The Black and Blue Festival is one of Montreal’s longest-running festivals supporting the gay community.
Montreal will be thrilled to be able to hold the 31st edition of the Black and Blue Festival on Thanksgiving weekend starting October Thursday, October 6th to Sunday, October 9th, 2022. With Covid out of the way and two years later, the Black and Blue Festival will once again get members of the LGBT and heterosexual communities together to raise funds for the battle against HIV/AIDS. Nothing is better than being able to party all night long into the wee hours of the morning and helping out a worthy cause.
This year’s Black and Blue Festival has added the moniker “360” to its name to reflect the incredible venue hosting the main event party on Sunday, October 9th. The Black and Blue festival will continue its tradition of inviting world-renowned DJs who mix alongside many of Quebec’s favorite DJs. Circus-style performances will also take place at the different venues throughout the whole weekend adding to the overall visual experience. Street art will be on full display by local artists and cultural artists from within the gay community. Black and Blue is a celebration of life and the gay community that is open to all who love an enjoyable time regardless of their sexual orientation.
Thursday October 6th
GET THE PARTY STARTED
The Black and Blue Festival kicks off on Thursday, October 6th with a VIP Launch Party that begins at 6:00 pm with plenty of cocktails to warm you up. DJ Danyul will be the DJ setting the vibe for the evening. At 9:00 pm the “Twinkle Evening” begins where the brave and talented can participate in karaoke all the while listening to disco and pop classics throughout the night. These two events will take place at Le Normandie found in the Village of Montreal. There will be an after party for those who think sleeping is passe at Sauna GI Joe which is also found in the Village.
Friday October 7th
BREAK OUT THE LEATHER
The action keeps happening on Friday and begins with a 6 to 9 happy hour to raise funds for La Maison Plein Coeur at LE Cocktail bar. La Maison Plein Coeur is a non-profit social service organization that helps those suffering from HIV/AIDs. Once your feeling nice and toasty you can head over to the Cabaret Lion D’Or on Ontario Street for the “Leather Ball.” You will be spoiled with more than the amazing musical stylings of DJ Ashley Gauthier and DJ Mortagua but will also get to watch amazing burlesque/circus-style performances that live up to the cabaret name. There will be plenty of leather ad if you plan on heading to this event, it is strongly encouraged you to dress for the occasion.
Saturday October 8th
UNIFORMS AND BURLESQUE
Another happy hour starts at 5 pm at LE Stud in the village where you can make donations at the door and participate in gift raffles. The theme will be uniformed, and you can bet to see plenty of police officers, firefighters, doctors, and more to stimulate your senses. At 10:00 pm the “District Party” starts at Club Soda on St. Laurent boulevard and will feature DJ Paskal Dazer and DJ Aron behind the turntables. Club Soda is a concert venue which means you can expect performances of all natures to take place on stage and around you.
Sunday October 9th
THE MAIN EVENT
The main event, Black and Blue 360 will give new and old festival goers an experience they will never forget. Starting at 10:00 pm on Sunday, October the 9th at La Tohu Cites des Arts Cirque near Iberville metro station you will get to the party until eight am the next day. It is going to be a long night, but it is going to be an incredible one with only Montreal-based DJs spinning all night long. Performing their favorite licks will be DJs Alain Jackinsky, Alain Vinet, Ian Key, Lady Mccoy, Luc Raymond, Maus, Stefan Lippe, Stephan Grondin, and Steve Aries.
The main event will also display a 360-degree screen that will surround the dance floor playing music videos, and art installations throughout the night. On top of that, there will also be drag shows, burlesque, and acrobatic performances taking place all night long. It will be unequivocally the best way to end the Black and Blue Festival with a party of this scale.
How the Black and Blue Festival began
The Black and Blue Festival began as a small eight-hundred-person party to raise awareness and funds for the fight against HIV/Aids and has grown to host over eighty thousand people over the weekend. It is an event that attracts visitors from around the world and has generated over 450 million dollars from tourism and the spending that comes with it.
The Black and Blue Festival is more than just a series of events and has become a no-profit organization raising over 1.4 million dollars for their cause. It is one of the largest Festival fundraisers in the world that centers on the gay community and culture. Ultimately the funds raised benefit both gay and straight people because HIV/AIDS afflicts everyone without prejudice.
Montreal continues to be a world leader when it comes to acceptance and partying at the same time. Montrealnightlife can help you plan your trip to our great city by booking your flights and hotels at incredible rates because of connections in the hospitality industry. We are proud to support this event and its cause.
