The Bulletin: Orange cones as old as you, a new Leonard Cohen TV series, art fairs and flea markets [Issue #21]

The Bulletin is a collection of what's happened, what’s happening, and what’s to come in and around Montreal.

The Main

April 20, 2023- Read time: 8 min

Leonard Cohen in the 1960's. Credit: Roz Kelly/Michael Ochs Archives — Getty Images

The small town vibes seemed so strong for a moment there: Old Montreal was declared Canada's most Instagrammed attraction, people were fawning over baby foxes at Parc Jean Drapeau, somebody accidentally ate a moldy waffle, and the STM was letting dogs and bikes aboard more often.

But this city has a way of getting you when your guard is down: Spring floods broke out, Ryan Reynolds invested in a local company, Google had to pay a guy for restoring false accusations that he was a pedophile, we're getting a Michelin-calibre sushi speakeasy, folks are hunting for some asshole who broke into a mosque, and there was a huge amphetamine network bust.

Thing is, just when you think you're bored in Montreal, this city has a way of turning things around. You don't have a right to be bored here.

We're not saying you have to hit fifth gear on the 20 in a 2009 Honda Civic or that you need to do weird powders at a Spongebob Squarepants-themed rave, but the moment you think there's nothing to do, that's the moment you need to remember: It's time to get out there.

The city will provide.

Weekend events you don’t want to miss

Catch up on what's happening during this weekend.

Friday

The folks behind lauded cocktail bar Coldroom and El Pequeño have opened up a new spot, Bar Bisou Bisou, for cocktails and apéritifs.
Find out how architecture operates in this failed state—an international fairground in the city of Tripoli that was never completed—at the CCA.
Get a little naughty with the Bagel Burlesque Expo, a NeoBurlesque fest full of acts ranging from the original to the weird at Le Studio TD.
This event at the Foodlab serves a three-course menu in a forest installation inspired by the maple sap harvesting process, where maple syrup flows from an organic chandelier (what!) to complement each plate.

Saturday

Over 30 vendors and thousands of vinyl records can be found at the annual Foire Aux Vinyles Plateau held at Église Saint-Denis.
Collectif Créatif MTL's famous spring craft market is coming back for another edition this April with 180 vendors at Locoshop Angus.
The accomplished DJ AliA will be performing at an event hosted by Music Is My Sanctuary and Osmo x Marusan, hosted by the latter.
Let things get peak weird at a Shrek Rave that's being hosted by Club Soda. It'll be a bunch of dumb fun probably involving a lot of cosplay.
The Depths of Wikipedia—a group dedicated to highlighting "strange", "obscure", and "interesting" facts from Wikipedia—is hosting a live show at Théâtre Fairmount.
Down in the Old Port, the Plural Contemporary Art Fair brings together 49 contemporary art galleries from 8 Canadian cities.

Sunday

There's two floors of creators to discover at the Analog Market on Saint-Denis, a marketplace of vintage and handmade goods.
Foufounes Electriques is hosting a punk rock flea market Broke & Stoked Loser Jamboree—peep the vendors here.
Eat up a collaborative tasting menu by Kira German and Will Weston of Paradiso with a Bistro La Franquette pop-up and its chef Louie Deligianis.
Take a free introductory workshop on beer brewing and get a 50% beer tasting with EtOH Brasserie for La Semaine des Bières de Micro du Québec.

What you need to know

ICYMI: A weekly round-up of the latest local news, from food and entertainment to current affairs and more.

I grew up with these cones

According to photographic archives of Google Street View, one spot in Montreal had orange cones sitting there for—no joke—16 years. Considering how the news follows a big show by the city looking to reassess how construction sites are managed, this is just bonkers. (La Presse)

Hello, Marianne

Leonard Cohen fans, take note: An upcoming Crave TV drama will tell the story of the legendary romance between Leonard Cohen and his muse, Marianne Ihlen, when they met on the Greek island of Hydra. (CBC)

Weed have been so perfect together

Federal law allows people to grow up to 4 pot plants at home, but Quebec has prohibited it—that's what the QC Supreme Court is saying, anyway. Fines for getting caught are running between $250 and $750. Are they coming for beer making kits next? (CBC Montreal)

Making the often-invisible people visible

The Immigrant Workers Centre partnered with photojournalist Tamara Abdul Hadi to put together a multilingual booklet featuring images of the undocumented workers behind thankless yet essential low-wage jobs. (Cult MTL)

Party on (and on and on and on)

Growing our own pot may be off the table, but the pet projects to allow us to party until the sun goes down, comes back up, and goes down again are still happening. This event will be a first for Canada. (Journal Métro)

Whole world in her hands

Orange Julep, Schwartz's, streetside cafés on Duluth—local creator Addy Parsons breaks down how she builds Montreal landmarks and notable scenes out of Lego that rocked Reddit's world when they first got posted. (CBC Montreal)

Take a walk on the illegitimate side

Some may not know that if you're a tour guide in Montreal, you'd better be accredited. Thing is, it turns out that there are a lot of illegal tourist guides roaming the streets that don't have permits or training. (La Presse)

So what should we call McGill University?

In 2021, McGill launched a $2 billion fundraising campaign to celebrate its history and legacy as an institution, but that campaign demonstrated a continued indifference toward its violent, colonial, and racist origins. That's why their student publication is calling them out with a name change. (The Tribune)

The old life that never leaves your new one

Montreal-based artist Roger White incorporates recordings of conversations to tell the life story of his grandmother and Holocaust survivor, Marianne Clark, through personal memories with audio archives, dance, and music in Because You Never Asked. (CTV News)

A crisis lasting a decade

Milton-Parc, a Plateau-Mont-Royal neighbourhood, is known for its high concentration of homeless communities. Due to their clashing realities within the borough, these communities struggle to cohabitate—one of the only viable solutions left on the table. (The Concordian)

Posts of the Week

The best local moments this week from socials:

This I assure you… @nuvei will never ever build a rocket. pic.twitter.com/pyVdLSraW8
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) April 17, 2023

[Free 65+] 🚇🚌👍 Starting today, residents of the agglomeration of Montréal aged 65 and up can obtain the Free65+ All modes A transit fare. As of July 1, 2023, this fare will allow seniors to take public transit for free within zone A.

Info ⏩ https://t.co/0Y6cMlAL7C pic.twitter.com/NUmacGXW4R
— STM (@stminfo) April 19, 2023

Crazy what passes as a « bagel » outside of Montreal
— Kate McKenna (@katemckenna8) April 18, 2023

That wraps up this week's edition. We’ll be back with more curiosities, local stories, and events to discover next week.

And if ever you catch something we should know, reach out to us on Instagram.

Thanks for reading.

Vintage Photos of Montreal's Most Famous Landmarks, from the Notre-Dame Basilica to Marché Maisonneuve

Montreal: A nest of spies during the American Civil War

Bulletin

The Bulletin: Orange cones as old as you, a new Leonard Cohen TV series, art fairs and flea markets [Issue #21]