Nuit Blanche – Saturday, February 25, 2023

Montréal en Lumière presents

Nuit Blanche

Get ready for a party! For its 20th edition this coming February 25, Nuit blanche will be rolling out city-wide to offer night owls an absolute wild all-nighter. This anniversary edition, which promises to be even more energizing and electrifying than ever, invites you to celebrate art in all its forms, for a 20th celebration that will be opening its wings wide and soaring! When the doors open, eight geographic hubs across Montreal will be buzzing: the Quartier des spectacles, Downtown, Old Montreal, the Plateau Mont-Royal, the Quartier Latin and the Village, Mile-End, Hochelaga and North. Each door opens up to an exciting new universe to discover, featuring over 100 activities that will shake up your routine, indulge your whims, soak up culture and spark your senses. It’s the most amazing night of the year: a 20th anniversary deserves a major blow-out party!

“Finally, the Nuit blanche returns to its full purpose: inviting the public to visit the premises of our cultural partners and promoting direct interactions between the artists and the people. It’s an event within an event that celebrates Montréal’s spectacular creativity and cultural richness until dawn. Come join the party!” – Jacques Primeau, General Manager of the festival

Build your own itinerary with the STM –
running all night long!
Nighthawks can chase their passions all over the city thanks to the metro and bus network – both of which will be running around the clock for Nuit blanche on February 25. Taking public transit is a safe and easy way to max out on your adventures: hop on from dusk until dawn!

Keep a lookout for the Brigade Nuit blanche STM. Made up of mobile teams that will be in the city’s eight hubs during Nuit blanche, they’ll be there to inform you, handing out instant prizes and helping festivalgoers find the best way to hop from one place to another.

“The STM is pleased to collaborate with this flagship Montréal cultural event and offer participants the chance to enjoy the programming to its fullest by getting them around the city, all night long.” – Marie-Claude Léonard, chief executive officer of the STM, who also wishes to thank STM employees for their part in contributing to the success of this superb initiative.

Quartier des spectacles
The beating heart of Nuit blanche where everyone joyously congregates, the MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE outdoor site in the Quartier des spectacles will be like one giant kitchen party and will stay open until 2 a.m.! Night owls can have a blast at the Grande roue Loto-Québec, La Glisse Vite Tim Hortons, the Pique-nique nordique Skip and tons of other fun activities.

The Esplanade Tranquille skating rink in the Quartier des Spectacles © Ulysse Lemerise / OSA

Make your way to the Place Loto-Québec at Esplanade Tranquille skating rink to watch an ice show and animations by  the company Patin Libre, which will also feature entertainment and introductory ice dancing classes. Next, head to Place des Festivals to glide around the beautiful Skating Loop as you bop away on your blades to upbeat electronic music tailor-made by DJs MVNGO, TIZI, Ghetto Birds and Cloverdale who will spinning sets at the Station DJ Rogers.

Get your glow on with light installations that turn the Quartier des spectacles into a veritable open-air museum, and gaze at the minimalist geometric esthetic of the spectacular interactive work CONTROL NO CONTROL, presented onsite exclusively for Nuit blanche.

From twilight to daylight, stay warm at a free, fun-filled Nuit blanche 20th anniversary show: Party at MTELUS, with Claudia Bouvette, Valaire who will be dropping his new album, the uptempo beats of Choses Sauvages, Kid Koala x Lealani, as well as an impressive line-up of your favourite local DJs. From 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., rock the night away at MTELUS!

A night at the museum
Montreal’s top museums will open their doors to treat you to a rare experience of a nighttime museum visit. Pop-up exhibitions, creative workshops and must-see shows make this a can’t-miss night of fun!

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) invites you to take in the exhibition ᑐᓴᕐᓂᑐᑦ TUSARNITUT! Music Born of the Cold. The program also includes music shows, wine and food tastings, creative workshops and reduced-price tickets to see Parall(elles): A History of Women in Design. 

Photo: Sebastien Roy

The Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) features an array of free activities in the welcoming ambiance of Place Ville Marie. Young and old can discover an exhibition by Nelson Henricks, a projection of Screen Tests created by Andy Warhol and a mural by Walter Scott. You can also unleash your creativity at a workshop inspired by this mural created exclusively for the MAC.  

Not only can you see free exhibitions at Pointe-à-Callière, but you can catch performances that combine music, dance and circus until the early morning hours!  Inspired by Guinean and Chinese cultural traditions respectively, the  company Kalabanté and the Montréal Chan Lion Dance Club promise a festive evening inspired by the exhibition Le Monde en tête. A must-see!

How about unwinding at the McCord Stewart Museum? The photography exhibition Alexander Henderson – Art and nature is a great opportunity to chill and contemplate; recharge your batteries as you admire the magical countrysides of Quebec and western Canada; take a yoga class in an exhibition room and be transported by a guided intuitive dance class. So much going on downtown!

Stimulate your senses
Enter a world of innovative visual and sound experiences and immerse yourself within these magical installations.

Dernière minute

The PHI Centre treats us to more of its mind-blowing creativity with Dernière minute. Get ready for a breathtaking sensory experience with an installation about one minute stretched out in time, on the threshold of birth or death. Also, don’t miss 10+10, a series of immersive exhibitions, musical and sound performances and a superb nod to the Nuit blanche’s 20th anniversary.

Immerse yourself in bright and brilliant colours evoked by the stringed instruments of Quatuor Kaléidoscopique. Performing onstage at the heart of Maison symphonique, you’ll explore classical musical styles throughout the centuries, from Mozart to modern day. Discover a rich musical universe in an intimate and immersive setting!

Photo: Victor Diaz

Celebrating cinema
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) marks the 50th anniversary of the Association des réalisateurs et réalisatrices du Québec (ARRQ) with an exciting program that shines the spotlight on our wide range of talented filmmakers. Catch films at the Salle Alanis-Obomsawin and check out virtual reality works at the Espace NFB.

Discover INSITU, the timeless work by Montréal en Histoires is a digital creation in a public space where the spectator becomes part of a living and interactive work. Participants can watch their giant-sized silhouette move around on the wall of the Maison symphonique. The colours and textures of each silhouette will come from the surroundings, such as the ground, walls, flowers, water, stones, sky and more.

See the full list of events and download the MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE mobile app at www.nuitblanchemtl.com