City announces winter activities for 375th celebrations
Inner-city obstacle courses, biking by the light of the moon and a soapbox race down St-Denis St. are among the winter activities on offer for Montreal’s 375th anniversary celebrations announced Monday.
Dubbed “Les Hivernales,” organizers of Montreal’s birthday celebrations are focusing on outdoor, participatory activities taking place in the Quartier des spectacles around Place des Arts, in Old Montreal and at Parc Jean-Drapeau.
Among the events are Barbegazi (frozen beard), an obstacle course at the Îlot Clark, at the corner of Ste-Catherine and Clark Sts. Participation is free, and the entrants who post the 10 fastest times will share a prize of $5,000. It will take place the weekends of Jan. 6-8 and Jan 13-15.
On Saturday, Feb. 11, there is a Snow Moon by bike tour, with a lighted parade of bikes following a 3.75-kilometre route (or a longer, nearly 20-kilometre tour heading around the Olympic Stadium for the hardy) ending at the Old Port. Start time is 7 p.m. Details at www.velo.qc.ca/lunedhiver
Some 60 homemade soapbox cars will race down St-Denis St. along a 280-metre obstacle course the weekend of Jan. 20-21. The competition is open to anyone wanting to participate. For information visit: www.descentestdenis.com
The Classique Montréalaise Pond hockey tournament will run the weekend of Jan. 28-29 (Feb. 4-5 in event of rain), drawing more than 500 players to a dozen rinks built at the Olympic rowing basin on Parc Jean-Drapeau. To sign up: www. classiquemontrealaise.ca
Igloofest, the annual electronic music winter party in the Old Port of Montreal, is extended an extra two weeks to six weekends this winter, running from Jan. 12 to Feb. 19. Visit www.375mtl.com/ en/igloofest for more information.
Other events include the Fête des neiges de Montréal with family winter activities running from Jan. 14 to Feb. 5 on Parc Jean-Drapeau, curling in the Quartier des spectacles www.375mtl.com/en/curling-enlumière/ and the Polar Hero Race, a five-kilometre course featuring 25 obstacles open to participants of all ages www.polarherorace.com.