creates a special menu of fine cuisine and pastry crafted with Geneviève Thisdel (En roue libre).

On March 9, Hélicoptère teams up with Evan and Sarah Rich (Rich Table, San Francisco) for a collaborative menu blending bold West Coast flavours with local finesse—$130 all-inclusive.

On March 6 and 7, Panacée welcomes Dima Adra, chef and author of Mama Ghannouj, for a $100 menu celebrating bold, home-style Middle Eastern flavours.

For three nights (March 6–8), Menu Extra hosts Marthe Henry, a rising star of Burgundy winemaking, for an exclusive eight-course tasting menu paired with her exceptional wines—$275 per person.

On March 8 and 9, Mon Lapin hosts Chef Isabel Garcia (La Cave Paul Bert) and winemaker Athénaïs de Béru (Château de Béru) for a $95 lunch, pairing bold, Parisian-inspired cuisine with expressive Chablis wines.

Ratafia welcomes Martine Bauer of Pompette Vinoteca for a special four-course tasting menu with amuse-bouches ($115) and optional wine pairing ($65) on March 9.

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

Sugar shack season is a short but glorious stretch of syrup-soaked feasts best enjoyed in the countryside. These are the best ones near the city: Read more.

Ryan Battistuzzi—the recording engineer, producer, songwriter and musician known for working alongside some of Montreal's best—lists what he loves most. Read more.

A new month, a new batch! Here are the best new restaurants for the month of March in Montreal. Read more.

What's happening in March, anyway? Turns out, 30 days is plenty of time to pull off a lot of events worth checking out. We tracked 'em down. Read more.

The nomadic Pasta Pooks has officially opened its first permanent counter in Little Italy with fresh pasta and sandwiches. Read more.

Would you like deep intent with your coffee? Then you'll want to visit the exceptional café-roastery hybrid known as Even in Mile-Ex. Read more.

Cultural curator Soufian Mamlouk has been a part redefining Montreal’s landscape. We wanted to know about his latest obsessions. Read more.

Late-blooming chef Isaël Gadoua built a 35-seat La Petite-Patrie spot where creativity trumps convention, offering one of Montreal's most uncompromising menus. Read more.

The Montreal East tramway project is officially on track. It may take time to break ground, but the government wants to speed it up as much as possible. Read more.

There are no shittier words at this time of year than "daylight saving time begins this weekend" because you lose out on an hour of sleep. Read more.

Fuego Fuego has revealed its complete lineup for the 2025 festival, featuring a diverse array of artists and performances. Read more.

Opening Nun's Island up to the city: There are plans for more real estate and mixed-use buildings, but there are tensions with residents. Read more.

Hundreds of people jailed in Quebec every year for minor infractions. Why? Access to a fair trial is quietly becoming luxury most cannot afford. Read more.

Greater Montreal currently ranks among North America’s top-10 life-sciences and health technology hubs, and a new project will help keep it that way. Read more.

WFH 4VR? Daily life downtown may never be the same again, as much of our downtown core still remains under-utilized. Here's the latest: 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 / Daniel Bromberg, Co-Founder & Head of Operations / Jean-Philippe Lauzon, Co-Founder & Head of Tech / JP Karwacki, Managing Editor / Amber Spector, Social Media Manager