Only after my first trip to Montreal, Canada, back in 2017, did I find out about their annual Mural Festival. For those just as in the dark as I was, Mural Festival is a week-long event featuring live music and an explosion of talented street artists from all over the world. They block off the streets and line them up with clothing and food vendors. Yes, murals created in real-time, and I had been in the city two-months too early to experience it!
After just missing what could be considered one of the best mural festivals in the northern hemisphere, I immediately planned to go back. Montreal breathes art. Street art can be found on almost every corner and hidden in every alley. The cleanliness of the streets, the convenience of traveling, and the people are a pleasure to be around. No wonder how one could love this place! Something about this city feels like home for me, even though I can’t speak a lick of French.
A language barrier is nothing Google Translate isn’t able to fix. So, I booked my flight, reserved my room, charged up the Nikon, and I can now cross Mural Festival 2018 off my bucket list. I even had the opportunity of helping an artist, Cécile Gariépy, on her circus-themed bus mural. You see the final result and recap the 2018 Mural Festival below.
Advice for attending future Mural Festivals, you’ll want to stay as many days as possible. I wasn’t able to experience all seven days of the festival, missing the final reveals of all the murals. Seeing a lot of half-painted murals was fun, but would have been better seeing them completed.
