Montreal with UtahPresents
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Montreal with UtahPresents - Sold Out!


July 02-06, 2025
Double Occupancy: $2950 per person
Single Occupancy: $3250 per person
Airfare is not included.

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"The circus is the only fun you can buy that is good for you.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Ladies and gentlemen, mesdames et messieurs! Welcome to the hurly-burly world of circus! UtahPresents will journey to the enchanting city of Montreal in Quebec Province to experience the one-of-a-kind Montréal Complètement Cirque Festival. It began in 2010 as the first North American festival dedicated to the circus arts and for 11 days the city transforms into a stage. Its venues, streets, parks, and sidewalks showcase colorful, high-flying performances from the most talented circus performers in the world.

Join UtahPresents’ Executive Director Chloe Jones, along with an intimate group of like-minded Go Learn travelers and UtahPresents patrons, to enjoy three amazing days exploring the Festival and the charming surroundings of its host city. Venture from one unique performance to another, seeing circus artists and talent from all over the world, and even getting to meet some key players from the shows! Experience first-hand how Chloe views performances and envisions which artists to invite to Salt Lake City. Play an insider role and help discover new and exciting creative experiences to be a part of a future UtahPresents season.

Tour Highlights Include:

  • Undivided attention and guidance by UtahPresents’ Executive Director, Chloe Jones
  • Four nights at the Hotel Gault, a hidden treasure of Old Montreal
  • Montréal Complètement Cirque Festival passport with multiple performance tickets and special perks
  • Exclusive connections with artists from various circus companies
  • A guided tour of the host city Montreal and the globally renowned Cité des arts du cirque, home to Cirque du Soleil
  • Daily culinary highlights from Montreal’s gastronomy
  • Your feedback and vision as the exploratory base for UtahPresents bringing circus performances to Utah; your chance to be involved in the programmatic vision for UtahPresents

a circus act within a metallic cube

Daily Itinerary

Please note that this itinerary is a work in progress. As festival programming is announced and artists’ schedules become available, we’ll react, add, shift, and enhance this amazing experience. Watch this space!

Day One: Wednesday July 2, 2025 - Welcome to Montreal! Bienvenue à Montréal!

Today everyone will arrive in Quebec and the city of Montreal. Independently, we’ll find our way to the iconic Hotel Gault in Old Town with immediate access right out its front doors to this charming city. Behind its magnificent nineteenth-century façade built in Montreal Greystone, Hotel Gault features contemporary décor with refined service that will make your stay comfortable and memorable.

Hotel: The Hotel Gault opens a new window

Montreal Old Town
Montreal Old Town

Day Two: Thursday July 3, 2025 - The City of Mary: The International Stage for Circus Arts

After a welcome breakfast, we’ll start our program by getting to know the city hosting us. A local guide will introduce us to the city with one eye on the history and culture of Montreal and the other on getting to know hidden treasures, shortcuts, the circus festival around us, and the art scene at large.

Next, we’ll join the festivities on opening day at the Festival. Now in its 16th year, the Festival serves as a gathering point for the circus world internationally and the global performing-arts-presenting industry. We’ll see one, if not two, performances. Then we’ll enjoy a delicious group dinner where we’ll get to know each other better and as a kick-off to our fun adventure!

Hotel: The Hotel Gault opens a new window
Meals: B, D
Activity Level: Moderate

Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal
Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal

Day Three: Friday July 4, 2025 - Behind the Curtain: Fieldtrip to Cité des arts du cirque

Today we’ll venture to Cité des arts du cirque, the heart of Montreal’s circus scene. It was created in the late 1990s out of a common desire from Montreal’s circus community to equip itself with adequate infrastructure to pursue its development. Cité is a hub of creativity and innovation in Montreal's Saint-Michel district. Composed of the National Circus School, the international headquarters of Cirque du Soleil, and La TOHU (the only specialized circus presenter in North America), Cité is a unique concept across the world.

We’ll tour Cité and meet with Aaron Marquise, Deputy Director of Circus Arts Programming and Development for TOHU. We’ll learn from this accomplished performing arts curator about his unique history and current work with emerging and established contemporary circus artists and companies. Then brainstorm with Aaron and Chloe about how to create partnerships between Montreal and Salt Lake City.

We’ll cap off this day of discovery with a performance at TOHU. A circular hall designed in the purest of circus tradition, TOHU is a key part of what makes Montreal an international hub of circus arts.

Hotel: The Hotel Gault opens a new window
Meals: B, L, D
Activity Level: Moderate


A show in TOHU
A show in TOHU

Day Four: Saturday July 5, 2025 - Circus Everywhere!

Our Montréal Complètement Cirque Festival passport allows us access to roam the festival this morning and appreciate the city to the fullest. You may find yourself wandering the amazing botanical gardens in Montreal, but don’t venture too far, as we plan on another big-ticket show early in the day. Afterward, we’ll resurface into the world of street performances. Imagine bringing this back to Salt Lake City!

Of course, we’ll spend our last night discovering one more show, in hopes that we find the perfect company to invite to a future UtahPresents’ season! A scrumptious sendoff dinner and pre-show conversation with Chloe and our fellow travelers will all be a part of this evening’s delights.

Hotel: The Hotel Gault opens a new window
Meals: B, D
Activity Level: Moderate

Street Festival in Montreal
Street Festival in Montreal

Day Five: Sunday July 6, 2025 - Adieu Cirque, adieu Montréal!

Minds and hearts full, we depart today. Having been inspired, imagined, dreamed, and taken notes, we’ll have met our goal to explore and discover contemporary circus arts. With part one of our mission accomplished, we’ll head home, but our task is not done. In the weeks to come, if you wish, we’ll invite you to join Chloe and UtahPresents to share your reflections and help envision how to bring the magic of the Festival to Salt Lake City. Who should we invite? Which shows should we share with our friends and family? How might we turn Salt Lake City into the Big Top of the West?

Meal: B

Saying goodbye to Montreal
Saying goodbye to Montreal

Chloe Jones

Chloe Jones

Chloe Jones joined University of Utah in Fall 2022 as Executive Director of UtahPresents and Assistant Dean for Art & Creative Engagement in the College of Fine Arts. A Salt Lake City native, Chloe’s joyful return to Utah followed 11 rewarding years on the east coast. Chloe previously served as Executive Director of The Yard, a celebrated artist residency and presenter on Martha’s Vineyard with a dance focus, where she worked for eight seasons.

Chloe’s responsibilities at University of Utah include artistic direction for UtahPresents, where she curates a season of diverse cultural programming with topflight artists from around the globe. UtahPresents brings Salt Lake audiences the leading edge of contemporary circus, alongside jazz and other music, theater and storytelling, dance, and performances that defy categorization. Chloe and her team at UtahPresents manage the iconic Kingsbury Hall, hosting a high volume and wide variety of events for the campus and broader community.

Chloe began her career in arts administration at the Center for the Arts at Wesleyan University, her alma mater. She holds a BA in Dance and Hispanic Literatures & Cultures from Wesleyan and a certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the Institute for Nonprofit Practice in affiliation with Tufts University. In 2014, Chloe was the recipient of a DanceLink Fellowship to work with the award-winning Forklift Danceworks.

Details and What to Expect

Pre-Departure

Like all Go Learn journeys, the adventure begins before you ever leave home. Go Learn will host a pre-departure meeting to supply you with all the information, tips, and documents you'll need to have an enjoyable tour.

We're always available to answer questions too—let us know how we can make your journey a smooth one!

Post-Departure

A reunion a month or so after our return is a wonderful capstone to an unforgettable and enriching experience.

About Montreal

Montreal is an energetic city bursting with life, especially in July! During this time, Montreal transforms into a dazzling stage as it hosts the Cirque Festival, bringing together the world's top circus performers. Beyond the festival, the city's European charm, delightful cafes, historic Old Montreal, and beautiful parks like Mont Royal are perfect for exploring. Enjoy the vibrant arts scene, diverse cuisine, and the warm hospitality of Montrealers. Whether you're catching a breathtaking circus performance or simply soaking up the summer atmosphere, Montreal promises an unforgettable experience!

Weather

In early July, Montreal offers warm and humid summer weather, perfect for exploring the city's vibrant festivals and outdoor attractions. Daytime temperatures typically reach around 80°F (26.6°C), but the humidity can make it feel much hotter, sometimes reaching 104°F (40°C). Evenings are cooler, with temperatures dropping to around 64°F (18°C).

July is also a rainy month, with frequent showers and thunderstorms, so it's a good idea to pack an umbrella or light raincoat. Despite the rain, the city is bustling with events like the International Fireworks Competition, Canada Day celebrations, and various street fairs.

Make sure to wear lightweight, breathable clothing and comfortable shoes to stay cool and enjoy your time in Montreal!

Activity levels and restrictions

This trip is considered a LEVEL 2 trip. You will be walking, taking public transportation and participating in city activities.

Learn more about our .

Starting in 2025, U.S. travelers will need an ETIAS 'visa' for many European countries and a UK ETA 'visa' for travel to or through the UK, including transfers and layovers.

Bonsecours market in the evening

Bonsecours market in the evening

Dates
July 2- July 6, 2025

Size
A minimum of 10 and a maximum of 20 travelers

Cost
Double occupancy: $2,950 per person
Single occupancy: $3,250
Payment options are available upon request. Contact golearn@utah.edu for information.
See for payment and cancellation details.

Included

  • 4 nights’ accommodation at Hotel Gault, including breakfast
  • Group meals as noted in itinerary
  • Montréal Complètement Cirque Festival passport
  • Montreal City Tour with local guide
  • Visit to Cité des arts du cirque
  • Medical Insurance coverage during the trip
  • $250 donation to UtahPresents

Not included

  • Airfare to and from Montreal
  • Airport transfers to and from Hotel
  • Meals that are not specifically noted in itinerary
  • Cancellation and lost luggage insurance
  • Any costs outside of the itinerary