Guide to spring activities in Montréal

What to do in Montréal in the spring?  

With the arrival of spring, Montréal comes alive: streets fill with people, patios buzz and neighbourhoods awaken. Whether you call the city home or are just visiting, it’s the perfect time to (re)discover Montréal and experience everything it has to offer.

Murals and public art  

When the spring sunshine returns, many Montréal neighbourhoods turn into outdoor art galleries, where colourful façades showcase the city’s history and creativity:  

• The MURAL Festival, held every June, transforms Saint-Laurent Boulevard into a vibrant open-air studio, where talented artists turn building walls into massive, colourful murals set to the backdrop of live outdoor concerts.
• From April 25 to May 10, the Festival Art Souterrain transforms the city’s underground network into a pop-up public art gallery showcasing exciting contemporary artwork. 
• The Promenade Fleuve-Montagne (River-Mountain Walk) is a 3.8-kilometre trajectory between the St-Lawrence River and Mount Royal, dotted with numerous public artworks in the heart of downtown.

Be sure to stop and admire the murals made famous by Leonard Cohen: one on Crescent Street and the other at the corner of Saint-Laurent Boulevard and Napolean Street, a stone’s throw from Schwartz restaurant, a Montréal institution.

Spring festivals in Montréal

Spring in Montréal brings a full cultural calendar, with activities and events for everyone:  

• From May 28 to June 10, the Festival TransAmériques shines the spotlight on innovation and creativity, with dance and theatre performances that enrich the city’s cultural offering. 
• The Eurêka! Festival is a free, family event. An extraordinary science fair, it offers a world of discovery and interactive activites that you won’t want to miss. From June 5 to 7.  
• From May 1 to 31, the Festival Accès Asie offers a rich and varied celebration of the arts that highlights the voices of artists from the Asian continent and its diaspora in the performing, visual, media, literary and culinary arts.
• The Dame Festive Street Music Festival, inspired by New Orleans street parties, takes to Notre-Dame Street in Lachine on May 30 and 31, with swing, jazz, reggae, bluegrass and folk artists perform on an array of stages. 
• The Montréal Comic Arts Festival welcomes comic creators, publishers and their audiences to celebrate comic art from May 15 to 17.  
• The Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival treats the public to a varied literary program, including public lectures, workshops, roundtable discussions and activities for children. From April 23 to 26. 

• From June 9 to 21, the Montréal Chamber Music Festival brings together talented musicians for a captivating and intimate musical experience. 
• Pouzza Fest is a popular punk rock music festival offering performances in different downtown Montréal venues from May 15 to 17.
• From June 1 to 21, the Fringe Festival turns the Plateau-Mont-Royal into a hub of artistic talent, with dance, music, comedy and circus performances.  
• Piknic Électronik will get you up and dancing to the beat of leading DJs under the summer sun at parc Jean-Drapeau.
• The Francos de Montréal French-language music festival presents over 250 concerts on different stages in the Place des Festivals from June 12 to 20.

Sample local flavours 

Spring in Montréal means sugar season is in full swing, with many sugar shacks in and around Montréal bringing the iconic tradition to life each year. Indulge in maple taffy on snow, savour hearty Québécois feasts, and experience this sweet ritual at charming sugar shacks just outside the city or at participating restaurants across Montréal.

Renowned for its culinary diversity, Montréal’s food scene shines through its creative restaurants, gourmet markets, and a wide range of food-focused events, including:

• YATAI MTL, a celebration of Japanese culture and street food takes place from June 4 to 7. 
• First Fridays returns to celebrate international street food, culture, and music, bringing together flavours from around the world in a lively, festive atmosphere.