It’s still warm and sunny in Montreal; the air is heavy with humidity, and the sun’s rays are blue and golden, especially in the evening. Summer is stretching out and will linger until the end of September, and it will continue to be warm in Montreal until October 2026.
But the wheel of the year keeps turning nonetheless, and slowly but surely, Montreal is entering the darker days of the year. Don’t panic—we can still dance in the streets at night—but starting Friday, September 4, the sun will set before 7:30 p.m. Fall will officially begin on the day ofthe fall equinox—September 22, 2026.
DAYS OF LIGHT AND DAYS OF SHADOW
In the ancient calendars (Mesopotamian, Celtic, Maya) of the ancient civilizations of the Northern Hemisphere, we always find the year divided into two parts.
The year is divided between the season of light and the season of shadow. This division occurs twice a year, when the alignment of the sun and the Earth creates an balance between day and night. Twice a year, marking the transition from one season to the next, there is an equinox.
The word “equinox” comes from the Latinaequus (equal) andnox(night). It’s a day and night that each last 12 hours. The hours of daylight and the hours of darkness are equal. From an astronomical perspective, this is a moment when the sun is perfectly aligned with the Earth. Our planet’s axis of rotation is aligned with the sun without tilting to either side of the equator.
The days will grow shorter until the equinox, then shorten more and more rapidly until the winter solstice (the shortest day of the year). After that, they’ll grow longer—and we’ll enter the season of light on March 21, for the spring equinox.
WHAT DO WE DO WHEN THE EVENINGS GET DARKER AND DARKER?
The patio season—when we hang out on patios until the wee hours of the morning—is coming to an end. But don’t panic, because there’s plenty to do in Montreal. And the longer the nights, the better…
- we’ll go to the movies to catch midnight shows
- Let’s grab a drink and listen to some jazz at Lovebird
- we’re taking some slightly gothic photos of the city after getting inspired at the MONTREAL STREET PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL
- We’ll find a romantic evening and take a crush out to dinner at Neotokyo or their new izakaya-style restaurant, Nakagin
