The upcoming 2024 WPT Montreal festival promises to be a thrilling poker tournament series. As someone who has covered several WPT events before, I know firsthand that they never disappoint when it comes to putting on a spectacular show. If you haven’t already done so, please check out our preview of the 2024 WPT Montreal. Beyond that, there are a number of things that I’m eagerly anticipating on my upcoming poker trip there to provide in-person event coverage. Here’s a list the top five things I’m looking forward to most.
Image credit: Worldatlas.com
1. The Montreal Food Scene
From everything I’ve read and watched in my pre-trip research, it seems like Montreal is a foodie’s paradise, and I can’t wait to indulge in its culinary delights. As someone who adheres to a strictly kosher diet, I was pleased to discover that the city boasts a wide variety of kosher restaurants. In particular, I’m eager to sample two iconic Montreal dishes: poutine and bagels. The thought of biting into a sweet, honey-boiled bagel or savoring a plate of fries smothered in cheese curds and gravy has my taste buds tingling already.
2. The Underground City
In my 42 years, I’ve lived in Los Angeles and in Israel, so I (thankfully) have never experienced the day-to-day challenges that winter wreaks upon cold-weather climes. Montreal is one such city that saw fit to deal with frigid weather in a very unique way, by building an entire Underground City.
One of Montreal’s most intriguing features, it’s a marvel of engineering that serves both as a pedestrian transportation network and a hub for shopping, entertainment, and even higher education (Concordia University). It’s May, of course, so temperatures will be mild (again, thankfully!) but I’m nevertheless excited to explore the labyrinthine tunnels that connect various parts of the city. From bustling shopping centers to sprawling convention halls, the underground city promises to be a unique and memorable experience.
Image credit: MTL.org
3. The WPT Montreal Venue: The Playground Poker Club
The Playground Poker Club has been around since 2010 and has long been established as a – if not THE – premier, first class place to play poker in all of Canada. Perhaps the venue’s most famous poker moment was when the legendary Mike Sexton won his WPT championship title there back in 2016.
Boasting dozens of poker tables that’ll feature a wide swathe of tournaments and cash games galore, if you’re a poker aficionado, the chance to play at Playground Poker is a dream come true. So, beyond just covering the action, I hope to hop into action myself at some point during the trip. Low-stakes mixed game, anyone? 
Image credit: World Poker Tour
4. Canadian Hospitality and Politeness
In my 42 years, I’ve never set foot in Canada (unless you count an emergency stop in Winnipeg). My exposure is only to the stereotype — though I have many Canadian friends — and while I’ve had my fair share of good laughs at “blaming Canada”, there’s something quite charming about an entire country and people being known the world over for hospitality and politeness.
In an era where these qualities seem to be lacking and eroding, it’ll be nice to experience genuine hospitality and politeness that folks from “the great White North” are so famous for. From interactions with locals to encounters with fellow poker enthusiasts, I anticipate a level of kindness and courtesy that’s becoming all too rare in today’s world.
5. Exploring Montreal’s Cultural Riches
One of the things I almost always do when visiting a brand new city for the first time is take one of those free walking tours. The fact of the matter is that I could sit and research a city for hours, plan out which sites I want to see, etc. But nothing compares to walking the city streets and “letting the city come to you”.
A street performer catches your eye? Walk over and observe. Your guide mentions an interesting historical nugget about one of the stops along the tour? Make a mental note to check it out more in-depth at a later date.
Sure, I’ll be spending loads of time inside the Playground Poker Club watching the action and looking for stories that inevitably emerge from a major poker festival like WPT Montreal, but there’s always so much to see and experience outside the poker room as well — after all, let’s not forget that the World Poker Tour originally debuted 20+ years ago on the Travel Channel!
Conclusion
From culinary adventures to underground explorations, from friendly encounters to thrilling poker action, the 2024 WPT Montreal festival promises to be an unforgettable experience for all who attend. With each moment spent immersing myself in the city’s vibrant culture and vibrant poker scene, I’ll be actively enjoying the memory-making. So, whether it’s sampling local delicacies at bustling markets or taking a leisurely stroll along the picturesque waterfront, I’m eager to soak in the sights, sounds, and flavors of this dynamic city during my upcoming week in Montreal.
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