Mount-Royal Park celebrates 150 years with over 70 events
From symphony orchestras to immersive cemetery walks to ice time with the Victoire, the city is marking the mountain's milestone with a sprawling summer and year-round program.
On Monday, the City of Montreal unveiled programming for Mount-Royal Park's 150th anniversary — a sprawling celebration designed to draw Montrealers back to the mountain that has anchored the city's collective identity for a century and a half.
More than 70 activities are planned across this summer, fall, and into next year. They range from public-art installations to guided hikes, outdoor yoga, musical performances, lectures, and skating with Montréal Victoire players. Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada framed the anniversary as both a celebration and a commitment.
"For 150 years, Mount-Royal Park has brought Montrealers together and holds a unique place in our collective history," she said. "This anniversary is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our mountain, to reaffirm our commitment to protecting it and ensuring its vitality for future generations."
A public-art exhibit — about 20 artworks and 50 archival images — was inaugurated Monday, primarily at the monument to Sir George-Étienne Cartier, Beaver Lake pavilion, the Smith House, and the Mount-Royal chalet. The images and pieces trace the park's cultural and historical significance.
Key events include:
**This summer:** Pop Spirit, a 2.5-hour yoga session on the Kondiaronk belvedere (June 6); a Heritage Montreal guided walk focusing on two iconic landmarks (June 13); Marie Chouinard en Caravane, a performance by 11 dancers (June 18); and a symphony orchestra performance led by Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Orchestre Métropolitain (August 5).
**Fall and beyond:** Ancestra Lumina, an immersive nighttime two-kilometre walk through the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery highlighting Quebec's history and culture; and free skating with Montréal Victoire players at the Jeanne-Mance rink (winter 2027).
The anniversary programming reflects a deliberate effort to connect the mountain's natural and historical importance to contemporary city life. The park, designated a heritage site in 2005, draws thousands of Montrealers daily — hikers, picnickers, families, joggers. Yet many residents have never attended an organized event there or learned its deeper story.
This lineup is designed to change that. By pairing high-profile cultural moments (the orchestra, the dance performances) with intimate experiences (guided hikes, yoga at sunrise), the city is creating multiple entry points for different communities to engage with the mountain.
Full programming details and registration information are available at 150montroyal.ca.