McSweeney’s List (5 August 2026)
As much as tribalism is comforting, it's also a destructive limitation, one that implies we're always one thing, always part of the same group. I prefer an analogy of us all being in this human hotel together, moving between rooms. You go to the sports room when there's a sporting event to watch, and the library when you want to read quietly. You go to the auditorium for concerts, and the gym when you want to run around. Each of those spaces has different people; some pop in for playoffs, some are only there because they have to read the book, but don't want to. Other people post up, nesting in their favorite room, watching people come and go, quietly becoming the old head people associate with that space.
If you haven't found your room in this giant hotel of human options, this one's for you.
Maybe you had a room, filled with friends, and you thought it would last forever, but humans are prickly in close quarters, and things changed. Maybe you had a room where you felt comfy and free, but no one was there with you. You put out a sign for like-minded comfy and free folks, but no one knocked. You tell yourself that if you saw that same sign, you would smile and feel seen, but you also probably wouldn't knock, so unfortunately, the people most like you probably never will. You’re more of a chance encounter type of person; you start a conversation with a cashier, and think shit, we could be friends, before you even know which rooms they prefer.
Maybe you and the cashier show each other your favorite rooms. Hers is a gaming room, with loads of people very into their games, cards, little toy guys, whatever it is. And you don't love it, but you appreciate their passion, their shared goals, and you give it a go. And maybe yours is a garden, and you show her all your plants, and the snails (they belong to the plants, not to you, but you're glad they've joined the group). And every week the garden has a pot luck, with smiling gardeners and brightly coloured offerings. Turns out, the cashier hates veg, but thinks they make pretty flowers, so she kinda gets it, but skips the potluck. Oh, she's petrified of snails, but didn't tell you, because she could see how much you love them.
There are plenty of people you’ll only find in their respective rooms. They’ll be friendly, happy to see you, but when you wander over to another room, they’ll stay where they are, and you won't see them again till you wander back. They might even comment that they haven't seen you in awhile, and ask where you've been. You’ll find other people who you run into in the most random places. You thought you were the only one turning up in both the Disney room and the archery room, but you start recognizing faces, and finding the crossovers.
It's fine to keep running into people as you do your personal rounds; a lot of friendships are built that way, and remain there. The ones who will become vital to your life though, in friendship and in love, will be those who travel the rooms with you. They will step out of their comfort zones and specific preferences to be with you, and you for them. They won't complain that you're dragging them to the hardcore room again even though pop music is their favorite jam, but rather they’ll join you with bells on, because they love the way you light up when the mosh pit starts.
In turn, you’ll be interested in what lights their fire. Sure, you think pop music is for suckers, but when you go to that room, you’ll run into some of the folks from the garden, and some others from the game room, and some you recognize from the responsibilities room (where you go about your business, running errands, doing laundry, and all the necessary things you don't want to do). You realize that you still don't like pop music, but pop fans have merit, and everyone is super nice, and hey, you might come back here sometime just to hang with the new homies.
As for you and the cashier, if you both care about each other, you’ll keep turning up at the game room, and she'll pop up to the garden. You’ll find folks who roll dice and love veg, and they'll come to the garden too. And even if you don't ever feel the need to buy your own dice, you’ll learn how the games work just by being there, and you’ll find yourself caring who won which game. The cashier will discover that prepared correctly, some vegetables are knee-slappingly delicious, and she might even start to warm up to snails.
Ideally, as you spend more time together, you’ll embark on journeys to rooms neither of you have ever been to. You’ll take day trips to the baking room (it smells delicious in there), and night trips to the star gazing room. You’ll wander into rooms where they discuss ideas one of you likes and one of you doesn't, or believe in things that challenge your world view. As you chat between rooms, you might discover that you’ve both been meaning to learn more about birds, or one of you wants to play the accordion. You might check out these spaces alone or together, but either way, you're excited to talk to them about it after the fact, and that's a precious part of travelling through this human hotel together.
The hotel is the structure, of course, and the rooms, fundamentally they are distractions, vehicles, and necessities. Those things continue with or without you; they are places you visit, but can never be yours. How you move through these spaces, and who you move with, that, Dear Reader, is the living embodiment of community. Each interaction is unique to you by virtue of you being there. You are the common thread; a conspiracy theorist bulletin board charting your path through the rooms of your life. That's all yours, and yours alone. Blaze that trail, Baby.
GROW WITH US: Call for Writers
If you are obsessed with Montreal's music, dance, or visual art scenes, we want to give you the platform, and the tools, to write about it. 🎨✨
Forget The Box(.ca) is Montreal's most devoted online arts magazine, covering and amplifying ground level, underground, and marginalized art. We are the main project of Forget The Box Media, a federally incorporated not-for-profit organization. 🏛️
We are looking for people who are passionate about Montreal's arts community! Whether you're a seasoned journalist, an aspiring critic, or an artist who wants to pivot to writing, we provide the support to help you shape your ideas, alongside a dedicated platform to get your work published and read by the local community. 🫂
As we expand our coverage, we're looking to recruit writers interested in three vital sectors: music 🎸 everything from DIY loft shows and underground releases to local indie labels pushing boundaries; dance 💃 everything from street and contemporary, to experimental movement that defines Montreal's physical spaces; and visual art 🖼️ highlighting the indie galleries, street art, and artist-run centres that make up our city's creative ecosystem.
Forget The Box(.ca) offers writers:
💰 Honorariums
🧠 Writing Workshops
👥 One-on-one mentorship
🎟️ Access to local art events
📣 A Platform
🤝 Community
🚀 Open doors to larger publications
You don't need a big portfolio to start. If you have thoughts on local music, dance, or visual art, and want to spotlight some of the great work of local artists, reach out to us! 👋
📷 First photo: Provided by @growvemtl at @turbo_haus
📷 Second photo: Provided by @wafdcreations, taken by @susanmossphotography, featuring performers Rémy Saminadin, Nindy Banks, and Marie-Reine Kabasha
📷 Third photo: Provided by @wip.works, featuring work by @alexis1million
How to Apply: 📬
To get started, send an email to our Editor-in-Chief, Candice Ann, at candice@forgetthebox.ca. Tell us a bit about yourself, why you want to cover the scene, and any relevant experience you might have (experience is not required). 📩
IT'S BRITNEY, BITCH
Petro presents Britney Burlesque, a burlesque tribute to the princess of pop! Get ready to sing-along while we go through all the eras! Hit after hit! Choreo after choreo!
Hosted by Yikes Macaroni with performances by Celesta O’Lee, Enshantay, Butterscotch Blondie, and Petro.
First come, first served seating!
WHAT: Britney Burlesque
WHERE: The Wiggle Room, 3874 St. Laurent Blvd., Montreal, H2W 1Y2
WHEN: Thursday, August 6, Doors @ 7 PM, Show @ 8 PM
METRO: Sherbrooke (Orange)
TICKETS: WiggleRoom
CARTOON RAVE ERA
Embark on an extraordinary journey into the heart of anime euphoria at WeTouchGrass' renowned Anime Rave!
Back by popular demand, this spectacle promises an unforgettable night filled with electrifying anime vibes that will leave you craving more!
Dance to the beats of your beloved anime tunes and experience the enchantment that's been celebrated across North America and Europe by over 75 000 people.
WHAT: #WeTouchGrass presents Montreal Anime Rave
WHERE: Foufounes Electriques, 87 Rue St. Catherine St. E., Montréal, QC H2X 1K5
WHEN: Saturday, August 8 @ 9 PM
METRO: Place-des-Arts (Green)
TICKETS: Eventbrite
DO THEY HAVE MY LITTLE PONIES? THEY PROBABLY HAVE PONIES…
It's the ultimate show for buying vintage and new toys, comics, video games, records, film related merchandise, music and much more!
Whether you're looking for a retro treasure or a new series, you’ll find it here.
$3 admission, free for children, free parking, and right by the metro!
WHAT: Nostalgie Montreal 25
WHERE: Ruby Foo’s Hotel, 7655 Decarie Blvd., Montreal, H4P 2H2
WHEN: Sunday, August 9, 10 AM - 4 PM
METRO: Namur (Orange)
DETAILS: Facebook
I DO LOVE A STRING QUARTET
Experience Pink Floyd's classics like never before. A string quartet with two violinists, one violist, and one cellist bring Floyd's songs to life by candlelight.
The event is suitable for people 8 and over, with participants under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
The show is approximately one hour.
This venue is wheelchair accessible.
No late arrivals.
WORLD’S SMALLEST COMEDY FESTIVAL #4
In a city known around the world for comedy, one of Montreal’s most enduring grassroots comedy success stories started with something pretty simple: a microphone, a corner of an Irish pub, and a few comedians who just kept showing up. You know it now as World's Smallest Comedy Night.
Every August, for eight nights, a corner of Hurley’s Irish Pub becomes home to one of Montreal’s most eclectic comedy festivals. Stand-up. Trivia. Music. Crowd work. Crafting. Wrestling. Surprise guests. New comics. Comedy veterans. Somehow, it all makes sense.
The annual World’s Smallest Comedy Festival returns for its fourth edition August 10 - 17, with 16 shows over seven days. This year offers up a who’s who of Montreal comedy, with both established and new producers putting on funny shows for every taste.
The good times all go down at Hurley’s. Check the listings and get all your tickets here!
A TOAST TO THE FEST!
Toast'Er is an all-women comedy showcase unlike any other, where comedians don't roast each other—they toast each other.
And this time round, it's in the World's Smallest Comedy fest!!!
Hosted by Dawn McSweeney, this celebration of comedy, friendship, and good vibes features comedians pairing off for hilarious compliment battles, attempting to out-praise and out-hype one another in front of a live audience. Between the toast-offs, audiences will enjoy stand-up sets from an incredible lineup of performers.
This edition features ShoSho Abotouk, Dayna Lieberman, Ceecee Huys, Sarah Meleika, Flo Penicaud, and Dawn Ford!
Part comedy show, part positivity experiment, and entirely unlike anything else at the festival, Toast'Er 4 promises a night of kindness, camaraderie, and absolutely relentless laughter.
Come celebrate the fourth edition of this World's Smallest favorite and experience a comedy show where everyone leaves feeling a little bit better about themselves.
WHAT: Toast’Er! #4
WHERE: Hurley's Irish Pub, 1225 Crescent St., Montreal, H3G 2B1
WHEN: Thursday, August 13 @ 8 PM
METRO: Lucien l'Allier (Orange) & Guy-Concordia (Green)
TICKETS: Eventbrite
