MONTRÉAL, Oct. 5, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - This coming October 27, 28 and 29, the Place des Festivals will be getting a total Halloween revamp, complete with free entertainment and activities. According to a legend loosely based on Montréal's history, for centuries, an evil creature has been sleeping in the depths of the St. Lawrence River. Stirred from its slumber by the illumination of the Jacques Cartier Bridge on May 17, it has haunted the city ever since and will come to terrorize Montréal during the last weekend of October. A spectacularly spooky decor and festive ambiance await young and old on this unforgettable Halloween weekend as part of Montréal's 375th.
Yann Perreau, along with columnist, author and zombie tourist guide Catherine Éthier and actress Joëlle Lancôt, great wizard of the Magical Village, are the official Trouble-Fête spokespeople and will be there for the fun.
"The Society for Montréal's 375th Anniversary is extremely excited about Montréal's great Halloween celebration! This has already been a very festive year, but it's also an opportunity to test innovative new concepts. Montréal is one of North America's oldest cities, and rich in all kinds of haunted tales. With the Trouble-Fête, we would like to explore this unknown terrain and position the city as an ideal Halloween getaway," said Alain Gignac, General Manager of the Society for the Celebration of Montréal's 375th anniversary.
"This family-friendly Halloween celebration is another example of Montréal's outsized creativity. Like our city's cultural dynamism, which we've been celebrating throughout 2017, this fall event will give the public another chance to discover the talent of our many artists and creators," said Martin Coiteux, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy, Minister of Public Security and Minister responsible for the Montréal region.
ONE SITE, THREE THRILLING EXPERIENCES
Friday, October 27, 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. – The Rise of the Dead
Starting at 6 :30 p.m. – Place des Festivals
- Friday night, more than 40 skeletons, demons and diabolical creatures bearing fire will be there when the Trouble-Fête starts to stir. And once it is fully awake, Montrealers have no choice but to… celebrate, for better or for worse!
Evening music program that will make the Creature's den hot, hot, hot!
- 6:30 p.m.: The Awakening of the Trouble-Fête – pyrotechnical artists, fire breathers, candle lighters, marionettes, visual artists, spooky tales and stories about Montréal in a carnival-like ambiance. Face painters on site.
- 9 p.m.: Gothic choir and funeral march – Petits chanteurs du Mont-Royal accompanied by a string quartet and piano
- 9:30 p.m.: Electronic carte blanche goes to Yann Perreau, who promises to treat us to an exhilarating performance
- 10 p.m.: DJ Stéphane Cocke
Saturday, October 28, 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. – The Zombie Walk
The biggest zombie walk in Canada: over 10,000 zombies awakened by the Trouble-Fête will swarm the streets of Montréal!
Starting 1 p.m. - Place des Festivals
- Opening of the site and entertainment:
- Face painters, contests, surprise guests
4 p.m. – The entertainment begins – The route of the Walk
- Zombie mariachi, dismembered human marionettes, zombie military marching band and gruesome floats
5 p.m.
- The Zombie Walk begins.
6:30 p.m.
- Hair-raising choreography featuring over 100 zombies by Gardy Fury.
- Evening music program
Sunday, October 29, 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. – The Great Wizardry Fest: family activity
An absolute must for kids who have ever dreamed of becoming apprentice wizards!
- The esplanade of Place des Arts will be transformed into a wizards' village for the Order of Little Wizards of Montréal.
- A passport from the Order will let kids collect stamps from the workshops they attend: magic wand-making, carrousel, face painting, magic potion-making and an enchanted forest!
3 p.m.
- Parade of little wizards up to Place des Festivals to put the Trouble-Fête back to sleep
4 p.m.
- The creature finally goes back to sleep: Performance by the Petites Tounes.
See the complete Trouble-Fête program at 375mtl.com
Read the entire legend here.
About the Society for the Celebration of Montréal's 375th Anniversary
The Society for the Celebration of Montréal's 375th Anniversary is a non-profit organization whose mission is to organize the celebrations and socioeconomic contributions that will mark Montréal's 375th anniversary in 2017. With a focus on promoting Montréal expertise, it acts as a catalyst for local forces in carrying out its mandate: to mobilize the community, implement a funding strategy, rigorously manage public funds, develop quality programming and ensure the visibility of the celebrations.
The Society benefits from the support of the Ville de Montréal, the Québec government, the Canadian government and private funding from 12 Great Montrealers. For more information, see http://www.375mtl.com
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To learn more about the contribution of the Québec government to Montréal's 375th anniversary celebrations, click here.
SOURCE Société des célébrations du 375e anniversaire de Montréal
For further information: Sources: Society for the Celebration of Montréal's 375th Anniversary, Isabelle Pelletier, Manager, Media Relations, 514-238-4178, ipelletier@375mtl.com; For interviews with spokespersons: Nathalie Roy, Media Relations, 514-889-3622, nroy@375mtl.com
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