Hello, There is usually some event on Quartier des spectacles but it is unlikely to be a major one in april. Two very good restaurants: Bistro T is right on the place. It is the small cousin of the world famous Toque restaurant. Good food and good atmosphere with an excellent wine selection. Recommended for lunch or dinner. Two blocks away on St Laurent Boulevard is one of my favorite restaurants in Mtl called Bouillon Bilk. The food is outstanding. Recommended for dinner. Do not miss Fairmount bagel on Fairmount St when you venture in that very typical Mile end section of the city. More suggestions: Brasserie Bernard in Outremont for a good dinner or brunch in the Outremont area. Lemeac restaurant on Laurier street also a classic for Outremont but the atmosphere on Laurier St is not as warm. If you are downtown, the new Les enfants terribles at the top of Place Ville Marie offers a great view of the City. Recommended for lunch, food is not up to my standards for dinner in a city like Montreal. Jatoba restaurant right in the downtown area is a great place for dinner. For shopping with your sisters, you ll find most stores as in the US but everything is 25% off for US with the money exchange so the deals can be great. There is one store you should not miss called Simons at the corner of Sainte Catherine and Mansfield. Great clohting on the second floor with quality and prices you will not find anywhere else. Well worth the visit. If you plan for dinner in Old Mtl, head to McGill avenue which is at the western part of that area. Great restaurants on that street: Hambar, Helena, Graziella etc... Enjoy your stay The wise fox

The City of Montreal had the great idea to dedicate one street to the festivals. During the off times the area is just a normal street. I believe that it is Rue Balmoral. For the festivals the street lights get re-positioned and the street is closed off. It is east of Bleury st., South of Blvd President Kennedy, North of Rene Levesque Blvd and West of St. Laurent Blvd. It is a block or two west of Place des Art concert halls, and Place Desjardins. Take the metro to station De Bleury / Sainte Cathrine or Sation Place Des Artes Ouest.

The Quartier is surrounded by hotels, shops, eateries along the city streets. It is well-lit throughout the night. The art buildings have set open hours but remain lit on the outside after closing hours. You can usually find people strolling in the Quartier until the wee hours during the high tourist season.

The tour is free. You can find more details on the Quartier des Spectacles website in the ''Discover the Quartier'' section.

Well there is a few place you can go, if you don't mind dormitory that are around 23-25$ a night. Auberge Bishop Hostel that is near a metro which could be useful to travel around. Or Auberge Alternative and Auberge St-Paul... you can probably google it... but my favorite site to find any lodging at the price and the location I want is booking. com ... there you could book and advance and a lot of offers you can cancel last minutes if something happens or you change you mind... Also depending when you are coming you might want to book in advance to be sure to have a good price and a place to stay... Hope that was helpful and good visit of montreal which is full of life and festivals especially during the summer...