Montreal Pride may have had its problems, but the Black & Blue LGBTQ+ Festival, running from October 6 to 10, is making sure that its 31st edition will run smoothly. “After the postponement of the 2020 and 2021 editions due to the health constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the conditions are now in place for the return of Black & Blue this year with great enthusiasm, because we will present the main event of the Festival in a truly unique spectacular venue for us, with a very innovative concept”, says Robert J. Vezina, the President of the BBCM Foundation. The main event, "Black & Blue 360°" at La TOHU, Montreal's Circus Arts City, on Sunday October 9, from 10pm to 8am Monday morning, will be a multidisciplinary circular concept with a central 360° stage in an immersive 360° hall. Electronic music with mergy with performances under the artistic direction of Louis Guillemette, an artist, designer and teacher at the National Circus School. The emphasis is on Montreal DJs, many of which had been engaged for the 30th anniversary edition in 2021 that was postponed. The organizing committee says, "We believe that the current context, in particular due to several challenges coming out of the pandemic, is ideal to support such a decision, especially since all DJs, artists and cultural workers have suffered particularly since March 2020. But we will also be adding new talents this year such as top-quality performances in dance and circus arts.”
A partial list of DJs includes DJ Alain Jackinsky, DJ Ian Key, DJ Lady McCoy, DJ Luc Raymond, DJ Maus (of Waxx), DJs St-Denis (DJ duo Alain Vinet & Steve Aries), DJ Stéfane Lippé, and DJ Stephan Grondin. The following events are scheduled with more to be added:
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6
• VIP LAUNCH COCKTAIL with the COMMITTEE and PARTNERS at LE NORMANDIE tavern, DJ DanYUL
• TWINKLE EVENING with disco-pop karaoke theme, sponsored by Sauna G.I. Joe, at LE NORMANDIE tavern
• AFTER-TWINKLE at G.I. Joe
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7
• COCKTAIL 6 to 9 hosted by MAISON PLEIN COEUR at BAR LE COCKTAIL
• BLACK & BLUE LEATHER BALL at the LION D’OR, sponsored by Sauna G.I. Joe, presented by BBCM in collaboration with Pitbull Events and District Events, DJ Ashley Gauthier and DJ Chris Mortagua
• AFTER-LEATHER BALL at G.I. Joe
SATURDAY, 8 OCTOBER
• LGBTQ+ DODGEBALL sports tournament by RATONS CHASSEURS Montréal : facebook.com/lesratonschasseurs
• HAPPY HOUR (5 to 10) ‘UNIFORM’ BLACK & BLUE at STUD BAR, DJ Rémi Trottier and DJ André Morin
• DISTRICT PARTY at CLUB SODA presented by District Events in collaboration with BBCM and Pitbull Events, DJ Paskal Daze and DJ Aron
Several other affiliated activities are organized during the Festival, including visits to the McCord Museum, meals at Restaurant Le Saloon, visits to Club La Cité (official gym). There will also be a promotional Black & Blue pre-party at Bar La Fierté at Camping Fierté on September 24th. The host hotel is DoubleTree by Hilton Montréal at Complexe Desjardins and participants can obtain reductions via www.bbcm.org/en/black-and-blue/travel
It should also be noted that the BBCM Foundation is organizing during the same weekend, from October 7 to 9, a major free and general public component called the CARNAVAL DES COULEURS, whose main outdoor stage will be at the Quartier des Spectacles for the first time this year: www.carnavaldescouleurs.org
You can already get the Week-end VIP passes and the Festival VIP passes, the combo ticket for the three major evenings (LA TOHU main event, Leather Ball at the Lion d'or and District Party at Club Soda), as well as the individual tickets for Black & Blue 360° (regular and VIP) on the BBCM Foundation website https://bbcm.org/black-and-blue/tickets-passes/ Please note that the VIP status at the main event gives access to a free coat check at La Tohu and access to the VIP lounge overlooking the circular dance floor with snacks and fruit. For more information: www.bbcm.org or the facebook.com/FondationBBCM page or by email: information@bbcm.org
The Black & Blue Festival 2022 benefits from the support of multiple partners and sponsors: the grant partners Tourism Québec and Tourism Montréal, as well as the following private and/or community partners: Magazine Fugues, Air Canada, A&U America’s AIDS Magazine, Inspired Media / The Buzz Toronto, Edge Media USA, Pitbull Events, BOI Magazine Chicago, Pink Banana Media USA, Club La Cité, District Events, MyGayToronto, Gay Calgary Magazine, Shaun Proulx Media Toronto, Sauna G.I. Joe, Boutique Armada Men’s Room, Canal M – Vues et Voix radio, Winter Party Miami, Outlook TV, Gay Van (Vancouver), Magazine La Scena Musicale, Restaurant Le Saloon, McCord-Stewart Museum, Tavern Le Normandie, Pride Montréal, Quartier Latin medical clinic, Maison Plein Coeur, Dan Saycool video production, RJV Communications – public relations & special events, The Walrus Magazine Toronto, Rivendell Media USA – The LGBT Media Company, GRIP (Pyschosocial research and intervention group), Dominion T-Shirts, Festival du Nouveau Cinéma de Montréal, Sauna Oasis, Sauna Centre-Ville, Aura Web Solutions, Paskulin Design, Nexus Radio USA, EMQ, DoubleTree by Hilton Montréal, Ratons Chasseurs Dodgeball and CISM 89.3 FM.
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