Montréalers love the outdoors, be it lounging in the city parks throughout the sunny summers or bundled up cross-country skiing over Mount Royal during the winter months. Simply put, you can’t keep a local indoors. And now you can give your attendees a taste of outdoor Montréal life at these local fresh-air venues.
The Palais des congrès de Montréal
Montréal’s beloved convention centre provides event professionals with limitless possibilities. Included in their many offerings is a large garden located on the main level that can host close to 900 people. Further up, on Level 7, two large terraces can each accommodate 630 people for receptions or mingles. And then there’s the rooftop! Home to Canada’s first urban rooftop vineyard, as well as an urban vertical farming project, the rooftop buzzes with nature and growth. (Yes, there’s even two honey hives home to 50,000 nectar-producing bees.) Better yet, the rooftop is available for wildly unique gatherings.
(Update: the Palais rooftop is currently under renovations, expected to be available again in spring of 2023.)
Parc Jean-Drapeau
Made of two islands — Ste-Helene’s Island and Notre-Dame Island — Parc Jean-Drapeau offers both beautiful gardens and sport installations. Espace 67 is a vast open and modern space, which offers sound systems, stage design, washroom facilities, lighting, and sophisticated security for the safety of all visitors. For smaller, more intimate events, choose between two pavilions from Expo 67, which both include private garden space.
The Montréal Botanical Garden
An oasis in the middle of the city with a rich collection of 22,000 plant species and cultivars. The magnificent cultural gardens enable your attendees to travel to places like China, Japan, and First Nations through botanical traditions. The open spaces of the garden’s 75 hectares can be used for all sorts of special events and celebrations, such as a tea party in the rose garden. Charm factor: 100.
The Clock Tower Beach
Located at the eastern point of the Old Port, the Clock Tower Beach features heaps of soft, silky sand and a wooden boardwalk. With its bright blue parasols and misting stations, this swish urban beach is a total treat. It might just be the perfect place for your next unique outdoor event.
Le Grand Quai Cruise Terminal
At the western end of the Old Port, the Grand Quai is another splendid venue to hold outdoor events. Specifically, the Promenade d’Iberville (green roof of the cruise terminal) offers breathtaking views of the mighty St. Lawrence River and downtown skyline. The massive wooden terrace features some 24,000 flowering aquatic plants and options to install an outdoor kitchen, a BBQ, and a tent.
New City Gas
Located in the Griffintown district, New City Gas offers space for trade shows, product launches, company meetings, or any other special occasion. And the building has a storied past: the “New City Gas” Company of Montréal was responsible for transforming coal into gas to light Montréal’s streets and buildings. It’s a historic venue with modern sensibilities.
Espace C2
Perched atop the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth hotel, the Espace C2 is a cutting edge meeting space set up by the minds behind the annual C2 conference. The outdoor terrace areas look across downtown Montréal, a perfect open-air spot for tech-forward events.
Hôtel Monville
The innovative technologies at Montréal “smart hotel” — Hôtel Monville — are regular fixtures on social media. Such as the helpful robots that serve room service, should you catch them standing still long enough for a selfie. Perched atop the building are multi-use spaces both indoor and out, all with unbeatable skyline vistas.
The Mount Stephen Hotel
The definition of luxurious, the Mount Stephen’s event spaces include two terraces: one on the front terrace, one on the second floor. In both cases, event tents are available.
Esplanade Financière Sun Life
At the foot of the Olympic Tower, the Esplanade Financière Sun Life provides a unique setting for staging a variety of outdoor events, such as the Montréal Symphony Orchestra and the wildly popular First Fridays (Montréal’s food truck gathering). The area is divided into nine different sections, so plenty of configurations are possible.
La Ronde
An amusement park that is easily accessible from downtown Montréal. The Place d’Animation offers permanent seating for 7,300 people and audio-visual installations, not to mention a lovely view onto the des Dauphins lake. There are also smaller spaces available. Either way, planners can ensure guests get passes to ride the rollercoasters!
Chateau Ramezay
Located across the street from Montréal’s City Hall, Chateau Ramezay was built in 1705 as the home for the Governor of Montréal. The Governor’s Garden is a unique example of an 18th century French colonial garden. This an intimate garden with a covered terrace, perfect for elegant gatherings.
Montréal Science Centre
The Belvedere room offers a covered terrace and a roof-top terrace with a capacity of 240 people whether it be for a reception, banquet, or outdoor meeting. Successful events — proven by science!
The Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve Paddocks
Housed on Montréal’s world-famous Formula One World Championship route in Parc Jean-Drapeau, the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve Paddocks offers large and breezy open-air terrace spaces with capacities ranging from 800 to 5,000 in cocktail settings and up to 3,000 for seated banquets.
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