11 things to do in Montreal today: Sunday, January 6

Whether you’re itching to get outside and revel in a Montreal winter, or if you want to stay in and keep busy, the city is offering some eventful options today, January 6.

Natrel Skating Rink

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 outdoor skating in Montreal.

There’s no better way to stick it to winter than bundling up and hitting the ice.

The chilled 2,500-square-metre rink features a cozy village right in front of the ice and is a puck’s throw away from Bistro Bonsecours for a little post-game refresher.

Natrel’s Skating Rink plays rock, classical and jazz music on large outdoor speakers to add to your soundtrack of whizzing down the ice.

When: Sunday, January 6
Time: 10 am – 10 pm
Where: Natrel Skating Rink, Bonsecours Basin
Price: $6.95 general admission, $4.90 kids aged 6 – 12, free for children under 6

Les Canadiennes vs Toronto Furies

From one ice to the other, Montreal’s professional women’s ice hockey team, Les Canadiennes, are taking on the Toronto Furies on Sunday at the Bell Sports Complex.

When: Sunday, January 6
Time: 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Where: Bell Sports Complex, 8000 Boulevard LeDuc, Brossard
Price: Tickets available online, $15

Pente à Neige

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

Thanks to this week’s snowfall, the second edition of the urban hill is going to boast fresh powder today. The hill is big enough for up to 250 people and there’s also a mini slope on site to accommodate up to 50 mini-skiers.

The hill welcomes skiers, snowboarders, tubers and sledders of any age and features a cozily heated yurt, mulled wine, hot chocolate and music.

Guests can bring their own equipment or it can be rented on site.

When: Sunday, January 6
Time: 10 am – 6 pm
Where: Parc Ignace-Bourget
Price: Free admission

Musée Grévin Montreal

Sneak away from the winter cold and spend a few hours in a warm room while staring at wax celebrity figures.

Check out your favourite actors, athletes, and artists in wax form. The figurines are displayed beautifully through the four-floor museum that also features optical illusions and interactive displays. It’s admittedly pretty creepy staring into Elvis’ eyes, especially if he starts blinking.

When: Sunday, January 6
Time: 10 am to 6 pm
Where: 705 Rue Saint Catherine (4th floor of the Eaton Centre)
Price: $19.50 for adult, $13.50 for children, $15.50 for youth and students and $18 for seniors

Nextdoor Pub & Grill

Nextdoor Pub & Grill is the place to be on Sunday. They offer deals at both ends of their hours – bottomless caesars and mimosas in the afternoon and 29 cent chicken wings at night. Park yourself at Nextdoor for as many caesars or mimosas you can handle and then relax by eating all the 29 cent wings as you can.

When: Sunday, January 6
Time: 8 am – 3 pm caesar/mimosa deal, 4 pm – midnight wing special
Where: 5175A Rue Sherbrooke Ouest

Luminothérapie

Place des Festivals has brought Montreal sights and sounds by fusing dominos, music and lights.

The ninth edition of Luminothérapie, Quebec’s largest temporary public art installation, is called “Effet domino” by Ingrid Ingrid. The installation will feature 120 giant dominos spread out across several different stations. The public is invited to play with them, each creating different music and luminous effects in the process.

The dominos are all topple-able as a musical orchestra of dominos illuminate in a rainbow of pastel hues and sounds. Check out some photos here.

When: Sunday, January 6
Time: 12 pm – 10 pm
Where: Place des Festivals, Jeanne Mance
Price: Free

Hockey History Exhibit

The Hockey Cup History travelling exhibit opens on Friday at the Dorval Museum of Local History and Heritage.

Hockey fans can take a look at trophies, rings, hockey sticks, archival footage and over 50 hockey-related artifacts. Visitors are also invited to play a hockey tabletop game as well as a ‘design your own goalie mask’ workshop.

When: From now until April 17
Time: 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm, Thursday to Sunday
Where: 1850 Lakeshore Drive, Dorval
Price: Free

Amaze Escape Room

Escape the snow and try to figure your way out of an escape room.

Try your luck at escaping from a prison, a military facility, a lost temple, or a laboratory. Make a reservation, choose your adventure and then you have anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to get out of any respective room. Each mission is reserved solely for your group and you’re given a walkie-talkie in case you need hints/get scared.

When: Sunday, November 18
Time: 2pm – 10:30pm
Where: 3550 Rue St. Jacques
Price: $15-$30 depending on your chosen mission (per person). Make your reservation first online.

Snow Tubing on Mont Royal

Take advantage of the pride of Montreal by snow tubing down it.

Discover the exhilaration of snow tubing down reserved lanes next to the toboggan hill overlooking Beaver Lake.

When: Sunday, January 6
Time: 10 am – 4 pm (until 6 pm on Saturdays and Sundays)
Where: Mont Royal Park
Price: $5 for 4 to 11-year-olds, $9 for 12 years old and up

Notre-Dame Basilica

Celebrate Sunday mass at Montreal’s most viewed structure at 11 am and hear a 25-person choir accompanied by the organ. Or, take a walking tour of the basilica which is an absolutely gorgeous spectacle. It is filled with hundreds of wooden carvings, several religious statues, and gigantic stained glass windows.

When: The Notre-Dame Basilica is open year round
Time: 12:30 pm – 4 pm on Sundays (mass starts at 11 am)
Where: 110 Rue Notre Dame Ouest
Price: Free

Atrium Le 1000

If the weather doesn’t bode well with you this weekend, lace up the skates and glide to the lively beat of music at the Atrium inside one of the tallest buildings in Montreal.

The rink is covered under an immense glass dome so you can feel like you’re outside without having to deal with the pesky weather. Plus, it’s gorgeously decorated for the winter season.

When: Saturday, January 5
Time: 12:30 pm – 9 pm
Where: 1000 De La Gauchetière
Price: $5 – $7.50 (equipment rentals range from $1 – $7)

See also

• Justin Bieber got a face tattoo because of course he did
• One of North America's largest private islands is for sale in Canada (PHOTOS)
• Rare snowfall makes Arizona desert and Grand Canyon look otherworldly (PHOTOS)
• Street parking meter prices set to increase in Montreal this April