What to do in Montreal
As this is the first time we’re hosting our Summit in another city, we asked CBRC’s Associate Director of Editorial and Content, Christopher DiRaddo, for some hot queer takes on Montreal for those of us who will be visiting. While there will be plenty to see and do at this year’s conference (November 20-22, in case you haven’t registered), you will definitely want to step outside Le Centre Sheraton and explore the city beyond.
Here are some of his top recommendations.
What is your favourite (queer) part of the city and why?
Like in many cities, Montreal’s Village is having a hard time – but I still see it’s beating heart, the one I remember when I first came out in the 1990s. Ste. Catherine Street East between Atateken and Papineau is filled with shops and restaurants and bars. On most nights you can catch drag shows (Cabaret Mado and Cocktail), or sing karaoke (Bar Le Normandie and Club Date), or cruise to your heart’s content (Aigle Noir and Stud). There’s a wonderful feminist bookstore on Beaudry called L’Euguélionne that’s worth checking out. I also really love the pastries at Arte & Farina. The Archives gaies du Quebec is located on Atateken, and they currently have an exhibition about the migration of Montreal’s village from west to east, but you’ll want to make sure they are open before heading over.
I’m visiting Montreal for the first time. What should I do? Where should I go?
I really like the Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie neighbourhood located around Beaubien Metro. Beaubien Street has a string of great restaurants (Il Bazzali, Gus, J’ai Feng, Le Vieux Vélo) and the Plaza St. Hubert is unlike any other part of the city (a long stretch of covered city blocks that is home to an eclectic mix of old and new, from bridal shops and country-western bars to cheap eats, high-end restaurants, new bakeries, and streetwear stores). Nearby, you also have Little Italy and the Jean-Talon Market, plus queer bar Notre-Dame-des-Quilles (with an old-fashioned bowling lane inside) is across the street from one of the best pizza places in town (Pizza Bouquet). If you are in town the weekend before Summit, Expozine takes place nearby on Nov. 15 and 16.
The Plateau and Mile End are very popular neighborhoods with tons of restaurants and shops. And it might be a cliche, but Montreal’s Old Montreal and Vieux Port have a lot of history and are quite stunning.
What are some of the queer cultural offerings happening in Montreal during Summit?
Just a fifteen minute walk from Le Centre Sheraton is the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts where you can catch the latest exhibition by Kent Monkman, History is Painted by the Victors. Those who understand French can also catch the last days of Corps fantômes, a collective creation that explores Montréal’s forgotten queer history during the AIDS crisis at Théâtre Duceppe. On the weekend of Nov. 22-23, Queersmas returns to Usine C for two days of erotic-magical markets plus the Queersmas Cabaret at Stock Bar on Saturday hosted by the Drag Patronesses who are raising funds for Maison Plein Coeur. Finally, those still here on Sunday night might want to snag tickets for The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show, which comes to the Olympia Theatre.
Also, @QueerMTL is a great account to follow on Instagram, with lots of suggestions about queer cultural offerings in the city.
Any advice on getting around?
Montreal is notorious for its horrible roads and construction cones, so beware. If you are coming from the airport, you can grab a cab but the bus is faster and cheaper. All you have to do is buy a 24h ticket ($11.25) or 3-day pass ($21.75) at YUL and then take the 747 bus downtown. There are two 747 routes, and Line 1 will drop you off (and pick you up) in front of Le Centre Sheraton.
If you’re coming by train, the hotel is a 5-minute walk from the Via Rail station.
Le Centre Sheraton is located downtown and well-situated with access to a lot of amenities. If you want to do some exploring, there is a 3-day pass as mentioned above. But note: Montreal has been dealing with an on-again/off-again transit strike and public transit might be significantly reduced while you are in town. You can follow STM for updates on any changes to the service.
And finally, watch out on Saturday because Montreal’s Santa Claus Parade comes down Boulevard René-Lévesque, passing right in front of the hotel, beginning at 11 a.m. This will surely impact your getting around.
Favourite bookstore?
Pulp Books & Coffee in the Verdun neighbourhood (De L'Église Metro) is a favourite spot. Queer-owned and operated, it has a great selection of English books, including hot new releases and queer classics. Stop by for a coffee, chat with the staff, and discover titles by some of the city’s queer authors: The Philistine by Leila Marshy; The Good Arabs by Eli Tareq El-Bechelany Lynch; Personal Attention Roleplay by H Felix Chau Bradley; Dandelion Daughter by Gabrielle Boulianne-Tremblay, What I Know About You by Éric Chacour; The Headless Man by Peter Dubé; I Felt the End Before it Came by Daniel Allen Cox; and A Different Hurricane by H Nigel Thomas, to name but a few.
Also, a shout out to Mes Pants de Queer, a used queer bookshop in HOMA that is only open on Tuesdays, but also keeps its doors open from time to time for unconventional queer happenings like film screenings and photo exhibits.
Know any queer fun facts about the city?
Montreal’s old Gay Village was located not far from Le Centre Sheraton, the Summit’s host hotel. Back in the 60s and 70s, Stanley and Peel Streets were ground zero for queers looking to find community. It began to move east after the city went through a moral “cleanup” ahead of Expo 67 and the 1976 Olympics. This time in our city’s history is covered beautifully in a recent work of fiction by Ben Ladouceur (I Remember Lights) as well as the AGQ’s exhibit. If you’d prefer a non-fiction look at that time, activist Ross Higgins’ thesis, A Sense of Belonging: Pre-liberation Space, Symbolics, and Leadership in Gay Montreal, is available as a free download. And finally, Montreal tour guide Thom Seivewright regularly takes folks on a journey through Montreal’s queer past through his popular QUEERSTORY tour.
