July in les Jardins Gamelin

^{Left picture: Jean-Michael Seminaro. Right picture (Fracas): Renald Laurin}

Press release - For immediate distribution

Montreal, July 5, 2016 - The wonders of the circus will thrill visitors to Les Jardins Gamelin from July 7 to 17, with Fracas, a new show by MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE. Other new attractions this month are eagerly awaited performances by Jérôme Minière and by Socalled, who will present a musical puppet show, and the start of open-air yoga classes. It’s time to discover the musical world of Piknic Électronik, cheer on the finalists in the Euro 2016 tournament, watch the movies in the Cinéma d’ici aux Jardins series, and join in the Family Sunday fun.

Daily until 11 p.m., the gardens in Place Émilie-Gamelin invite Montrealers and visitors to celebrate the fine days of summer with a huge selection of free activities.

See scheduled activities for July: quartierdesspectacles.com/jardinsgamelin

MORNING YOGA - STARTING JULY 6, FROM 7:30 TO 8:30 A.M.

Every Wednesday, start the day the right way with an outdoor yoga session. The Yo-Yoga school invites people with all levels of experience to share an hour of wellbeing and discover the joys of a group workout. Don't forget your yoga mat!

THE UEFA FINAL - EURO 2016 ON THE BIG SCREEN - JULY 6-7-10, 3 P.M.

The patio in Les Jardins Gamelin is doing double duty as an open-air sports café! Embrace soccer fever and come watch the Euro 2016 semi-final games on July 6 and 7 and the final on July 10.

MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CIRQUE - JULY 7 TO 17, 7 AND 10 P.M.

Fracas, the latest production from Montreal's circus festival, immerses the audience in a dizzying world of powerful feelings through aerobatics, acrobatics and boundless creativity. This free outdoor show delivers circus at its best, backed by a citizen choir and a captivating soundtrack of classics and electronic music. Buckle up and join in! (Fracas will not be presented on July 11.)

FAMILY SUNDAY: AFTERNOONS OF ARTS AND ACROBATICS! JULY 10 AND 17, NOON TO 3 P.M.

Sundays are dedicated to families, with a variety of games and participatory activities for children of all ages. Every Sunday in July, don't miss Karaoké Kid at 3 p.m., followed at 5 p.m. by karaoke for the whole family. A great way to spend a summer afternoon relaxing and having fun!

In July, Sundays are also circus days in Les Jardins! Visitors of all ages can learn how to juggle (July 10) and get an introduction to basic acrobatics techniques (July 17). The workshops, led by fully qualified instructors, are presented by the École de cirque de Verdun. Is weaving a vanishing art? Definitely not! On two Family Sunday (July 10 and 17), Castor et Pollux will be on hand, leading the making of giant picnic blankets. A great family activity for anyone who enjoys creative pursuits, making useful things - and for those who are just curious!

Urbicube - starting July 10

This amazing puzzle-game consists of 27 cubes with something different on every face. Players use their imagination to construct a playful world reflecting the Montreal we know or the Montreal of our dreams. Designed and produced by Frédérique Piat Corson, Valentine Gadeau and Jeanne Salvail-Lacoste in collaboration with UQAM, Castor et Pollux, Luwiss and the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership.

Ma vie pour vraie - July 24, 1 p.m.

For kids 8 to 13, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales (BAnQ) presents a show in its Lis-moi quelque chose pour voir seies, a set of exceptional childhood stories presented by Sophie Vajda, Frédéric Lemay and Nicolas Letarte (music). Come hear a story and revel in the delights of the spoken word.

Musical puppet show with Socalled - July 31, noon to 3 p.m.

Children and parents will be thrilled by Josh "Socalled" Dolgin and his musical puppet show on Family Sunday. The whole family will love it.

JÉRÔME MINIÈRE - JULY 21, 7 TO 9 P.M.

On July 21, as part of the Jeudis de... series, the one and only Jérôme Minière will thrill the audience with his uniquely refreshing brand of electro-pop. For the occasion he will be accompanied by Montreal-based singer-songwriter Alice.

GAMES WITH RANDOLPH - JULY 23 AND 30, 1 TO 6 P.M.

On the patio's big tables, facilitators from Randolph pub will have games for every taste. Get together with friends and family, and let the experts teach you strategy games, cooperation games and other multi-player pastimes.

PIKNIC ÉLECTRONIK: THE BIG EVENT AND A MONTH OF BEATS

On July 28 at 5 p.m., turntablist Debbie DøE will launch Piknic Électronik’s second visit to the Jardins this summer, in collaboration with ÎleSoniq. She will be followed at 8 p.m. by the talented Cesar Romero, for an evening of highly danceable electronic beats. Electrifying!

Plus, Les Jardins Gamelin presents music selected by Piknic Électronik. Ten DJs will work the turntables this month, every Monday and Tuesday from noon to 2 p.m., and nightly from July 6 to 17 from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Great DJs like Nico Se, Fonkynson, Kodok, City Kid Soul and Lexis, to name just a few, will fill the air with disco, funk, soul and house - the perfect soundtrack for chilling on the patio with friends.

HAÏTI EN FOLIE HAPPY HOUR - JULY 26-27, 5 TO 7 P.M.

Come listen and dance to the Caribbean nation’s most exciting beats with DJs ROCSTEADY and Stuba. This tenth annual Haitian cultural festival is always a loud and joyful party!

CINÉMA D'ICI AUX JARDINS - JULY 30

The second of three movie nights showcasing Quebec-made movies. On Saturday at nightfall, come to the Jardins for an open-air big-screen showing of Guibord s’en va-t-en guerre by Philippe Falardeau, starring Patrick Huard, Suzanne Clément and Irdens Exantus, winner of the best supporting actor award at the most recent Gala du cinéma québécois. Presented by Radio-Canada in collaboration with Québec Cinéma.

MORE GREAT ACTIVITIES

Throughout July, Les Jardins Gamelin’s regular programming continues, including concerts for every taste several days a week, both at lunchtime and in the early evening. On Saturday, July 23, the Jardins have a tropical flavour with Salsa Folie, where everyone is invited to dance under the stars. Let the detailed schedule of activities be your guide.

Lastly, every evening the Jardins take on a poetic ambiance thanks to the sculpture by Melvin Charney, the massive floating net of 1.26 by Janet Echelman and, on Place Dupuis, the architectural video projection 9 x [MTL] by Gabriel Poirier-Galarneau and Vincent Bilodeau, a quintessentially Quartier des Spectacles form of illumination.

Regular musical programming for Les Jardins Gamelin is provided by ICI Musique. To keep the vibe alive, visit ICIMusique.ca.

URBAN AGRICULTURE: STILL A FOCAL POINT

Join a Jardins discovery tour every Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m. and learn all about the crops, how they’re grown and their medicinal and culinary uses. Sentier Urbain will be there to show you the four thematic urban agriculture plots and the aquaponics system used in Les Jardins Gamelin.

On Sundays from 11 to 11:45 a.m., Sentier Urbain will be on hand to lead excellent urban agriculture workshops for families and individuals:

• July 3: Pollinators and the art of attracting them, by Ville en Vert
• July 10 and 24: Pigment plants: how to make natural dyes, by Sentier Urbain
• July 17: Urban beekeeping: the lives of bees and honey tasting by Miel Montréal

THE SNACK BAR, MORNING TO NIGHT

Daily - 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

For morning people and commuters, the snack bar run by Dominic St-Laurent and the team from BallPark restaurant is serving delicious breakfasts, coffees and smoothies starting at 7:30 every morning. Enjoy blueberry pancakes, granola or a BLT.

The snack bar also serves lunch and dinner in a modern canteen format. Discover the three latest additions to the menu: vegetarian chili, guacamole, salsa and tortilla balls; a salad featuring cherry tomatoes from the Bertrand farm, cheese curds from Champêtre and a dressing with basil from the Jardins; and the shrimp roll. Plus: watch for the special dish and cocktail created especially for MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE!

ABOUT LES JARDINS GAMELIN

From May to October 2015, Place Émilie-Gamelin showed a new face to Quartier des Spectacles residents and visitors with Les Jardins Gamelin. A large, green and inviting civic space in the heart of downtown, Les Jardins Gamelin is an original temporary layout comprising a set of versatile facilities. Seven days and nights a week, the space hosts a vibrant series of cultural and citizen-oriented activities for every taste. The initiative, led by the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, is produced in collaboration with Pépinière & co. It benefits from the contributions of numerous partners and the financial support of the borough of Ville-Marie. This large-scale project encourages Montrealers to use and embrace this central space, and aims to turn it into one of the city's leading tourist attractions.

ABOUT THE QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES

The Quartier des Spectacles is Montreal's cultural heart, boasting North America's most concentrated and diverse group of cultural venues. The district is the year-round host to countless festivals and events, many of which include free outdoor shows and activities. The Quartier hosts innovative urban installations involving cutting-edge lighting design, immersive environments or interactive digital spaces. Year round, the Quartier presents artistic video projections on several buildings. The Quartier des Spectacles is an international showcase for new multimedia technology, making Montreal a global leader in the urban exhibition of digital content. quartierdesspectacles.com

IMAGE DOWNLOADS

Jardins Gamelin: http://we.tl/JN9alRlJN4
1.26 : http://we.tl/j7PgQ1Xver
Photo credit: Ulysse Lemerise / OSA Images

July activities: https://we.tl/GIu9QrVTMp Download the Jardins Gamelin map here

MEDIA ENQUIRIES Marie Lamoureux | marie.lamoureux@quartierdesspectacles.com | 514 923-6772