24 things to do in Montreal this October

As the weather begins to cool and we prep for months of snow and cold, October is the perfect time to toss on a cozy sweater and revel in the beauty that is fall foliage.

Before the snow covers the ground for five months, here are the 24 things to keep you busy this October in Montreal

Gardens of Light

September brought the magical Gardens of Light Festival back and October brings the beauty.

The lantern festival includes a lighted path through the Botanical Garden’s three cultural gardens, the Chinese, Japanese and First Nations Gardens, all looking at nature from a different perspective.

When: Every day in October
Time: 6 pm – 9 pm (until 10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays)
Where: Montreal’s Botanical Gardens
Price: $10.25 – $20.50

A Civilized Conversation with Chelsea Handler

Start your month off with some laughs.

Political activism, culture and cannabis are just a few of the hot topics that will be covered by comedian Chelsea Handler when she stops by the St. Denis Theatre.

Titled ‘A Civilized Conversation With Chelsea Handler,’ the event is part of her Canadian tour which includes seven live town halls across Canada this fall.

When: Thursday, October 4
Time: 8 pm
Where: St. Denis Theatre, 1594 St. Denis Street
Price: Available through Ticketpro

Festival de Nouveau Cinema

The Festival presents daring, one-of-a-kind films from here and abroad, ensuring their success as well as introducing audiences to auteur filmmakers.

Past guests include Atom Egoyan, Marc-André Forcier, Souleymane Cissé, Zacharias Kunuk, Denis Villeneuve, Guy Maddin, Léa Pool, Jim Jarmusch, Jane Campion, Alfonso Cuaron, Wong Kar-wai, Wim Wenders, Mohsen Makhmalbaf and Raymond Depardon.

When: October 3 – 14
Time: Varies per selection
Where: Various locations per selection
Price: $12 general admission, $10 students and seniors, $8 children

La Ronde’s Fright Fest

As if La Ronde’s wild rides aren’t scary enough, they’ve added some ghouls, zombies and witches to the park this month to give thrill-seekers some added jolts at Quebec’s biggest amusement park.

Fright Fest returns for select days in October, it’s a spooky time as costumed monsters take over the park at night.

The park will offer a wide variety of places to get your scare on including new haunted houses, scare zones, frightening mazes and themed rides.

When: October 6-8, 13, 14, 20,21, 27 and 28
Time: 11 am – 10 pm
Where: La Ronde – 22 Chemin Macdonald
Price: TBA

L’Off Jazz

The 19th edition of L’Off Jazz presents over 22 events taking place in 10 of the city’s most renowned venues.

The program offers a variety of seasoned jazz veterans, as well as the young, local jazz musicians from the Montreal scene.

When: October 4 – 13
Time: Varies per selected show
Where: Varies per selected show
Price: $99 for an all-access pass, varies per individual show

Gorillaz 2018 Montreal Concert

This month, Montreal will be able to see the four animated members that make up the Gorillaz: 2-D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle, and Russel Hoobs.

The British virtual band was created in 1998 by Damon Albarn of Blur fame, and artist Jamie Hewlett.

Since 2000, Gorillaz have emerged as a prominent band within the alternative rock, electronica and trip-hop music genre. Their catchy hits “Feel Good Inc,” “Clint Eastwood,” and “DARE” coupled with their massive projections of animated videos at live shows, have made them a very popular band since the turn of the century.

When: Tuesday, October 9
Time: Doors at 6:30 pm, show at 7:30 pm
Where: 1909 avenue des Canadiens-de-Montréal, Bell Centre
Price: $58.50 – $122.75, available online

The MTL Grand Open Round 6

The sixth round (of 10) features nine of Montreal’s funniest comedians battling out for their chance to win a $1000 grand prize.

Grand… prize… get it?

Round 6 includes an impressive slate of comedians: Amanda McQueen, Alex Handy, Al Babcock, Jacob Meza, Lexa Graham, Glenn Frappier, Collin Sideris, Kayla de Leon-Casalla
and Erica Taddeo

When: Sunday, October 14
Time: Doors at 7:30 pm, show at 8 pm
Where: Mckibbin’s Irish Pub – 1426 Bishop Street
Price: $5

Canadiens vs Kings

The Montreal Canadiens host their 2018-19 home opener on October 11 versus the Los Angeles Kings. Tomas Tatar, Max Domi and the new-look Habs will try to exceed expectations in front Carey Price and thousands of fans of the bleue, blanc et rouge.

When: Thursday, October 11
Time: 7:30 pm
Where: Bell Centre
Price: Various prices

Au Contraire Film Festival

The Au Contraire Film Festival goes beyond just screening films. The festival engages the Montreal community to experience films that educate, challenge and entertain its audience.

The Au Contraire Film Festival strives to erase the stigma and dispel the myths surrounding mental illness. In partnership with the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the ACFF is a signature initiative of Urban Pardes, a registered charity benefiting mental health initiatives.

When: October 16-19
Time: 1 pm, 3 pm, 7 pm and 10 pm
Where: Maxwell Cummings Auditorium, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
Price: Varies per film

Montreal Burlesque Festival

For two nights this month, two events will feature costumes, dancing, music and cabaret flaunting the best of male, female and non-binary performers on stage at the renowned Club Soda.

The weekend will feature sensuality, empowerment, education, fashion and after parties showered with cocktails, champagne and a whole lot of dancing for the city’s 10th annual Burlesque Festival.

When: October 19 and 20
Time: Doors at 7 pm, show at 8 pm
Where: Club Soda – 1225 Boulevard St. Laurent
Price: $42 – $179.25

The Braderie de Québécoise

With Halloween circled at the end of the month, nobody wants to spend even more money on clothes.

That’s where the Braderie comes in handy. The festival promotes high-end fashion for low-end prices.

Kollontai, Stefano, Ca va de soi, Veinage, Furlux, Myco Anna, Message Factory, Creation Encore, and many other familiar names will be offering discounts as well as popuar accessories and jewellery.

When: October 18-21
Time: 10 am – 6 pm
Where: Marché Bonsecours
Price: Free admission

Festival SPASM

Besides candy and costumes, Halloween is all about scaring people. And what’s a better way to scare people than with a horror movie festival?

Returning for its 17th edition, the SPASM film festival was created to encourage and explore the various horror genre films from Quebec cinema and international French films.

Sure, Hocus Pocus and Casper were scary when you were a kid, but SPASM aims to showcase all films that are gruesome, quirky, terrifying, thrilling and edge-of-your-seat enjoyable.

When: October 18 – 27
Time: Varying times
Where: 1225 Boulevard Saint Laurent – Club Soda
Price: $20.25, available online

IF3 Festival

The International If3 Festival returns to Montreal at the end of the month. IF3 is dedicated to screening and rewarding freeskiing and snowboarding movies. Held annually at the end of October in Montreal, iF3 was created in 2007 by Félix Rioux, Doug Bishop and Jean-Francis Durocher.

When: October 18-20
Time: 10 am – 8 pm (12 pm on Friday)
Where: 8931 Avenue Papineau
Price: $4 – $15

Andrea Bocelli at the Bell Centre

Andrea Bocelli is a worldwide treasure.

He has one of the most recognizable voices in the entire world and his singing ability triggers so much passion and emotion in listeners.

The people of Montreal will have a chance to hear Bocelli live on October 21 when the legendary opera singer stops by the Bell Centre as part of his Andrea Bocelli In Concert Tour.

When: Sunday, October 21
Time: 7:30 pm
Where: Bell Centre – 1909 avenue des Canadiens-de-Montréal
Price: $154.25 – $414.25

Quebec Deathfest

Deathfest aims to bring Montreal the best and most extreme bands the underground has to offer. They claim to never conform to trends, or being limited by genre restrictions, Deathfest wants to showcase what extreme music, both old and new is capable of.

Expect to hear a variety of death metal, grindcore, doom trash, hardcore, black metal and experimental bands from all over the world.

It’s going to be real loud.

When: October 19-20
Time: 9 pm – 3 am
Where: Foufounes Electriques and The Katacombes
Price: $20 – $140, available online

Montreal Cannabis Expo

The cannabis expo is a place to learn and share everything there is to know about the marijuana industry. Like-minded professionals, working in all aspects of the community, including licensed producers, growers, investors, supplies, health care providers and job-seekers.

When: October 26 and 27
Time: 10 am – 5 pm
Where: Place Bonaventure
Price: $45

Haunted Red Light Ghost Walk

Local tour company, Secret Montreal, is giving guests a chance to learn about the city’s indecent past.

The tour is led by a professional actor and storyteller and the path leads to tales about the dark and lewd history of Montreal’s old Red Light District. Many of the sites are even said to be haunted.

When: October 5,12,19 and 26
Time: 8:30 pm – 10 pm
Where: 1219 Boulevard Saint Laurent
Price: $26.50, available online

Tonga Lumina

Mont-Tremblant trail will be illuminated with light projections and mythical storytelling as giant-seekers must trek through a 1.5 km nocturnal hike to find the slumbering giant.

The adventure starts at the base of Mont-Tremblant. The chairlift transports its investigators to the “Twilight Portal” where a colourful lit path weaves its way through the woods to a series of mysterious checkpoints in pursuit of the giant.

When: From now until October 14
Time: Departures at 9 pm, 10 pm and 10:30 pm
Where: Mont Tremblant
Price: $11.99 – $27.99, kids under 5 get in for free

YogaTribes Sound Off

Powered by wireless headphones, YogaTribes’ Sound Off will aim to focus on movement, music and a unique sensory experience while bringing zen to your body, mind and soul.

The provided headphones will trigger guest’s other senses as it completely blocks out ambient sounds, channelling every yogi’s focus to the instructor’s music.

When: Tuesdays from October 2 – November 27
Time: 12:15 pm – 1 pm and 5:30 pm – 6:3- pm
Where: Espace LoV, 1232 rue de la Montagne (2nd floor)
Price: $20

Parc Safari Zoo

Get your animal fix by heading to Parc Safari, an easy 40-minute drive off the island. The park offers an optional Safari Adventure upon entering, you can drive up and see a variety of exotic animals from your car including zebras, ostriches, buffalo, llamas, and camels.

Inside the park, take a walk down the Forest Trail where you have an amazing vantage point view of monkeys, hyenas, and bears. Don’t forget the lions, but we didn’t have to tell you that.

When: Weekends in October
Time: 10 am – 5 pm
Where: 280 Rang Roxham, Hemmingford
Price: Prices vary depending on age. Tickets available at the entrance or online

Malefycia’s Zone 4

Returning during the Halloween season for its 4th edition, Malefycia is a fuse between the traditional haunted house and interactive theatre.

The event uses custom-built scenarios with professional actors, props and settings to bring their guests’ worst nightmares into reality.

This year’s theme is called Zone 4 and it focuses on military experiments gone wrong and the event’s antagonist, as per the Malefycia website, is “the most dangerous of all demons: the man.”

When: October 4-7, 11-14, 18-21, 25-31
Time: TBA
Where: TBA
Price: $35 – $55, available online

Voiles en Voiles

Climb aboard life-size replicas of both royal and pirate ships from the 18th century in Montreal’s Old Port (how fitting). They are over 100 feet in length and range from two feet high for the young pirates to 35 feet for Peter Pan wannabes.

The obstacle course features 61 different activities between the Royal Ship and the Pirate Ship. Activities include zip lining, rock climbing, and bouncy castles.

When: From now until October 26
Time: 10 am – 6 pm
Where: Place des Vestiges, Old Port
Price: Online Prices vary depending on selected activities, tickets

Pumpkinferno

Pumpkinferno (besides having a great name) showcases over 7,000 handcrafted pumpkins which are lit up at night along a one-kilometre path set against a 19^th-century backdrop. Some are individual pumpkins and some are fused together to make some outstanding art.

When: October 4 – 14, 18 – 21 and 25 – 28
Time: 7 pm – 10 pm
Where: Upper Canada  Village – County Road 2
Price: $12 – $16

See also

• 14 places to take the best fall photos in Montreal
• A local's guide to Montreal neighbourhoods
• 21 awesome places to eat in Montreal