Montreal Harvest Season in Full Swing

August is a season rich in local harvest and tastes. Across the province, the semaine québécoise des marchés publiques kicks off this Saturday. Over 40 public markets will participate, each scheduling its own array of special events. Close to Montreal, these include a Garlic Festival theme at the Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue market (Saturday), a bébé-écolo theme at the marché Rosemere (Saturday), and cooking demonstrations by chefs at the Marché Atwater (Saturday and Sunday). More events continue over the week and into next weekend. Consult the website for more information.

For a day trip out of the city, the Lanaudière region just northeast of Montreal is full of tasty gems, many of which get showcased this weekend at Les Fêtes Gourmandes de Lanaudière. In its fifth year, the festival is held in Saint-Jacques-de-Montcalm, about one hour north of Montreal, and showcases over 75 local food growers and artisan producers. The festival kicks off on Friday, August 21st and wraps up on Sunday the 23rd.

We're also spoiled for choice in the coming weeks for rural fairs in the area. The Montreal Gazette Blog--Shop, Chop, Eat--has a quick list of what's going on, including the Compton Fair this weekend. Country fairs offer a really good peak into the rural life of the region, featuring livestock, produce, baking and craft competions, as well as good food, music and conversation. It can be a great way to hook up with local farmers for a freezer-full of meat or produce, fresh from the farm, next season.