Exciting things to do in Montreal this October

With summer now in the rearview mirror, primetime fall weather is upon us. If you’re on the hunt for things to do in Montreal this October, we’ve got you covered.

There’s concerts, the Habs returning, dinosaurs, giants, and a little bit of everything else in between.

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Sweater weather, pumpkin spice lattes, and beautiful Quebec fall foliage — autumn is beautiful. Especially when there are a bunch of things to do.

Osheaga

 

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The full-size Osheaga festival that fans are accustomed to won’t return to Montreal but a slimmed-down edition will kick off the new month.

Weekend artists include Charlotte Cardin, The Franklin Electric, Odie, Soran, Magi Merlin, and more.

The festival will take place rain or shine.

When: October 1 – 3
Time: Varies per day
Where: Parc Jean Drapeau
Price: Ranges from $85 – $390

The Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre

 

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After their impressive 2020 Stanley Cup run, the Montreal Canadiens kick off the 2021-22 NHL season in October.

They’ll get two at-home exhibition games out of the way versus the Ottawa Senators before the team’s official home opener on October 16 against the New York Rangers.

They’ll also host the San Jose Sharks, the pesky Carolina Hurricanes, and the Detroit Red Wings at home in October.

When: October 2,7,16,19,21,23
Times: 7 pm
Where: Bell Centre
Price: Varies, available online

Music at the Movies

Like movies themselves, good film scores often stick with us.

Whether it’s the audible impending doom that comes from Jaws’ iconic theme (dun-un dun-un…) or the wonderfully adventurous reprise of Pirates of the Caribbean, music can turn a good picture into a great one.

Lucky for Montrealers, the magic sounds of film will be making their way to the stage at Place des Arts next month in a production called Music at the movies.

The concert presented by the FILMHarmonic Orchestra and GFN Productions will feature live renditions of scores from iconic films like Gladiator, Schindler’s List, Downton Abbey, and more.

When: Saturday, October 2
Time: 4 pm and 7:30 pm
Where: Place des Arts
Price: from $44.99 to $129.74

An Ode to the Moon – Gardens of Light

 

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Montreal’s Botanical Garden will continue to shine bright with hundreds of illuminated lanterns throughout October.

The outdoor festival will offer a “brand new journey,” says the Espace pour la vie website, focusing on this year’s theme, “An ode to the Moon.”

The lantern fest will be devoted to the Moon this fall, the “universal beacon that has guided human beings since the dawn of time.” Espace pour la vie says the Moon will be the light that ushers guests on their path to discover the Gardens of Light.

When: Every day until October 31
Time: 7 – 10 pm, nightly
Where: 4101 Sherbrooke Est
Price: $8.25 – $16.50

Enrique Iglesias & Ricky Martin – Bell Centre

 

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Remember what live concerts at the Bell Centre were like?

Because Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin will be performing together during a show this month.

When: Saturday, October 9, 2021
Time: 7:30 pm
Where: Centre Bell
Tickets: Starting at $52.70, available online

AURA 

 

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October is the last month to take in AURA, one of the Old Port’s most popular and beautiful events.

Moment Factory presents the immersive light show at the timeless Notre Dame Basilica.

It’s seriously breathtaking.

When: October 1,2, 7,8,9,15, and 16
Time: 6, 7, 8 and 9 pm
Where: Notre-Dame Basilica, 110 Notre-Dame St Ouest
Price: Ranges from $21 to $32, available online

Quinn Farm

 

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If the constant buzz of the big city is a bit draining, trade in your slacks and button-up shirt for a straw hat and overalls.

Take a quick drive out to Île-Perrot and enjoy a variety of farmyard activities at Quinn Farm, including apple, pumpkin, and corn picking, tractor and wagon rides, a petting zoo, corn mazes, and more.

Open from 10 am to 4 pm 7 days a week, admission to La Ferme Quinn is just $5 and gives you access to all of the farm’s amenities.

When: Every day in October
Hours: 10 am – 4 pm
Where: 2495 Perrot Boulevard Sud, Notre Dame de l’Île Perrot

Tonga Lumina

 

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Slumbering giants have awoken at the top of Mont Tremblant, and a mountainside tour will allow you to go search for them.

Featuring a night-time walk lit up by Quebec’s Moment Factory, the tree is full of sights and sounds that will transport you to a mythical adventure.

When: From now until October 16
Time: 10 pm
Where: 1000 Chemin des Voyageurs, Mont-Tremblant
Price: Starts at $12.50, available online

THE INFINITE

 

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THE INFINITE is a new, groundbreaking virtual reality multi-sensory exhibition that takes guests on a journey aboard the International Space Station.

Freely explore a life-sized reproduction of the ISS in virtual reality as if you were there. Using several different mediums (VR, augmented reality, and projections), the exhibit offers “exceptional realism in an experience that lasts 60 minutes,” says the Centre PHI.

Go to space without having to leave Earth. Great deal.

When: From now until November 7
Times: Friday to Sunday, 10 am – 8 pm; Tuesday to Thursday, 10 am – 7 pm
Address: Arsenal Contemporary Art Montreal – 2020, rue William
Price: $10 – $40 (from Tuesday to Thursday), $12 – $50 (Friday to Sunday)

Find the Key Escape Room

‘Tis the season of good frights and cheap thrills, and what better way to celebrate that than going to one of Montreal’s premier escape rooms?

Find the Key is the perfect spot for a one-of-a-kind group activity and can be found in the downtown area. The facility contains four unique escape rooms and experiences that you and your group can participate in: The Unknown, Insomnium, The Cabin in the Woods, and Haunted Pirate Ship.

Of all the rooms, only The Unknown comes with an age warning and disclaimer. The experience has been described as “an escape room that turns into a nightmare.” It also holds the smallest guest capacity (2-4).

When: Every day in October
Time: Tuesday – Thursday, 4 pm – 9 pm; Friday, 2:30 – 10:30 pm; Saturday, 10 am – 10:30 pm; Sunday, 10 am – 9 pm
Where: 1000 Atateken #101
Price: $20 – $25

Barbie Expo

 

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Montreal is home to the Barbie Expo, the largest permanent collection of Barbie dolls in the world.

Guests have the chance to see and snap pics of over 1,000 one-of-a-kind Barbie dolls, all dressed by the city’s leading fashion designers.

When: Every day in October
Time: Friday, 10 am to 9 pm; Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm; Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm
Where: 1455 Rue Peel
Price: Free admission

MALUMA

 

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Juan Luis Londoño Arias, known professionally as Maluma, is a Colombian singer and songwriter and he’ll be rocking out the Bell Centre near the end of the month.

When: Friday, October 22, 2021
Time: 8 pm
Where: Centre Bell
Tickets: Starting at $76, available online

Fright Fest

If you’re looking for thrills and frills, look no further than La Ronde’s spook-tacular Halloween events calendar.

After a one-year hiatus, La Ronde is bringing Fright Fest back throughout the month of October.

This year’s edition, which kicks off on October 2, will feature fan-favourite haunted attractions with some new spooky surprises sprinkled in.

When: October 2 – October 31, 2021
Where: La Ronde
Price: All-day passes begin at $44.99