8 FREE things to do in Montreal this week
Open-air cinemas, a chocolate pop-up, line dancing and more! 🤠 🍫
People dance on the beach at Village au Pied-du-Courant. Right: An outdoor yoga class.
After a weekend filled with natural disasters and cancelled festivals, you might be in the market for some fun post-work activities to help you make it through your weekly grind.
Luckily, Montrealers looking to stay busy after their 9-to-5s are in the right place. The city has exciting events going on every single night of the week — and you don't have to break the bank to take part. We rounded up the most affordable events for you below (aka the free ones), and wound up with an itinerary that includes open-air cinemas, sunflower fields, chocolatey snacks, immersive art installations, live country music, line dancing and more.
Here are eight of the best free things to do in Montreal this week, from August 12 to 16.
Practice yoga outdoors
When: Tuesday, August 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Address: Parterre du Quartier des spectacles – boulevard de Maisonneuve and rue Clark
Why you should go: Until August 27, free outdoor yoga classes are being offered by the Idolem studio every Tuesday morning. Start your day off right with flow -style sessions open to folks of all levels. To participate, you must register here. Once that's done, all you have to do is show up with your mat, towel, water bottle and positive attitude.
Learn to line dance in the heart of Chinatown
When: Wednesday, August 14 at 6 p.m.
Address: Place Sun-Yat-Sen – 1055, rue Clark
Why You Need To Go: Have you ever wanted to try your hand (or, rather, your feet) at line dancing? A free lesson in the heart of Chinatown is the perfect opportunity to dust off those cowboy boots and see how you fare, as Place Sun-Yat-Sen transforms into a country-western dance floor. If all fails, you can drown your sorrows in dumplings afterward to ensure you end the evening on a high note.
City of Montreal Website
See 'Sonic 2' in the park
When: Wednesday, August 14 at 6:30 p.m.
Address: Hampstead Park – 30, rue Lyncroft, Hampstead, QC
Why You Need To Go: Virgin Radio Montreal's 'Movies in the Park' event makes its way to Hampstead this week with a showing of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Grab your blankets and chairs, and then head over to Hampstead Park for some family-friendly fun, as the sun goes down and the big screen goes up. While this activity may not be the answer to decreasing screen time, it at least brings the screen time outdoors.
Virgin Radio Website
Snack on free chocolate while watching a movie under the stars
When: Wednesday, August 14
Address: Ciné-Parc Dante – Parc Dante, located on rue Dante between avenue de Gaspé and rue Alma
Why you should go: What could be better than catching a flick in an outdoor venue, such as at a park? The answer is catching an outdoor flick while snacking on free chocolate. With an M&M'S pop-up stopping at Cine-Park Dante this Wednesday, you can watch the movie Zamora (an Italian film subtitled in French) while enjoying free M&M'S. What's more, if you're one of the first 50 people on site, you'll also get a free M&M'S picnic blanket to snuggle up under.
Visit the MUTEK Digital Village
When: August 15 to 29 between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.
Address: MUTEK Village Numérique – Quartier des spectacles
Why You Need To Go: For its 25th anniversary, the MUTEK electronic music and digital creativity festival invites you to not only discover paid programming, but also a free "urban trail" called Village Numérique. The circuit of indoor and outdoor art installations contains 22 unique immersive experiences, including VR and wall projections — all of which can be explored within a 10-minute walking radius. One of them even replicates the feeling of moving through a 53-foot black hole, so you can finally check "contemplate existence from inside a black hole" off your bucket list. What? Isn't that on everyone's agenda for this summer?
Stroll among the sunflowers at La Prairie Louvain
When: Daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Address: Esplanade Louvain – 9483, av. de l'Esplanade
Why You Need To Go: Does wandering through a field of 10,000 sunflowers, plus other vibrant plants, sound like a dream come true? If so, you should probably check out La Prairie Louvain during the flowering season. Colourful petals are already beginning to fill the space with character and life, as the flowers approach peak bloom, which means it's time to bask in the beauty of this impressive urban meadow before it's too late. Don't forget to bring a camera!
Enjoy a 5 à 7 with your feet in the sand
When: Thursday, August 15 from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Address: Village au Pied-du-Courant – 2102, rue Notre-Dame E.
Why You Need To Go: For a festive Thursday, head to Village au Pied-du-Courant where a beach-themed dance party awaits you. Picture sand covering the ground, views of the river and DJs, including Kizi Garden, spinning while you socialize, dance and maybe indulge in a drink or three (for an added fee). A little pre-weekend 5 à 7 to get the good vibes flowing... why not?
Party with Matt Lang
When: Thursday, August 15 (Doors open at 7:00 p.m.)
Address: Théâtre Beanfield – 2490, rue Notre-Dame O.
Why you should go: Do you regret not getting a ticket to LASSO Montréal? Or, do you have a ticket, but want to get the party started even earlier? Whatever the case may be, this Thursday's 'LASSO in the city' will transport you to a Nashville Honky-tonk without requiring any sort of ticket — festival, airplane or otherwise.
Hosted by Quebec country singer Matt Lang, the event features live music from Brittany Kennell, Vince Lemire, Guillaume Lafond, Fred Dionne, Andie Therio and Savannah Jade, as well as line dancing classes from professional dance troupe ALBoots Animation. Hey, would you look at that?! Another chance to put your skills from Wednesday's line dancing class at Place Sun-Yat-Sen to the test as you learn more steps.
Just make sure to arrive early! This town (Beanfield Theatre) ain't big enough for the both of us (more than 900 people), and it's first come, first served.
This story was adapted from the article "7 activités GRATUITES à Montréal cette semaine pour oublier le métro-boulot-dodo," which was originally published on Narcity Québec by Noémi Lincourt.
