25 ways to brighten up a grey November in Montreal

by Michelle Trottier

November: it’s a month loved by few that’s synonymous with clouds, freezing rain and even colder flakes of snow. It conjures up an impression of high humidity and darkness, eating slowly but surely into the hours of daylight, of the dead leaves that form muddy clumps along the cracked sidewalks. November: the month of the dead...

And yet! Montreal in November is as festive as it the rest of the year, offering a cornucopia of activities that are sure to warm hearts and bodies, raise the spirits and transform the blues into cheerful moments. Here are 25 ways to brighten up a grey November in Montreal.

There’s nothing like a musical event to fill the heart with joy:

• From 27 October to 12 November, the Arab World Festival promises a change of scenery and warmth through artistic, cinematographic and cultural events.
• From 2 to 12 November, the Coup de Coeur Francophone invites people to discover artists from Quebec and elsewhere who express themselves in French through a variety of musical genres.
• From 14 to 17 November, festival-market Mundial Montreal is dedicated to world music, then, from 15 to 18 November, M for Montreal welcomes delegates from around the world who are here to talk shop with musical artists from here and elsewhere. The good news? The public is invited along to the party and will be able to discover dozens of emerging and established artists of all genres.
• Fancy an evening muy caliente? On 24 November at La Sala Rossa, DJ duo Canicule Tropicale will be transporting the crowd to Africa, South America and the Caribbean through their extensive collection of upbeat vinyl.
• For music lovers who prefer to escape to the sounds of classical music, from 17 November to 3 December, the Bach Festival pays homage to the composer’s musical genius and legacy with a rich and varied program of events.
• From 2 to 5 November, music and dance collide at Rencontres Énergétiques presented by Tangente, which offer a dialogue between dancing bodies and the sonic and visual environments over which they take control.
• Finally, if you're looking for a crack in the clouds to let the light in, join Elvis Costello, Feist, Patrick Watson and others to pay tribute to the late, great Leonard Cohen during the Tower of song concert on 6 November at the Bell Center. Can't make it? Then visit the exhibition dedicated to him – A Crack in Everything – from 9 November at the MAC.

• From 9 to 19 November, the Montreal International Documentary Festival promises not just a change of scenery, but also a wake-up call, courtesy of the realities portrayed with skill and sensitivity in the festival’s many documentaries.
• And for the colour-deprived, catch  Loving Vincent, a unique, hand-painted animated film, which borrows from the style of the master to tell his life story.

____________________________________________________________

OTHER GREAT SUGGESTIONS:

• 3 perfect ways to enjoy the autumn days in Montreal
• New Montreal restaurants worth a visit in 2017
• Where to shop for the trendiest fall threads in Montreal

____________________________________________________________

• For those who laugh to keep from crying, Simon Gouache, “The comedian’s favourite comedian” appears for two evenings at two different venues; on 9 November at the Théâtre Sainte-Catherine and at the Lion d'Or on the 15th. Then there’s Phil Roy, the eternal adolescent, who brings his show Monsieur  to the Olympia on 24 November.
• Alternatively, for an evening full of surprises, head to the Bordel Comedy Club, which presents shows several nights a week where the guests aren’t announced in advance, but are as likely to be established artists as rising stars of the next generation.

Based on the principle that good cheer often enters via the stomach and the taste buds, those November events in Montreal focus on the delights of the table.

• From the 2nd to 4th of the month, La Grande Dégustation brings together amateurs, connoisseurs and professionals of wines, beers and spirits at Place Bonaventure.
• Then, from the 2nd to the 16th, MTLàTable celebrates the city’s culinary culture with 175 participating restaurants offering table d’hote menus at $21, $31 and $41.
• From the 4th to the 5th, head to Bonsecours Market for the fourth edition of the Montreal Vegan Festival to enjoy numerous special guests, workshops, conferences, culinary demonstrations, as well as more than 70 on-site exhibitors.

There are also a number of places in the city where you can take part in more out of the ordinary activities that offer a change of perspective, even for the most worried of minds.

• To escape... for real, check out escape games Mission Morpheus, Question or Obsidem.
• For more physical challenges, throw axes at Rage Montreal, shoot arrows at Combat d'archers, duel with light sabers at The Force Academy or practice shooting with air guns at the Tir du Soleil centre.
• We also shoot balls, in brightly coloured settings: small ones at Putting Edge, or mid-sized to large ones at the Laurentian Bowling Center.
• For a more high-tech experience, immerse yourself in virtual reality at Mont VR, or experience road racing thanks to the simulators at Vortex Racing

So there’s a few less reasons to mourn the passing of summer and the winter not being with us yet, or that chill in the air and the supposed gloom of November. Be blown away by culture, relish new discoveries, saturate yourself with worlds of colour and find different ways to move around to get through this month, whose reputation may well have been exaggerated, when all’s said and done.