In the heart of Montreal’s downtown, the 21st edition of Nuit Blanche, a marquee event within the Montréal en Lumière Festival, unfolded like a vibrant nocturnal odyssey. This annual all-night affair transformed the city into a kaleidoscopic playground for an estimated 250,000 festival-goers.

 

“What’s your creative fantasy?”

The 2024 edition posed a tantalizing question: “What’s your creative fantasy?” The answer unfolded throughout the night in the form of art, poetry, dance, games, cinema and much more, transforming the city into a playground for the imagination. Here, we highlight some standout moments and activities from the night.

Pulsating energy and lively crowds

The city pulsed with excitement, drawing in crowds seeking activities and artistic exploration. The Quartier des Spectacles area emerged as a vibrant hub, hosting food stalls, art installations and live DJs who kept the energy levels soaring. The atmosphere was electric, creating an immersive experience for all who wandered through the lively streets.

The SAT: a musical marathon under the Dome

One standout event was the musical marathon at the Société des Arts Technologiques (SAT), curated by the Music Is My Sanctuary team. A dozen DJs exclusively spun vinyl records, celebrating the essence of music in its purest form. The SAT dome became a dance floor where locals and visitors alike moved to the beats.

For gamers, Café SAT and Ubisoft offered a virtual reality experience with the Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR game.

Roller Disco in unlikely places

Nuit Blanche 2024 brought disco fantasies to life, and the Goethe-Institut, typically a quiet library, turned into an unexpected roller disco. Attendees glided through the stacks on roller skates, immersing themselves in the rhythm of disco hits from Germany and internationally. The library also doubled as a learning space, offering free roller skating lessons.

The disco spirit extended beyond the library, with various events across the city, including a Skating Disco, that blended the thrill of ice skating with the groovy beats of disco.

Encandré: art and music

If there’s rollerblading in a library, why not have the chance to dance in an art gallery? The 2nd Edition of Encadré at the Wishbone Art Gallery invited attendees to dance amidst illuminated paintings, accompanied by the sounds of various Montreal DJs.

Skating through the night

For those enchanted by the idea of gliding gracefully through the night, Nuit Blanche offered a plethora of opportunities with multiple skating rinks staying open for the event. The Old Port Skating Rink, for instance, hosted an immersive, luminous show inspired by the aurora borealis. Contemporary Inuit sounds transformed the rink into a visual and musical symphony, celebrating “Nordic magic” with four enchanting shows.

All images are courtesy of Nuit Blanche.