June in les Jardins Gamelin

Press release - For immediate distribution

Montreal, June 1, 2016 – June is off to a fine start in Les Jardins Gamelin, with a rich and varied program featuring dance, music, movies, family activities and urban agriculture workshops. Daily until 11 p.m., the Place Émilie-Gamelin summer gardens invite Montrealers to enjoy non-stop free activities and entertainment.

OFFTA PRESENTS DÉCALOGUE – until June 8

This festival of the living arts is celebrating its 10^th anniversary by presenting Décalogue – a series of multi-disciplinary works inspired by the festival’s first ten years – in Les Jardins Gamelin. True to its literal meaning (“ten words”), Décalogue presents as many creative languages of contemporary artists who have made a mark on the festival, as well as several new talents. Every evening at 6 p.m. until June 8, an artist will create a new work or adapt a work from their own repertoire. Come enjoy Mélanie Demers, Geneviève & Matthieu, Sarah Berthiaume, the La 2^e Porte à Gauche collective, Philippe Boutin and other artists of movement.

LES JEUDIS DE… FANNY BLOOM AND PETER HENRY PHILLIPS – June 2 and 9

Two very different performers will take the stage for the Jeudis de… series, where artists have free rein to introduce you to their music and whatever else strikes their fancy. Come to the Jardins to be charmed by Fanny Bloom’s sweet voice on June 2, and to marvel at the talent of guitarist Peter Henry Phillips on June 9. Be there!

DIFFÉRENTS, COMME TOUT LE MONDE – June 2

This big picnic on June 2 celebrates solidarity, inclusion and tolerance for all, particularly people with disabilities. From 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., everyone is invited to play, dance and enjoy a picnic.

PIKNIC ÉLECTRONIK: FREE AND ELECTRIFYING – June 16

After emerging as one of last summer’s Jardins Gamelin highlights, the famous immersive event is back to make Montreal dance. Lose yourself in the music and energized atmosphere on June 16, from 5 to 11 p.m. Featuring Éloïze creating house-flavoured soundscapes on the turntables, followed by the incomparable DJ and producer Mighty Kat, a star of the Montreal and European scenes who will spin a fantastic night of house music.

CINÉMA D’ICI AUX JARDINS – June 18

Quebec’s movies are in the spotlight with open-air screenings of three recent audience favourites – a first for the Jardins. On June 18, come see La Passion d’Augustine by Léa Pool, presented by Radio-Canada in collaboration with Québec Cinéma. Don’t forget your chair!

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE, EVERY WEEK

The daily program for Les Jardins Gamelin continues all month with activities and series for every taste, including urban agriculture workshops and garden tours with Sentier Urbain, family Sundays and singer-songwriters onstage as part of the Midi de l’Escalier and Concert découverte series. There will also be regular DJ sets thanks to Lunch soul, turntable nights and the Miss DJ series, giving the Jardins a great atmosphere for your lunches and happy hours.

Sentier Urbain promotes urban agriculture and is ready to help anyone who wants to learn more about the environment and how it works. Come explore this year’s four theme gardens: a heritage garden, a pollinators’ garden, a nursery forest and a small vegetable garden.

• Jardins Gamelin discovery sessions, every Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m. A chance to learn more about the different plants, how they are grown, and their medicinal and culinary uses.

• Urban agriculture workshop for families, every Sunday from 11 to 11:45 a.m. These family workshops help participants familiarize themselves with various urban agriculture topics (medicinal plants, gardening, composting, etc.).

Sundays in the Jardins, especially for families! After the family workshops led by Sentier Urbain, parents and kids are invited to have a picnic and some entertainment. Starting at 3 p.m., children can test their singing talent with Karaoke Kid (except Sunday, June 26), then let the rest of the family have their turn starting at 5 p.m. Don’t miss the wide variety of art workshops, as well as group workouts every week. On June 5, Bouge de là, led by Hélène Langevin, presents a creative dance workshop especially for families. And, on June 12, don’t miss African dance with Samajam!

Les Escales improbables de Montréal present Synestésias d'été, a series of artistic gatherings created especially for Les Jardins Gamelin, featuring a visual artist and a musician. It’s a simple concept: in a live performance-event, the artist and the musician perform together, leading to a new painting. The duos who will appear in this evolving exhibition in June: Étienne Doucet and Jesse McCormack (June 4), Ariane Côté and Martine Gagné (June 11), and Philippe Duguay-Blais and Navet Confit (June 18).

Download the weekly schedule

THE SNACK BAR IN LES JARDINS GAMELIN: BREAKFAST FROM 7:30 a.m.

To make life easier for early risers on their way to work, the snack bar run by Dominic St-Laurent and his team from Ballpark restaurant will serve nutritious breakfasts starting at 7:30 a.m. The snack bar also serves lunch and dinner, and has a selection of delicious cocktails.

BLT BREAKFAST SANDWICH
- Blueberry pancakes
- Granola
- St-Viateur bagels
- PB&J toast

LUNCH AND DINNER
- Cheeseburger
- Veggie burger
- Chicago hot dog
- Sloppy Joe
- Assorted Poutines
- Fried smelts with tartar sauce
- Fries
- Salad with beets, beans, edamame, halloumi cheese and fresh herbs

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. www.quartierdesspectacles.com

IMAGE DOWNLOADS

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

Activities at the Jardins in June: https://we.tl/xk8kq16Rv5
Download the map of Jardins Gamelin

Contact : Marie Lamoureux – marie.lamoureux@quartierdesspectacles.com – 514 923-6772