Montreal High Lights Festival
Canada may not be the typical vacation destination for the classic traveler, but once experiencing the rich history of Montreal, you’ll quickly change your mind and count the days until your next trip back to this cultural Mecca. From the delectable food, down-to-earth vibe, to their commitment for the arts, this French-speaking metropolis has truly embraced creativity and demonstrates how a diverse culture can truly enrich a destination. Dubbed as the “city of festivals”, Montreal hosts over 90 festivals each year, making it almost impossible not to plan your trip around one of these amazing events.
With a variety of annual festivals including, the International Jazz Festival of Montreal, which literally transforms the streets into a continuous jazz session by hosting over 300 free outdoor concerts; the Carifiesta Festival, the traditional carnival celebration showcasing Caribbean culture, dance, calypso music and exotic costumes; and the Montreal High Lights Festival, a winter festival that promotes the city’s rich culture in art, unique food, and culminates with the famous Nuit Blanche “white-night,” Montreal has proven to be a world-class travel getaway.
For the 10th year, this sophisticated Canadian city has successfully hosted the Festival Montreal en Lumiere, or the Montreal Festival of Lights, for non-French speakers. Each winter, Montrealers celebrate with an art infused, food focused festival inviting several of the top internationally known chefs throughout the nation to prepare their appetizing dishes. Visitors can also take a tempting tour of Montreal’s specialty food shops and taste the “Flavors of Montreal.”
With over 30 museums, Montreal proudly embraces artists and their work. Old Montreal, known for its winding staircases and outside terrace dining, hosts the festivals’ popular Celebration of Light. An all-out winter haven full of dazzling fireworks and tons of free activities including ice skating, tobogganing down the solid 120 meter ice slide, roasting marshmallows and chestnuts over open fire, and warming up in the gigantic “heated sphere” while listening to a DJ spin the latest techno music.
The High Lights festival culminates with the Montreal All Nighter, “the Nuit Blanche”…an all night event where hundreds of local venues stay open until the early hours of the morning hosting concerts, music performances, poetry sessions, independent films, and over 100 free activities to participate in. The wild night ends with a free “Convivial Breakfast” at dawn, sending city dwellers home completely satisfied.
If you haven’t experienced the Montreal High Lights festival, you are truly missing out. So, mark your calendars for next year because the Nuit Blanche is one thing you definitely do not want to miss.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
No Responses Yet to “Montreal High Lights Festival”