10 Things to Do in Montreal in May

May is a warm month that prepares to say goodbye to spring and welcome the best summer activities, there are many outdoor options and the chances of rain are greatly reduced. Temperatures start to climb and range from 7° to 17° degrees, but you'll probably still need warm clothes.

You can take advantage of this to sign up for late spring food festivals, take a stroll during Museum Month, participate in a bike race, tango at a lively party, visit the tulip fields just outside the city, explore at least 100 outdoor activities in Eurêka and more.

April offers plenty of things to do, you can visit the Montreal Biosphere and enjoy the tulip bloom. However, it is not until May that the fields around the city complete their process and offer dense mazes of colorful flowers.

One of the best tulip fields is located forty-five minutes from downtown by car, in the mini-town of Boucherville. Many people often head to this adventure to enjoy the distinctive colors and smells of these striking flowers. Admission is approximately €6 to €9 and you pay €2 for each tulip you pick.

Another option is to purchase packages that include admission and 12 to 48 tulips, starting at about €24.

Details of interest: If the winter is severe, it is possible that the flowering of tulips in the fields reaches its peak in mid-May.

In May there are many proposals in terms of festivals, for example you can taste pasta dishes or try local beers in a fun and different atmosphere. There are also music, theater and dance events. It is one of the best times to visit Montreal, especially if you want to experience food and dance festivals.

Discover the best pastas and participate for a trip to the Pasta Fest

If you are in Montreal, you should know that pasta has another meaning during May, as you can become a real taster of different proposals during the Pasta Fest. Many artisans of the kitchen come to offer unparalleled bites and you will find a variety of fresh flavors prepared with local ingredients.

Every year there are fun contests, one of the most famous offers a raffle for a paid trip to Rome, note that only those who visit at least three of the twenty restaurants at the fair can participate. In addition, at the end of the festival there is a vote to find out which was the best pasta place by judges brought from Italy.

Details of interest: Admission is free and the restaurant stalls offer pasta dishes ranging from 12 € to 27 €, depending on what you want to taste.

Taste local beverages at the Montreal Beer Festival

The Montreal Beer Festival, better known as Mondial de la Biere, offers a tasting space of the best local beers. To liven up the celebration there is usually live music and food tastings.

You can sample more than 400 beers and tour at least 82 booths spread among breweries, distilleries and cider houses that include alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages from local produce and from Germany, Ireland, Austria, the United States, Belgium and Estonia, among others.

In May there may still be precipitation, so don't worry, this is the perfect plan, as the facilities are covered or have awnings to avoid interruptions during the festival.

Details of interest: The event is usually held at Windsor, Rio Tinto Yard, Lucien-L'Allier and Bonaventure stations. Admission is free, but tastings of beer and other beverages cost an average of €7 to €14.

Dance at the Pouzza Festival

Another of the annual festivals during May that you can't miss in your itinerary is the Pouzza Festival that revolves around punk and rock music, every year at least 200 bands are expected in different parts of the city that are announced on the website, where you can also find the countdown. It is the perfect event to enjoy your favorite bands and interact with emerging artists.

It is an ideal activity to include in an itinerary to visit Montreal in 5 days. What are you waiting for?

Details of interest: The ticket has an average price ranging from 50 € to 120 €.

If you want to enjoy the history of Montreal and other cultural attractions, the last days of May are perfect to visit the best museums in the city. During these dates the famous Museum Day takes place in different parts of the city.

If you plan to be in Montreal for two days, I recommend you to take advantage of the time to explore the museums with free admission.

Traveller Tip

You will find more than 30 museums completely free and there are public buses to make the tour.

Redpath Museum

To learn about the history of Egyptian mummies I suggest you head to the Redpath Museum, where you can also explore dinosaur bones. The most important collections deal with plants, minerals, invertebrates, shells and seaweed, mammals, birds and cultures of the world.

Details of interest: It is usually closed on Mondays, Saturdays and Sundays. General admission is free, although it is advisable to pay a contribution of about 3 €.

Stewart and McCoard Museum

The McCoard Museum holds interesting secrets that you can discover during your visit to Montreal. Here is kept the collection of clothing of the original inhabitants of the country and is an ideal plan because the building is located in downtown Montreal opposite McGill University.

In the McCoard Museum you can also enjoy the exhibits that belonged to the Stewart Museum, which was closed, but was a very popular attraction in the city as it kept strange objects about the New France. Nowadays it is kept in its new location and shows the history of the French colonization in the country, there are documents about maritime trade, history, culture, navigation and more.

Details of interest: The entrance fee is around 14 €, but during the museum day you can enjoy it for free.

Every year in May, the city hosts the International Exhibition of Black Women, a historic event in Montreal that celebrates black women and their cultural influence on the country. There are a variety of events that promote female empowerment and examine the community's past, enjoy artwork, live music, informative lectures and more.

Inside there are food booths inspired by black roots and usually provide a mid-morning snack and lunch.

Details of interest: Dates are announced at the beginning of the year and you can buy your ticket online for as little as 14 €. Another option is to buy at the door, but you will have to wait in line and pay around €20.

The streets of Montreal are privileged, as they have natural and fresh spaces ideal for a stroll during the spring. In May, the Go Bike Festival is held to help you de-stress and get away from the routine. It lasts approximately one week, during which you can tour every corner aboard an eco-friendly transport.

To complement, there are many urban activities in the open spaces of Montreal, at different points of the designated route. It is not necessary to be an experienced cyclist, you just have to be prepared and go with the best energy to enjoy the festival.

Another option is to enjoy a guided bike tour that will take you to see the best of the city.

Admission is free for children under 12 years old, who can pedal as many kilometers as they wish, adults can purchase packages ranging from approximately 7 to 100 €, the most affordable prices being those of the Tour La Nuit.

If you want to register you can visit the official website, where you will find phone numbers, forms in English and French or approach Rachel Street and register in person during the first days of May. Available routes include:

Metropolitan Challenge

The Metropolitan Challenge takes place during the first days of the week and is the opening event of the festival, organized with the purpose of enjoying the sunrise and the morning sun of spring. You will find activities with DJs, live music, strolls through the merchants' alley, chocolate milk stalls, baths, tasting of Siboire craft beer, a lunch stop and a free massage.

Details of interest: Access has an average price ranging from 14 to 92 €.

Tour de l'Île

The Tour de l'Île consists of an urban Sunday where the streets are cleared of cars and stops are organized at the city's best viewpoints. It is a route that includes many things to do with children. There are first aid zones, rest areas, restrooms, food stalls, drum shows, photo zones, musical shows and mobile ice cream parlors.

Details of interest: Tickets range from 7 to 92 €.

Tour la Nuit

The Tour la Nuit takes place on Friday evening and the streets are also off-limits to cars, to clear the way for cyclists. You can enjoy a night bike ride and an impressive light show, the route is shorter than the Tour de l'Île, but includes five local districts. There is musical entertainment, chocolate milk zones, photo areas, DJs, children's games, bike mechanic areas, refreshments, restrooms and many surprises.

Details of interest: Tickets range from approximately €7 to €60.

Summer Challenge

This tour ends the festival and takes place between the end of May and the beginning of June, so it welcomes the summer. The activities last a full day and you can enjoy a bracelet which includes access to a meal, restrooms, hydration, first aid and repair areas for your bike. What makes this route different is that it encourages you to get out of the city and explore its surroundings, it is ideal to leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind.

Details of interest: Tickets range in price from 14 to 100 €.

For three days you can enjoy more than 100 activities at the Eurêka Festival including reading groups, interactive shows, branded booths, street performances, demonstrations, plays and live music. Its main attraction is the science and technology events, offering educational stations ideal for children, youth and adults.

Parking, bike rentals, restrooms, cab services, extreme adventures, free WiFi, hydration and information points and dining options are available in the area.

Details of interest: Admission is completely free, but you must pay for parking.

If you like to dance and are a lover of Argentine tango, you must attend the Bailongo a unique event during May that will get you sweating to the rhythm of this traditional music. Among the activities you will find group or personalized classes that are ideal for everyone, even beginners and last approximately one hour.

In addition, this event brings to Montreal a variety of tango shows, milongas, shows led by DJs and more. If you go during Bailongo Wednesday and pay for a class, you can access unamilongafree of charge. The entrance fee per class costs approximately 27 to 30 €, while the milongas are around 100 € if you want to take advantage of all the days of the Bailongo.

You can also buy a pass to the Wednesday welcome milonga for an average price of 15 €, to the Friday practilonga for at least 10 € or buy individual passes for each milonga for around 30 €.

Details of interest: Please note that the number of participants per class is limited and it is advisable to make your reservation online. Also, your chances of being considered for a class increase if you have a dance partner, otherwise you will be put on the waiting list.

Asian festivals are very important in Montreal and you will find different proposals in the city's venues. The Festival Accès Asie or Asian Heritage Festival is a multidisciplinary art event that has been held since 1997 and commemorates Asian Heritage Month, you will see many attendees whose roots merge the DNA of Canada with the culture of other Asian countries.

Details of the itinerary can be found on the official website, but there are usually cocktail hours, Japanese beauty sessions, concerts, seafood tastings, costume competitions, documentary screenings and other events spread throughout the month.

Details of interest: Most activities are free of charge.

An ideal event for exploring the nation's past, the Montreal Medieval Fair features at least 75 fun activities, as well as exhibitors and artisans offering jewelry, leather goods and items characteristic of the era.

There's also a medieval parade, mock battles, period dances, tents, fighting arenas and you'll see lots of people dressed as musketeers, Roman gladiators and fire-throwing dragons.

Details of interest: The entrance ticket has an approximate cost ranging from 10 to 22 €, if you want to request a refund you should know that they are allowed up to seven days before the event, after this time you can not process it.

The St-Ambroise Fringe summer festival brings for you an artistic repertoire, with fringe theater, puppeteers, storytelling, storytelling shows, magic shows, drag queens events, by the hand of at least 700 artists who are part of 800 theatrical activities.

Attend the free Fringe-For-All show that opens the performances, which take place between May and June.

Details of interest: Most activities are free, some plays have an affordable cost of around 10 €.