It may have flown by for some, but this year marks the 50th anniversary of Montreal’s 1976 Olympic Games.
To celebrate, the city has organized Olympic-themed events, co-hosted with the province and other organizations.
“Fifty years ago, the 1976 Olympic Games transformed Montrel into a major sports city,” Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada said in a statement Monday.
“A half-century later, we’re taking advantage of the still-living history: a strong sports culture and unifying values of solidarity, respect and pushing our limits,” she said. “We invite everyone, big and small, to take part in the festivities.”
Here’s a look at what to expect for a summer of 1976 Olympic nostalgia:
July 4: Open house at the Olympic Basin
Jean-Drapeau Park plans to open access to the Olympic Basin, where attendees will be able to visit facilities usually reserved for athletes.
Children will be able to learn different Olympic sports, while Olympic kayaker Émilie Fournel, shooting para athlete Lyne Tremblay and rower Guylaine Bernier will be on hand for the main programming.
July 7, 21 and 28: Pool screenings at the Aquatic Complex
Olympic-themed movies will be projected outdoors for three Tuesdays this July at Jean-Drapeau Park’s Aquatic Complex: synchronized swimming documentary Parfaites (July 7), Quebec roller derby drama Les Furies (July 21), and American biopic Eddie the Eagle (July 28). The movies will be shown after dark toward the pool with the audience floating on inflatable tubes. Tickets are $13.92 each and can be reserved at parcjeandrapeau.com.
Aug. 1: 50th anniversary of the closing ceremony
The 50th anniversary of the game’s closing ceremony will be marked by a variety show at Olympic Park, which will feature a performace from Quebec rapper Loud. Loud has been tasked with performing an official song to mark the Olympics’ anniversary.
Nadia Comaneci, the Romanian gymnast dubbed queen of the 1976 games after scoring a perfect 10, will also be present.
Comaneci’s popularity at the Olympics prompted a “baby boom of Nadias in Quebec,” the organizers said. To mark the phenomenon, all women named Nadia are invited to register at montrealolympique.ca for what organizers are calling a “large symbolic gathering.”
Exhibitions all summer
The rotunda of Olympic Stadium will become the 50th Anniversary Space on May 16, with a free exhibition, souvenir shop and guided tours of the park (tickets for the guided tour start at $23.50). Outside, along Pierre-De Coubertin Ave., will be a photo exhibition with photos from the Regard vers l’avenir contest and historic images of Olympic Park by photographer Bernard Brault.
At Jean-Drapeau Park, meanwhile, the Discovery Walk audio guide will feature Olympic content, and the Voyage des Îles will have new kiosks near the Olympic Basin.
Organizers promise several more events to mark the anniversary will be unveiled in the coming weeks. You can keep an eye on the lineup at montrealolympique.ca.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source montrealgazette.com ’
