Thursday:
Is art on your mind tonight? The “Week-End Picasso” at Yellow Fish Art Gallery is showcasing tonight. From a private collection, eighteen drawings and engravings signed by Picasso produced between 1903 and 1971 will be presented for guests. The work will embody joy, tragedy, voyeurism and creative freedom, a visual spectacle. Also a series of short films showing Picasso in his studio will accompany the exhibition, bringing a more interactive flare.
Now that we’ve sparked your creative senses, how about an artistic band to finish things off? The Charnobyl Voice presents the Mashrou’ Leila, a seven-member band that fuses the craftiness of a music workshop with the punch of stadium rock. They have crafted some of the most melancholic ballads and playful anthems in alternative Arabic music, and went on to perform them live at sold-out venues in Lebanon, Cairo, Amman, Paris, Amsterdam, Geneva and Serbia. We highly recommend this great cultural event.

Friday:
The greatest violinist in the world returns to the OSM in a program that finds him alternating between the roles of soloist and conductor. He’ll perform a major piece from the romantic repertoire for the instrument written by Brahms for his friend violinist Joseph Joachim. This will be followed by Scheherazade, one of the most popular of Rimsky-Korsakov’s works, a summoning of the tales from the “Thousand and One Nights.” Classy night.
The Notable team will be partaking and covering the second edition of the Starlight Halloween Soiree presented by La Clinique A, raising funds for this amazing cause. We will be amongst 300 young Montreal YPs inside Old Port’s beautiful Loft Hotel to celebrate Halloween festivities and contribute to making a difference in special children’s lives. Expect a red carpet, decadent candy, open cocktail bar and costumes from out of this world; after all, the theme is “make believe.”
Saturday:
It’s time for the annual Lakeshore General Hospital Foundation Ball, a very special evening of elegance, magic, superb dining, dancing, and a silent auction. Declared as the best ball in Montreal by the Honouroble Minister Yves Bolduc, this is a black-tie dinner and dance extravaganza full of wonderful music provided by the Paul Chacra and 1945 Orchestra featuring silent auctions, prizes, terrific networking and all the razzle and dazzle one can imagine. It’s a decadent event for those that don’t mind splurging in the name of good.
Macaroni Bar presents “Homage to Farm Life,” the Halloween edition! Clearly the theme here will be rednecks, hillbillies, daisy dukettes, farmers and, well, good ‘ol animal lovers! This is said to be an over-the-top hillbilly good time. Apparently anything goes and everyone goes wild, so get as creative and crazy as you want. With Donald Lauture providing the beats, we are all in for a yee-haw good time.
Sunday:
If there is one all-day event we can recommend for Halloween it’s the Fright Fest at La Ronde. In addition to the world-class lineup of thrill rides, the theme park will transform into a “scream park” with themed shows and attractions. Amongst thousands of pumpkins, cornstalks and oversized creatures, you will be able to roam the haunted midways and encounter “Thrills by Day, Fright by Night” entertainment. From what we heard it is not for the faintest of hearts and even the bravest souls are said to become sissies. Isn’t that the point, though? We can’t wait to get spooked!
The Smashing Pumpkins are playing the Bell Center tonight; ideally scheduled right around Halloween weekend with their name containing the holiday’s key mascot and creepy song titles like “The World is a Vampire,” this is a great prelude to Wednesday and to end the weekend festivities off. It will be worth seeing if lead singer Billy Corgan is still as legendary as he was years back. Word of mouth is plenty of Montreal YPs are attending including Notable.ca Founder Julian Brass. Join the headbanging and sing along!