Holiday cheer: 17 awesome things to do in Montreal this weekend
Once this weekend is done, we’ll be in double-digit December days, meaning the holidays are inching that much closer.
With that said, Montreal has exploded with Christmas cheer, holiday-themed events, and plenty of things to do.
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Along with some classic Montreal winter events, here’s what should be on your radar across the island all weekend.
The Nutcracker Ballet
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What: The iconic Nutcracker score has been the background music of the holidays for the past 130 years and you’ll be able to enjoy the gorgeous ballet live in Montreal all month.
For the 58th year, the full-length rendition of Les Grands Ballet’s magical The Nutcracker returns to Montreal’s Place des Arts.
“Les Grands Ballets revives a beautiful tradition that families have enjoyed together since 1964,” says the event listing. “The Nutcracker is a wild display of colours, magic and beauty.”
When: December 9 to 30
Time: 2 pm and 7:30 pm
Where:Â Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts
Price: $57 to $159, available online
Old Port Skating Rink
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What: The largest public skating rink in Montreal is reopening this weekend.
Set to the backdrop of the city skyline, the Old Port Skating Rink is traditionally known for its outstanding quality of ice, excellent facilities, and breathtaking views of the city and the Saint Lawrence River.
It’s not hyperbole to call it the place to go skating in Montreal.
Let’s be honest, there’s no better way to stick it to winter than bundling up and hitting the ice.
When: December 10, 2022, to March 5, 2023
Time:Â 10 am to 9 pm, Monday to Wednesday; 10 am to 10 pm, Thursday to Sunday
Where: Bonsecours Basin
Price: $8.25, general admission (13 and older) | $5.65, kids (six to 12) | FREE, children (under six)
La Journéee de PÚre Noël
@glissadespdh/Instagram
What: Forget Christmas shopping, how about some Christmas chopping? Because jolly ol’ Saint Nick is touching down outside Montreal this weekend in style.
We’re used to seeing Santa Claus travel across the skies in a sleigh with reindeer in tow, but this weekend, the big man will touch down via helicopter.
As per tradition at Les Glissades du Domaine des Pays dâen Haut in Piedmont â about 50 minutes outside of Montreal â Santa Claus will descend from the sky in a helicopter on Sunday, December 11.
Snow tubing AND Santa? Sign us up…
When:Â Sunday, December 11
Time:Â 11 am arrival (venue open 10 am to 4 pm)
Where:Â Domaine des Pays dâen Haut: 440, chemin Avila, Piedmont
Price:Â $11.99 to $33.99, available online and on-site
Enchanted Alley
Promenade Wellington/Submitted
What: How does an enchanting holiday-themed alleyway sound as the backdrop for this year’s Christmas photos?
The coolest street in the world launched its Enchanted Alley earlier this week, offering guests a free Christmassy public space to go snap heavy.
Promenade Wellington, who’ve launched an entire month of holiday activities, tells Daily Hive its photogenic alleyway will be open “at all times” for the rest of December.
Guests are invited to take their own pictures in the Enchanted Alley, using the hashtag #VerdunLuv when sharing across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
When:Â Every day
Time:Â 24/7
Where: Palco and the Dollarama (4023 Wellington)
Price:Â Free
Luminothérapie
Quartier des spectacles/Facebook
What: The 13th edition of the interactive and luminous festival Luminothérapie has officially kicked off, offering all new interactions on the Esplanade Tranquille skating rink, a series of six colourful installations on Ste. Catherine, and original video projections.
Essentially, free outdoor interactive and luminous events!
When:Â From now until March 5, 2023
Time:Â 10 am to 11 pm
Where:Â Quartier des spectacles
Price:Â FREE
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What: One of the most authentic Christmas markets in the entire province is entering its third of four weekends on the South Shore.
Complete with musicians, folk dancers, confit duck, and fresh pretzels, a collection of Quebec’s finest craftsmen have set up shop on site until December 18, perfect for loading up on last-minute stocking stuffers, toys for the little ones, local treats, and of course, mulled wine.
Over the course of four weekends, more than 40,000 visitors check out the 16th edition of the market, which has over 110 local merchants selling everything you might need for the holidays.
It’s a jolly good time. So much so that it’s been named one of the world’s best Christmas markets.
When:Â Every weekend until December 18
Time: Friday, 4 pm to 8 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 11 am to 7 pm
Where: 340 rue Saint-Charles Ouest
Price: Free admission
Salon des mĂ©tiers d’art du QuĂ©bec
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What:Â The largest trade show for locally made products in all of Canada has kicked off its 10-day stay in Montreal.
Featuring nearly 200 Quebec artists and merchants, this is THE place to go if you want holiday gifts, food, and locally made knickknacks.
When:Â December 8 to 18
Time: 10 am to 6 pm
Where: Olympic Stadium
Price: $10, available online
Jean-Talon Christmas Market
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What: Take the time to enjoy a stroll through a quaint and festive path full of little shops at the gorgeous Jean-Talon Christmas Market.
Featuring over a dozen local artisans, seasonal snacks, and entertainment, you can’t go wrong.
When: Every day until December 18
Time: Friday, noon to 6 pm; Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm; Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm
Where: 7070 Henri Julien Avenue
Marché Atwater
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What: It’s time for Christmas trees, Montreal.
If you don’t want to take the rugged root and chop down your own tree, the beautiful and timeless Atwater Market is selling hundreds of Christmas trees.
Trees in all shapes, sizes, and smells are now available, courtesy of dozens of local merchants.
The historic market has balsam, falsam, and Fraser fir trees available, ranging from $54.99 to $89.99 (relative to the treeâs size).
When:Â From now until January
Time:Â 9 am to 6 pm
Where: 139 avenue Atwater
Le Village de Noël
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What: The seventh annual Atwater Market Christmas village takes place from now until December 18. Visitors can enjoy ethical and eco-responsible products offered by numerous local and regional artisans, as well as free programming specially catered to families.
When: From now until December 18
Time: Friday, 5 to 10 pm; Saturday, 11 am to 7 pm; Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm
Where: 138 Atwater Avenue
Miracle at 132 Bar Vintage
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What: Miracle, aka a Christmas-themed cocktail bar event, has officially touched down in Montreal.
The festive shindig has turned 132 Bar Vintage (located at 132 Rue Fleury Ouest) into a wintery wonderland.
The Montreal cocktail joint offers kitschy holiday dĂ©cor, Christmas-inspired drinks, and the nostalgic energy of the best office party youâve ever been to.
Some of the sips you can look forward to include the Christmapolitan, Christmas Carol Barrel, Snowball Old-Fashioned, and the Yippie Ki Yay Mother F****r!, to name just a few.
When: From now until December 24
Where: 132 Bar Vintage â 132 Rue Fleury Ouest
Time:Â 4 pm to 2 am
Illumi – Nouvelle FĂ©erie de LumiĂšres
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What:Â Laval is shining real bright.
Illumi, the outdoor light show, has officially deemed it the start of the holiday season and has an entire pavilion devoured to Christmas as part of its 25 million LED display.
When: From now until January 8
Time: 4:30 to 9 pm
Where: 2805 Boulevard du Souvenir, Laval
Price: $15.75 to $21.75, available online
Grand Marché de Noël
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What:Â After several years of absence, the Great Montreal Christmas Market is back with a fresh look.
From this weekend until December 31, Montrealers can enjoy mulled wine, live music, and over 60 merchants selling everything from toys, accessories, treats, clothes, and knickknacks â right in the heart of the Quartier des spectacles.
When: From now until December 31
Time: Saturdays, 10 am to 9 pm; Sundays, 10 am to 7 pm; Thursdays and Fridays, 3 to 9 pm,
Where:Â Quartier des spectacles
Price:Â Free
The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains
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What: Since opening to the public in November, Montreal’s new Pink Floyd exhibition has been attracting a cavalcade of music lovers, art enthusiasts, and history buffs to Arsenal Art Contemporary in Griffintown.
Aptly named The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains, the artistic retrospective features over 350 artifacts collected over the bandâs career.
Organizers call the exhibition, which was made in collaboration with original band member Nick Mason, âan audio-visual, sensorial journey through more than five decades of Pink Floyd,â starting with the bandâs beginnings in 1967 on the underground scene.
When: From now until December 31
Time: Fridays and Saturdays, 10 am to 7 pm; Sundays, 10 am to 5 pm; Tuesday to Thursday, 10 am to 6 pm; closed Monday
Where: 2020 rue William, Arsenal Contemporary Art Montreal
Price: $25 to $55 (depending on age and times), available online
Dave Hemstad
What:Â As seen on CBCâs Just For Laughs, CTVâs Flashpoint, and in his own special on CTV Comedy Channel, Dave Hemstad is a funny dude.
From attention deficit disorder to company softball teams, dating stats to parenting tips, Daveâs about to tell you all about his life during his weekend stint at The Comedy Nest.
Guest comics and emcees include Andrew Searles, Derek Seguin, Heather Hurst, Nazeer Khan, and more.
When:Â December 8 to 10
Time: Thursday at 8 pm, and Friday and Saturday at 8 pm and 10:30
Where: The Comedy Nest, 2313 rue Ste. Catherine (3rd floor)
Price:Â $6 to $17.50, available online
Dancing Lights That Flew up to the Universe
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What: Montreal has been enjoying a mesmerizing free infinity room exhibit since the summer from renowned 93-year-old Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.
It might be the city’s most sought-after exhibit so tickets are tough to get a hold of. But if you’re lucky enough to snatch up a few, it’ll cost you zilch.
The exhibit, which is being hosted at the PHI Foundation for Contemporary Art until January, features seriously photogenic “infinity mirror rooms.”
Roughly 5,000 tickets are available every month and we’ve got a few tricks to make sure you can nab ’em. Check it out right here.
When:Â From now until January 15, 2023
Time:Â Wednesday to Friday, noon to 7 pm; Saturdays and Sundays, 11 am to 6 pm
Where:Â PHI Foundation â 451 Saint-Jean Street
Price:Â FREE
VAN GOGH â Distorsion
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What: Have you wondered what it would be like to walk through a masterpiece?
The wonderfully colourful world of Vincent Van Gogh has been brought to life at OASIS, and visitors can walk freely through animated renderings of classic works like Almond Blossoms, Starry Night, and many more.
Due to its popularity, it’s been extended into January.
When: From now until January 2023
Time:Â Noon to 9 pm
Where: OASIS immersion â 301 Saint-Antoine
Price:Â $24 to $32, available online
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