Montreal offers a variety of colorful options for groups, and some of the most distinctive experiences are tours of the city’s historical treasures, the fanciful performances of circus entertainers and the scores of festivals that take place.
"Montreal is a city of ambience and experiences," says Dorothy Dyck, vice president of sales and marketing for Maestro Plus, a local DMC. "We like to get groups out so they can take in the European feel that it has."
Montreal contains the largest concentration of of buildings from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries of any North American city. Plus, well over half of the population speaks French, adding to its European feel.
Dyck says tours of Montreal are popular with attendees. Many of the historical buildings along the cobblestone streets of Old Montreal are still in their original form. The Bonsecours Market, which opened in 1847, briefly accommodated the Parliament of United Canada in 1849 and was the main public market for more than a century. Also located in Old Montreal, the Notre-Dame Basilica is the focal point of the neighborhood because of its dramatic Gothic Revival architecture.
One of the hottest experiences for groups is attending a circus performance.
Montreal is the home of the renowned Ecole Nationale de Cirque, or National Circus School, where many of Circue du Soleil’s artists train.
For a nice combo of the historical and the theatrical, Dyck recommends Cirque Eloize, a performing arts company, which offers two large halls for events; Le Chapiteau; and Le Gymase. The venues are located in the Gare Dalhousie, a station where the first Vancouver-bound trains departed in the late 1800s. The spaces can accommodate everything from small cocktail receptions to larger corporate events. Le Chapiteau accommodates up to 350 people for cocktails and 240 to 270 people for a banquet. Le Gymnase accommodates up to 250 people for cocktails and 100 to 120 for a seated dinner.
Another circus-themed experience Dyck recommends is Le 7e Ciel, or Seventh Heaven. The vast loft-like venue is located atop Le Mat (the mast), the newly built wing of the Cirque du Soleil international headquarters, and features a panoramic view of the Montreal cityscape. Costumed circus performers serve hors d’oeuvres and drinks while other fantastical figures entertain with fire and music.
Another ways to give groups a taste of Montreal is to plan an event around one of the city’s many festivals.
Approximately 90 festivals take place each year. The Festival International de Jazz de Montreal is the largest jazz festival in the world. Typically, more than 500 concerts are offered during a span of 10 days in the summer, about 350 of which are held outdoors and are free to the public.
