25 things to do in Montreal in October

Oct 1 2016, 4:42 am

October has arrived! We can no longer pretend that summer didn’t end. Nope, here in Montreal it’s most definitely now fall.

In addition to the cooler weather, the city is letting you know it has officially entered fall mode thanks to the myriad of fun fall-themed events happening this month.

From Oktoberfest to Halloween fun, check out 25 things to do in Montreal in October.

See Adele live at the Bell Centre

Adele’s third international tour, Adele Live 2016, began in February and is finally stopping in Montreal this fall. Thanks to the success of her sophomore album, 25 (let’s be real, we still belt out “Hello” anytime it’s on the radio), that was released last October, Adele is travelling all over Europe and North America on her Adele Live Tour. Safe to say, Montrealers in attendance can expect to laugh, cry, and hear some sassy one-liners from the queen of blues herself.
When: September 30 and October 1, 8 pm
Where: Centre Bell, 1909 Avenue des Canadiens-de-Montreal

Head to Montreal’s International Literature Festival

Are you a fan of books, poetry, art, music, and film? Then Montreal’s International Literature Festival is for you. This year’s event will feature several unique exhibits, including “100 Years with Anne Hebert,” “Jack Kerouac: Life Is Tribute,” “Haiti Is A Party,” and “The Swallowed of Swallowed.” Additional events including live musical performances, poetry readings, book readings, and art expos.
When: September 23 – October 2
Where: Quartier des Spectacles

Hit up Oktoberfest at the Atwater Market

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Pumpkins and beer? Yes please. Oktoberfest is back at the Atwater Market this fall. This year’s Oktoberfest will feature 40 different microbreweries from all over Quebec. Set up under a traditional tent, craft beer can be purchased all day long on September 30th, October 1st, and October 2nd. The tent will be erected right at the entrance to the market so you can grab a pint before strolling through the stands of fall-themed goodies.
When: September 30th 1 pm-6:30 pm, October 1st 10 am-4:30 pm, October 2nd 11 am-4:30 pm
Where: Atwater Market, 138 Avenue Atwater

Attend Montreal’s first Dog Festival

Described as Montreal’s first ever festival dedicated to the city’s love of dogs, Dog Fest is coming to Montreal for two days only on October 8th and 9th. Dog Fest Montreal will celebrate all things dog-related. There will be 8 food trucks, 40 vendors, a DJ, live dog shows, and even a microchip station. Do not miss this afternoon of cute and furry fun!
When: October 8-9
Where: 3700 Rue St-Patrick (along the Lachine Canal, near the Atwater Market)

Visit the UQAM Farmer’s Market

The UQAM Farmer’s Market has returned to bring Montrealers the best fall produce out there. Open every Wednesday from August 31st until October 26th, the UQAM Farmer’s Market will be set up in Place Pasteur. Catering to all of your food needs, the market will feature produce and bakery stalls, ready-to-eat lunch options, and a diverse range of other healthy and locally sourced products.
When: Every Wednesday from 12 pm-6 pm between August 31st and October 26th
Where: Place Pasteur, Saint Denis Street between Boulevard de Maisonneuve and Sainte Catherine Street Est

Participate in Montreal Zombie Walk 2016


Zombie-fy yourself at Montreal’s annual Zombie Walk. If you like blood, gore, and walking funny, then you best join in on one of Montreal’s most fun themed walks. It is absolutely free to join. All you have to do is show up with tattered clothing and your best zombie makeup and make your way through the spooky streets of Montreal. Not the greatest at applying makeup? There will be makeup experts on hand at Place des Festivals starting at 3pm sharp. $15 will cover a full application of makeup (wounds, gashes, blood and all).

When: October 29, 4 pm
Where: Place des Festivals

Buy a ticket for Montreal’s newest art exhibit, Focus: Perfection

Pompeii may be over but lucky for us, an equally exciting temporary exhibition has taken its place at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Titled “Focus: Perfection,” this temporary exhibit focuses on Robert Mapplethorpe, one of the most influential photographers of the 21st century. The exhibit hails all the way from Los Angeles and was curated by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the J. Paul Getty Museum in collaboration with the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation. “Focus: Perfection” will track Mapplethorpe’s work from the beginning of his career in the 1960s to his tragic death in 1989.
When: Monday and Tuesday 10 am-5 pm, Wednesday 10 am-9 pm, Thursday to Saturday 10 am-5 pm, Sunday closed
Where: Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, 1380 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest

Take a ghost tour of Old Port

It appears Old Port is haunted! Do you believe in ghosts? The people over at Guidatour certainly do, as evidenced by the Fantomes Montreal Ghosts tours they run throughout the summer and fall months. Taking place in Old Port, Fantomes Montreal Ghosts offers two 90-minute ghost tours: The Traditional Ghost Walk and the Ghost Walk & Dark Encounters. They are also offering a Halloween Special that will feature costumes, disguises, and ghost hunts. Tours range in price from $15 to $25.
When: Tour dates and times range, for more information click here
Where: 360 Saint-François-Xavier Street

Make some art at Le Ceramic Cafe Studio

Do you love art and coffee? If you answered yes to this question, then Le Ceramic Cafe Studio is for you. Le Ceramic Cafe Studio allows Montrealers to sip on a latte or eat a sandwich, whilst creating some pretty magnificent ceramic art. Simply choose an object (like a mug or bowl), pick your colours, and get painting!
When: Open Monday to Wednesday 10 am-11 pm, Thursday 10 am-12 am, Friday and Saturday 10 am-12:30 am, Sunday 10 am-10 pm
Where: 4338 Saint Denis

Experience Fright Fest at La Ronde


Celebrate Halloween with La Ronde at their annual Fright Fest. Every weekend in October, La Ronde will be transformed into one giant haunted village. Prepare to meet zombies, convicts, and worst of all, clowns. In addition to their usual slew of mazes and haunted houses, 2016 boasts Demon’s Hell, where you’ll be chased by your worst demons, and The Cursed Farm, where a string of people have recently gone missing…If you like being scared on Halloween, then Fright Fest at La Ronde is the place to go.
When: Every weekend in October from 11 am until closing, for a full schedule click here
Where: La Ronde, 22 Chemin MacDonald

Jump up and down at iSaute

Take up extreme trampolining for an evening at this 30,000 square foot warehouse in Anjou. With massive rooms filled with wall-to-wall trampolines, you can feel like a kid again jumping as high as your body can soar. If you get tired of plain old jumping, iSaute also boasts a trampoline dodgeball stadium and a basketball dunk centre.
When: Monday to Thursday 3 pm-9 pm, Friday and Saturday 9 am-12 am, Sunday 9 am-8 pm
Where: 8700 boul du Golf Anjou

Get tickets to the Tegan and Sara concert at Metropolis

The Canadian indie pop duo are back in Montreal, this time performing at Metropolis over Halloween weekend. The identical twins will be performing songs from their latest album Love You To Death, including their hit single “Boyfriend.” Tickets are general admission and cost $45.
When: October 29, 8 pm
Where: Metropolis, 59 Sainte-Catherine Street East

Watch a movie at the SPASM Festival

The Spasm Festival has dedicated itself to showcasing the most unusual films in cinema. Taking place over Halloween weekend, SPASM will be screening Total Crap 12 on October 27th, a preface to their grand night of horror movies on October 28th. On Friday, October 28th, SPASM will be taking over Club Soda, playing a slew of the goriest horror movies before screening The Evil Dead in honour of the film’s 35th anniversary. If you’re a film buff looking to get your horror fix this Halloween, you should definitely consider heading to Club Soda for the SPASM Festival.
When: October 27 and 28
Where: Club Soda, 1225 Boulevard Saint Laurent

Make a feline friend at Cafe Chat L’Heureux

In case you weren’t aware, Montreal is home to its very own cat cafe. Known as Cafe Chat L’Heureux, this cat cafe located in the Plateau is filled with furry friends for you to come and hang out with. Cafe Chat L’Heureux currently houses 8 cats named Luzerne, Gustave, Luna, Milady, Luciole, Chopin, Boris, and Sheldon. Ranging from kittens to old timers, this cat cafe has a wide variety of feline friends, each as cute as the last. Drinking a latte whilst playing with a kitten? I don’t think there’s a better way to spend a rainy day.
When: Tuesday to Thursday 11 am – 8 pm, Friday and Saturday 10 am – 10 pm, Sunday 10 am – 8 pm
Where: 172 Avenue Duluth Est

Make a canine friend at Le Doggy Cafe

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Le Doggy Cafe opened in Montreal in 2015. It is 100% vegetarian and you guessed it…is often filled with adorable dogs! Owners are actively encouraged to bring their pups with them to this hip cafe in the Plateau. Serving up healthy smoothies and salads, inventive grilled cheese sandwiches, and an array of vegan treats, Le Doggy Cafe will keep your stomach from growling while you’re playing with a cute puppy.
When: 10 am-8 pm every day of the week
Where: 4493 Avenue Papineau

Catch a show at the OFF Jazz Festival

Didn’t get your fix of jazz during the International Jazz Fest, then you’ll really be digging the fact that Montreal is set to host a second jazz festival this October. The OFF Jazz Festival is coming to Montreal this Thanksgiving weekend. From October 6th-15th, various venues around Montreal will be filled with some of Canada’s top jazz musicians. Atlantic singers Christine Jensen and Maggi Olin will be kicking off the festival on October 6th, while other festival headliners include Chaosmos, Quattro Venti, Nomad, and the Olivier Babaz Trio.
When: October 6-15
Where: Various locations, for a full list of venues click here

Play an escape game at A/MAZE

Put your brain to the test at Montreal’s very own escape room game centre, A/MAZE. A/MAZE will challenge you in more ways than you thought possible, and there’s only one way to escape: by solving the puzzle. In a limited amount of time, you’ll have to find clues, crack codes, and solve problems in one of their themed rooms, ranging from a 1926 prison cell to a mad scientist’s lab.
When: Monday to Thursday 2 pm-10 pm, Friday to Sunday 10 am-10 pm
Where: Various locations

Visit Montreal’s zero waste grocery store

Mega Vrac, in their quest to reduce waste, has recently become the first zero waste grocery store in Montreal. Customers are asked to bring their own reusable containers and bags to carry out their purchased items, however, if you forget, Mega Vrac will sell you reusable cloth bags, pots, and bottles on site to carry home your groceries. As for the items themselves, they are stored in reusable containers on shelves and tables throughout the store. There are over 700 different products available at Mega Vrac, from coffee and tea to nuts and fruit.
When: Monday and Tuesday 9 am-8:30 pm, Wednesday to Friday 9 am-9 pm, Saturday 9 am-8 pm, Sunday 9 am-6 pm
Where: 2649 Rue Masson

Visit the Montreal Botanical Garden’s Gardens of Light

Gardens of Light is back by popular demand at the Montreal Botanical GardenAs of September 2nd, the gardens will be lit up at dusk, inviting Montrealers to stroll along the paths guided by stunning multi-coloured lanterns. Inspired by Chinese and Japanese gardens, this year’s Gardens of Light will tell the story of the Son of Heaven, the Chinese Emperor.
When: September 2 to October 31, every day from 9 am to 9 pm
Where: Montreal Botanical Garden, 4101 Rue Sherbrooke Est

Attend the Black & Blue Festival

Black & Blue, otherwise known as the world’s largest gay dance festival, is back in Montreal this October. This year, from October 5th until October 11th, the Pierre Charbonneau Amphitheatre will once again be taken over by an array of activities for the gay community and its friends. The week of Black & Blue events includes dance parties, brunches, sporting events, and art exhibitions, but mostly partying.
When: October 5-11
Where: Pierre Charbonneau Amphithéâtre, 3000 Rue Viau

See a performance of Cinderella at Place des Arts


Now’s your chance to bring this classic fairytale to life at Place des Arts. For a limited time only, the 2013 Tony Award-winning Broadway Musical, Cinderella, will be in Montreal! Stopping in our fair city from October 18th until October 23rd, Montrealers have exactly one week to see this enchanting Broadway musical. This visionary play provides a new take on one of the most beloved Disney princesses in history. The play combines the story’s classic elements, such as the glass slippers, the pumpkin, and the ball, with contemporary life.
When: October 18 to October 23
Where: Place des Arts, Salle Wilfrid Pelletier

Check out the Montreal Burlesque Festival

It’s time to get your Moulin Rouge on. Montreal is hosting a three-day burlesque and cabaret festival this October. From Thursday, October 13th until Saturday, October 15th, Club Soda on Saint Laurent Boulevard will become home to the Montreal Burlesque FestivalEach night Club Soda will open its doors at 7 pm and will host a burlesque and cabaret show starting at 8 pm sharp.
When: October 13-15
Where: Club Soda, 1225 Boulevard Saint Laurent

Attend the Rocky Horror Picture Show Halloween Ball


Are you a fan of this cult classic? Well whether you are or not, watching The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Halloween is a must. Lucky for you, Montreal does Rocky Horror justice at the annual Rocky Horror Picture Show Halloween Ball. The show takes place at the Imperial Cinema and features a screening of the original movie while a large cast of actors performs live on stage. As per usual, audience participation is actively encouraged. Tickets to this Montreal institution are just $17.95 ($19.95 at the door).
When: October 28, 29, 31 at 8 pm and 11 pm
Where: Cinema Imperial, 1430 Rue Bleury

Go on a Fossils and Foundations Guided Walk Tour of Montreal

Organized by the Redpath Museum, their annual Fossils and Foundations Guided Walking Tour will take you to secret spots all over the city that are rife with fossils and minerals. The tour lasts approximately two hours and begins at the Redpath Museum.
When: October 30, 10 am-12 pm
Where: Redpath Museum, 859 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest

Watch a free movie at Cineplex Community Day

Cineplex Community Day is back, bringing free movies to Montrealers of all ages on Saturday, October 22nd. Though little is known yet about this year’s Community Day, last year several Cineplex theatres across Montreal participated including Theatre Scotiabank, Cineplex Forum, and Cineplex Latin Quartier. Prepare for family-friendly movies and $2 popcorn and candy.
When: October 22
Where: Participating theatres in Montreal (TBA)

 

DH Montreal StaffDH Montreal Staff

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