This week’s bulletin is equal parts live music, wine-drenched festivities, art fairs, and slighted local businesses—in other words, an average weekend in the city.

Events you won’t want to miss

• Nov 25 to Jan 8: Relive a piece of Montreal Christmas history by checking out the 70-year-old mechanical displays of Ogilvy’s department store window for free at McCord Stewart Museum.
• Dec 2 and 3: Visit the Japanese holiday market to find unique gifts for the holiday season with Marché des Fêtes à la Japonaise.
• Dec 2: Nostalgic millennials and indie pop lovers alike will want to catch Canadian supergroup STARS perform at Théâtre Fairmount (and $1 from every ticket goes towards the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal).
• Nov 19 to Dec 31: Downtown Montreal’s biggest Christmas market, Grand Marché de Noël de Montréal, is officially holly, jolly, and open to explore on weekends.
• Nov 26 to Dec 4: This weekend at Locoshop Angus marks the last chance to check out Marché des Fêtes, gathering more than 80 artists together for a huge Christmas market.
• Dec 2 to 4: 19 potters are coming together to showcase artisanal pottery of all kinds (with hot chocolate offered to anyone stopping by) this weekend at Centre culturel Georges-Vanier.
• Dec 3: Fans of homegrown sensation Arcade Fire will want to grab tickets for the “WE” Tour at the Bell Centre this weekend.
• Dec 3: There’s a new (see: first ever) loaded pierogi concept in town, and they’re handing out free bowls this weekend.
• Dec 3: Take a musical journey into the world of Czech composer Kryštof Harant at Bourgie Hall inside the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
• Dec 3: Christmas-y goodness kicks off with Festival Noël dans la parc’s inaugural opening celebration at Place Émilie-Gamelin plus performances in two other Montreal parks.
• Dec 4: Meet Toula Drimonis as she signs and discusses her book We, the Others: Allophones, Immigrants, and Belonging in Canada at Librairie Paragraphe Bookstore.

Easy come, easy snow: Kept promises may be the furthest from our minds when it comes to weather, but hold out some hope—we have a 75% chance of getting a white Christmas this year.

All of Montreal: What you missed this week

New True Crime Documentary ‘Kings of Coke’ Digs Into Montreal’s Past As “Bank Robbery Capital of North America”

In a new documentary released on Crave, Kings of Coke takes a deep dive into Montreal’s Irish Mob’s involvement in the city’s cocaine trade with a focus on the city’s West End Gang—if you ever thought we weren’t a crime capital, now’s the time to think again. (Complex)

Single-Use Plastics Will Be Banned: Now What?

Since September 27, 2022, bagging groceries with non-reusable plastic bags is no longer permitted in the city of Montreal. Sure, restaurants and deps will still slide one across the counter to you, but the question remains: Where will we go now, and how can we go further with these measures? (The Link)

Will road construction in the Plateau kill these brick and mortar businesses?

Construction may be in the city’s blood/family history/permanent record, but it’s still a devastating and unpredictable element for Montreal businesses who struggle to get customers over chasms in sidewalks and through their front doors. The latest struggle is happening on Avenue des Pins. (CBC Montreal)

Montreal’s Exciting New Anemone Takes Pride in Preservation

Anemone, the new Mile-Ex restaurant once previously home to Manitoba, is a new 50-seat bistro that’s focused on preserved vegetables and fruits, and in sourcing locally, with an Asian-but-not-Asian approach to its dishes. (Eater Montreal)

Un simulateur de vol ouvert à tous à Montréal

Flying a plane is now an experience accessible to everyone over at AviaSim’s new Montreal outpost—the very first of its kind in North America—which allows folks to take control of “ultra-realistic airliner simulators.” (Radio Canada)

More amazing pics of trams in Montreal

Take a stroll through the history of Montreal’s extensive streetcar system dating back to years prior to 1959, going back as far as 1886. One look and you’d wonder why the city ever thought it was a good idea to scrap ‘em. (Coolopolis)

One-on-one with Legault: I will protect anglo rights, premier says

In a wide-ranging interview, Legault touches on everything from Bills 96 and 21 to the status of French—plus the Habs for some reason—in a bid to show Quebec’s anglophones that he will protect their rights to English services. (Montreal Gazette)

Ottawa-based 24-hour bagel chain opening first Quebec location in downtown Montreal

Ottawa-based Kettlemans Bagel is set to bring its Montreal-style bagel concept to the city as part of its continued expansion plan this January, steps away from the Bell Centre. They’re not only getting into the bagel game, they’re getting into it 24/7 while they’re here, too. (Daily Hive)

L'Arabie saoudite, joueur important dans l'empire du CH

An interesting report concerning a new group of shareholders at the Montreal Canadiens: The Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), lead by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which acquired a large share in the CH Group during the pandemic. The fund reportedly even owns almost half of the group's events division. (Journal de Montréal)

What does the future hold for Montreal's unused church buildings?

As attendance dwindles, heritage church buildings are sitting empty. Some are falling into disrepair, as well. That means there are a lot of questions swirling around if and how these structures should be repaired and given a second life. (CBC)