I SPY Montreal » March Break

La Semaine de la Musique

Jessica Howard — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 02:17:47 +0000

An image from La Tête dans les nuages, one of the La Semaine de la Musique shows. Courtesy of JMC.

La Semaine de la Musique brings musical shows and workshops to every corner of Montreal next week, courtesy of Les Jeunesses Musicales du Canada. There will be a total of 91 shows and workshops in 37 venues.

You may have seen one of these shows at JMC headquarters on Mont Royal Ave. or at Place des Arts. They offer a great mix of storytelling, music and humour to kids, often introducing particular instruments and sounds. Some shows are for age 3 and up, others target age 6 to 12.

The following clips offer a taste of some of the shows on the program. Two of the shows will be presented in English: Annabelle Canto and La Grande Tortue. Scroll down to link to the full list of shows and workshops.

Les Aventures fantastiques de FlonFlon

For age 3 to 7. Playing: Feb. 27 at 11 a.m. at the Intergenerational Centre in Outremont, March 1 at 11 a.m. at Ecole Secondaire Anjou, March 4 at 10 a.m. at Salle du Country Club, in TMR and March 5 at Maison de la Culture Plateau Mont Royal. More information.

La Grande Tortue

For age 6 to 12. Playing in several venues, with English shows in Pointe Claire and Pierrefonds. See full schedule.

Orféa et la harpe dorée

For age 6 to 12. Playing: Feb. 27 at 2 p.m. at Maison de la culture Rosemont Petite Patrie. See other show dates.

Pierre et le loup

For age 6 to 12. Playing March 1 at 2 p.m. at Centre Culturel de Verdun. More information.

La Semaine de la Musique
Schedule: Feb. 26 to March 6, 2011. See full list of shows.
Location: Shows and workshops will be held at venues around Montreal.
Information and tickets: 514-845-4108.

March Break Montreal Activities 2011

Jessica Howard — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 04:01:45 +0000

Events and Activities: Feb. 26 to March 6, 2011
Events Ongoing Through March Break
Events by Municipality
Children’s movies playing during March break
Camps

EVENTS and ACTIVITIES: Feb. 26 to March 6

Feb. 26 and 27, noon onward: Montreal High Lights Festival has lots of family activities in Old Montreal on weekend days, including a ferris wheel, games and sled track, as well as being close to Bonsecours skating rink. See the full program.

Feb. 26 to March 6: Festival International du Film pour Enfants à Montréal. Children’s films from around the world for age 2 and up will be screened either in French or with French subtitles at Cinema Beaubien, 2396 Beaubien St. E. Find out what’s playing in English, and link to full schedule.

Feb. 26 to March 6: La Semaine de la Musique: A variety of children’s musical/theatre shows for ages 3 to 6, and 6 to 12 will be presented by Jeunesses Musicales du Canada, in venues throughout Montreal during March break week. Most shows are in French, some are in English. Watch video previews and link to full schedule.

Feb. 26 and 27 at 2 p.m.: Bird feeder workshop: Make a bird feeder out of a milk carton, for age 5 and up, at Le Musée des Maîtres et artisans du Québec, 615 Ste. Croix Ave., Ville St. Laurent. Bilingual. Reservations required: 514-747-7367.

Feb. 26 to March 6, 11 a.m to 5:30 p.m.: Technofollies: more than 40 activities related to technology at the Montreal Science Centre. Activities include workshops on human interaction in the digital age, an electronic music console and a techno walkway. More information.

Saturday, Feb. 26 at 10:30 a.m.: Aladdin, a children’s play based on the classic, by Left of Centre productions, in English at Centaur Theatre. get tickets. Also playing at St. George Anglican Church, 1101 Stanley St. on Feb. 26 and 27 at 2:30 p.m. and March 6 at 2:30 p.m. Call 514-523-2716 or email leftofcentretheatre@gmail.com.

Saturday, Feb. 26 at 10 a.m. Free zumba class for all ages. The city of Montreal is offering a series of free family activities, starting with an opportunity for all ages to try zumba, which combines aerobics with Latin dance movements. The class will be held at St. James the Apostle Church, 1439 Ste. Catherine St. W. A snack will be provided. Call 311 to register.

Saturday, Feb. 26 to March 6: Montreal’s major parks will be offering special March break activities. More information.

Saturday, Feb. 26 and March 5, 7 to 10 p.m.: Family nights at Bois de l’Ile Bizard nature park: play under the stars, bring flashlights or headlamps, bonfire with marshmallows. The park is at 3555 Douglas B. Floreani, parking $7. More information: 514-280-6678.

Saturday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m.: Un Si Long Voyage, storytelling session for age 7 to 11 that uses music and mime to tell Haitian history, at Maison de la Culture Frontenac, 255o Ontario St. 514-872-7882. The same event will also be held March 2 at 10:30 a.m. at Maison de la Culture Cote des Neiges, 5290 Chemin Cote des Neiges. 514-872-6889.

Sunday, Feb. 27: Family outdoors day in LaSalle, with events at Raymond Park and Parc des Rapides. At Raymond Park, from 1 to 4 p.m., activities include music, animation, jazzercize, training and obstacle course with Montreal Alouettes players, sleigh rides and dog sledding, sliding and skating rink. At Parc des Rapides, intro to ice fishing from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and intro to snowshoeing from 1 to 4 p.m. More information.

Sunday, Feb. 27 at 3 p.m.: La Legende de Barbe d’Or: A storytelling session about a pirate with a tender heart and golden beard who decides to fight for peace, in French, at Maison de la Culture N.D.G., 3755 Botrel St. Free, passes required. 514-872-2157.

Sunday, Feb. 27, 1 to 4 p.m.: Winter Fun in Boucherville: Each Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Boucherville hosts an afternoon of family activities at Pierre Laporte Park, 490 Chemin du Lac. There is outdoor skating, tubing (you can borrow tubes), music, a mascot and hot chocolate (bring a thermos). More information.

Feb. 27 at 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m. or 3:30 p.m.: Les Requins, a workshop about sharks, with craft, in French, at Redpath Museum, 859 Sherbrooke St., McGill University. Cost is $6 per child, free for adults (please bring correct change). Register by calling 514-398-4092.

Feb. 28 to March 4, 11:30 to 2:30 p.m.: Dinos and origami: Learn more about the dinosaurs at Redpath Museum and fold an origami dinosaur. Cost: $4 per adult, $2 per child, max $10 per family. No reservation necessary. More information.

Feb. 28 to March 4, 1:30 to 5 p.m.: TOHU and the St. Michel Environmental Complex are hosting outdoor and indoor activities during March break. Outside, there is sledding for young and older kids, kicksledding, ice-sculpting, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Inside there are 30-minute circus workshops for all ages from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and guided tours of TOHU for age 8 and up. More information about TOHU’s March break activities.

March 2 to 6: March Break at the McCord Museum: Activities include chess day, puppet days, and Lego days (with Lego displays set up by Quebec Lego Users Group), as well as movie screenings. The museum’s Toys exhibit is also on through March 6. Read a guided tour of the exhibit. See full March break schedule.

March 2 to 6: Chinese painting and calligraphy workshops, plus other activities, at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Activities are related to the museum’s “The Warrior Emperor and Terracotta Army” exhibit. More information.

March 2 to 6: Disney on Ice: Toy Story 3 at the Bell Centre. Most performances are in French, some are in English. Tickets range from $25 to $93. Check schedule and buy tickets.

March 2 to 4: The miniature train ride returns at Exporail, the Canadian railway museum. More information. Read a guided tour of Exporail from the summer.

March 4 at 2 p.m.: Histoire à Dormir Debout, a puppet show for age 5 to 8, will be presented in French by Théâtre l’Illusion at Elgar Community Centre, 260 Elgar St., Nuns’ Island. Watch a video clip and read more about the show. Call 514-765-7270.

March 3 to 6: Les Trois Jours de Casteliers, an international puppet theatre festival, hosted by Théâtre Outremont. Puppet shows for children and adults will be held over three days. See festival schedule.

March 4: Movie opening: Rango, an animated Western movie that focuses on a chameleon named Rango, who is voiced by Johnny Depp. Watch the trailer. Find out Montreal showtimes.

March 4: Winter Fun in St. Léonard: A festival with inflatables, games, taffy on the snow, music and other animation, at Martin Brodeur Arena. More information.

March 6 at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.: Singeries, a puppet show for age 3 to 6, about a group of circus monkeys who need to be tamed, at Place des Arts. Read full description and get tickets.

March 6 at 2 p.m.: Book reading: Ten Big Toes and a Prince’s Nose by Montreal author Nancy Gow. Nancy will be reading from and signing copies of her book, in the children’s section of Indigo bookstore in Laval. She will also be singing with Montreal musician Ian Cooney. Indigo Laval is at 900 Le Corbusier Blvd., 450-686-4801.

March 6 and 7: Le Salon des Reptiles: a showcase of all kinds of reptiles, with an educational purpose (this is not an event for buying or selling reptiles), at Collège de Maisonneuve, 2700 Bourbonnière St., between Pie-IX, Nicolet, Hochelaga and Sherbrooke. Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., March 6; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., March 7. Salon des Reptiles website.

Events Ongoing Through March Break

Feb. 17 to April 25: Butterflies Go Free, butterflies fly free in a tropical enclosure at the Montreal Botanical Gardens. More information. Read I Spy Montreal review and see video here.

Feb. 24 through March 8: Granby Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a sugaring off theme: taffy on the snow will be offered and Québécois music will be playing. Many of the animals are used to winter weather, and can be seen in the snow. Visitors can also see the indoor facilities for animals like elephants and giraffes, and see the regular indoor exhibits. Watch a video preview. More information on visiting Granby Zoo in the winter.

Feb. 26. through March 6: Ski Deals: Many Montreal-area ski hills offer special family pricing for lessons and passes during March break.

Feb. 26 into April (weekends only): Sugaring off, with simple sugar-shack-style lunch at the restaurant, and wagon rides from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Cap St. Jacques Nature Park ecological farm, 183 Cap St. Jacques Rd., Pierrefonds. Call 514-280-6743.

March 1 to 5: Atrium Skating rink, 1000 de la Gauchetière St., is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. with special activities between 1 and 4 p.m. (magician, face-painting and mascots). Check the activities page for more details.

Jan. 29 to June 11: An Odyssey with Akvo, a show for age 4 to 7 at the Montreal Planetarium that embarks on a quest for water in the solar system; the show is interactive, musical and aims to show children the value of water, on Saturdays and Sundays at 10 a.m. in French, and at noon in English. More information.

Municipal Activities

Many boroughs and towns have organized children’s activities during the March break period, and have posted the information on their websites. Click on the links below to find out what’s being offered in that area (not all boroughs/towns are listed below – only those whose websites link to March break information).

Ahuntsic-Cartierville

Beaconsfield

Brossard

Côte des Neiges-N.D.G.

Dorval

Hochelaga-Maisonneuve

Rosemont-Petite Patrie

St. Léonard

Ste. Anne de Bellevue

Children’s Movies Playing During March Break

Gnomeo and Juliet. Recommended for age 5 and up. See Montreal showtimes.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. For age 12 and up. See Montreal showtimes.
Megamind. For age 6 and up. See Montreal showtimes.
Toy Story 3. For age 5 and up. See Montreal showtimes.
Rango (opens Friday, March 4). See Montreal showtimes.

Camps

Check municipal and town websites for information on municipal March break day camps. The following places offer day camps or a program of activities during March break.

The Ecomuseum: Animal Apprentice day camp, ages 7 to 12.

Cosmodome, 2150 Laurentides Blvd., Laval.

Fête des Mitaines, Camp GUEPE, held at Bois de Liesse and Pointe aux Prairies Nature Parks, age 5 to 12.

Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art day camp, age 6 to 11.

Louise Lapierre Dance School, 1460 Mont Royal Ave. E., age 5 to 15.

Enfant et Compagnie, 4687 Lavoisier Blvd., St. Léonard.

Centre Notre Dame de Fatima, 2464 Perrot Blvd., Notre Dame de l’Ile Perrot, age 5 to 12.

Horizon Roc, indoor rock-climbing, age 5 and up, 2350 Dickson St., Montreal.

Le Salamandre Art Centre, 1090 Pratt Ave., Outremont, age 6 to 12.

Lambda School of Music and Fine Arts, 4989 Sources Blvd., Pierrefonds.

Tennis13, 1013 Highway 13, Laval.

Patro le Prevost Community Centre, 7355 Christophe Colombe Ave., Montreal.

Acrosport Barani, 1365 Dagenais Blvd., Laval.

March Break in Montreal: What to Do and Where to Go

Jessica Howard — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:27:39 +0000

School’s out – but, unfortunately, it’s not summer!

For many schools and some day cares, it’s March break from March 1 to 5. The good news is that there are special activities for kids being held all over Montreal. You may want to start by looking into events held by your own municipality – many have organized children’s shows at their community centres, special library activities or outdoor events. If you click on “events by area” below you’ll get a list of municipalities that have March break information on their websites.

Aside from neighbourhood activities, there are special events like the Semaine de la Musique, which features musical performances for kids in venues all over the city, the International Children’s Film Festival, the Reptile show, lots of great deals for family skiing, Butterflies Go Free and Disney on Ice: Princess Classics.

Events and Activities: Feb. 27 to March 7
Events Ongoing Through March Break
Events by Area
Camps

Events and Actvities: Feb. 27 to March 7

Feb. 27 and 28: Montreal High Lights Festival has lots of family activities in Old Montreal on weekend days from noon to 4 p.m. For more info on specific activities and the schedule, see this I Spy Montreal post.

Feb. 28, 3 p.m.: Les Voyages de Belva, a musical theatre show about the travels of Belva, who introduces several musical instruments and styles of music, at Maison de la Culture Côte des Neiges, 5290 Côte-des-Neiges Rd., call 514-872-6889.

Feb. 28, 11 a.m.: Fiestango, a musical show for children age 3 and up, about three cousins who receive a big trunk that sends them on a big adventure. Presented as part of Outremont’s Coussins et Croissants program, at Centre Communautaire Intergenerationnel, 999 McEachran Ave., Outremont. Cost, $7 per person.

Feb. 28 at 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m. or 3:30 p.m.: Workshop on volcanoes, to learn about volcanoes and make your own volcanic eruption, at Redpath Museum, 859 Sherbrooke St., McGill University. Cost is $6 per child, free for adults (please bring correct change). Register by calling 514-398-4092.

May 1, 10:30 a.m.: Alice in Wonderland, a children’s production, in English, at Centaur Theatre. Read full description and buy tickets.

March 7 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.: Pierre par Pierre, a puppet theatre show for age 3 to 6, at Place des Arts. The show aims to pique children’s curiosity about inanimate objects, like stones. Presented by Spanish theatre company Home Dibuixa. Cost $12/person. Check schedule and buy tickets.

March 7 at 3 p.m.: Skarazula, a musical show for ages 6 and up at Stewart Hall in Pointe Claire. More information.

March 6 and 7: Le Salon des Reptiles: a showcase of all kinds of reptiles, with an educational purpose (this is not an event for buying or selling reptiles), at Collège de Maisonneuve, 2700 Bourbonnière St., between Pie-IX, Nicolet, Hochelaga and Sherbrooke. Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., March 6, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., March 7. Salon des Reptiles website.

Events Ongoing Through March Break

Feb. 18 to April 24: Butterflies Go Free, butterflies fly free in a tropical enclosure at the Montreal Botanical Gardens. More information. Read I Spy Montreal review and see video here.

Feb. 27 to March 7: Festival International du Film pour Enfants à Montréal. Children’s films from around the world for a range of ages will be screened either in French or with French subtitles at Cinema Beaubien, 2396 Beaubien St. E. See the schedule of the film festival.

Feb. 27 to March 7: La Semaine de la Musique: A variety of children’s musical/theatre shows will be presented by Jeunesses Musicales du Canada, in venues throughout Montreal during March break week. Most shows are in French, some are in English. Click here for the schedule of shows.

Feb. 27 to March 7: TOHU and the St. Michel Environmental Complex are hosting outdoor and indoor activities during March break. Outside, there is sledding for young and older kids, kicksledding, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Inside there are 30-minute circus workshops for all ages from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and guided tours of TOHU for age 8 and up. More information about TOHU’s March break activities.

Feb. 27 through March 7: Granby Zoo is open daily through March 7. Many of the animals are used to winter weather, and can be seen in the snow. Visitors can also see the indoor facilities for animals like elephants and giraffes, and see the regular indoor exhibits. Watch a video preview. More information on visitng Granby Zoo in the winter.

Feb. 27. through March 7: Ski Deals: Many Montreal-area ski hills will be offering special family pricing for lessons and passes during March break. This Montreal Gazette article offers a great breakdown of facilities and prices at five local ski hills (Mont. St. Bruno, Bromont, Mont Rigaud, Mont Tremblant and Vallée Bleu).

Feb. 27 to April 11 (weekends only): Sugaring off from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., including animation for kids, at Cap St. Jacques Nature Park ecological farm, 183 Cap St. Jacques Rd., Pierrefonds. Call 514-280-6743.

Feb. 28 to March 7: Montreal’s major parks will be offering special March break activities. More information.

Feb. 28 to March 5: Special workshops, shows and activities at La Grande Bibilothèque, 475 de Maisonneuve Blvd. E. More information.

March 1 to 5 at 2 p.m.: Free activities will be held at 2 p.m. at Chapters Pointe Claire, Indigo Brossard and Indigo Laval. Monday, March 1: Board games, for all ages; March 2: Make Your Own “Wimpy Kid” Journal and other fun crafts, for age 6 and up; March 3: Princesses and knights are invited to create their own accessories and dress up in costumes, age 6 and up; March 5: Storytime with Chester the cat, age 5 and up; March 5: Create a Mad Hat (inspired by Alice in Wonderland) and be part of a tea party.

March 1 to 5: Free activities at Smaland (the kids’ play area) of Ikea Cavendish; activities include picture frame decorating, movie day, soccer day, musical chairs, etc.. Go to the Ikea Cavendish website, look under Smaland, then click on “kids’ event calendar”.

March 1 to 5 at 2 p.m.: Koko Le Clown, silent movies accompanied by music played by students from Université de Montréal., at Cinématheque Québécoise, 335 de Maisonneuve Blvd. E. More information.

March 3 to 7: Disney on Ice: Princess Classics at the Bell Centre, show times are 11 a.m., 3 p.m., 7 p.m., depending on the day. Most performances are in French, some are in English. Check schedule and buy tickets.

March 1 to 5: Atrium Skating rink, 1000 de la Gauchetière St., has a special schedule, as well as magic and face painting from March 1 to 5 p.m. Check the activities page for more details.

Municipal Activities:
Many boroughs and towns have organized children’s activities during the March break period, and have posted the information on their websites. Click on the links below to find out what’s being offered in that area (not all boroughs/towns are listed below – only those whose websites link to March break information).