Canada Day heat: 31° feels, Cirque by the water, Jazz Fest all night

Happy Canada Day. We're looking at 23°C that'll feel more like 31° out there—mostly cloudy, but a heat warning's in effect, so plan accordingly. UV's running high at 9.0, which means sunscreen and a hat if you're heading outside for the day. You've got until 8:47 PM before sunset, so there's plenty of daylight to work with.

Most of the city's shut down today—it's a statutory holiday—so favour the things that are actually running: parks, the water, anything that gets you out. If you're driving anywhere, keep an eye on lane réaménagement around town.

Tonight's where it gets good. Cirque du Soleil: Echo is running at Jacques Cartier Pier at 5 PM—right by the water, which'll be nice as the day cools down. If live jazz is your thing, Mercredi Live Jazz X Terrasse is going at Le Balcon at 6 PM. The Jazz Fest is full steam all night, so you can drift between stages and find whatever mood you're in—sultry blues, cutting-edge improv, whatever calls to you. Les Misérables is on at the Theatre St. Denis at 7:30 if you want theatre, and Melody Gardot's at Wilfrid-Pelletier the same time if you want something more intimate.

Food-wise, there's good intel floating around on standout seafood spots if you're looking to sit down for dinner. A few Montreal restaurants cracked North America's top 50 recently too, so if you want to splurge on something special, there's options. Just scope out what's actually open today before you head out—holiday hours can be unpredictable.

Keep the heat in mind: drink water, find shade between outings, and don't leave anything in the car. The warning's there for a reason. But honestly, it's a day to be outside, catch some live music or a show, eat something good, and feel like you're actually in the city—not just passing through it.

Stay cool. See you out there.