A select number of bars in two Montreal neighbourhoods will stay open three hours later than normal for the annual Nuit Blanche cultural festival this year.
The city will allow a total of 16 establishments to continue serving alcohol until 6 a.m. on the night of Feb. 29 into March 1. Provincial law requires bars to stop serving alcohol at 3 a.m. except in special circumstances.
The announcement came on Thursday from Plateau-Mont-Royal borough Mayor Luc Rabouin, who is responsible for economic and commercial development in Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante’s executive committee.
In a statement, Rabouin said: “The Nuit Blanche montréalaise, as part of the Montréal en lumière festival, contributes to Montréal’s international influence.”
“We note that interest in Nuit Blanche is increasing year by year and is spreading to other territories.”
The city has allowed a select number of establishments to stay open until 6 a.m. for several years now: in 2016, nine establishments in the Quartier Latin were granted permission to stay open three hours later.
That list grew to 12 in 2017, 2018 and 2019, with a list of bars again limited to the Quartier Latin.
2020 marks the first year the city will allow establishments in a second district — the Gay Village — to remain open until 6 a.m. as well.
The complete list of bars is below:
- Arcade MTL, 2031 Saint-Denis St.
- Les 3 Brasseurs, 1660 Saint-Denis St.
- L’Abreuvoir Pub, 403 Ontario St. E.
- Bistro à Jojo, 1627 Saint-Denis St.
- Edgar Hyper Lodge, 1738 Saint-Denis St.
- Pub L’Île Noire, 1649 Saint-Denis St.
- Café Hookah Lounge and Patrick’s Pub Irish, 1699 Saint-Denis St.
- Le Saint-Bock Brasserie artisanale, 1741 Saint-Denis St.
- Turbo Haüs, 2040 Saint-Denis St.
- Meltdown eSports Bar*, 2035 Saint-Denis St. P
- Saint-Houblon, 1567 Saint-Denis St.
- Le Petit Moscou*, 323 Ontario St. E.
- Le Date Karaoke Bar*, 1218 Sainte-Catherine St. E.
- District Video Lounge*, 1365 Sainte-Catherine St. E.
- Bar Renard*, 1272 Sainte-Catherine St. E.
Bar Renard owner Marc-Antoine Coulombe couldn’t be happier about Nuit Blanche expanding to the Gay Village, saying it’s a move that makes sense.
“The village definitely is the best place for the event’s afterparty,” he said citing its proximity to St-Denis Street, the Quartier des Spectacles and three metro stations.
“Makes it super easy for people to hop form an activity to another.”
Coulombe credits the village’s development society (SDC) for being proactive when it comes to cultural events and a boon to small businesses in the area.
The SDC plans to close part of Ste-Catherine Street on Feb. 29 to showcase art while serving hot chocolate, mulled wine and beer, according to Coulombe.
He’s hoping Nuit Blanche will become a permanent addition to the village’s annual calendar of winter events.
* Indicates an establishment included on this list for the first time
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