Arts and Entertainment featured Montreal

Everything You Need to Know About Montreal en Lumière 2018

Nuit Blanche 2018, 15th Edition

Date: Saturday March 3rd

Time- 4pm-3am

What is Nuit Blanche?

For those of you who don’t already know about Nuit Blanche, it is a mostly free outdoor artistic winter festival that focuses on community and the arts. Not only are there dozens upon dozens of fun and innovative activities to participate in, like: art installations, DJ parties, boozey and foodie tents; to name a few… But, the metro line hours are extended too. Which means stress free late night fun, without the added worry of missing your last metro home.

That’s right, public transit is open all night long! What makes Nuit Blanche so fun, is the number of diverse activities available to the public, there is something for everyone, kids and adults alike.

The 9 Activity Spots (Poles) and Highlights

Here Are Our Top Picks for the Night:

  1. Zip-lining (pole 1)
  2. Cider Tasting (pole1)
  3. Milk Family Fun Zone: Ferris wheel and urban slide (pole 1)
  4. Vinyl Marathon (pole 1)
  5. Demented Dance Party (pole 1)
  6. Swing Dancing at Berri- Uqam metro (pole 3)
  7. Torchlight procession (pole 3)
  8. Illuminart (pole 2)
  9. SAQ Bistro ( pole 1)
  10. Nightime Skating at the Olympic Stadium ( pole 4)
  11. Hula hoop introductory workshop (pole 6)
  12. Hockey art exhibition (pole 6)
  13. Segal Centre’s Big Broadway Sing-Along, the best show tunes (pole 8)
  14. A night at the cathedral at Christ Church Cathedral. Live organ music, Montreal’s Gay Man Chorus, live jazz quartet and hot cocoa!

Pole/ Events Locations

  • Pole 1- Quartier des Spectacles
  • Pole 2- Centre –Ville, Downtown
  • Pole 3- Quartier Latin
  • Pole 4-Hochelaga
  • Pole 5- Old Montreal
  • Pole 6- Plateau, Mont-Royal
  • Pole 7-Mile End
  • Pole 8- North
  • Pole 9-Art Souterrain

Pro Tips For Nuit Blanche Virgins…

It’s okay if it is your first time participating in the fun that is Nuit Blanche. Maybe you’ve always worked the Saturday night or you’re from out of town, either way here are some helpful little tips, that will help you survive this all-nighter and no we aren’t just talking about expresso shots…

Pro Tip 1: Park your vehicle near a metro station close to your home and use public transit, it’ll be way less stressful.  Even if you rarely take the metro, driving downtown and finding parking isn’t really the best way to start the night…Especially on a Saturday during a free outdoor festival! Warning, although the metro is open all night, service can be a bit slow, prepare for a minimum of 3o-45 minute waits.

Pro Tip 2: Create a schedule, take note that not all activities last the entirety of the night, most are scheduled at certain times. Some begin in the late afternoon, others at the wee hours of the morning. If you’re one of those people who likes organization and itineraries, make yourself a schedule, this way you won’t miss out on anything!

Pro Tip 3: Dress warmly, wear layers. It doesn’t matter how mild the night starts off, you’ll regret not packing an extra hat and a pair of gloves, especially if you are participating in any of the outdoor festivities, like the ferris wheel… Also, since it is a festival, water will be sold everywhere but for double the price, to save a few bucks, you might want to bring your own water bottle. Hydration is key!

Pro Tip 4:  Have fun. Don’t get too caught up in the crowds and do your own exploring, there are so many amazing art installations set-up all over the city. Jump out of that comfort zone of yours and go night skating, or join in on a random outdoor dance party. Nuit blanche is for the artist within, so enjoy!

For more detailed information concerning Nuit Blanche and a full list of events, check out their website: https://www.montrealenlumiere.com/en-CA/programmation/index/nuit

 

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