St. Jean Baptiste: 'This is a lot of fun!'

FEEL-GOOD FETE UNDER QUEBEC-BLUE SKIES: Benjamin Bois, 12, captures the spirit of yesterday's Fête nationale parade, which featured marching bands, Chinese dragon dancers, samba marchers and tributes to French colonists. Photograph by: PHIL CARPENTER, THE GAZETTE, The Gazette

From The Montreal Gazette:

Alexander Peykov, a computer-savvy 20-year-old who grew up in eastern Europe, took a pass on Quebec's annual feel-good festivities for a very good reason indeed, his mother explained yesterday while taking in the sights along the sun-drenched route of this year's Fête nationale parade in Montreal.

"He's very busy studying for his Cisco Systems certification," Kitka Peykova, 42, explained.

"It's very important and there is very much material he has to cover," she added, as her husband, Plamen Peykov, 43, made sure to grab digital shots of every float, trailer and marching band that came by on Sherbrooke St. E., "to show Alexander."

"This is a lot of fun!" daughter Tsvetomira, 14, chimed in.

Read more ....

Sovereignists Heckle Lake Of Stew At L'Autre St. Jean

A sovereignist flips the bird during Lake of Stew's performance at L'Autre St. Jean concert on June 23, 2009. Photograph by: Vincenzo D'Alto, The Gazette

From The Montreal Gazette:

MONTREAL - A small but vocal group of Jeunes Patriotes tried to disrupt an anglo group playing at St. Jean Baptiste festivities at Pelican Park in Rosemont Tuesday night, but was met mostly with disdain by those in the audience, and the anglo band Lake of Stew played on to cheers.

A group of six or seven young men, some appearing inebriated, began chanting "en français" and tooting fog horns and beating on drums.

One protester climbed a security rail beside the stage and shouted, "We told you this would happen!" and "Get off the stage!"

Read more ....

Update: Cheers drown out jeers for anglo bands at Montreal Fête nationale concert -- CBC

St. Jean Baptist -- What is Open / Closed / Activities For The Day

Many businesses and government services will be closed or operate on different hours for the St. Jean Baptiste holiday.

Here is a partial list of those affected:

All banks will be closed tomorrow but open today.
All federal and provincial government offices, including immigration and unemployment centres, will be closed tomorrow.

Most city of Montreal departments, including Access Montreal offices, will be closed tomorrow. Many services in other municipalities are reduced; consult your city hall for details.

Most supermarkets will be open tomorrow but operating hours may vary. Many retail stores will be closed.

Most Société des alcools du Québec stores will be closed.

There will be garbage, curbside recycling and large-item pickup in some districts of Montreal. Many boroughs have altered their schedules, however. Contact your borough.

Montreal Municipal Court, at 775 Gosford St., will be closed.

The Biodôme, Botanical Garden and Insectarium will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Planetarium will be open today from 12:30 to 5 p.m. and tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Pointe à Callière museum of archeology will be closed today, but open tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Bonsecours Market (350 St. Paul St. E.) will be open today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Atwater, Jean Talon and Maisonneuve public markets will be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. All public markets will operate according to regular schedules.

Montreal arenas, swimming pools, sports centres, libraries and cultural venues will operate according to schedules set by the boroughs. For information, check with the venue or confirm schedules in each borough at www.ville.montreal.qc.ca

In Laval, most municipal services, including libraries, are closed today and tomorrow. There are some exceptions: For example, garbage and recycling will be picked up according to the regular schedule. For a complete list, visit the website www.ville.laval.qc.ca

Montreal Transit Corp. buses and métro trains will operate on a holiday schedule tomorrow, but métro service will be increased to meet demand. Bicycles will be prohibited on the métro system all day. Several bus routes will also be modified at night. For information, call 514-288-6287, or consult www.stm.info

The Metropolitan Transit Agency will operate the Montreal/Dorion-Rigaud and Montreal/Deux Montagnes commuter trains on a Sunday schedule tomorrow but on a normal schedule today. There will be no service on the Montreal/Blainville-St. Jérôme, Montreal/Mont St. Hilaire or Montreal/Delson-Candiac lines. Call

514-287-8726 or visit the website www.amt.qc.ca for more information.

Laval Transit Corp. buses will run on a Sunday schedule tomorrow. Call 450-688-6520 for information.

In Longueuil, most buses will operate on a Sunday schedule tomorrow. For details, call 450-463-0131 or visit www.rtl-longueuil.qc.ca

Parking meters will remain in operation.

There will be no regular collection or delivery of mail tomorrow. Post offices will be closed. Privately owned retail postal outlets will be open, according to the operating hours of those businesses.

The Montreal Exchange will be closed tomorrow but the Toronto Stock Exchange will be open.