Richard "Bugs" Burnett

Le Festival Fierté Montréal est le plus grand rassemblement 2SLGBTQIA+ de la Francophonie. En plus de ses nombreux bars, clubs et lieux de rencontre LGBTQ+ accueillants, Montréal célèbre la diversité avec une programmation de spectacles, de concerts et d'événements mettant l'accent sur la communauté, l'inclusion et la visibilité. Quel est le thème de la Fierté Montréal 2026 ? Le thème de l'édition 2026, « Rayonner ensemble! », célèbre le droit des personnes 2SLGBTQIA+ de grandir, de s'épanouir et d'aimer librement, dans une société toujours plus inclusive. La première marche de la Fierté à Montréal a eu lieu en juin 1979 afin de souligner le 10e anniversaire des émeutes de Stonewall de 1969. Organisée par La Brigade Rose, elle avait réuni 52 participantes et participants. Quarante ans plus tard, en 2019, le Festival Fierté Montréal accueillait plus de 3 millions de festivalières, festivaliers et alliés.Cette année, le festival propose une programmation riche en spectacles, concerts et activités en plein air, présentés à l'Esplanade du Parc olympique ainsi que dans le Village 2SLGBTQIA+. À quelle heure a lieu le Défilé de la Fierté de Montréal? Le Défilé de la Fierté Montréal 2026 aura lieu le dimanche 9 août à 13 h. Le Festival Fierté Montréal 2026 se déroule du 31 juillet au 9 août 2026, célébrant sa 20e édition. Quels sont les incontournables du Festival Fierté Montréal? Attendez-vous à une programmation exceptionnelle réunissant plus de 200 artistes lors de grands spectacl

Fierté Montréal Festival is the largest 2SLGBTQIA+ gathering in the Francophone world. In addition to the city’s welcoming LGBTQ+ bars and hangouts, Montreal is putting on a star-studded show that’s focused on community and involvement. What is the theme for Montreal Pride this year? The 2026 parade theme “Shine Together!” celebrates the right of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community to grow, thrive, and love openly.  Montreal’s first Pride march was held in June 1979 to mark the 10th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising of 1969. La Brigade Rose organizers in Montreal drew 52 marchers in 1979. Forty years later, in 2019, total attendance at Montreal Pride topped 3 million. This summer’s festival features live in-person performances, concerts and activities on the Esplanade of the Olympic Park as well as in the 2SLGBTQIA+ Village.  What time is the Pride Parade in Montreal? The 2026 Pride parade is on Sunday, August 9 at 1 p.m. This 20th edition of Fierté runs from July 31 to August 9, 2026. What are the festival highlights? Expect major free shows with more than 200 artists. Free admission to all outdoor events in the 2SLGBTQIA+ Village and on the Esplanade of the Olympic Park.  Find Time Out's programming highlights below, and for the full programming visit fiertemtl.com. RECOMMENDED:Check out the best LGBTQ+ bars and clubs

Montréal est l’une des meilleures destinations LGBTQ+ au monde, offrant l’une des scènes de vie nocturne queer les plus animées au Canada. Des bars gais emblématiques du célèbre Village gai de Montréal aux bars inclusifs, terrasses sur les toits, soirées karaoké et spectacles de drag dans toute la ville, les occasions de sortir et de découvrir la culture LGBTQ+ ne manquent pas. Abritant l’un des plus grands Villages gais en Amérique du Nord, l’esprit inclusif de Montréal dépasse largement la rue Sainte-Catherine, avec des lieux queer-friendly et des événements LGBTQ+ organisés toute l’année. En 2026, le Village célèbre la 20e édition de sa promenade piétonne estivale d’un kilomètre, transformant le quartier en un vaste lieu de rassemblement extérieur animé avec près de 40 terrasses. RECOMMANDÉ :Festival Fierté Montréal 2026 : Guide essentiel Le guide complet des meilleurs bars à Montréal

Montreal is one of the world’s top LGBTQ+ destinations, offering some of the best queer nightlife in Canada. From iconic gay bars in Montreal’s historic Gay Village to inclusive clubs, rooftop terraces, karaoke nights, and drag shows across the city, there’s no shortage of LGBTQ+ places to explore. Home to one of North America’s largest Gay Villages, Montreal’s welcoming spirit extends far beyond Saint-Catherine Street, with queer-friendly venues and events happening year-round. In 2026, the Village celebrates the 20th edition of its one-kilometre-long summer pedestrian mall, transforming the neighbourhood into a vibrant outdoor gathering space with around 40 terrasses.  RECOMMENDED:Fierté Montreal 2026: Pride parade, events and datesThe best speakeasies and secret bars hidden in Montreal

Jeremy Dutcher is a classically trained tenor, Two-Spirit song carrier, polymuse, activist, ethnomusicologist, and member of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation) in Eastern Canada. With his debut album, Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa, Jeremy unearthed century-old archival recordings of his ancestors and turned them into collaborative compositions for the grand piano. Sung entirely in Wolastoqey, his endangered mother tongue, the album won the 2018 Polaris Music Prize and led to collaborations with iconic artists Yo-Yo Ma and Leslie Feist. His sophomore album Motewolonuwok (ᒣᑌᐧᐁᓓᓄᐧᐁᒃ) won the 2024 Polaris Music Prize, making Jeremy the first two-time recipient of the award. Dutcher proudly identifies as queer and Two-Spirit, was a guest judge on Season 3 of Canada’s Drag Race, was personally chosen by Elton John to perform at the 2026 Glenn Gould Prize Gala honouring Elton, and headlines Fierté Montreal’s Lumière des Nations concert at Le National on July 31. Check out: Montreal Pride 2026: your ultimate guide to parades, events and parties Montreal-based Dutcher sat down with Time Out Montreal for a candid Q&A. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jeremy Dutcher (@jdutchermusic) In your music and work, why do you address how colonization brought homophobia and transphobia to Indigenous peoples? Well, that’s something I deal with as a person. Naturally our work is a reflection of how we live in the world and where we come from, and I’m always grappling or thinki

Montreal rock royalty Melissa Auf der Maur has toured the world, documenting raw moments backstage, onstage, and in the crowd. The acclaimed musician, photographer, curator and producer best known as the former bassist of rock bands Hole and The Smashing Pumpkins, has published a memoir (dropping March 17, 2026) and is preparing for a solo photography exhibition in September. Born and raised in Montreal, daughter of iconic journalist and Montreal city councillor Nick Auf der Maur and renowned translator and dramaturg Linda Gaboriau, Auf der Maur says her star-studded and photo-filled memoir Even the Good Girls Will Cry (Da Capo Press) is “about the decade that defined me and my generation, 1991 to 2001, and my life in the rock bands which allowed me to have a front-row seat to an incredibly visceral and unforgettable moment in the counterculture.” The page-turner chronicles her bond with Billy Corgan, her romantic relationship with Dave Grohl, and her enduring friendship with rock icon Courtney Love. In 2010 Auf der Maur co-founded Basilica Hudson, a multidisciplinary art centre in Hudson, New York, where she lives with her husband, indie filmmaker Tony Stone and their daughter River. Check out: Guide to Montreal's best festivals 2026 Photograph: Even the Good Girls Will Cry Auf der Maur recently sat down for a candid Q&A on the eve of her world book tour, and ahead of her major solo exhibition Melissa Auf der Maur: My ‘90s Photographs opening in September 2026 at Toronto’s

Shining a light on a community of many noteworthy Black figures, comedy, dance and musical concerts are among the many highlights during the 35th annual Black History Month in Montreal.  What must-see events are there during Black History Month? This year’s theme is “Let’s raise our voices together” (Élevons nos voix ensemble), and we’ve rounded up some must-see 2026 Black History Month events to add to your list of the best things to do in Montreal right now. Read: Best indoor things to do in Downtown Montreal when it’s freezing cold Photograph: Black History Month 1. Les Ballets Africains Nuits d’Afrique presents iconic dance company Les Ballets Africains at Théâtre Maisonneuve on February 22. Recognized as the National Dance Company of the Republic of Guinea, the 35-member troupe performs with Guinean instruments and traditional costumes. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Place des Arts (@placedesarts) 2. All-Star Tribute to Sly and The Family Stone The Project Sly Collective presents the all-star Tribute to Sly and The Family Stone at Le Ministère on February 21. The Sly Stone tribute features Montreal soul music legends Alan Prater of The Brooks, Danny Blanco, Coco Thompson and Wayne Tennant, alongside the dynamic harmonies of Perpetual Praise Ministries, under the direction of musical maestro Ben Comeau. Photograph: Tribute to Sly and The Family Stone 3. The Underground Comedy Railroad The 14th edition of Canada’s only all-Black comedy tou

Three-time Juno Award winner Kim Richardson is one of the finest singers of her generation who has worked and sung with everybody from Céline Dion and Corey Hart to Barry White and Stevie Wonder. The daughter of Canadian stage legend Jackie Richardson, Kim moved to Montreal in 1988 where she became one of the most in-demand studio vocalists in the business, recording jingles and appearing on more than 550 albums. She also recorded two albums of her own, Kaléidoscope in 2006 and Mes Amours in 2011, regularly sings the anthems at Canadiens and Alouettes home games, and teaches one-on-one Private Study Jazz Vocal lessons at Concordia University’s Department of Music. But her first love remains performing live: Richardson stole the show as Motormouth Maybelle in the $3-million blockbuster French-language Montreal remount of Hairspray at Theatre St-Denis, regularly tours and appears on television, and headlined the free outdoor Mundo Disko concert at the Fierté Montréal Festival on August 2, 2025. The music legend sat down with Time Out Montreal for a candid Q&A. Photograph: Melany Bernier You were only 19 when you won a Juno in 1985—what stands out from that night? It was a pretty big deal for me because my date that evening was a guy that I had a hardcore crush on for years in high school! I did not expect to win the award, so when they called out my name, I was blown away. It was pretty surreal. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned in 40 years as a singer and what do you

Quebec drag and pop icon Mado Lamotte has done it all. Mado has posed for her own wax figure at the Grevin Wax Museum, hosted mega outdoor shows at Juste Pour Rire, recorded a pop music album, wrote the bestselling 2023 memoir Une Madographie, and runs the legendary Cabaret Mado drag nightclub in the Village. Famed for her sharp wit, Mado—a.k.a. former UQAM theatre student Luc Provost—is hitting the road with her new La Bitch Joyeuse Tour accompanied by her pianist Nick Burgess.  Mado recently sat down with Time Out Montreal for a candid Q&A about the world of drag and her love for Montreal.  Photograph: Martine Poulin You got your start as a shooter bitch and cigarette girl at Poodles and Club Lézard in Montreal in 1987. How has Mado changed over the years? I’ve been playing the role of Mado for 38 years. But Mado has changed and adapted with the times. Mado is not as provocative as she used to be because these days people just want to be happy and not reminded of the stupid man in the Oval office in the United States. We want to be entertained and forget about politics, forget about climate change, wars, all the drama. So I evolved with the people. I just want to make audiences happy, and that’s what we’ll be doing on this tour. What was it like to attend Wigstock with your drag sister Nana de Grèce in 1995? So many people took photos of us that we got flash burn! I was wearing a big wedding bell on my head. It was huge! And so funny. As we left our hotel I remember peopl

Shining a light on a community of many noteworthy Black figures, theatre, dance and musical concerts are among the many highlights during the 34th annual Black History Month in Montreal.  This year’s theme is “All That We Carry” (Tout ce que nous sommes), and we've rounded up some must-see 2025 Black History Month events to add to your list of the best things to do in Montreal right now. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mois de l'Histoire des Noirs / Black History Month (@moishistoiredesnoirs) 1. Queen of Rock n Roll The North American tour of TINA – The Tina Turner Musical about the extraordinary life and times of the Queen of Rock n Roll Tina Turner headlines Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts from February 4 to 9. Photograph: Manuel Harlan | TINA – The Tina Turner Musical 2. Black Theatre Workshop  Canada’s oldest professional Black theatre company, Black Theatre Workshop presents the English-language play Vierge which – with heart and humour – follows four Congolese-Canadian girls as they navigate Christianity, virginity and teenage hormones. Runs at the Segal Studio at the Segal Centre for the Performing Arts from February 12 to March 2. Photograph: Vierge 3. Nuits d’Afrique Productions Nuits d’Afrique presents several Black History Month concerts: Dalie Dandala (Congo) on February 2, Lerie Sankofa (Ivory Coast) on February 6, Jab Djab with Mello G (Trinidad and Tobago) on February 8, and Malian bluesman Samba Touré – protégé of th

One of Canada’s most beloved and revered guitarists, Steve Hill returned to his adopted hometown of Montreal to launch his new album Hanging On A String which was recorded in Los Angeles at Dave Grohl’s Studio 606. Born in Trois-Rivières in 1974, Hill began playing the bar circuit at age 16, turned pro a couple years later when he joined the legendary Bob Harrisson Blues Band before launching his award-winning solo career. Over the years, Hill has shared the stage with many of his heroes, including Ray Charles, B.B. King and Jeff Beck. Photograph: Scott Doubt Hill has released 12 albums since his 1997 solo debut, exploring everything from country and metal to jazz and the blues. Produced by 10-time Grammy winner Darrell Thorp (Foo Fighters, Radiohead, Paul McCartney), Hanging On A String features Hill’s one-man band in which he plays all the instruments at the same time. Photograph: Steve Hill Hanging On A String, released on November 1 and followed by a North American tour, included a much-anticipated Montreal “homecoming” show at the Beanfield Theatre featuring both Hill’s one-man-band and his iconic power trio. The music legend sat down with Time Out Montreal for a candid Q&A. What is the theme of your new album Hanging On A String?  If there’s a theme I think it would be perseverance. You know, the state of the music business, the state of the world, we just keep on keeping on no matter what. It’s a very personal record. You had a car accident in California last year.

Arts and culture journalist Richard “Bugs” Burnett knows Montreal like a drag queen knows a cosmetics counter. Montreal drag star Kiara is one of 12 finalists on RuPaul’s new show Canada’s Drag Race. But Kiara is not just competing to become “Canada’s First Drag Superstar” and win a $100,000 grand prize, she is also proud to represent Montreal’s LGBTQ+ BIPOC community to Drag Race fans around the world. “I discovered drag queens on RuPaul’s Drag Race before I was old enough to go into bars!” says 21-year-old Kiara, a.k.a. Dimitri Nana-Côté, born and raised in a biracial Quebec City family. “My mom is white and my dad is black, but when I was younger I didn’t have the same consciousness about being black – and queer – as I do today.” That changed when Kiara discovered Montreal. A former Concordia University film student, Kiara began performing drag full-time in 2019 and has become a regular headliner in Montreal’s Gay Village. “I’m really proud to be a black drag queen and have the full support of the drag community in Montreal,” says Kiara, who is also pleased to see the Pride movement aligning itself with Black Lives Matters. “Pride started with black women, black drag queens and trans women of colour. We need to acknowledge that. We must also acknowledge that without the black community, the queer movement would not be what it is today.” Kiara continues to deal with racism within the LGBTQ+ community. “When some (white) people hear my Québecois accent, they say stuff like,