Midis du monde: Let the music spice up your sandwich photo: Courtesy of Midis du Monde

This perennial crowd pleaser returns to the Esplanade outside Place des Arts with free concerts by world beat artists from Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Bring a lunch or picnic for a midday break under the sun with Cuban bandleader Oscar Fuentes (June 3), classical Indian music star Aditya Verma (June 6), fado music stars Tri Tonum from Portugal (June 8), Haitian singer/songwriter Toto Laraque (June 10), Turkish oud master Ismail Fencioglu (June 13), the Argentine folk music of Denis Plante et le Quatuor Racines (June 15), and authentic African griot Zale Seck from Senegal (June 17). Each concert begins at noon. Free. Surf to www.pda.qc.ca.

Formula One Grand Prix of Canada, June 10-12

Champ Car Molson Indy, Aug. 26-28

Eurotrash high rollers flock to Montreal for what is widely regarded as the most fun, debauched pit stop on the Formula One circuit. The biggest names in auto racing draw the biggest crowds and the most famous celebrities, and pump over $100-million into the local economy in just one weekend. Then in August the Champ Car Molson Indy brings in American trailer park trash. Ticket prices this year have been slashed and X-treme events in drifting, motocross, wakeboarding and skateboarding have been added to entertain the crowds between the Toyota Atlantic and Trans-Am races. If Champ and its rival Indy Racing League merge this year (odds are 50/50), the Molson Indy may not come back in 2006, allowing NASCAR to introduce its much anticipated road race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Surf to www.grandprix.ca and www.molsonindymontreal.com.

Festival Montréal en Arts, June 30 to July 3

The self-description "the most spectacular open-air art gallery in Quebec" is a pretty accurate representation of Montreal's sixth annual Festival Montréal en Arts (Artfest in English). The festival is once again being held in the Gay Village on Ste-Catherine Street East, which will be entirely closed to traffic between Amherst and Papineau. There will be beer gardens, body painting, art galleries and installations featuring over 160 artists, including a homage to Montreal painter Peter Flinsch. The public also votes in the People's Choice Awards. Over 320,000 people attended last year and bought over $200,000 worth of art. Surf to www.festivaldesarts.org.

Carifiesta Parade, July 2

Carifiesta: Now that's the spirit of summer. Photo: Courtesy of Carifiesta

Montreal's 150,000 participant-strong Carifiesta Parade comes from a tradition born of slavery in Trinidad and Tobago, when French colonial masters hosted huge masquerade balls three days before Ash Wednesday. Slaves got a day off and mimicked their masters at their own parties, a tradition that morphed into Trinidad's famed Carnival. That tradition migrated north to Miami, NYC, Toronto and Montreal. Participants in "mas camps" throughout the city "build mas" (stitch costumes and build floats) in preparation for the event. This year, Montreal's 20 competing floats, known as "mas bands," will all "play mas" (as in masquerade). Each mas band must have a theme and at least 35 people in costume, which are made of colourful feathers and bouncing fibreglass rods. This year's 31st annual parade runs along René-Lévesque between Guy and Bleury Streets on Saturday, July 2, beginning at 11:45 a.m. For more information call the Caribbean Cultural Festivities Association at 735-2232.

Festival International Nuits d'Afrique, July 14-24

The groundbreaking festival that has hosted everyone from Thomas Mapfumo and The Blacks Unlimited to Alpha Blondy and The Solar System returns for its 19th annual edition in various venues throughout the city, and brings us its annual free outdoor weekend blowout concerts, crafts fair and food court at Berri Square. This year's schedule of performers will be announced on June 13. Surf to www.festivalnuitsdafrique.com.

Montreal International Reggae Festival, July 15-17

After the festival's incredible success last summer, organizers have moved the dates to mid-July to ensure warmer weather. The excellent Old Port site remains the same and is well equipped for children (the kids' corner will feature live mascots from The Simpsons). Headliners this year include Morgan Heritage, the legendary John Holt, Sugar Minott, Chaka Demus & Pliers, Brinsley Forde of Aswad, Yellowman and the Cool Ruler himself, Gregory Isaacs. Individual ticket prices range from $30 to $100 for a weekend pass ($80 in advance). Free for children up to 12 years old. Surf to www.montrealreggaefestival.com.

Eleventh FINA World Aquatic Championships, July 16-31

MONTRÉAL 2005 is the Fédération internationale de natation's first event ever in North America. Over 2,000 athletes from 160 countries will compete in swimming, water polo, diving, synchronized swimming and open water swimming, with 1,000 team officials, 300 competition officials and more than 1,200 media representatives also participating.

Divers/cite: Bottoms up! Photo: Courtesy of Divers/Cite

Among the stars competing are hot American swimmer Michael Phelps and Montreal's own Alexandre Despatie. FINA's XI World Championships will be presented on five competition sites on Île Ste-Hélène and Île Notre-Dame. Tix range from $10 to $150. Surf to www.montreal2005.org.

Divers/Cité Gay Pride Festival, July 25-31

What was once the climax of Montreal's Pride week will now launch the festivities: Divers/Cité's 13th annual parade will be a Mardi Gras-style nighttime parade on Monday, July 25, beginning at 8:30 p.m. There is a series of ticketed indoor events and a bevy of free outdoor events in and around Berri Square, including Mascara, the biggest drag event on the planet. This year's outdoor cinema under the stars will screen Pedro Almodóvar's feature film La Mala educación, starring Latin heartthrob Gael García Bernal (original Spanish version with French subtitles), and the Community Group Day has been expanded to two full days, July 30 and 31, and is now called Le Grand Rendezvous. Surf to www.diverscite.org.

Manulife International Dragon Boat Festival (Montreal), July 30-31

Dragon Boat Festival: Race day

Montreal's renowned Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, will showcase over 180 teams from around the world. Chinese people celebrate this day by wrapping rice dumplings in bamboo leaves and holding dragon boat races. The celebration of this festival is a tradition that's lasted 2,283 years to commemorate poet Chu Yuan (343-278 BC). The celebration of dragon boat races and bamboo rice dumplings spread throughout China and became one of the most popular folk festivals. Today it is celebrated in Chinese communities throughout the world. Montreal's festival takes place at the Olympic Basin at Parc Jean-Drapeau. Surf to www.montrealdragonboat.com or call 866-7001.

Twenty-ninth Annual Montreal Highland Games, July 31

Solo competitions for pipers and drummers and the non-championship events for the highland dancers begin at 8:30 a.m. Contests continue until the noon-hour opening ceremonies, followed by afternoon pipe band competitions. Over 60 boutiques will sell kilts, bagpipes, haggis and Scottish meat pies, as well as souvenir T-shirts, burgers and Montreal smoked meat. The beer tent has been named the "best beer tent" on the Highland Games circuit by the Pipers' and Pipe Band Society of Ontario. Surf to www.montrealhighlandgames.qc.ca.

Montreal Impact, continuing through the summer

Montreal Alouettes, starting June 22

Canadian Open Men's Tennis Championships, Aug. 6-14

The 2004 United Soccer Leagues' First Division champs, the Montreal Impact, continue to defend their crown at Claude Robillard Stadium before moving into their new Saputo Stadium (to be located where the old Autostadt used to be) possibly next season. The Als kick off their much anticipated season at Molson Stadium on June 22, and the men's pro tennis circuit returns to Montreal for the Rogers Cup, Aug. 6-14, at Jarry Park (now renamed Uniprix Stadium!). Surf to www.montrealimpact.com, www.alouettes.net and www.tenniscanada.com.
 
 

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Hot Town, Summer in the City     All good ideas, but here's one more: The Institute in Management and Community Development presents the 14th Edition of the Summer Program! (I Know I'm Going!) This event is held from June 13th to 17th at the Concordia University Loyola Campus (7141 Sherbrooke W.) This year, sessions (or workshops) range from examining the meaning of change to a first-time section on food and environmental issues, from roundtable discussions to sharing life stories, from broad conversations to quiet moments of contemplation, from motivation to collective instances of creation. An Arts Itinerary provides a stage for spoken word events, hops, interactive installations, and street performances that enliven and inhabit the Summer Program. It is a great forum to meet with and discuss with other community organizers, activists of all kinds and stripes (Including the Raging Grannies!) and to just fill yourself to the brim with information and advice. As always, Delicious food is served by the People's Potato Collective, and Lots of interesting reading sold by the Concordia Community Solidarity Co-op Bookstore. For more information, you should check out the Concordia University website, or the Summer Program's website at : http://instdev.concordia.ca/summer_program/Programme_ete2005/2005-BEnglish.html It's a lot of fun and always attened by a lot of interesting people from all over.
Larissa Dutil	{48 votes}	June 3rd, 2005
News flash!     Wow, for once this was an almost comprehensive rundown of cool summer happenings. Sure, it skipped over the Jazz, Just for Laughs and Fantasia fests that I value a wee bit more than say, the Divers/Cité Gay Pride Festival, which always seems more axed on gay themes rather than on broad homosexual ones (hey, where are the lesbians?), or the 29th Annual Montreal Highland Games which never gets an even push in the local media. Sorry but this is true. In any event, if you can't find one thing to entertain you this summer you just aren't looking.
Pedro Eggers	{10 votes}	June 8th, 2005
No need to go on vacation!     The Grand Prix and Tour de L'Ile are this week, and it really marks the start of the summer in Montreal. How fitting that it is 30 degrees out! Summer has finally arrived in every way! In Montreal there is no need to go away for the summer. Why leave? We have everything you can want here! Outdoor concerts, comedy, racing, jazz, movies... etc.. etc... etc... I am going to save my vacation money for the winter, when it is minus thirty! This summer I am going to see Montreal! My home! And I can't wait!
Eric Wilson	{11 votes}	June 7th, 2005
FINA World Aquatic Championships     The ticket prices for the FINA championships are too steep for many Montrealers but will attract sports-minded tourists with lots of cash in their wallets. I do think that it is foolhardy to have a first class aquatics facility that can be used only two months of the year under ideal conditions. Rain and cold spells will cut further on the availability of competion dates. When I used to go to the old pool located in the very same spot I found the water cold even on the hottest of days. On one August day I came very close to hypothermia. In an exposed windy location wet skin cools down extremely fast. On the other hand the indoor Olympic Pool near the Viau metro can be used 365 days a year and is a much better investment. Montreal can never pretend to be like Miami where outdoor pools make much more sense.
Stephen Talko	{9 votes}	June 6th, 2005
Celebrating... well, everything...     Maybe it's a consequence of having such long, miserable winters that when the warm weather comes, we have to celebrate. There are so many events going on here in the summer that it's virtually impossible to keep track of them all. But maybe that's too much to expect. Instead, I'll just pick a couple from the list to check out this year. And there certainly is a list to chose from! These events only scratch the surface, and they run the gamut from sporting events to cultural celebrations of every kind. I didn't even know we had our very own highland games! But les midis du monde is going to be my first stop. Fantastic!
Karen Sollazzo	{7 votes}	June 6th, 2005
Must see!     This is when Montreal's true diversity comes out. I'm especially looking forward to the Carifiesta and the Reggae Fest. There seems to be a lot of heritage there and it is great to see the amount of pride and splendour that is put into the costume aspect. Another thing about the Reggea fest that is definetly worth mentioningis the theme of love and unity. These artists are really coming together to promote great music in the name of peace. This is much needed in the black community. It's gonna be a great venue!
Tenisha Williams	{20 votes}	June 3rd, 2005
Mmmmmm, Bare Bums....     So Bugs, you had to use the words Divers/Cité Gay Pride Festival and climax in the same article, did you? Are you still hung over from the beer tasting that this listing (from the other article you were part of in this week's edition of Hour). Could your writing have been slightly influenced or corrupted by the beer tasting? What a whack lot of stuff to do in Montreal this summer. How would anyone not have something to do and have any excuse to sit around their apartment complaining? Montreal, you have it good, my friends. Get out there and enjoy as much of this Canadian summer that you can.
Steve Landry	{15 votes}	June 3rd, 2005
So Much to Do, So Little Time!     I love this article telling me all the happenings around Montreal this summer. It's neat and clear and to the point. I personally am looking forward to the Grand Prix the most. There is nothing better than walking down Crescent Street and mingling with all the out -of-towners. I just marked all these dates in my calendar so I'll know when everything is taking place. These dates will also help me when entertaining my visitors who are coming from New York within the next few weeks.
Heath Abram	{8 votes}	June 2nd, 2005
You have got to love Montreal in the summertime     I always love Montreal in the summertime so much to do, so much to see. This is what makes montreal great. Talk about a diverse selection of festivals. Can't wait to start heading out to check out the sites and sounds. For those out of towners if you have ever wanted to visit our fair city, now's the time.
Tanya Parvez	{7 votes}	June 2nd, 2005

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