Where to stay, eat, explore, party and play…
The 2019 edition of the Montreal Pride Festival (August 8 to 18), the largest gathering of sexual and gender diversity communities in the Francophone world, is officially underway. If you plan on partying it up in the city the weekend of the big parade (August 18), you’re probably wondering what else you can do to maximize your visit and get the most out your stay. Not to worry, mon chéri; we’ve got you covered. Here are our top picks for where to stay, eat, explore, party and play during Montreal Pride.
Stay: Hotel Mônville
Searching for a place to stay that’s cutting edge and at the top of its class? Look no further than Hotel Mônville. Described as Canada’s most innovative hotel, the four-star property is located in the Quartier International (where downtown meets Old Montreal), features 269 guest rooms (including 54 suites) with king size beds, a 24/7 gym and is the first Canadian hotel to offer room service using an autonomous delivery robot to carry orders directly to guest rooms. Très cool! Hotel Mônville opened last year, is the recipient of the 2018 Hotelier of the Year award and a Montreal Pride Festival official hotel partner.
1041 rue de Bleury; 1-514-379-2000; www.hotelmonville.com/en/
* Enjoy a special rate of $189 on overnight stays during the festival by using the promo code: FIERTE.
Eat: Bistro Pavillon
Located in Le Village (the epicenter of Montreal’s LGBTQ community), Bistro Pavillon brings art and food together under one roof. The restaurant, which recently celebrated its first birthday, offers simple, timeless cuisine made from fresh, local ingredients (specialties include seafood and seasonal vegetables) and serves as a cultural space for events, art exhibits and live music.
1650 rue Sainte-Catherine Est; 1-514-508-1208; www.bistropavillon.com
* Sunday brunch is between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. and often coincides with the launch of a new exhibit.
Explore: Thierry Mugler: Couturissime
Theirry Mugler: Couturissime, presented by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA), is a Montreal world premiere that has already been seen by more than 200,000 visitors. The MMFA-produced exhibit showcases the work of French creator Thierry Mugler – visionary couturier, director, photographer and perfumer – by revisiting his prêt-à-porter and haute couture creations. More than 150 garments are featured, most of which are being shown for the first time, as well archival documents and sketches.
1380 rue Sherbrooke Ouest; 1-514-285-2000; www.mbam.qc.ca/en/
* Purchase a ticket for the exhibit on the MMFA website and enjoy a $5 discount (promo code: FIERTE).
Party: JetSet featuring Ciara
The headline performer for the (free!) JetSet show on August 17 (8 p.m. to 11 p.m.) at Parc des Faubourgs (the main venue for the festival) is none other than Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter and pop princess: Ciara. The LGBTQ ally previously told The Advocate: “I can say that I welcome everyone. Nobody is different from the other. I am very grateful to have such a diverse fan group. I’m open to diversity and I think my fans can see it and feel it.” With seven albums under her belt – including her most recent Beauty Marks– and more than 23 million records sold worldwide, Ciara’s performance is the Montreal Pride party everyone is looking forward to.
Parc des Faubourgs (at the corner of rue de Lorimier and rue Ontario); watch the promo video here:
Play: I FEEL LOVE Festival
I FEEL LOVE Productions presents the first edition of the I FEEL LOVE Festival in partnership with the Montreal Pride Festival and AIDS Community Care Montreal. It’s billed as a sexy party featuring international dancers and DJs including Mauro Mozart (Brazil) and Stephan Grondin (Canada) at the Main Event on August 16 (10 p.m. to 3 a.m.), Angel Rios (Mexico), Ashley Gautier (Canada) and Chris Mortagua (Canada) at the Sunset Party on August 17 (2 p.m. to 10 p.m.) and Nacho Chapado (Spain), Oscar Velazquez (Mexico), Paulo (USA) and KevJ (Canada) at the ARENA Pre-Party on August 18 (10 p.m. to 8 a.m.).
Various locations throughout the city; weekend passes and single tickets: www.electrostub.com/events/208209; tickets for I FEEL LOVE main event: www.universe.com/ifeellove
To find out more about the 2019 Montreal Pride Festival, visit: https://fiertemtl.com/en/.
Bonne Fierté!
—
JUMOL ROYES is a Toronto-based communications strategist and content writer with a keen interest in personal development and transformation. Follow him on Twitter @Jumol.
POST A COMMENT