THURSDAY
Montreal Fashion Week has begun, and with that comes a wide array of exhibits, shopping events and, of course, runway shows. Lets start today with the “Exhibit” concept, which was successfully introduced in February 2012. Six emerging designers, including atelier b., Tamé, La Raffinerie, LaLaYeah, DAVMANI and Dare by Gwen Madiba, will participate in Exhibit 23, an event during which they will display some of their creations. DJ Catherine Pogonat will provide music. This event is a great way to get introduced to Fashion Week if you haven’t started attending any of the celebrations, which began Tuesday.
Another must-see is the Marie Genevieve Cyr show. She has worked in the field of costume and fashion in Canada, Great Britain and United States. In 2007, she was among the three finalists for the series Project Runway Canada. In 2009, she was nominated for a Genie Award by the 
Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television for “Best Costume Design.” Her show starts at 3pm at the beautiful Arsenal Hall, which is host to this season’s MFW.

Later at night, join the herds of shopping fanatics in what is Montreal’s answer to Fashion’s Night Out NYC. The shopping event will take place in Montreal’s Old Port and includes some top boutiques like Denis Gagnon, Reborn, Cahier d’Exercises, Michel Brisson, SSENSE, Rooney, Vault and U&I. Each boutique will provide surprises and a unique evening shopping experience.
One of this summer’s most talked-about charity events takes places tonight. The Notte In Bianco is an annual fundraising evening organized by Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Guzzo to benefit the Guzzo Environment-Cancer Research Chair of the Cancer Research Society in partnership with the Université de Montreal.
This unique event takes place every year in September at the Guzzo private residence and features the who’s who from the world of business, politics, and the arts. Its theme every year is the Hamptons Lifestyle and guests are dressed entirely in white.
For more information on the Notte In Bianco, visit their website.
FRIDAY:
Continuing into the Montreal Fashion Week extravaganza, there are two events that we highly recommend for today. The first is the Anomal Couture show. Founded by Sonia Leclair, all her creations are entirely designed and manufactured by her own hands and are created for an avant-garde woman who loves to stand out and be marked by femininity.
Another notable designer, Rachel Sin, is a designer for both the body and city landscapes. With her strong background in architecture, her talent for structure and design will reflect onto her fashion creations. The audience can expect couture details, neat finishes, and the choice of noble fabrics offering unique and luxurious pieces. For information on both shows, click here.
At night, take a stroll to the Magic of Lanterns, which features over 700 superb traditional Chinese lanterns. Walk through the illuminated Chinese garden to discover this beautiful and ancient tradition. This year, you can experience “The First Emperor’s Procession,” portraying the first Chinese Emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, soldiers, horse-drawn chariots, sections of the Great Wall of China and many musical instruments from that time among the beautifully lit gardens. This is truly stunning and really worth the visit at least once if being enchanted by the splendour that light can create captivates you – it surely did us.
SATURDAY:
Saturday is filled with musical mastery from all angles. Being big fans of classical music, some of us will be attending the stunning OSM production of Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony. With conductor extraordinaire Kent Nagano leading, this will unquestionably be an evening full of musical bliss. This symphony is without question one of Mahler’s grandest and most beloved compositions. The show starts at 8pm – dress accordingly!
‘Well you done me and you bet I felt it, I tried to be chill but you’re so hot that I melted’…who has not heard these lyrics before? Better yet, who can’t actually name the artist? I think we can all claim that this song has affected us when it came out and now we can relive those days. Jason Mraz – well, a more mature, grown up version of him – will be performing at the Bell Centre. He’s known for his spunky and fun shows, so this is a nice alternative if classical ain’t your cup of coffee.
Once the shows are done and your tummy is calling, head over to Montreal Burger Week, which is continuing into the weekend. The concept here consists of Montrealers and judges that burger hop to various restaurants around town and vote for their favourite burger concoction via the MBW website. What a great excuse to let out the glutton in all of us, right? Join the fun by checking out details at here.
SUNDAY:
The Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal, one of the only two UCI World Tour races in America, is back with a BIG bang for its third edition! Many of the world’s top road cycling riders will be intensely competing on the 205-km Mont-Royal circuit. The race consists of 21 teams, including champions from the world famous Tour de France. What a great event to get inspired and admire the world’s best ever. The race starts early at 11am; don’t be surprised by the amount of spectators – last year was packed!
The Festival International Les Escales Improbables de Montreal is a good option for a lazier afternoon of viewing imaginative artists performing in shows blending music, drama, dance, performance art and live graphic arts. The Escales de ville (city program), Escales de jour (day program) and Escales de nuit (night program) invite “travelling audiences” to take an unusual and creative stroll around Old Montreal, bringing out le artiste in all of us.