POP Montreal

The Link’s guide to POP hoppin’

Fringe ArtsAshley Opheim — Published September 28, 2010

POP Montreal is in its ninth year and to those in the know, it is arguably the best festival in Canada.

POP is continually evolving and is never afraid to try something new. It is a festival where you can literally be at one show, hold your breath, run outside in any direction and be at another show before you have to gasp for air. It is also one of the greatest opportunities you will have to discover new music.

The festival is a five-day celebration of being alive. The best thing about POP is that, although it is an incredible music festival, it’s not all about the music. This festival also opens its arms to arts and crafts, film, literature and a kick-ass community.

New to Montreal? This special insert will familiarize you with the festival and will open your mind to what it offers to those of us lucky enough to be around during this time of year.

The festival is spread out across the city—reaching from the depths of Griffintown to the Mile End. To make the most of your POP Montreal experience, I have a few suggestions:

• Commute via bicycle. If you don’t own a bike, BIXI is always ready to be your friend. If you don’t know how to ride a bike or are feeling lazy, the Metro will do just fine.

• Make sure to team up with your coolest, most outgoing friends. If you don’t have any friends, that’s okay. Head out anyways and make some! POP goers are famously drunk and friendly.

• Rest up in the next couple days to ensure that you’ll have the energy to spend the evening fluttering from venue to venue to after party.

• Put on your dancing shoes, fill your pockets with confetti and head out to conquer Montreal.

—Ashley Opheim,
Fringe Arts Editor

This article originally appeared in Volume 31, Issue 07, published September 28, 2010.