Fall in Montreal means apple picking, pumpkins (of both the carved and the spice latte varieties), and beautiful fall foliage. But you know what's always in season, no matter the weather? Saving your money and finding free things to do in Montreal.
Whether you're looking for no-cost activities or free events this weekend, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the city without opening your wallet.
From a baseball book signing to comedy shows to multiple street festivals, read on to discover how you can make the most out of the first official weekend of fall without spending a dime.
Remember the Montreal Expos at a book signing
When: Sunday, September 29 at 2 p.m.
Address: Victoria Hall Community Centre, Westmount, QC
Why You Need To Go: Baseball fans, rejoice! No, Montreal isn't finally getting a long-awaited MLB team, but fans of America's favourite pastime can spend this weekend reminiscing about the city's first and only Major League Baseball team: the gone, but not forgotten, Montreal Expos.
On the 20th anniversary of the Expos last home game at Olympic Stadium (feeling old, dear readers?), political cartoonist and author of Aislin's Montreal Expos: A Cartoonist's Love Affair, Terry Mosher, remembers the Expos with a free lecture on the team's legacy. The lecture features special guests, a display of Expos artifacts, and will be followed by a book signing.
So, save your money for peanuts and Crackerjacks, and take yourself out to this free ballgame talk.
Get fit with an 8 km race
When: Sunday, September 29 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Address: Parc Jeanne-Mance, 4422, av. de l’Esplanade, Montreal, QC
Why You Need To Go: It's the season of comfort foods, cozy flannel, and stuffing your face with Halloween candy—all the more reason to stay fit, healthy, and active this fall.
November Project Montreal, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free and accessible fitness to Montrealers, has made achieving your fitness goals and staying active easier than ever with its F*ck Yeah race. The fourth edition of the 8 km race is open to everyone and will begin and end at the corner of avenue du Parc and avenue du Mont-Royal in Parc Jeanne Mance on Sunday.
It's a team race, so create your own team of four, or come alone and be placed on a team randomly. There will also be coffee, music, and gifts in the park following the race.
Have brunch at a queer and trans comedy show
When: Saturday, September 28 at 12 p.m.
Address: Co-op Agenda, 6692, rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC
Why You Need To Go: Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, but brunch is the most beloved, and this Saturday, it will also be the most entertaining.
Co-op Agenda, a transfeminist co-op bookstore in La Petite-Patrie, is holding a brunch with a bilingual trans and queer comedy show. The show is hosted by rising star in the Montreal comedy scene, Raquel Maestre, whose acclaimed one-woman show, Admiring Librarians, was nominated for Best English Comedy at this year's Montreal Fringe Festival.
There will be limited seating, so be sure to reserve your free spot on Eventbrite.
Get inspired at the PHI Centre's Embodied Spaces
When: Saturday, September 28 and Sunday, September 29
Address: PHI Centre, 407, rue Saint-Pierre, Montreal, QC
Why You Need To Go: Embodied Spaces, a free monthly performance series, invites contemporary performance artists to interpret the public spaces of the PHI Centre and engage with audiences in unexpected and creative ways.
This month's edition features Guelph performance artist Tess Martens and her presentation of PVA (polyvinyl acetate) GLUE ME!
Martens is known for using humour in her performances, so expect to laugh as much as you are inspired.
Mingle at a social event on McGill campus
RiSBOd's social event advertisement.
When: Saturday, September 28 at 2 p.m.
Address: Roddick Gates, 15a, rue Sherbrooke O., Montreal, QC
Why You Need To Go: Does an afternoon of outdoor Jenga, badminton, a potluck, and a hike up Mont Royal sound like a good time to you? Then look no further than this Saturday's social event at McGill campus, organized by the student committee of RiSBOd, an intersectional network of oral and bone health researchers.
Not an oral and bone health researcher? No worries! This event is free and open to all, especially fun, kind people looking to meet and have fun, the Eventbrite pages says. Attendees are encouraged to bring snacks or a game to play with others, but most importantly, bring your biggest, friendliest smile.
Learn all about Canadian music at a live taping of CBC's 'The Bridge'
When: Friday, September 27 at 2:30 p.m.
Address: Bibliothèque Mordecai-Richler, 5434, av. du Parc, Montreal, QC
Why You Need To Go: Ever listen to Neil Young, Alanis Morissette, Leonard Cohen, or Drake, and find yourself thinking, "What's Canadian music anyway?"
Well, POP Symposium, in collaboration with CBC Radio Canada, has got an answer to that question and then some with a live (and free) taping of CBC's The Bridge. The 60-minute panel discussion hosted by CBC's Nantali Indongo will cover all things Canadian music with a focus on the value of music made north of the 49th parallel.
Special guests include SLM, Odario Williams, Daniel Monkman, and Anachnid. Register online to be a part of the live taping, and enjoy refreshments and music after the talk.
Get into the Bavarian spirit at Monktoberfest
When: Sunday, September 29 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Address: Boulevard Monk across from Théâtre Paradoxe
Why You Need To Go: Celebrate Oktoberfest without having to leave Montreal. The spirit of the famed Bavarian festival comes to Ville-Émard in its second annual Monktoberfest, a celebration of beer, food, and the neighbourhood's vibrant Monk Boulevard.
Enjoy microbrews, taste gourmet foods from local merchants, and listen to live music all afternoon without having to break the bank on a flight to Germany. Admission to the festival is free and lederhosen is optional.
Explore Montreal on a guided walking tour
When: Saturday, September 29 at 4 p.m.
Address: Quartier des Spectacles, Montreal, QC
Why You Need To Go: Just because your summer vacation may be over, doesn't mean your staycation has to be. Put on your comfiest walking shoes and play tourist for a day on this free two-hour walking tour.
Led by a guide certified by the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ), this tour takes you on an exploration of the Quartier des Spectacles, where you'll learn all about its history from its Red Light-era past to its recent transformation into an outdoor theatre. This Saturday's walk is the last tour of the season, so don't miss out.
Quartier des Spectacles Website
Celebrate local produce at a harvest festival
When: Saturday, September 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Address: Potagers les Bonnets Bleus, 1, av. Clanranald, Montreal, QC
Why You Need To Go: Want to reconnect with nature, learn about urban agriculture, feast on local produce, and strengthen ties with the community all in one afternoon? Then don't miss MultiCaf and the INARI Network's Harvest Festival, featuring fresh produce grown exclusively in Côte-des-Neiges.
With a BBQ, face painting, games, interactive workshops on agriculture and sustainability, live music, and a DJ, this festival will appeal to everyone: from those with the greenest thumbs to those just looking to have a good time.
Change your perspective at the Montreal International Projection Mapping Festival
When: September 24 to 28, 2024
Address: Multiple locations
Why You Need To Go: Returning for its ninth edition, the Montreal International Projection Mapping (MAPP_MTL) Festival features video projections, electronic music, food stalls, digital murals, creative and screen-printing workshops, and a new skateboarding initiative.
This year's theme is Perspectives, which MAPP_MTL festival founder and artistic director, Thien Vu Dang, describes as "an invitation to delve into the complex intricacies of multiple perceptions of reality, in a world where advances in artificial intelligence are overturning our paradigms."
But mostly, it's just a damn good (and free) time with a neighbourhood party vibe.
MAPP_MTL Festival Website
Laugh at a comedy show in Girouard Park
Comedy in Girouard Park.
When: Saturday, September 28 at 8 p.m.
Address: Baseball diamond outfield, Girouard Park, 3500, av. Girouard, Montreal, QC
Why You Need To Go: For the past four years, local comedian and JFL recording artist Zak Kik has brought laughs to Notre-Dame-de-Grâce with this free outdoor stand-up comedy show.
Featuring performances by both amateur and professional comics, this show has quickly become a community staple and favourite of NDG residents and comedy fans across the city.
This Saturday is the last show of the season, so be sure to come out before the nights get cold and when stand up is reserved for dark comedy clubs and Netflix marathon sessions.
Experience digital arts at Lumifest
When: Thursday, September 26 to Saturday, September 28
Address: Rue Saint-Charles O., Longueuil, QC
Why You Need To Go: For eight years, Lumifest has been a celebration of digital arts, local culture, and gastronomy, and this year will be no different. Vieux Longueuil's rue Saint Charles Ouest will be transformed into a digital fair with digital works, immersive projections, digital graffiti, and sound and visual installations that will light up the street.
There will also be shadow theatre, giant puppets, DJ and VJ sets, and live musical performances. And because Lumifest is a feast for both your eyes and stomach, be sure to check out the many food trucks serving tasty treats from favourite local restaurants.
Have a great weekend, Montreal!
