Montreal's NDG marks 150 years with Patrimoine en fête celebration on Monkland Avenue
Notre-Dame-de-Grâce's heritage festival brings nearly 20 activities, tours, and community memory projects to the pedestrianized street this weekend.
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Montreal's Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighbourhood turned Monkland Avenue into a living archive of its past Saturday, as residents and visitors gathered for Patrimoine en fête—a free annual heritage celebration marking the neighbourhood's 150th anniversary.
The event pedestrianized Monkland between Wilson and Melrose avenues, hosting nearly 20 activities including hands-on workshops, guided architecture tours, heritage displays, and demonstrations. The Société d'histoire de Notre-Dame-de-Grâce displayed photographs, objects, and anecdotes from the neighbourhood's past. Héritage Montréal offered activities centred on NDG's built heritage, while the City's Heritage Division highlighted its conservation work.
Beyond the backward look, residents became part of the historical record itself. Bienvenue à NDG invited the community to create a time capsule to be opened in 25 years, when the neighbourhood marks its 175th anniversary. The NDG Art Hive's "NDG Memories" project collected personal memories from residents, which will be transformed into artwork for an exhibition and digital book.
"Heritage is not limited to buildings that are centuries old," said Andréanne Moreau, the City's executive committee member responsible for culture, heritage, design and the French language. "Patrimoine is an event that's traveling from one borough to another every year." She noted that with thousands of newcomers arriving annually, preserving the city's history—and creating space for new communities to leave their own mark—is especially important. "Heritage can also be 50 years ago, 40 years ago. So everyone can leave its trace."
Patrimoine en fête moves to a different Montreal neighbourhood annually to highlight the city's built and living heritage. NDG's 150th anniversary gave this year's event a particularly local focus, bringing together community organizations, artists and residents to explore how the neighbourhood has changed and what continues to make it home.
At a glance
Where did Patrimoine en fête take place?
Patrimoine en fête took place on Monkland Avenue in Montreal's Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighbourhood, specifically between Wilson and Melrose avenues, which was pedestrianized for the event.
What is the time capsule project at the event?
Bienvenue à NDG invited the community to create a time capsule during Patrimoine en fête that will be opened in 25 years, when Notre-Dame-de-Grâce marks its 175th anniversary.
How often does Patrimoine en fête happen in the same neighbourhood?
Patrimoine en fête moves to a different Montreal neighbourhood annually, so it does not return to the same neighbourhood each year.
