Évenement
From Friday, August 21, through Sunday, August 23, 2026, come and be enchanted by the 15th edition of the Marionnettes Plein la rue Festival, presented by Desjardins!
Over the course of this weekend, Promenade Wellington will be transformed into a true open-air theater featuring shows, performances, workshops, and installations—all completely free.
From traditional puppets to the most contemporary creations—sometimes poetic, sometimes surprising—the festival celebrates the full richness of this living art form. It’s a unique opportunity to discover the art of puppetry and be amazed, no matter your age.
EVENT DETAILS
SCHEDULE
Friday, August 21: 4 pm to 9 pm
Saturday, August 22: 9:30 am to 5 pm
Sunday, August 23: 10 am to 5 pm
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HOW TO GET TO THE EVENT :
🟢 BY METRO - De l'Église station, Wellington exit (green line)
🚌 BY BUS - Lines 12, 37, 38, 71, 61 and 350
🚴 BY BIKE OR BIXI - Several bike paths and BIXI stations nearby. Bike parking available on the street.
🚗 BY CARPOOLING - There are several parking lots nearby, including the Éthel multi-level parking garage with 260 spaces. (4000 Éthel Street, accessible via De l'Église Street)
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♿️ ACCESSIBILITÉ - Plusieurs stationnements et débarcadères aux abords de la rue pour les personnes à mobilité réduite.
This year, more than 40 free performances await you, presented by local theater companies and one company from Spain, for the enjoyment of young and old alike.
Outdoor theater experiences that amaze, bring people together, and thrill the whole family!
Park behind the presbytery of the Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs Church.
Access via Galt Street
Workshop
Come help spread some magic along Promenade Wellington!
Join us on Friday, August 21 to let your creativity run wild and make one of the lanterns that will light the way for the first Light Parade of the Marionnettes Plein la Rue Festival. The parade is scheduled to begin that evening at 8 p.m. No artistic skills required!
No registrations; first come, first served.
Two one-hour workshops.
*Please note that for the 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. workshop, you’ll need to leave your lantern at the storage area and pick it up for the 8:00 p.m. parade.
Photo credit: Chantal Levesque
Starting from corner Galt / Wellington
Mobile performance
Five multicolored, luminous giants invite you to a spectacular celebration where everyone is welcome!
Parading brilliantly through the city, the Technicolores sweep the crowd up in a whirlwind of music and light. These giant puppets perform wild dance moves where every movement lights up the space, and every color reflects the joy of the moment.
No matter where you’re from or who you are, join the parade and dance with us under a sky ablaze with a thousand lights!
Duration: 45 minutes
Starting from corner Galt / Wellington
Mobile performance
The Burning BRASs Band is a feminist brass and percussion band whose mission is to increase the visibility of women and people of diverse genders in the local music scene.
With arrangements infused with festive and exhilarating funk, the Burning BRASs Band reimagines various classics from the popular music repertoire as well as some landmark pieces from the local brass band tradition!
The group will accompany Les Technicolores during their performance at 8 p.m.!
Duration: 45 minutes
Small lot by the presbytery of the Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs church
Storytime
A literary activity presented by BAnQ and Noë Cropsal, a renowned puppeteer.
Come listen to funny, touching, or whimsical stories that will delight your ears and eyes with entertaining, animated books.
Between 2:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., you can also enjoy a reading corner featuring a selection of books of all genres from BAnQ’s collections.
Duration: 30 minutes
Wellington Public Place | In front of 4155 Wellington
Stationary Performance
A three-act comedy featuring objects, puppets, and paper.
Admit it! You’ve dreamed of turning that pesky wrapping paper into something fantastic.
You’ve tried, on a full moon night, to catch the musicians living inside your old stereo off guard. But above all—and you probably don’t dare admit it—you’re an unsung hero of Broadway’s greatest stages! So don’t hesitate—come see this zany opera (which isn’t really one)!
Duration: 35 minutes
Between 1st and 2nd Avenue
Street performance
Livraison Gratuite is both a street performance for audiences of all ages and an environmentally conscious sculptural work.
This interactive performance seeks to highlight the vast amounts of waste and garbage produced by our consumer society through a playful and modern presentation.
Together, the habitable puppets and dancers bring to life the debris that is so familiar to us through endearing and spectacular characters.
Duration: 25 minutes
Starting from corner Galt / Wellington
Mobile performance
Jacques & Zèbrelle, live-action puppets on stilts, come from an imaginary world inspired by surrealism and romanticism. Jacques, an oversized character with a rhinoceros head, and his zebra-headed sidekick are accompanied by Lutrin, an acrobat who moves around on a tricycle to music.
The two protagonists, standing 10 feet tall, wander to festive and lively rhythms. Their heads, meticulously crafted from recycled materials, make them true living works of art!
Duration: 30 minutes
Park behind the presbytery of the Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs Church.
Access via Galt Street
Stationary Performance
The Bellhop, inspired by the golden age of the big hotels, where the bellhop jumped to the sound of the bell.
For the employees, the receptionist and the bellhop,
a clumsy and lazy puppet, every day is the same
day. A day’s work... but the visit of a demanding and refined customer will change the day.
Humour and poetry in a show for all audiences.
Duration : 40 minutes
Between Regina and Hickson streets
Street performance
Dompter la Bête (''Taming the Beast'') immerses the audience in an imaginary world where a relationship unfolds between three entities that discover one another, respond to one another, depend on one another, and transform one another.
Through them, a part of ourselves is brought into play. Our inner beast, perhaps.
Our struggles, our contradictions, our sometimes excessive need to control everything.
The production oscillates between humor, poetry, majesty, audacity, and gentle madness.
Duration: 40 minutes
Quai 5160 - Maison de la culture de Verdun
Indoor performance
“Canzona Furioso” is a new production: a free, wordless adaptation of Olivier Kemeid’s ''Furioso'', staged in 2021.
This modern epic, which plunges us into a medieval world by drawing on the chivalric quest and the imagination of fairy tales while subverting stereotypes, loudly and proudly champions the power of fantasy—which is not so far removed from madness.
Orlando, a knight from the North, and Abderam, a knight from the South, are both in love... with a Chinese princess, Yuhuan. Held captive by the Northern camp, Yuhuan managed to escape. Orlando and Abderam, ever the carefree souls, abandon the war raging between their armies and set out in search of her!
What follows are a thousand and one adventures, featuring a hippogriff, a killer whale, and a sorceress who HATES princesses.
Duration : 60 minutes
Tickets available for 7$ via the link below
Secret location! Announced one hour before performances
Lambe Lambe – Puppet Shows in Tiny Booths
Lambe Lambe is a form of miniature theater for one person at a time, presented inside a scenic box. The audience approaches, looks inside, and discovers a stage where images, sounds, and mechanisms come to life, while the puppeteer, on the other side, controls the lighting and set changes.
In *Vélorution*, this box becomes a street dominated by cars, where a cyclist—Claire Morissette—appears. Through this interactive setup, the audience is invited to pedal to set the story in motion and trigger actions inspired by the struggles of the collective Le Monde à bicyclette, which was active in Montreal from 1975 to 1999.
Duration: 3 minutes
Secret location! Announced one hour before performances
Lambe Lambe – Puppet Shows in Tiny Booths
“Gardiennes” is a journey into the inner world of the spider—a creature that is feared, misunderstood, and, deep down, benevolent.
''When I was a child, my mother used to tell me that spiders were the ones who brought the mail home. I also like to imagine them as collectors, providing refuge for lost objects—precious items that sometimes slip through the cracks and disappear from our homes.''
In this box, we discover the lives of these creatures that take care of things. We don’t have to fear what we don’t understand… Accompanied live on the accordion, with melodies that are both mysterious and inviting.
Duration: 4 minutes
Small lot by the presbytery of the Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs church
Workshop
The BAnQ invites you to a puppet-making workshop tied to its summer theme: the 50th anniversary of the Montreal Olympic Games and/or the World Cup.
The activity will run continuously and is open to children under 13 and their parents.
Quai 5160 - Maison de la culture de Verdun
5160, Boul. LaSalle
Come discover the “Marionnettes en Cabinettes” project created by members of La Corporation L’Espoir, a nonprofit organization in Greater Montreal that supports people with autism or intellectual disabilities and their families.
These short pieces, each lasting between one and three minutes, were created at Quai 5160-Maison de la culture as part of a cultural outreach project. For a full week leading up to the start of the Marionettes Plein la rue Festival, five members of La Corporation L’Espoir were mentored by visual artists and puppeteers Mélanie Baillairgé and Elisabeth Bosquet.
As part of the festival, they are presenting their short puppet theater piece to the public in their “Cabinette”—a cardboard box that houses a world designed for just one audience member at a time!
This cultural outreach project is organized by Les Cabinettes in collaboration with Quai 5160-Maison de la culture de Verdun, and is made possible thanks to financial support from the Government of Quebec and the City of Montreal as part of the Montreal Cultural Development Agreement.
*Seating is very limited.
Passes are available for free on-site, or online for $2 via the link below.
**Children under 8 accompanied by an adult (who holds a ticket) do not need a pass to attend the event.
Epiphany Church Grounds | 4322 Wellington
Stationary Performance
Stuck in their daily grind, the two cashiers at the local grocery store daydream about a better life. A life full of possibilities where carrots dance, soy sauce pines for love, and the sun tastes like pineapple! A life of freedom and synchronized swimming!
Trapped in a routine they know inside and out, these women express their dreams, their aspirations, their need for recognition, and their thirst for freedom through an epic tale in which everyday objects serve as escape routes from their weariness.
Duration: 30 minutes
Starting corner Galt / Wellington
Mobile performance
Grande Ourse (''The Great Bear'') is a roaming performance in which people of all ages can have the opportunity to witness and experience this encounter with the marvelous—from a distance, up close, or very close up.
Duration: 30 minutes
Small lot by the presbytery of the Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs church
Workshop
As part of the festival, Desjardins invites children to take a moment to create their own moving insect out of folded paper. By assembling a simple mechanism, participants will bring their creation to life and watch its wings flutter as they move it.
This fun activity lets everyone give free rein to their imagination by drawing and personalizing their insect or butterfly, while discovering how folding and a few basic materials can create the illusion of movement. Children will then leave with their creation, ready to make it flutter and come to life whenever they want!
*Ages 3 and up. Children must be accompanied by a parent.
In front of 3720 Wellington (between Hickson and Regina)
Stationary Performance
Do you know the fable L'enfant qui criait au loup? (''The Boy Who Cried Wolf'')? Of course you do. A shepherd boy who lied by shouting “Wolf!” is punished by being devoured by a wolf himself.
It’s a classic! It’s been the same story for 3,000 years… But what if the fable itself had lied to us? What if the wolf wasn’t the bloodthirsty monster of legend? What if he became friends with the lying boy and set off with him on a quest for truth and liberation? What if they even pointed an accusing finger at the artist and puppeteer who is currently performing the show you’re watching!?
Don’t be fooled by the idyllic setting, the charming mountain village, the flower-filled meadows, the catchy songs, and the funny puppets!
This is no ordinary fairy tale. Alix et le loup is a mind-bending, immersive show in which young audience members are led to ask themselves questions about the nature of lies, our relationship to made-up stories, and the value of friendship and empathy.
**Space is very limited. Online reservations are required starting Saturday, August 22, at 10:30 a.m.
Duration: 50 minutes
Jack le Coq Parking Lot | 4501 Wellington
Stationary Performance
The Bellhop, inspired by the golden age of the big hotels, where the bellhop jumped to the sound of the bell.
For the employees, the receptionist and the bellhop,
a clumsy and lazy puppet, every day is the same
day. A day’s work... but the visit of a demanding and refined customer will change the day.
Humour and poetry in a show for all audiences.
Duration : 40 minutes
Between Regina and Hickson
Street performance
Whether a vision of the past or a waking dream, a horned creature moves, kicks, and arches its back. A bison with peculiar mannerisms, it wanders in pairs over hill and dale, encountering the land and those who inhabit it.
Duration: 30 minutes
In front of Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs Church | 4155 Wellington
Street performance
Dompter la Bête (''Taming the Beast'') immerses the audience in an imaginary world where a relationship unfolds between three entities that discover one another, respond to one another, depend on one another, and transform one another.
Through them, a part of ourselves is brought into play. Our inner beast, perhaps.
Our struggles, our contradictions, our sometimes excessive need to control everything.
The production oscillates between humor, poetry, majesty, audacity, and gentle madness.
Duration: 40 minutes
Quai 5160 - Maison de la culture de Verdun
Indoor performance
This modern epic, which plunges us into a medieval world by drawing on the chivalric quest and the imagination of fairy tales while subverting stereotypes, loudly and proudly champions the power of fantasy—which is not so far removed from madness.
Orlando, a knight from the North, and Abderam, a knight from the South, are both in love... with a Chinese princess, Yuhuan. Held captive by the Northern camp, Yuhuan managed to escape. Orlando and Abderam, ever the carefree souls, abandon the war raging between their armies and set out in search of her!
What follows are a thousand and one adventures, featuring a hippogriff, a killer whale, and a sorceress who HATES princesses.
Duration : 60 minutes
Tickets available for 7$ via the link below
Park behind the presbytery of the Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs Church.
Access via Galt Street
Stationary Performance
In her bathroom, a little girl refuses to wash up! With the joyful impression they leave in our memories, foam and bubbles allow us to drift lightly into our own childhood memories, while instantly sparking a sense of warmth and affection in little ones.
Duration: 45 minutes
The now-traditional photo exhibition, organized in collaboration with the Association québécoise des marionnettistes, will be back this year!
”A Tribute to Creativity”
Over the past year, Quebec’s puppetry community has lost two prominent figures, André Laliberté and Geneviève Thibault, and has seen one company, Pupulus Mordicus, close its doors.
Although their paths were different, they each contributed, in their own way, to shaping and advancing the art of puppetry. As a visionary creator, an emerging artist, and a bold company, respectively, they imagined, invented, and worked to enrich the repertoire of puppetry, inspiring many artists around them.
This exhibition pays tribute to their exceptional contributions by tracing the defining moments of their careers and the legacy they have left to the community. More than just a look back at the past, this tribute celebrates a living, ever-evolving art of puppetry, driven by those who nurture and promote it.
Geneviève Thibault (2017) – Photo : collection personnelle de Francis Desharhais Compagnie Pupulus Mordicus (2025) – Photo : Abdel Sadín Odio André Laliberté (2015) – Photo : Michael Abril
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ON PROMENADE WELLINGTON – ACCESSIBLE AT ALL TIMES
Friday, August 21 through Sunday, August 23, 2026
In front of 4913 Wellington | Between 4th and 5th avenues
What kinds of shows can I expect when I attend the Marionnettes Plein la rue Festival?
The mission of the Marionnettes Plein la rue Festival is to offer the widest possible range of possibilities in puppetry—in terms of the types and sizes of puppets, the formats of the shows, and the backgrounds and experience of the artists.
A multitude of performances await you—dare to explore the tiny as well as the giant, and the poetic as well as the playful. Let’s broaden our horizons!
Will there be a puppet parade?
Not exactly! “Marionnettes Plein la rue” is, first and foremost, a performing arts festival. Over the course of three days, a host of performances will come to life at various locations along Promenade Wellington.
So you can stroll from one world to another, discover puppets of all sizes, and enjoy several performances throughout your visit.
Who are the shows and the festival intended for?
The art of puppetry isn’t just for kids! The vast majority of the shows in the program are designed to appeal to audiences of all ages, from toddlers to grandparents. Whether you’re with family, friends, or simply curious, you’ll discover worlds that are sure to fill you with wonder.
While some shows tackle more serious themes, they do so with humor, poetry, or sensitivity, in a way that’s accessible to everyone.
Only the show Alix and the Wolf by Tortue Berlue is specifically aimed at young children, ages 4 to 8. Please note that since there is limited seated for this show, reservations are required via this online link.
How do I get to the event?
Since the Marionnettes Plein la rue Festival takes place on Promenade Wellington, the venue is accessible in several ways. To stay active and reduce your environmental footprint, we recommend using active transportation or public transit:
🟢 BY METRO – De l’Église Station
🚌 BY BUS – Lines 12, 37, 38, 71, 61, and 350
🚲 BY BIKE OR BIXI – Bike path along the waterfront and on de Verdun Street. Several BIXI stations and bike parking areas nearby
🚗 CARPOOLING – Over 500 parking spaces nearby, including the Éthel multi-level parking garage with 260 spaces. For a map of parking areas, click here.
Is the event accessible to people with limited mobility?
Yes. Accessibility is one of the festival’s core values, and the various outdoor performance areas are accessible to people with limited mobility. The pedestrian-only Promenade Wellington features several drop-off points, reserved parking spaces nearby, access ramps, and adapted street furniture.
Please note, however, that due to the layout of the venues, capacity limits, and occasionally limited space, no sections are reserved for people with limited mobility in front of the stages and performance areas. Nevertheless, you will be able to access the various performance venues and enjoy the shows.
You can refer to the parking map pour trouver les débarcadères et les places de stationnements pour personnes à mobilité réduite.
Where can I find the program, schedule, and location of the shows?
You can find everything on the event page on our website under the “Programming” section. Once you arrive, you’ll find signs with the schedule and a site map at the Galt and Wellington subway exit. You can also visit the information booth located at the corner of Galt and Wellington Streets, where our volunteers will be happy to answer your questions.
We strongly recommend using the FEST app, where you’ll have all the information at your fingertips and can see in real time where the shows are taking place.
It’s free and super easy to use. It’ll be your best friend during the festival!
Do the shows have an admission fee?
All outdoor events are free!
Only the indoor show, scheduled at Quai 5160 – Maison de la culture de Verdun, requires a ticket. Tickets are $7. Click here to purchase tickets.
Will there be food and drink stands?
The great thing about hosting a festival on Wellington street is that there’s a wide variety of cafes and restaurants nearby! Feel free to grab a drink or a bite to eat at one of our local businesses.
Want to watch one of the street performances from one of the many terraces on the Well? Check out the schedule and our terrace guide to find one nearby.
Can I bring my dog to the event site?
Dogs must be on a leash. Please note that large crowds are expected, so if your pet isn’t comfortable in crowds, it might be best to leave it at home!
Are the shows postponed in case of rain?
Whenever possible, all performances will go on as scheduled, depending on weather conditions and the type of show. If a show must be postponed or rescheduled, you will be notified via the mobile app, our social media channels, and the Facebook event page.
Pro tips:
- Please arrive on time for the performances! Out of respect for the artists, admission will not be permitted once the show has started.
- Be eco-friendly: bring your own reusable water bottle. There will be a water station at the information booth, and the street vendors will be happy to refill them for you.
- Plan your itinerary in advance based on the shows, schedules, and venues to make the most of your experience and avoid disappointment 😉
If you have any other questions or requests while you’re here, please visit the information booth located at the corner of Galt and Wellington Streets (near the statue).
Otherwise, please email us at info@promenadewellington.com.
SITE MAP
Available soon.
As the event approaches, we’re looking for available and motivated volunteers to help us on Saturday, August 22, and Sunday, August 23, 2026.
Would you like to join our dream team for a weekend and are you passionate about making the performing arts accessible to everyone? Fill out the form below and come help us bring the 15th edition of the Marionnettes plein la rue Festival to life!
List of available positions
Welcome festivalgoers, provide them with information about the event, the various venues, and the lineup. Do you enjoy interacting with people and have a knack for remembering show times and locations? This position is for you!
Ensure that the festival runs smoothly at all times, assist and fill in at all the various stations, and handle a few minor additional tasks to help the team (e.g., watching over equipment, directing the crowd, etc.)
Greet artists, assist with unloading and moving equipment to the stage. Help artists set up their stage, welcome audience members, ensure that everything runs smoothly during the performance (noise, disturbances), and watch over their equipment between performances.
Assist the kitchen manager at Headquarters and ensure the area is clean and welcoming.
In return, you'll have...
- A meal, snacks, and coffee provided
- Access to the headquarters
- Wonderful encounters
- A certificate of participation issued upon request
- A chance to help promote the culture and art of puppetry in the community.
Want to join our Fuego team?
So, are you ready to join our awesome crew? 💛
You’re essential to the success of the Marionnettes Plein la Rue Festival (FMPR to those in the know), and we can’t wait to meet you!
Thanks to our partners
Marionnettes Plein la rue Festival is presented by
Thanks to our partners
