Montreal High Lights Festival - Overview:
Montreal knows how to beat the February blahs. Each year, at the peak of winter, the Montreal High Lights Festival heats up the city with fine food, fireworks and festivity. The Montreal All-Nighter, also known as Nuit Blanche is part of this exciting urban festival.
Various city venues host events, including numerous restaurants where visitors can take advantage of special fixed price menus put on by guest chefs.
Other highlights include an ice slide, outdoor ice rink, fireworks, live music and dance performances, and more.
Many events are free, but check the Montreal High Lights Festival website for details.
Culinary Highlights:
Each year, the Montreal High Lights Festival spotlights the cuisine from a city and a country and offers menus and dining events featuring these foods. In 2008, the festival's 9th edition, chefs from Toronto and Chile came to Montreal to share their special culinary skills. In 2009, Paris will be the featured city.
- The Festival’s Finest Tables gives the public a chance to dine at some of Montreal's finest restaurants, where visiting chefs have created special menus.
- The Festival's Lunch Menus showcase ethnic foods in Montreal.
- Culinary tours by Visites de Montreal
Location:
The Montreal High Lights Festival takes place at various locations, including restaurants, theaters, outdoor venues, and shopping malls, in downtown Montreal and Old Montreal.
Many festival events are outdoors, so be sure to pack and dress appropriately. You can always take layers off, but if you or your kids are not warm enough, it can ruin the day.
The Montreal All Nighter:
Part of the Nuit Blanche tradition in which cities across the globe stage all night cultural events, the Montreal Nighter takes place on the second and last weekend of the Montreal High Lights Festival.
Participants are invited to attend galleries, theaters, dance and skate parties and cap it off with a free breakfast at 4 am.
The atmosphere of this event is truly magical; try to attend some of this event.
When is the Montreal High Lights Festival:
The Montreal High Lights Festival takes place over two weeks at the end of February / early March
Future Festivals:
2009: Thursday February 19 to Sunday March 1st
2010: Thursday February 18 to Sunday February 28
2011: Thursday February 17 to Sunday February 27
Future Festivals:
2009: Thursday February 19 to Sunday March 1st
2010: Thursday February 18 to Sunday February 28
2011: Thursday February 17 to Sunday February 27
Where to Stay:
Many hotels offer Montreal High Lights accommodation packages.
