Last weekend, POCHA MTL : A new festival centered around Korean culture was hosted in the heart of Place William-Dow – nestled in the new Cultural Corridor of Mtl’s Griffintown.
Thousands of eager foodies and curious culture seekers converged to try new dishes and get a small taste of Asian culture.
These types of “pop-up” festivals , temporary public squares and open markets that combine arts, entertainment , vendors and food are all the rage in the city !
Initiated by the MR-63 cultural organization – who gained recognition back in 2018 for reusing four, retired MR-63 metro cars as central pieces in the development of the F-MR Station site (featuring multidisciplinary cultural programming and fresh produce markets at Place des Bassins at the Lachine Canal National Historic Site) , these “ephemeral spaces” are excellent venues to stimulate the creativity of urban planners, architects and other stakeholders.
Festivities, commerce and entertainment converge on these places – thus contributing positively to the economic activity of the city.
SUDBEST is joining the frey by offering a dynamic three day program of activities to discover over three locations in the Southwest: namely Sir-George-Étienne-Cartier Park, the North Link (behind the Arsenal Contemporary Art Center) and Atwater Market.
Attendees will get to try fresh shrimp from Lucilles, drink non-alcoholic beer from Mordu and shop for jewellery and other artisanal goods from local artisans at the Atwater Location – in tandem to the beats of live Dj’s and other bands.
For the complete program please visit SUDBEST official website:
https://www.sudbest.ca/?fbclid=IwAR3NfubG4srkEKbJXUWQxIVwbG1VCHmR2DNvVIQNw7T4Qxw9hriR0b6ZrG0
For those seeking open-air gastronomy and live musical performances , the Asian Market and the Night Market are back in Chinatown at the corner of Saint-Laurent and René-Lévesque East running from July 15th to the 2nd of October !
Produced in collaboration with Tourisme Montréal, La Pépinière Espaces collectifs and Partenariat du Quartier des Spectacles, the Asian Market celebrates the richness of Asian culture and local gastronomy by attracting both tourists and locals to the heart of Chinatown.
For two weekends, July 28-31 and August 25-28, the market will be transformed into a Night Market. Passerbys can enjoy short professional artistic demonstrations and performances – art , dance and music presented outdoors as well as try the savoury cuisine of over 20 various Asian food kiosks offering specialties from all over Asia: stinky tofu, bubble fruit teas, bbq-grilled giant squid, fried dumplings, skewered lamb, and several other delicacies !
YiFang Hu, founder and general manager of the Night Market was proud to explain that the participant vendors have adopted a very altruisic relationship with each other by not overlapping the variety of food on offer and helping each other with small tasks.
“It’s not about outselling the other but rather to introduce the public to a wide variety of speciality dishes”… says Hu.
Tourism Montréal will also be offering free guided tours of Chinatown during the Night Market—a wonderful opportunity for the curious visitor to learn about the neighborhood’s history and future !
- WHERE : Oasis | Chinatown, corner of René-Lévesque East and Saint-Laurent boulevards
- WHEN Thursday and Friday from 5pm to 11pm, Saturday and Sunday from noon to 11pm
- Free admission