September in Montreal

There's still time to sign up for the Montreal Marathon, chamber rock is taking over mid-month followed by organs, Matthieu Ricard has something to say, it's time to unwind at Aveda, and I'm particularly excited about the musings of Les escales improbables de Montréal, a weekend of unscheduled artistic manifestations scattered throughout the Old Port.

M for Montreal showcases aRTIST oF tHE yEAR and asks Misstress Barbara to sing, but Piknic prefers the Misstress spin. Piknic's Labor day weekend also features possibly my favorite DJ of all DJs, a man who could trick a roomful of hardened hipsters into dancing to Britney. Later in the month, DeadMau5 dons Metropolis, so does Regina Spektor , Metallica fills the Bell Centre and Juliette Lewis is proposing a new set of songs at the tiny Il Motore so buy your tickets now (or not, show is cancelled)! Other highlights include Moby, D.I.M., She Wants Revenge and Busdriver. And finally, September closes shop with Bajofondo, a POP Montreal presentation.

The Redpath Museum resumes its Sunday science workshops about everything from volcanoes to dinosaurs, apple picking via train is a sure kid pleaser, Les journées de la culture offers families a full weekend to explore hundreds of free performances, demos and workshops and even POP Montreal proposes a weekend just for kids.

Ismaël Mouaraki's troupe Destins Croisés will perform outdoors for free during Transatlantique Montréal's 7th edition, Cirque Éloize's Nebbia is back for a few days at Place des Arts, and if Jury Duty wasn't enough for you, then consider a night of Pauly Shore live, at Club Soda.

The Montreal Botanical Garden is lighting up its Chinese lanterns again, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts' Frederick Back exhibit is wrapping up, World Press Photo is on through September, and there's still more exhibits around town in your guide to Montreal Museums.