The 7 greatest events that celebrate Montreal’s 375th birthday

Montreal is celebrating its 375th birthday (and Canada’s 150th) in 2017 and the city is ready for a serious party. At least 375 events will be taking place, some of which are perennials and others that are one-offs. You can scroll through a lengthy calendar of events, but we’ve selected the highlights for you here.

RELATED: 7 Montreal restaurants every foodie must visit

This is Montreal, the (other) city that never sleeps—particularly in winter. If your talent is building snowmen, digging cars out of snow or sliding down hills in boxes, you might just win a medal at Les Hivernales. This miniature Olympics of sorts also includes more conventional activities (for Canada) like curling, dog-sledding and hockey. The winter celebrations take place through March 12.

Montreal en Lumiere Festival | Flickr CC: art_inthecity

Running February 23 through March 11, the Montréal en Lumière Festival is a winter showcase of culinary and cultural events. One highlight is lluminart, an immersive and interactive outdoor exhibit that literally shines light on the city through avant-garde displays. If you prefer your creativity in warmer places, Art Souterrain is a contemporary art exhibition in Montreal’s Underground City.

The Illumination of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge is a highly-anticipated spring event. The inaugural lighting happens May 17, the anniversary of Montreal’s founding. The new addition to the city’s nighttime landscape will create a radiant display that changes with the season.

AVUDO is a spanking new multimedia and circus show presented on a floating stage on the Saint Lawrence River. More than 100 free performances are on the calendar between May and September.

ALSO: The benefits or joining Orbitz Rewards are très magnifique!

Montreal Cirque Festival | Flickr CC: Matias Garabedian

Summertime is always Montreal’s prime time for festivals and this year is no exception. In fact, the summer calendar is even more packed than usual. In June, Saint Laurent Boulevard serves as the canvas for Mural, a ten-day event in which international street artists will literally take it to the streets, painting pictures on the spot. In July, the Montreal Cirque Festival brings acrobats, jugglers, performance artists and avant-garde circus programs to streets, squares and theaters throughout the city. The same month, Just for Laughs yuks it up for the 34th time, bringing in scores of world-famous comedians and others soon to be discovered.

Justin Trudeau | Flickr CC: JustinLing

In August, Montreal Pride is expanding into Canada Pride. The 10-day event includes sports competitions, concerts, a conference on LGBTQ issues and a parade of unprecedented scale. Parade devotees will also get a kick out of taking part in  North America’s very first Électro Parade on September 2. It’s a giant dance party with a parade of people and floats grooving to the beats of cutting-edge electronic music.

Tagged: Uncategorized