For its final edition of the year, Piknic Électronik closed the season in style with a three-hour masterclass from Maceo Plex. Under an unusually warm autumn sky, the veteran DJ guided festivalgoers through one last outdoor dance — a groovy, emotional send-off before Montreal turns the page to winter.
This special edition of Piknic came with a lively Igloofest activation, bridging the gap between the two sister festivals. Beside a giant inflatable igloo, fans frolicked through artificial snow flurries while the Igloofest Yeti mascots joined the crowd, adding a surreal, playful touch to the night.
Opening with a selection of slow-paced, groovy vocal house tracks, the American-born producer began carefully building the ambiance. As the crowd warmed up, he turned the BPM higher, pushing into dreamy trance and progressive sounds, peppering in stabs of horns and 808 kicks. As the set evolved, he eased into a two-step rhythm, lifting the energy on what was already an unusually hot autumn evening.
Hip-hop flips punctuated his performance — 21 Savage’s “a lot” and Young M.A’s “Ouu” appeared in unexpected moments, each one eliciting massive cheers from the packed dancefloor.
Later into the night, the tone darkened into tech-house territory, anchored by crisp hand percussion and familiar 4/4 techno patterns. When the American-born producer layered in 21 Savage’s “No Heart,” the crowd erupted, roaring every lyric back at him. Behind the decks, he stood triumphantly, pumping his fist, with a large smile of satisfaction beaming across his face
Strobing white lights swept across what felt like Piknic’s largest crowd of the season, illuminating a sea of faces enjoying their last outdoor dance of the fall. Then came the set’s apex: Cloonee’s “Fine Night” tastefully flipped for the occasion. As the iconic track rang out, the entire space was euphoric a collective realization that this was the end of another unforgettable summer started to settle in.
In just a few months, Igloofest’s frigid stage will rise on the Old Port once again, and Montreal’s festive ritual will continue, this time under the snow.
