15 ACTIVITÉS POUR PROFITER DE LA RELÂCHE DANS LE QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES

PRESS RELEASE | For immediate release

Montreal, February 5, 2025 - The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership invites families to come play outside and enjoy winter to the fullest in the Quartier des Spectacles during March school break. People of all ages can take advantage of plenty of free activities – there’s something for everyone! Try a new winter sport at Les Glissades Gamelin, see the dazzling installations of LUMINO, feel the joy of skating on the Esplanade Tranquille rink, have some fun with MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE, or choose from a host of indoor and ticketed activities. The Quartier des Spectacles is the perfect place to spend March break with the whole family!

Les Glissades Gamelin: open all week!

Until March 9, 2025
Place Émilie-Gamelin
Free admission and equipment loans.

Bring the whole family for a free introduction to winter sliding sports in a fun and friendly setting. The site will be open throughout March break, from Monday to Friday starting at 10 a.m. in addition to its regular evening and weekend hours. Ride a sled on one of the four refrigerated lanes of La Fomo, take a snow scooter or snowskate down the beginner-friendly La Mollo or the more challenging La Yolo. Then take a break for some delicious hot chocolate in the heated chalet, L'Après-Glisse!

March break hours
Monday to Thursday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Wednesday to Friday: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
March 1 (Nuit blanche): 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.

LUMINO

Until March 9, daily from 4 to 11 p.m.
Sainte-Catherine St. West between De Bleury St. and Saint-Laurent Blvd.

People of all ages are invited to take some time to admire LUMINO’s bright, multicoloured installations located throughout the Quartier. They include the interactive work L'orchestre endormi by Ottomata, co-presented by the SDC Quartier latin brightening up the Quartier Latin near the St-Sulpice library. Meanwhile, Sainte-Catherine St. West features the monumental Trumpet Flowers, an outsized musical garden that makes us feel tiny again, and Talking Heads by the Limelight Art collective. For the first time, the public can enjoy an enhanced program with several indoor installations, including one at Place des Arts. Use the LUMINO interactive map to explore the thirty works installed throughout the downtown core. Starting February 28, they will be joined by TENTACULES, an installation by Designs in Air and Cr34te, depicting a sea monster emerging from the depths of the city.

Esplanade Tranquille skating rink: activities on the ice and in the pavilion

Open daily, free admission
Special hours from March 3 to 7: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
March 1 (Nuit blanche): 9 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Esplanade Tranquille

The amazing Esplanade Tranquille skating rink invites families to experience winter to the fullest! Open daily from 9 a.m., the rink invites young skaters to explore the art of skating with the Ice Garden, a playful space open every Sunday morning for fun-focused skating lessons.

March 3, 5 and 7 at 1 p.m., in the Réfectoire inside the Esplanade Tranquille pavilion, young people are invited to enjoy a variety of activities (in French): Crée, joue et imagine ! is a fun workshop for creative kids led by ABL BLA LAB (March 3, ages 7 +); a screening of a children’s film in partnership with Cinéma Public (March 5); and an introduction to music with La musique aux enfants (an initiative of the OSM) (March 7). No reservations. Space is limited: first come, first to get creative and have fun!

To unwind after a skating session, check out Café Tranquille and the games library, the ludothèque, both located in the pavilion’s Grand Salon, where everyone is welcome to sit by the fire and savour a delicious snack while playing a game.

MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE

February 27 to March 9, 2025

The MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE festival is back with an amazing March break program presented by CN. The Loto-Québec Skating Loop in Place des Festivals, giant games and a dynamic CN Family Zone invite everyone to come and have some outdoor fun. From March 5 to 10, Télé-Québec will take over the colourful site. Ride the little train, share a laugh with the Télé-Québec mascots, sing Passe-Partout karaoke, meet Joanie Lamoureux of Safari de Joanie and her birds of prey and play with Émilie Fournier of Hiveraganza: this program is all about playing outside!

Also in the Quartier:

March 1-9: at the Grande Bibliothèque, young people can participate in a variety of fun creative activities. From story time to a video game creation workshop and a manga-themed trivia game for the true fans, as well as plenty of fun and cinematic moments. (In French.)

March 1-9: MEM - Centre des mémoires montréalaises hosts a two hour play break for kids ages 6 to 12. The mediation team will look after the children while their parents take some time to learn more about Montreal.

March 2-9: Complexe Desjardins invites kids to discover the world of the circus with a host of activities including circus workshops, face painting and performances.

March 4-8: at the SAT, be transported by two immersive stories presented in the Satosphère: Conte d'un futur commun and MANITOU360. There will also be a variety of free activities for the whole family! Everyone age 9 and up is invited to learn about frame-by-frame animation. From March 4 to 7, come have lunch at Café SAT – kids get a free “baby ccino” or hot chocolate!

March 5-8: Place des Arts invites families with young children to come have fun in the cultural complex’s public areas with special festive decorations that will inspire kids ages 3 to 10 to create, play and get some exercise. There will be plenty of free activities: crafts, making pancakes with La Tablée des chefs, a workshop with the École de cirque de Verdun and a musical performance called Rythmo Rigolo.

Getting to the Quartier des Spectacles

Public transit: numerous STM bus routes and three metro stations (orange and green lines) serve the area.
Cycling: all-season bike lanes crisscross the downtown core, and bike racks are available at Saint-Laurent metro station, just steps away from Esplanade Tranquille. Several Bixi stations are available.
Driving: in addition to street parking, the district has five indoor parking garages that are open to the public.

Plan your visit with the help of the Quartier des Spectacles website.

About the Quartier des Spectacles and the Partnership

The Quartier des Spectacles is Montréal’s cultural heart. It offers the greatest concentration and diversity of cultural venues in North America and hosts 52 major musical, dance, theatrical, film, literary and circus events, inviting Montrealers, festivalgoers and tourists alike to experience the excitement of festivals in the public squares and halls of the Quartier des Spectacles. The Quartier also hosts innovative urban installations involving cutting-edge lighting design and immersive environments. The Quartier des Spectacles has become an international showcase for digital public art.

The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, founded in 2003, is a non-profit organization with more than 85 members active in the district. It is responsible for animating the Quartier des Spectacles by programming cultural activities, managing and animating public spaces, providing distinctive illumination and promoting the Quartier as a must-visit cultural destination. The Partnership benefits from the support of the Ville de Montréal.

More information: quartierdesspectacles.com