23 things to do in Montreal this weekend: October 13 to 15

Oct 13 2017, 8:49 am

Fall is in full swing, Montreal!

There is so much to do this weekend. From fall-themed events to so much more, make the most of your Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Dragon Dance at Gardens of Light

The Gardens of Light at Montreal’s Botanical Garden will be hosting a special event before the festival ends on October 31. On Friday, October 13, head to the Gardens of Light for the Dragon Dance.According to event organizers, “the dragon dance is done by several people. Each holds a bamboo stick supporting part of a dragon, which can be as long as 15 metres. The dancers make the beast ripple, dance and flutter to chase away the bad spirits.”

Where: Chinese Garden at the Botanical Gardens, 4101, rue Sherbrooke Est
When: Friday, October 13 at 7 and 8 pm

Malefycia

What: This October, you’re invited to visit one of the most terrifying haunted houses in Montreal. Back for its third year, Malefycia is even creepier than before, with this year’s theme being ‘Creepy Care Clinic.’ For just under an hour, you can wander through the horrifying rooms where you’ll be forced to deal with frightening scenarios.

Where: Angus Street in Montreal’s Rosemont area
When: October 13 to 15; 2o to 22;27 to 31

Deadmau5

What: The one and only Deadmau5 will be bringing his “Lots of Shows in a Row: Pt. 2” tour to the Bell Centre this October. He released his eighth studio album, W:/2016ALBUM/ in 2016 that features the singles “Let It Go” and “Snowcone”.

Where: Bell Centre, 1909 Avenue des Canadiens-de-Montréal
When: October 13

The Great Pumpkin Ball

What: Get into the Halloween spirit by attending the Great Pumpkin Ball, where you’ll find hundreds of decorated pumpkins. Attendees will also find pumpkin decorating contests, play zones and lots of other Halloween activities for the little ones.

Where: Botanical Garden, 4101, rue Sherbrooke Est
When: Now to 31, 9 am to 9 pm

First Fridays

The largest food truck festival has begun! Olympic Stadium is known for their awesome events, with our personal favourite being First Fridays. The most glorious of days, First Fridays are a special kind of culinary event in which all of the city’s food trucks gather at Olympic Stadium. Allowing Montrealers to sample dishes from over 50 food trucks, you can expect to find everything from tacos and churros, to mac and cheese and lobster rolls.

Where: Olympic Stadium
When: First Friday of each month until October 27

OFF Jazz Festival

What: If you didn’t get your jazz fix during the International Jazz Fest, then you need to catch a performance at Montreal’s OFF Jazz Festival this fall. From October 5 to 14, various venues around Montreal will be filled with some of Canada’s top jazz musicians.

Where: Various venues throughout the city
When: Until October 14

Pumpkinferno

What: If you don’t mind a bit of a drive, then you NEED to check out Pumpkinferno, an insane pumpkin lantern festival just an hour and a half from Montreal. The Award-winning Pumpkinferno festival is an annual event taking place in Upper Canada Village that features over 150 themed pumpkin displays made up of over 7,000 hand carved pumpkins. If you’re looking to get into the Halloween spirit, you definitely need to check out Pumpkinferno.

Where: Upper Canada Village
When: Until October 29

La Ronde Fright Fest

What: Fright Fest, is back for another terrifying year. Fright Fest offers a wide variety of places to get your scare on including several haunted houses and scare zones located throughout the park. The stuff of nightmares lurks around every corner, as the dark of night washes over the park.

Where: 22 Chemin Macdonald
When: Until October 31

Les Jardineries

What: You still have a few weeks to check out the beautiful space at Les Jardineries. Located at the foot of the Olympic Stadium, Les Jardineries is a green space created as a re-appropriation of post-Olympics infrastructure. Here you’ll find a big landscaped garden, bistros with an illuminated terrace, a greenhouse, a circular beach and a host of free games and activities.

Where: Montréal Olympic Park, Corner of Pierre-De Coubertin Av. and Pie-IX Blvd
When: Now until October 13

Cineplex Community Day 2017

What: On October 14, select Cineplex theatres across Canada will be showing FREE screenings of several films. Popcorn, drinks, and select candy will be available to purchase at a reduced price, with proceeds going towards WE (formally known as Free The Children). Be sure to check the Cineplex website for updates on what movies will be playing and ticket information.

Where: Cineplex theatres across Montreal
When: October 14

Exotic Animal Show

What: The exotic animal show is back for another exciting year. Guests will see a variety of exotic animals including lynx, lemurs, wallabies, parrots, reptiles, skunks, African porcupines and more!

Where: 552, Boul. Wilfrid-Hamel, Borough of Les Rivières
When: October 14 to 15

Haunted Montreal Ghost Tour

What: Come and explore downtown Montreal and discover that beneath the veneer of urban respectability lie many dark secrets, from forgotten cemeteries to ghost-infested buildings, and the numerous hauntings that go with them.

Where: The haunted tours all begin at Andrew’s Pub (1241 Guy Street, just south of Sainte Catherine Street)
When: October 15, 22, 29, 30, 31, and November 5

Passages Insolites

What: If you don’t mind going on a bit of a drive, we highly recommend checking out Passages Insolites before it closes for the season. Located throughout the Old Port district, Quartier Petit Champlain and Place Royale, Passages Insolites will feature a number of unusual and surprising temporary art installations set up by professional artists.

Where: Throughout the Old Port district, Quartier Petit Champlain and Place Royale
When: Now until October 15

Walk along Montreal’s public art trail

Montreal’s art scene is getting even better with the addition of KM3 (pronounced kilometre cube) a free participatory walking tour of art installations around the city. This kilometre long public art trail is located at Quartier des Spectacles and is part of Montreal’s 375th-anniversary celebrations.

Get up close and personal as you walk through the streets to view 22 works of public art created by artists in Quebec and all over the world.

Where: Quartier des Spectacles
When: Until October 15, 2017

The Home Movie Factory

What: Urban art festival Chromatic presents Michel Gondry’s Home Movie Factory, a free film production workshop. The Home Movie Factory is dedicated to offering participants the opportunity to explore the process of filmmaking through an interactive and engaging approach. From scriptwriting to filming, to choosing costumes and accessories, groups up to 15 participants are invited to create a film in only 3 hours.

Where: The Dompark Complex, 5524 Rue Saint-Patrick
When: Now until October 15

Mont Sutton Fall Festival

What: Get into the fall spirit by heading to Mont Sutton’s annual fall festival. Come take in autumn and all its beauty by enjoying a variety of free activities including obstacle courses, guided hikes, slackline trail zone, outdoor concerts, yoga hike on the mountain, and a nature photo exhibit.

Where: Mont Sutton, 671 Rue Maple C.P.
When: Now until October 15

Secret Montreal

Learn something new about our fair city. Local tour company, Secret Montreal, is currently running “The Red Light of Montreal” tour, which teaches participants about the city’s indecent past.

Where: Midway Tavern, 1219, Boulevard Saint-Laurent
When: Now until October 21, 8:30 pm

Gardens of Light

Officially set to open September 8, 2017, this year’s Gardens of Light theme is “Between sky and water.” Thus, the 2017 exhibition will focus on nature, and more specifically, on the five elements of water, earth, fire, wood, and metal.

Where: Montreal Botanical Garden, 4101 Rue Sherbrooke Est
When: Until October 31, 9 am to 9 pm

Barbie Expo

What: Come and check out the world’s largest Barbie exhibit this month. The exhibit will feature Barbies of various ethnicities, dressed in traditional clothes, as well as great Hollywood stars (Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, etc.). A separate section is reserved for haute-couture dolls, which have been dressed by Dior, Chanel, Givenchy and many more notable names from the fashion industry.

Where: Les Cours Mont-Royal, 1455 Peel Street,
When: Now until December 31

Go apple picking

What better way to celebrate the end of summer than by spending the afternoon apple picking? Head out to any one of the orchards in the Montreal area, and prepare for a day of tractor rides, picnics, and of course, apples. Cidrerie-Verger Léo BoutinLa Ferme Quinn, and Vergers Pierre Tremblay et Fils are a few great options. Bonus points if you turn your hand-picked apples into a fresh apple pie!

Where: Anywhere
When: Apple season is on until mid-October

Go biking on one of the city’s bike paths

We can all agree that biking in Montreal is objectively non-advisable in winter. Sadly, we’re somehow almost there.

All the more reason to saddle up and take advantage of Montreal’s fantastic bike paths while fall is still here. That pleasant autumn air, long golden hours, and flashing auburn leaves – not a bad way to spend a day on a bike. Check out this list of 9 back paths in Montreal.

Where: Check out the list!
When: Anytime this fall

Take your best Instagram pics of fall in Montreal

If you’re still a little sad that summer is over, why not pump yourself up by venturing outdoors and taking a few fall-tastic Instagram photos. Go for a walk up Mont Royal or just head to your local Starbucks and enjoy a pumpkin spiced latte. You’ll quickly realize that fall in Montreal is pretty damn awesome.

Where: Anywhere
When: Anytime

Check out the 8 best places to see the leaves change within 3 hours of Montreal

Montreal is home to plenty of incredible spots to see the gorgeous colours of fall.The real magic, however, happens a little distance beyond city limits. And you know what that means: it’s road trip time. Chase the colours of the season at these 8 great places to see the leaves change within three hours of Montreal.

Where: Check out the list!
When: Anytime this fall

See also
DH Montreal StaffDH Montreal Staff

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