montreal events

montreal events

An immersive Harry Potter experience lands in Montreal next month & guests get an actual wand

If you've ever wanted to wave a wand around and feel like a student at Hogwarts, Montreal's about to give you that chance.

Harry Potter: Visions of Magic is opening at Place Bonaventure on March 27, and unlike most exhibitions where you simply look at items behind glass, this one allows you to interact with nearly everything.

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cabane a sucre

A FREE sugar shack festival is taking over this Montreal street for 4 days next month

While we're still in the coldest stretch of winter, every Quebecer knows that maple season is just around the corner. Luckily, you don't have to venture too far to find a proper cabane à sucre. In fact, you might stumble across one in the middle of the city.

Cabane Panache is back from March 19 to 22, transforming Verdun's Promenade Wellington into a four-day festival of live Quebec music, maple-infused treats, and all the sugar shack staples you'd expect. The sweetest part? It's completely free.

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parc jean drapeau

This Montreal park with Disney vibes has transformed into an ethereal winter wonderland

You don't need to catch a flight to experience something straight out of a Disney movie — Montreal has its very own enchanted garden, and right now it's transformed into an ethereal winter wonderland that looks like it's been pulled from one of Frozen or Moana's most magical scenes.

Last year, Parc Jean-Drapeau unveiled a spectacular new attraction to mark the 25th anniversary of the Mosaïcultures internationales de Montréal, and while these living sculptures dazzled visitors all summer, they've taken on an entirely new personality under January's blanket of snow.

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montreal events

A massive FREE New Year's Eve party with fireworks & live music is coming to Montreal

If you think you need to hop on a plane to Times Square to ring in the New Year properly, think again. Montreal is going big this December 31, and it's doing it without charging you a cent.

A brand-new outdoor celebration called Grand Minuit is taking over the Old Port for New Year's Eve, turning the waterfront into one giant open-air dance floor. The event promises live performances, art installations, a huge communal countdown, and a fireworks show to launch 2026 in style.

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skating rinks in montreal

Montreal's illuminated skating rink is open & it's 2x as big as the one at Rockefeller Center

If you're downtown and wondering how to glide into winter (without tripping on an icy sidewalk), the Esplanade Tranquille rink is ready for the season. Located in the heart of the Quartier des Spectacles, the city-run refrigerated outdoor rink spans roughly 1,500 m² and accommodates up to 400 skaters at once.

To put that size in context: the iconic rink at New York’s Rockefeller Center covers just around 669 m², which means the Esplanade Tranquille surface is more than double the size.

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coca-cola caravan

The Coca-Cola Christmas Caravan is rolling into Montreal this week & it's free to check out

If the first snowfall didn't already put you in holiday mode, the Coca-Cola Christmas Caravan should do the trick. The iconic, glowing red truck is touring across Canada again this year, with several Montreal-area stops scheduled over the next few weeks.

Just like the CPKC holiday train rolling through town this month, the festive caravan is hard to miss. It includes lights, music, colourful displays, a full holiday photo setup, and free drinks. Meanwhile, Santa Claus himself — the Coca-Cola version — is also making appearances throughout the tour.

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This Montreal bar hosts nude karaoke nights and it's exactly what it sounds like

If regular karaoke gives you stage fright, Montreal has a version that cranks the vulnerability level up to 11… on purpose.

Upstairs at Café Cleopatra on Saint-Laurent, a late-night event called Bareoke turns classic karaoke into a strip-friendly, clothing-optional party. Twice a month, the historic red-light cabaret fills up with people who sing, strip, or just cheer from the crowd, while others do both.

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This festive Christmas village is opening near Montreal and it includes free hot chocolate

If you're looking for an easy holiday outing just outside Montreal, the annual Marché de Noël de Laval is returning this December with lights, wooden cottages, local artisans and plenty of free activities.

For two weekends, the Centre de la nature de Laval turns into a full Christmas village with cozy cabins, roaming performers and warm drinks. There’s also free hot chocolate all day, which helps make the cold a little more bearable.

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holiday train

A holiday train is rolling into Montreal this month with festive lights and free concerts

One of the most charming holiday traditions in North America is rolling back into Quebec this month, bringing free concerts, thousands of twinkling lights, and plenty of Christmas spirit along for the ride.

The CPKC Holiday Train is returning for its 27th annual tour, travelling across Canada and the United States from November 19 to December 21. The festive train brings live music and a full light show to more than 100 towns and cities, all to support local food banks during one of the busiest times of the year.

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The magical CPKC Holiday Train is rolling through Montreal & other Quebec spots next month

CPKC's beloved Holiday Train is officially back for another year, and it's kicking off the season with a bang (and a little bit of "All Star").

The enchanting cross-country holiday tradition returns for its 27th annual tour from November 19 to December 21, lighting up more than 100 communities across Canada and the U.S. with music, twinkling lights, and festive cheer in support of local food banks.

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montreal events

Montreal's Botanical Garden is all lit up at night & it'll transport you straight to Tokyo

Fall might be settling in, but one of Montreal's most enchanting traditions is just getting started. At the Botanical Garden, Jardins de lumière has returned, lighting up the pathways with lanterns, projections, and glowing installations that feel straight out of a storybook.

Running nightly until November 2, the 13th edition of the event transforms the Chinese, Japanese, and First Nations gardens into illuminated landscapes where myths, poetry, and nature all come alive. It's become a fall ritual for many Montrealers, the kind of evening walk that makes you forget the chill in the air.

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Montreal's sculpture garden now glows at night & it's like stepping into a Disney fairytale

Fall might be creeping in, but one of Montreal's most surreal summer attractions isn't ready to fade just yet.

Over at Parc Jean-Drapeau, the three massive horticultural sculptures that stole the show all summer are now being lit up at dusk, turning the gardens into a glowing, dreamlike scene.

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