A Becky follower's 'All-Nighter' experience:

Following this latest post about the Montreal High Lights Festival, Gillian let me know that she has attended every one of the All Nighters and volunteered to share her experiences with us! So here is what she has to say:

Tell me about your experiences at the Montreal All Nighters – are they as exciting as they sound?
The first ones were not too exciting as there were few activities, museums were not open late, there weren’t very many people, and it was bitterly cold. The last two were the exact opposite - almost to the point that for some events it meant queuing up for ages to get in. I went to a tango class after midnight which seemed really crowded but they said it was 'quiet' compared to the ones earlier on!!

Staying out all night can be tiring – how do you manage to pack in all the activities and fun and still manage to make it to the 4:30 AM breakfast?
You should have a mix of being outside, then doing a museum to warm up a bit, and then an activity. We did the tango class as I said, and then went to a museum, and then to cabaret du Roy. I think we got home at about 3am. I'm set for making it through to the breakfast next year though!!

What are your favorite events? Any 'must-sees'?
The Port area is great in the earlier part of the evening - lots going on, lots of people and children, firework displays, and so on. There's so many great events it’s hard to choose one - concerts (most are free), museums (all free), dance classes, skating on the rink at the port - all the usual things that happen in Montreal, but they happen through the evening and night. I wouldn't miss it for anything!! Oh there's the dancing at the Town hall - fun for people watching too!!

What advice would you give to other people interested in attending the festival?
1 Go only with a couple of other people with similar tastes and interests OR with group of friends so that you can split up and go off and do different things and meet up again. Otherwise you can end up doing things you didn't want to do.

2 Plan the itinerary for the event in advance so that you maximize the time you spend there, see things while they are open, and don't spend the night trudging back and forth across Montreal.

3 Mix museums, concerts, and physical activities for variety, to stay warm, and awake!

4 Forget taking the shuttle buses - the line ups are horrendous!

5 Eat; it keeps the energy levels up to ward off the cold and fatigue!!

6 Take a camera - lots of opportunities to take some interesting photos…

So there you have it – one of our own reader's amazing experiences! Do you want to share your experiences with us?