Special activity
Friday, August 22, 2025

Kick up your heels at the MEM!
An evening co-organized with EspaceTrad

Come kick up your heels at this traditional music event, a pre-opening to the Festival Trad de Montréal 2025!

Photo of the Veillée du MEM in 2024
Source: MEM - Centre des mémoires montréalaises

As part of the pre-opening of the Festival Trad Montréal, which runs from August 29 to 31, 2025, we’ve put together a special evening for you. Now’s your chance to celebrate Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day like they did in the 19th century! Thanks to research by Olivier Paré, we’ve found the program from June 24, 1885, which gave pride of place to traditional dance. Olivier will show you some of the steps and music from that event. Don’t forget your dance shoes!

The evening will be hosted by caller and historian Olivier Paré. He’ll be accompanied on stage by Richard Forest on the violin, Gaston Nolet on the accordion, Martine Billette on the piano, and folk dancer Isabelle Simard-Lapointe.

About the Festival Trad Montréal

Held by EspaceTrad, the Festival Trad Montréal showcases the artists, artisans, researchers and enthusiasts who make up Quebec’s traditional arts community, specialized in music, dance, song, storytelling and other disciplines. Serving as the community’s home base, the festival develops innovative spaces to showcase its talent in Montréal. Its mission is to promote and transmit this living heritage, presenting it to audiences in Quebec, Canada and around the world.

The 33rd edition of the festival runs from August 29 to 31, 2025 at Ahuntsic Park and Maison de la Culture.

For more information on the program, visit Festival Trad Montréal

Information and reservation

Contact us to make a reservation.

By email:
[email protected]
By telephone:
514 872-0238

Schedule

Date
Friday, August 22, 2025
Hour
  • 8 p.m.

Meeting place

MEM Cabaret