By this time next week, it’ll be a brand-new year. So, celebrate the last Saturday of 2019 with these events going on around town today, December 28.

Cirque du Soleil – AXEL

What: Cirque du Soleil will be hitting the “la glace” all weekend at the Bell Centre as the company’s new show, AXEL, carves its way to Montreal.

Fusing skating, acrobatics, live music, dancing, and stunning graphics, Cirque du Soleil is bringing their “ice spectacle” to the company’s founding city for ten days, starting tonight.

When: December 28, 2019
Time: 11:30 am, 3:30 pm, and 7:30 pm
Where: Bell Centre, 1909-avenue-des-Canadiens-de-Montreal
Price: $55.50 – $167.75, available online

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Merry Montreal

What: Merry Montreal returns this weekend, hosting a slew of free events to kick your Christmas spirit into high gear.

Along with the Old Port’s historical cachet, restaurants, boutiques and renowned hotels, Merry Montreal features the Nordic Place, Music on the Docks, and a massive New Year’s Eve bash (one of the only free New Year’s Eve events in the city).

The Nordic Square features DJs, live theatre, a band, interactive installations, and a winter beer garden. Local artists will be performing on stage to keep you entertained while a giant fire keeps you warm (the alcohol will help too).

When: From now until December 31, 2019
Time: Various times
Where: Montreal’s Old Port
Price: Free

Natrel Skating Rink

What: The Natrel Skating Rink in Old Montreal is now open to the public, offering some real nice ice. If you’re brave enough to tackle the cold, strap on some skates and get moving.

Known for its outstanding quality of ice, excellent facilities, and breathtaking views of the city and the Saint Lawrence River, this is the place to go skating in Montreal.

When: December 28, 2019
Time: 10 am to 10 pm
Where: Natrel Skating Rink, Bonsecours Basin
Price: $5.22 for kids six to 12; $7.83 general admission, free for kids under six

Luminothérapie

What: Place des Festivals is lit.

The Quartier des Spectacles’ public square is hosting the 10th edition of Luminothérapie through Pop!, a celebration of five fantastical creatures that aim to light up the city during the dark days of winter.

Because if anything can lighten up our bleak winter, it’s Luminothérapie, Quebec’s largest temporary public art installation.

When: From now until January 26, 2020
Time: 12 to 11 pm
Where: Place des Festivals
Price: Free

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts – Miracle at the Museum

What: The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) is getting into the spirit of giving by allowing free access to the general public to its permanent collections and discovery exhibitions.

The deal is part of the museum’s Miracle at the Museum promotion and it kicks off this weekend until January 5, 2020.

Check out the website for a full list of exhibitions.

When: From now until January 5, 2020
Time: 10 am to 5 pm
Where: 1380 Sherbrooke Ouest
Price: Free

Pente à Neige

What: No offence, Mont Tremblant, but we might hit the slopes a bit closer to home this winter as La Pente à Neige has constructed a man-made ski hill at Parc Ignace-Bourget.

The third edition of the urban hill opens this weekend and it’s big enough for up to 250 people along with a mini slope that can accommodate up to 50 mini-skiers.

The hill welcomes skiers, snowboarders, tubers, and sledders of any age and features a cozy heated yurt, mulled wine, hot chocolate, and music. Guests can bring their own equipment, or it can be rented on site.

The slope is 300 metres long and has professionals on site to teach people proper skiing/snowboarding/falling down techniques.

When: December 28, 2019
Time: 10 am to 6 pm
Where: Parc Ignace-Bourget — 6101 Avenue de Montmagny
Price: Various pricing, details available online

The Nutcracker Ballet

What: For the 55th year, the full-length rendition of Les Grands Ballet’s magical The Nutcracker returns to Montreal.

Choreographed by the late Quebecer Fernand Nault and based on German author ETA Hoffman’s original tale, the theatre play embodies the spirit of Christmas with its graceful entertainment, magical scenery, stunning costumes, and Tchaikovsky’s irresistible musical score.

The story tells the tale of Clara, who receives a beautiful nutcracker for Christmas. The young girl is then swept into a fairytale world in which the nutcracker becomes a prince, while mice and rats battle an army of toy soldiers.

When: From now until December 30, 2019
Time: 2 pm and 7:30 pm
Where: Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts
Price: $99 – $144, available, online

Imagine Van Gogh

What: Montreal has been coated with an exhibition of the works of Vincent Van Gogh, the Dutch post-impressionist painter who is among the most famous figures in the history of the art world.

The exhibition, Imagine Van Gogh, which opened last week, takes guests through the world of colours and emotions of Van Gogh’s works through gigantic murals and an immersive soundtrack.

When: December 28, 2019
Time: 10 am to 6 pm
Where: Arsenal Contemporary Art Contemporain
Price: $26 – $36, available online

Illumi Cavalia

What: The dark days of winter need to be brightened up a touch, and that’s where Cavalia’s Illumi comes in.

Check out a world of magical, captivating, and gorgeous lights in an extraordinary outdoor show created from thousands of light sculptures, characters, and designs.

When: December 28, 2019
Time: 4 to 10 pm
Where: Illumi Cavalia — 2805 Boulevard du Souvenir, Laval
Price: $14.50 – $18.50, available online

Dodgebow

What: DodgeBow is exactly what it sounds like: dodgeball fused with bow and arrows.

The exhilarating team-based archery combat sport is capped with cushion-ends so they don’t hurt when they hit you, and you can channel your inner Legolas when flinging them.

Face-off with your friends in the DodgeBow arena and put your marksmanship skills to the test.

When: December 28, 2019
Time: 2 pm to 8 pm
Where: 202-4767 Dagenais Street
Price: $24.95, available online

Fontaine boréale

What: Considering the holidays are usually associated with snow and ice, it might be time for a little element change.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Christmas fountain known as “Fontaine boréale” has returned to the complexe Desjardins for the holiday season.

The immersive and multi-sensory experience features the Complexe Desjardin’s Grande-Place water fountain, completely decked out in the Christmas spirit.

Every hour, the fountain lights and shoots up to the shopping mall’s ceiling, accompanied by music, lights, and special effects.

When: December 28, 2019
Time: Every hour from 4 to 10 pm
Where: Complexe Desjardins, 150 rue Ste. Catherine Ouest
Price: Free