When given my name tag and a bingo card at Yelp Helps Love in at Les Deux Gamin, I knew that there was more in store that July 28th when I walked into the 4 storey restaurant. Each floor held kiosks from non profit organizations and plenty of free food and drinks being given to the early crowd that RSVPed. What exactly was going to happen at a "Love in"?

First off, Yelp is a community blog that is a "fun and easy way to find and talk about great (and not so great) local businesses" (reviewed by Montrealers for Montrealers). Members (or Yelpers) subscribe and can review about restaurants, bars and other services and can promote an upcoming event on the website as well. Yelp held what was considered a "community love in" as they brought together 13 of Montreal's non profit organizations for a meet and greet and good times. This is where the bingo card came in handy. Each time someone visits a booth, the bingo card gets checked off and when the card is full, you win a kazoo. Yes, great information and a toy. The kazoo would come in handy later on in the afternoon.
I got a chance to learn about the organizations that is provided around Montreal, with the likes of The Yellow Door to the World Wildlife Fund. From Team in Training's information session about upcoming marathons people get to train for, to Friends for Mental Health, where they provide information about services in the city (and an upcoming Zumba fundraiser later in August). Head and Hands were there with their sex education booth ( as well with free condoms) and Santropol Roulant talked about their rooftop garden and cooking and bike repair workshops. The Canadian Liver Foundation brought awareness as July 28th is World Hepatitis Day and Apathy is Boring was there providing their knowledge in encouraging youth about democracy (which is essential in the upcoming provincial election).

And it wasn't only services at the event, the festival scene were part of the love in. Up and coming dance festival Bouge D'Ici were showcasing their upcoming festival this coming winter along with their friends from the Montreal Fringe Festival. Pop Montreal were hyping things up with the festival in September but had their fans in handy on the hot afternoon.
A meet and greet of fellow Yelpers and curious passerby's, the guys from Makers Mark and Jim Bean gave a sample session where after the bar would create lemonade and sangria to go along with the free food being provided by Les Deux Gamin.
Of course, everyone got a chance to participate in the Love in. En Masse for the Masses where on the top floor creating a mural that people could contribute to. Remember when I mentioned kazoos, people who won at Yelp bingo got to be musicians as they were part of the sing a longs with Krista Muir and Amy Torok. Even Organizer Risa Dickens took part by playing ukelele. The event had a big finish with a Zumba flash mob on Prince Arthur with the help of Les Productions D4C.
I left the "Love in" on a positive note. What Yelp did was a great way bring together community and services in Montreal. As well as meeting great people and as a side note, a kazoo in my
pocket.

For more on Yelp events go to Yelp.ca