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Monthly · Parc des Éclusieres · Montréal

The Swap
Picnic

A monthly gathering for parents — to share snacks, swap stuff, and talk to another adult. No pressure, no rules (well, one rule).

Where & when What's the vibe? Every first Sunday of the month

What it is

No agenda. Just vibes.

Every month, parents descend on Parc des Éclusieres with blankets, snacks, and whoever they managed to wrangle into coming. Show up how you want. Leave when you need to.

🧺

Bring things to swap

Outgrown baby gear, books, clothes, toys, plants, snacks, seeds, sourdough starter — whatever's accumulating in your hallway. Or don't bring anything. That's fine too.

🥪

Food to share (or steal)

Bring something to share if you can. Grab something if you can't. No one is keeping score. It all evens out. Snacks are community property the moment they hit the blanket.

💬

Stories to swap

The unhinged thing your toddler said. The first time you slept 5 hours straight. The stuff no one warns you about. We want to hear all of it.

🐶

Bring everyone

Partners, babies, toddlers, in-laws who are in town, your neighbour who just had a baby, your dog who is probably better socialized than you right now — everyone is welcome.

The only rule

Rule #1 of Swap Picnic

Don't be a dick.

That's it. That's the whole thing. Be kind, be patient, be the person you'd want to meet when you're running on three hours of sleep and haven't talked to an adult in four days.

The details

When & where

📅
When First Sunday of the month 2 PM — come and go as you please. No end time.
Google Calendar
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Where Parc des Éclusieres Montreal, QC — near the canal, accessible by bike and foot
🌧️
Rain? Light rain: we're still here Check Instagram for cancellations on stormy days.

Questions

Things people ask

Nope. Show up with nothing but yourself (and maybe your kid, if applicable). The whole point is that it's low-pressure. People often end up going home with things they didn't expect, even if they brought nothing.
If you're connected to a parent — if you care about a new parent, if you're a caregiver, a grandparent, a friend — yes, absolutely. The goal is community, not gatekeeping.
This is a picnic full of parents. Crying babies are not a problem here. Neither is nursing, pumping, diaper changes on a blanket, or a toddler losing their mind over a cracker. You're among your people.
No. Things go on a blanket. You look at the blanket. You take something if you want it. You leave something if you brought it. It's chaos and it works perfectly.
That is exactly the right time to come. Take food, take stuff, sit with people who get it. No one needs to know anything. You don't have to explain yourself. Just come.

See you on the grass

First Sunday. Every month.

No RSVP. No fee. No judgment. Just come as you are, whenever you can get there.

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