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Tam Tam Mont Royal
Category: Local Flavour Local Flavour [Edit]
Statue Sir George-Étienne Cartier MonumentParc du Mont Royal
Montréal, QC H2M 2T6
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
12 reviews for Tam Tam Mont Royal
12 reviews in English
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Review from Risa D.
2/15/2012
5 stars under the "Awesome for what it is" policy. On a rolling patch of green stretching east down "the mountain" every Sunday a uniquely Montreal happening unfolds. Across an area the size of several football fields loosely centered around the iconic George-Étienne Cartier Monument a crowd of 200 to 5000+ assembles. Some are families with picnic blankets, some are students with frisbees, some are artisan vendors with permits to layout their hemp necklaces and other quirky goods for sale along the walkways. There are always drums, sometimes two or three different circles, sometimes they all converge. Anyone can come and join in, there are players of all ages and experiences and the rhythm throughout the day is a kind of organic, anarchic happy flow. Tripped out hippies form dance circles around the drummers and brave tourists let themselves get caught up as well.
There is marijuana in the air throughout, which Montrealers are used to, but for tourists, don't worry, be happy! It's a happy, sunny, funny scene with people of all kinds. There is nothing spectacular to see here, just a Sunday afternoon in a park. But if you like to daydream while people-watching to pulsing rhythms on a green hill, you will enjoy this. Don't miss the circus artists who usually practice a little ways a way from the crowds, or the medieval warriors who are especially witty during election season with their shields made out of campaign posters.Listed in: Art Walking Montreal, Regional Flavours, Be Healthy!!, Green Spaces
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Review from Greg M.
Bring a blanket, a bottle of wine, and just enjoy. I usually get antsy just sitting in a park, but maybe it's consistent hum of drums in the background and the second hand smell of pot, but this is one of the few parks I can really just sit and relax. Go on Sunday, and I recommend sitting on the northern part of the park where it is a little less busy and more shaded. A fun Montreal experience! Fun to watch a variety of people, ranging from 18 year old McGiill students to bohemian couples smoking a dube while they watch their child doing cartwheels.
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Review from Shannon B.
Coquitlam, BC
8/18/2011
I wanted to give this a two star review but I decided to go for three on the principle of "just because *I* think something is stupid, doesn't mean other people won't like it". And people apparently like this, because the park was packed on the Sunday my friend and I stopped by to check it out. We didn't stay for long: people playing drums, dancing around shirtless and selling home made wooden jewellery isn't really my scene. And the dreadlocks. So many dreadlocks.
Not my thing, but if you enjoy getting stoned and walking around barefoot while people dance around and do yoga you would probably enjoy this. -
Review from Matthew P.
Montréal, QC
7/5/2010
A Conglomerate of the Counter Culture.
Throughout my teens and now into my twenties, the Tam's has always been a place to kick back and relax on a Sunday. Smoke a dube, drink some beer(cans only please) and watch grown D&D junkies engage in melee combat.
Every now and again you can get the urge to find some open space and throw the Frisbee around or lay down on the grass, stick your feet in the sky and peddle on the clouds to some very funky people playing some very funky rhythms.
Being from Montreal, you take it for granted. It will be there on Sunday, sure as the sun will come up. I only truly understood how special it was when I met a dude from Manchester in a bar and we were talking about good ol' MTL. He told me that he had arrived on a Sunday and had stayed on St. Viateur and St. Laurent so after he got settled, about midday, he walked outside and headed south a block or two.
Now, this is a moment, a facial expression and a tone of voice that I will never forget. The dude looked at me with this hazed "I'm not from around here" look on his face and said..(insert Manchester accent)
"I just heard these drums, mate"
And so he followed them..."I got to this mountain...AND THERE WAS LIKE 4 THOUSAND PEOPLE THERE"
Apparently he was unaccustomed to such doings or transpirings on the Isle of Manchester. He had said his travels extended to many places and never came across anything quite like it. Now having been around a little myself, I am inclined to agree.
Long live the Tam Tam and the Tamers, alike.
wakawaka -
Review from Soda Pop C.
2/6/2011
Tam Tams is my favorite thing to do on a Sunday afternoon.
At the bottom of Mont Royal there are vendors everywhere selling jewelry, art, clothing and pipes for good prices.
In the middle of the mountain are tam tam circles, dancing and people carrying on. There are also pockets of the mountain where people throw around frisbees, play hacky-sack, nap, smoke weed and drink.
It's a mix of people- families, friends, students, D&D nerds, stoners, people with their hookahs and hippies but everyone seems to mesh pretty well. It's like everyone goes there with the intention of having a good time so people are friendly and inviting.
And at the top of the mountain are people playing soccer and D&D nerds engaging in combat- love it!
I love to throw down a blanket, eat and drink then take a nap. It's such a great time. -
Review from Matthew A.
9/15/2008 1 photo
If you have never been, this is the coolest thing EVER!
Every Sunday, starting about noon, many gather at the base of Mt Royal, (Mt Royal Park, Rue Sherbrooke) to drum, dance, and unify as one.
From May to September drummers, and dancers of all ages, genders, cultural backgrounds all come to drum and dance.
At the STATUE.
I have seen hippies and gay leather guys, elderly woman, a handicapped child in a wheelchair with his father, they all drum to the beat which changes to a leader with a WHISTLE which goes fast to slow INTENSE to faint.
Vendors come to sell incense and wares of pottery and jewelry or tie dye tee-shirts.
Local people come with their DOGS to play frisbee or DANCE to the BEAT.
Tourists come curious as to what this drumming is all about?
Some take photos and smile in amazement and hope that they can take some of this wonderful community energy back to their home.
This is all FREE and FUN to all who visit Montreal please COME and check out this cool and special event as local flavor like this is hard to find ANYWHERE else.
It is BOYD (Bring your own drum). -
Review from Amador A.
5/13/2011
What a great time here! Lots of talented people just banging on the drums. No practice just join in and go with the flow. The tam tam is located in a fun park that has hiking, biking and other types of shows.
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Review from Amy S.
7/31/2010 3 photos
I expected something bigger. Even so, it was a good time looking though all the vendors and listening to the drumming and watching the dancing. Really, I could have done with just the vendors...
Unfortunately, I thought that there was more cash in my wallet =( With only $15, I had to choose my purchase carefully. There was homemade jewelry including these very lovely wooden rings, bracelets, and necklaces, and plenty of clothes. Many of the clothes had been imported from India but there were some that had been made by the vendor and I saw more than one dress that I would have liked to have had. The prices were reasonable but with my limited cash reserve I had to show restraint!
I decided to buy something for a gift rather than for myself and I think I got a deal at $15 but I won't put what I got here in case the recipient reads this review =)
I've looked at many of the pictures that others have posted and I just wonder why there weren't more people there the Sunday I went... Was it too hot? World Cup final in a few hours? I don't know. But there probably weren't more than 20 drummers and many 50 people watching. -
Review from J H.
7/6/2011
Check with the locals for the location, the map is wrong. The 'Tam Tam' is located at the base of 'Mount Royal'. I got upset at my wife becoz of the incorrect info. It's worth seeing, we caught the bus to st viateur's fairmont bagel after. Excellent bagels, especially when they're hot.
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Review from lady h.
Pierrefonds, QC
3/14/2011
Super fun every time! I love sitting back and people watching and there are plenty of people to watch! It's a very 420 friendly gathering.
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Review from Charles H.
Montréal, QC
8/28/2009 4 photos
Very colorful, especially if you want to smoke weed surrounded by a bunch of weirdos playing African drums...other than that it is rather boring
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Review from Dani M.
9/22/2009 8 photos
Tam Tam on a bright, brisk, sunny Sunday = HEAVEN.
