Montréal, Québec, Jan. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE, presented by Loto‑Québec in collaboration with Scotiabank, is proud to unveil the activities that will take place in the Quartier des Spectacles, its vibrant outdoor festival site. From February 29 to March 10, join in the festivities for this anniversary edition celebrating 25 years of innovative outdoor winter play. The tradition continues this year with the return of the iconic CeraVe Skating Loop, a Festival staple that Montrealers have truly claimed as their own. With its immersive skating rinks, themed activities, fun entertainment and vibrant musical atmosphere, MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE invites you to lace up your skates and make this winter a season you’ll never forget!
"More than ever, Montréal wants to truly experience winter rather than simply enduring it. Combining the gourmet program, numerous indoor shows, an outdoor site, Nuit blanche and spring break, MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE is a major gathering that proves that Montréal is a festive city, even in winter."
- Jacques Primeau, festival’s general manager
"Download the MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE app and you won’t be able to take your eyes off our fantastic programming. An endless selection of activities will keep you on your toes between now and the big day! If the Festival were somewhere else, you’d probably even take a plane with your family to go! So hop on the métro and come have some fun! We can’t wait to see you there!!!"
- Alexandra Diaz, spokesperson for the 25th edition
Rediscover two unique musical skating rinks
Eagerly awaited every year, the innovative CeraVe Skating Loop will be back this year at the Place des Festivals. This one-of-a-kind aerial skating loop offers festival-goers a breathtaking view of the cityscape. Over 300 metres long and lined by enchanting LED light tubes, the iced path also has an exciting musical vibe! To warm up after a few laps, skaters can head over to the chalet de patin Tim Hortons, where skates will be available for rent, as well as to the bistro SAQ, a heated area offering gourmet delights, wines, spirits and hot cocktails in a friendly atmosphere.
The Rogers DJ Booth will get the ice and all of the Place des Festivals grooving with local DJ sets every night.
Thursday, February 29
Truwayz
Friday, March 1
Sassafras | Throbackshorties
Saturday, March 2 *Nuit blanche
Cloverdale | Ghetto Birds | POPTRT | Truwayz
Sunday, March 3
TallandSkiinny
Tuesday, March 5
Truwayz
Wednesday, March 6
Hosted by Kleancut
Thursday, March 7 | 6 to 11 p.m.
Kleancut | Camille et Modibo | Camiille par "LaCam" | Sno Jam '24
Friday, March 8
LYKX | SHAYDAKISS
Saturday, March 9
KIINJO | Bolarinho | Arielle Roberge | Cidoine
Sunday, March 10
Lexis
Not-to-be-missed evening events
On February 29, versatile DJs will get festival‑goers dancing to the sound of today’s biggest hits at the multi-genre night. On March 1, dance to the end of the computer world at the Y2K night. On the docket: Eurodance, oldies and hip-hop hits from the turn of the millennium! On March 2, we’ll celebrate the Nuit blanche in party mode with an EDM and electro night featuring the renowned Cloverdale and indigenous artist Pøptrt from the Mohawk nation. On March 3, get ready for inline skating with a totally country night! On March 6, it’s kids’ night at the Place des Festivals, with Kleancut’s Loop program grads taking over the turntables. On March 7, get carried away by an evening fusing punk + afrobeat + Latin styles, accompanied by a dance performance. The festival will also offer a nostalgic nod to the golden years of punk rock with Sno Jam ‘24, a compendium of the best of the ‘90s, ‘00s and more recent hits from this musical genre. On March 8, we celebrate International Women’s Rights Day with programming that is 100% by women, including Canada's LYKX, the first woman to win the REDBULL MUSIC THRE3STYLE Dj! On March 9, a 100% disco night features Bolarinho and his discorinho, along with KIINJO. On March 10, the festival comes to a proper close with a vintage funk, jazz and soul mood with Lexis!
VIEW THE ROGERS DJ SET PROGRAMMING
Already a popular spot since opening last November, the Place Loto-Québec skating rink at the Esplanade Tranquille will get even cooler during MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE, thanks to free activities and entertainment that are definitely worth checking out, including Brille! by Red Lips District. Including Alex-Anne Aubé-Kubel, this six-skater troop invites you onto the ice to twirl and shine with them. A few players from the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL Montreal) will be on-site on March 1 to skate and meet festivalgoers. You also won’t want to miss the interactive ice experience Au bord du lac Tranquille by Mirari and Normal Studio.
Music lovers will get to appreciate the diversity of ICI MUSIQUE outdoors, thanks to the musical mood and DJ set specially created for the occasion and presented by Radio-Canada’s top music radio hosts. ICI MUSIQUE will be taking over the Place Loto-Québec skating rink at the Esplanade Tranquille on Thursdays and Fridays from 6 to 8 p.m. and on Saturday, March 9, from 2 to 4 p.m., with DJ sets prepared and hosted by Olivier Robillard Laveaux, Samian, Philippe Fehmiu, Alexandre Courteau and Catherine Pépin.
Thursday, February 29 | 6 to 8 p.m.
Olivier Robillard Laveaux
Friday, March 1 | 6 to 8 p.m.
Samian
Thursday, March 7 | 6 to 8 p.m.
Philippe Fehmiu
Friday, March 8 | 6 to 8 p.m.
Alexandre Courteau
Saturday, March 9 | 2 to 4 p.m.
Catherine Pépin
On Thursday, February 29, Olivier Robillard Laveaux will highlight rock. On March 1, Samian will join us to put Canada’s Indigenous artists in the spotlight. On Thursday, March 7, Philippe Fehmiu will be at the helm of a pop music session featuring rhythms from the world over. On Friday, March 8, Alexandre Courteau will have you dancing to funky rhythms. On Saturday, March 9, our festivities will come to a close with Catherine Pépin who will share some of her favourite funk and mixed rhythms. Don’t miss these great events—come and join us!
VIEW THE PROGRAMMING FOR THE PLACE LOTO-QUÉBEC AT THE ESPLANADE TRANQUILLE
Tons of fun, sports and gourmet activities
Discover the array of fun activities set up on the Place des Festivals, such as the défi de vitesse Tim Hortons, featuring a new skating “drag strip” that will test your abilities with the help of an indicator light. It’s the perfect place to stretch your legs! The Grande roue Loto-Québec is where it’s at to get some fresh air and see the Quartier des Spectacles from a whole new perspective. And who knows, you might even climb aboard the lucky passenger car and win an instant prize and an entry in the grand prize draw! Characters inspired by the show KURIOS Cabinet of Curiosities will greet the public at the Cirque du Soleil’s heated booth. Chez Canton, a pop-up restaurant in the heart of the Place des Festivals, is the spot to meet up with friends and family for a delicious fondue or a comforting soup. Last but not least, the Festival’s Sugar Shack is the ideal place to relax after all the thrills to savour taffy on snow and other maple products in a warm, inviting atmosphere.
On Tuesday, March 5, MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE, in collaboration with 24h Tremblant, will give a warm welcome to three children’s hospital foundations (names) with a happy hour fund-raiser on ice at the CeraVe Skating Loop. Donors and the families who benefit from the foundations’ generosity will have priority entry, but the rink will be open to the public.
Culture in the streets
The entire outdoor site comes alive during MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE. Don’t miss the Barantanga's light-up drums, a dazzling lit-up drum street performance, and Stonda, a drum ensemble with dynamic choreography that fuses music from places far and wide and adapts it to Brazilian instruments. Be on the lookout for Uplift 514, an energetic collective celebrating the rich cultural and dance heritage of Afro-descendant communities.
VIEW THE ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMMING
Visual arts galore and Luminothérapie
A source of beauty and wonder, the projections on the walls of the WILDER – Espace danse building and UQAM’s Pavillon President-Kennedy building enhance the festival’s outdoor site every year. This year, experience a new collaboration with MUTEK in Last Species on Earth by Shonee, a Montréal artist originally from Costa Rica who explores human control over animals and the environment in this beautiful and tragic artwork. Also on display is a projection inspired by the visual branding of the 2024 edition, created especially for the Festival by visual artist Caitlin McDonagh. The piece Montréal d’hier et d’hiver by multidisciplinary artist Karine Lanoie-Brien will be back this year in collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). It digs into the archives of winter to illustrate the great love affair between Montréal and ice skating.
And don’t forget the Luminothérapie walk, a Quartier des Spectacles Partnership event, which once again this year will decorate our outdoor site with its colourful, majestic works along Sainte-Catherine Street West.
March 2-10: your spring break destination!
MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE is THE Spring Break destination. Presented by CN, the festival is perfect for a family outing in the heart of the city! Beginning at 2 p.m., a plethora of activities will be offered throughout the outdoor festival site on March 2 and 3 and again March 5–10. Try your hand at ice sculpture, an activity for young and old alike. Test your family's knowledge of the world of rail transportation, from its rich history to its safety measures, by taking part in the CN Quiz for a chance to win a prize. Develop your creative skills as a family in an open-house style workshop. The games area features a variety of giant games including Lite-Brite, Connect 4, XXL Mississippi Game tables, beanbag-toss games and a game of marbles. Stilt-walkers will be prancing through the outdoor site to make you laugh and liven up your day. The Esplanade Tranquille skating rink also invites you to enjoy dance nights and family fun on ice with artists from the company Le Patin Libre, presented with the financial support of the Government of Québec and initiated by the Quartier des spectacles Partnership. Be sure not to miss the performances of The Storyville Mosquito by Kid Koala in the Cinquième Salle at the Place des Arts. Featuring miniature sets and live puppets in a funny and moving theatrical experience worthy of Chaplin, this show will appeal to the whole family.
From March 8 to 10, from 2 to 5 p.m., don’t miss Télé-Québec’s programming for the Spring Break, presented by CN! Come and have fun with the Coucou mascots, play with Luka and Léo, sing at the Passe-Partout karaoke and meet Joanie Lamoureux and her birds of prey.
VIEW THE SPRING BREAK PROGRAMMING
... and so much more!
Enjoy the Festival’s gourmet offerings, including the Quartier Gourmand presented by Aliments du Québec in collaboration with Mordu, as well as the many indoor shows, which add to the festivities.
CHECK OUT THE COMPLETE PROGRAMMING NOT TO MISS A THING
Sustainable development and accessibility
MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE is committed to reducing its ecological footprint and offering greater accessibility. Although the sheer size of the event poses a challenge, we are taking concrete steps to have a positive impact on the community. The festival is in the process of maintaining level 2 of the Standard for Responsible Event Management (9700-253) as stipulated by the Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ) for a 2nd consecutive year. Our efforts include:
- Installing two refrigerated rinks, which not only offer ideal skating despite changing weather conditions, but also require less watering for more efficient maintenance.
- Providing greater accessibility to the outdoor site, including wheelchair-accessible picnic tables and service counters, as well as a greater number of Lugiglaces, wheelchair-accessible supports that aren’t available in most arenas.
- Maintaining an onsite ecocentre since 2022 collects certain materials that are difficult to recycle or dispose of in the regular sorting system (wood, metal, mixed plastics, aerosols, electronics, ink cartridges, paper and used batteries).
- Ensuring on-site sorting of cans and returnable products to keep as much material as possible out of the landfill.
- Re-purposing the fir trees used as festival decorations to produce energy or wood chips, and transforming cigarette butts into transport pallets or street furniture.
- Encouraging and recommending the use of public transport to get to the festival.
FOR MORE DETAILS ON THE ADAPTED SERVICES AVAILABLE
Outdoor site hours
hursday, February 29 | 5 pm to 11 pm
Friday, March 1 | 5pm to 11pm
Saturday, March 2 | 2 pm to 2 am *Nuit blanche
Sunday, March 3 | 2 pm to 9 pm
Monday, March 4 | Place Loto-Québec skating rink at the Esplanade Tranquille only
Tuesday, March 5 | 2 pm to 9 pm
Wednesday, March 6 | 2 pm to 9 pm
Thursday, March 7 | 2 pm to 11 pm
Friday, March 8 | 2 pm to 11 pm
Saturday, March 9 | 2 pm to 11 pm
Sunday, March 10 | 2 pm to 9 pm
The Nuit blanche
On the theme of fantasy, the programming for the 21st edition of the Nuit blanche, presented in collaboration with the Société de transport de Montréal, will be unveiled one week from today, on February 8. What’s your creative fantasy? Stay tuned to see ours and partners’!
Mobile app now available !
The MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE app will guide festival-goers through their entire visit: outdoor site, indoor activities, food events, school break, plus the Nuit blanche presented in collaboration with the Société de transport de Montréal! It’s an essential tool for creating your personalized list of things you don’t want to miss.
The 25th anniversary of MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE will take place from February 29 to March 10, 2024 (gastronomic programming starting February 22) in the Quartier des Spectacles.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The 2024 edition of MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE presented by Loto-Québec in collaboration with Scotiabank would not be possible without the support of its esteemed partners and sponsors. Thanks to the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ), CeraVe, Rogers, CN, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), Air France, Tim Hortons, Aliments du Québec, Canton, as well as our media partners Radio-Canada and La Presse.
Finally, we would like to thank the Government of Canada: Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, Canadian Heritage and the Canada Council for the Arts, the Gouvernement du Québec: the Ministère du Tourisme and Kéroul, the Secrétariat à la région métropolitaine, the ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation dans le cadre du Programme d’appui au développement de l’agriculture et de l’agroalimentaire en région, and the Ministère du Sport, du Loisir et du Plein air, the City of Montreal, Tourisme Montréal and Montréal Centre-Ville for their continued trust and support. Thanks also to the Quartier des spectacles Partnership for their contribution.
Consult the full program:
montrealenlumiere.com
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