A federal election. Tariffs. You name it. The news cycle’s been swinging like a busted door on your corner dep: Open to anything, ready for chaos.

So, we're offering something to take your mind off of all that. Rowdy brunches, unexpected gallery vernissages and openings, art fairs, celebrating the Cambodian and Laotian New Year, literary block parties at 50-year-old institutions, a honky-tonk hoedown nine storeys up.

Scroll on for your weekend game plan. Just don’t blame us if you double-book yourself.

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

Thursday

🤡 The Montreal Clown Festival runs until April 12, bringing together local and international artists for a week of performances and workshops rooted in the subversive art of clowning.

🇪🇬 Egyptian Day offers a free cultural event with a bazaar, film cast meet-and-greet, and talks on Egyptian cinema and heritage, all alongside the Vues d’Afrique film festival.

Friday

📜 The Plural Contemporary Art Fair brings together galleries, artists, collectors, and curious minds for Quebec’s largest showcase of contemporary art at the Grand Quai in Old Montreal.

🎪 Paperplane by Théâtre Advienne que Pourra is a 65-minute multidisciplinary performance blending circus, theatre, music, and dance into a poetic and whimsical celebration of life, showing at TOHU.

📰 The launch of The Page's 5th edition takes place at Zamalek's Kitchen (8280 Boul. Saint Laurent, Studio 407), with all-vinyl sets by A&R BLOQ, BUCKSHOTS, and SAMMY, and copies of the new issue available on-site.

Saturday

🎉 Sabay Sabay! Celebrate the Laotian and Cambodian New Year at Bâtiment 7 with Sep Lai, Super Boat People, and Les Sans-Taverne—featuring a Khmer-Lao tasting menu, papaya salad contest, a beer launch, a comedy show, and more.

🤠 La Grande Salle Ole Opry takes over the Eaton Centre's 9th floor with a retro-inspired country music showcase featuring classic covers, original songs, special guests, and a honky-tonk dance floor.

🥞 Groovy and Chill’s Boozy Brunch: Record Store Day Edition hits 180g and Ma Mère en Feu: Expect vinyl, vibes, and vittles when brunch starts at 11am. Come hungry, come crate-digging.

🎨 The gallery space family (200 Laurier Ouest) will host five simultaneous vernissages featuring works by the Avinoff siblings, explorations of online masculinity, group shows, and experimental installations.

🎥 CinéBazar returns to the Centre du Plateau—a one-day market for cinephiles and collectors featuring DVDs, posters, books, figurines, VHS, and more.

🍳 The artist-run centres and galleries of the Belgo Building invite the public for a casual brunch and art walk featuring coffee, bites, and exhibitions plus artist talks and more.

Sunday

📖 The Word Bookstore is throwing a block party to celebrate their 50th anniversary featuring books, music, and local culture—an afternoon celebration of one of Montreal’s most beloved literary institutions.

🫖 Celebrate the launch of Stimulant Volume Two with live readings at Cardinal Tea Room—PWYC at the door, with limited copies of the zine available for sale.

🖼️ Studio B officially opens its doors with a weekend-long event featuring curated vintage by Lau B, a look at the new artist-support space, and a call for local creators to join future editions of their Marchés B series.

📚 N’était-ce pas l’été is hosting a two-day book bazaar with discounted books priced at $1 to $5 and select titles from the shop at 50% off.

🇵🇸 Keffiyeh/Made in China is a bold theatrical work weaving ten short Palestinian plays into a single narrative that reveals how everyday moments are deeply shaped by life under occupation.

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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.

Espace Old Mill celebrates its 2nd anniversary on April 10 with live music, à la carte bites, cocktails, and half-price bottles of wine—walk-ins welcome, vibes guaranteed. 🍷🎶

Caramia is hosting a stuffed pasta class & dinner party on April 10 at 6PM—a spring-themed evening that blends hands-on cooking with a convivial shared meal.

Spaghetti Western reopens on April 10 with a revamped look, new DJ booth, expanded dance floor, renovated restrooms—and soon, a permanent mechanical bull.

Join chef Rémy Couture—aka “The Donut King”—at Boutique Crème on April 10 for an interactive, bilingual Sugar Shack-inspired tasting experience.

Le Boulevardier welcomes Parapluie for a five-course dinner by chef Robin Filteau Boucher on April 11, paired with an optional wine pairing, at Hôtel Le Germain.

Le Majestique turns 11 on April 11, and they’re celebrating with a special $66 tasting menu by chefs Alejandro Vega and Isiah Gutteridge.

Mellön Brasserie transforms into a dancefloor on April 12 ’til late, with decks, Espresso Martinis on tap, and vodka-pickle shooters fueling the groove.

Apéro Aries! On April 12, Vinorama celebrates the zodiac’s boldest sign with a wine selection curated for Aries energy—and a special discount for those with Aries sun signs.

TINY & Dep Le Pick Up x Beigne Habitude team up at this one-night-only vegetarian and vegan sugar shack feast on April 13 featuring millet meat pies, baked beans, pancakes, and a maple-apple donut collab.

Street Monkeys teams up with guest chef Mike Chanthamyvong for a one-night-only Cambodian–Laotian New Year collab on April 14.

Bottega Laval turns 15! Join the celebration on April 15 with live music and a glass of prosecco for every guest.

Le Red Tiger at Shops Angus is throwing a fried rice blowout on April 15 to celebrate one year in the neighbourhood—expect snow crab, cocktails, and a late-night set by DJ Danny Aldana.

Moët City has an exclusive brunch at Bazart on April 13, pairing Mediterranean cuisine with champagne followed by a golden-hour party with sets by Laura Scavo, Pat Boogie, and DJ Mekki.

Motel Ontario is teaming up with Maison Close on April 16 for a special five-course Mediterranean dinner in Hochelaga—$75 per person.

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

An exciting new dining development comes in the form of Limbo, which recently opened in Little Italy—we got a story to tell about it. Read more.

Small bookstore, big concerts: We take you inside the intimate shows at Librairie Résonance, and the massive impact they have on performers and the community. Read more.

Explore them before they're gone! The drive-in movie theatres you can find in Montreal's own provincial backyard are a special breed that can only fade with time. Read more.

Star Bar in the Plateau isn't just about being a Pizza Bouquet outpost! It represents a 15-year promise fulfilled and a third space for so many Montrealers who need it. Read more.

In a screen-addled, post-pandemic world starved for real connection, Hot Chain revives the spirit of the 18th-century salon—a curated, wine-fuelled gathering designed to rekindle the lost art of talking to one another. Read more.

Montreal's making a $36 million fund accessible to small businesses to soften blow of U.S. tariffs. Read more.

New money to animate local streets in all 19 boroughs? The city's expected to approve $2 million a year over three years for a new program—a threefold increase. Read more.

Quebec's own Disneyland-esque water park is breaking ground in Mirabel and will feature more than 20 attractions across 150,000+ square feet of entertainment space. Read more.

More bikes and buses are coming to the Plateau between Bernard Avenue and Milton Street with developments to come to Saint-Urbain. Read more.

Shoulder to shoulder, hundreds of protestors hit the streets last Sunday to protest Trump and tariffs, and to declare that Canada will never be the 51st state. Read more.

McGill University announced it intends to cut ties with its student union following a three-day pro-Palestinian protest on campus last week. Read more.

Is the country's greatest sushi in Montreal? Ask the critic who paid a visit to the Mile End's Sushi Nishinokaze which opened a couple months back. Read more.

The Tour de l’Île, where cyclists take to the streets, is down to two routes for 2025, citing “overall logistics” for cutting one course. Read more.

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