13 fall-tastic things to do around Montreal this sunny weekend

Oct 20 2022, 8:03 pm

While the end of October usually brings early winter winds, that is not the case this weekend. With a forecast calling for clear skies and warm sunshine, this is your chance to get out and enjoy fall in Montreal.

From nearby road trips to spooky activities around town, here are 13 things you can get up to this weekend.

Haunted Montreal

 

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Take a guided tour of the paranormal and dive into the spooky history of Old Montreal, Griffintown, and haunted pubs across downtown.

When: October 21 to 23, and 28 to 31
Time: 8 and 8:30 pm
Where: Downtown, Griffintown, Old Montreal
Price: $24.50

La Grande Dégustation de Montréal

 

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There’ll be a lot of swishing, savouring, and spitting going on when Eastern Canada’s biggest wine-tasting event returns to Montreal at the end of October.

Now in its 12th edition, La Grande Dégustation de Montréal is back and bigger than ever. Featuring 280 exhibitors from all over the world and over 1,600 ready-to-taste products, this year’s event revolves around three central themes: world tour, bubbles, and cocktails.

From October 21 to 22, connoisseurs and amateur enthusiasts alike can enjoy two full days of tasting spirits from 25 countries and 80 different wine subregions. Guests will have the chance to mingle with winemakers and distributors. It’s also the perfect opportunity to stock up for the holidays.

When: October 21 to 22
Time: Friday, 3 to 9 pm; Saturday, 1 to 9 pm
Where: Grand Quay of the Port of Montreal — 200 rue de la Commune Ouest
Price: $15

Seeing Loud: Basquiat and Music

 

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Seeing Loud: Basquiat and Music, which debuted at the Museum of Fine Arts of Montreal (MMFA) on October 15, is the first exhibition ever to focus on the role of music in Jean-Michel Basquiat‘s artistic practice.

It includes 100 of the legendary artist’s original works on display.

When: Until February 19, 2023
Time: 10 am to 5 pm (closed on Mondays)
Where: Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
Price: $24.00

Méga Parc

 

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This Quebec mall is the largest indoor amusement park in the province and the second-largest nationwide, and it makes for the perfect weekend road trip stop.

It features 18 rides and experiences, including a spinning pendulum ride, an obstacle course, 4D movies, a giant ball pit, the longest indoor skating rink in the country, and The Zénith — the first spokeless Ferris wheel in North America.

When: Méga Parc is open year-round
Time: 10 am to 9 pm
Where: 5401, boulevard des Galeries, Québec
Price: Free admission, varying costs per attraction

Illumi Laval – Féerie de Lumières

 

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Halloween is usually associated with dim lights and spooky spots, but part of Laval will be shining bright with all types of monsters, ghosts, and witches.

Illumi has kicked off the Féerie des Lumières portion of its massive 25 million LED light show, specifically devoted to the Halloween season.

The new site will shine bright with Halloween creatures, thousands of illuminated pumpkins, and soundtracks from classic horror films.

When: From now until October 31
Time: 6:30 to 9 pm
Where: Highway 15, between Boulevard Saint-Martin and Boulevard du Souvenir
Price: $19.75 to $31.75, available online

Fright Fest – La Ronde

The biggest amusement park in Montreal goes big-time Halloween until the end of the month.

For thrills by day, kids and families can enjoy the fun of Fright Fest by experiencing La Ronde’s Halloween-themed shows: Freaky Monsters and Ribambelle Shows. There’s also a Pumpkin Party for kids

But be warned, after 5:30 pm, the park will become more terrifying than ever, and it’s probably wise to get kiddies home before then

The famous Chainsaw Guys, Roaming Souls, and other creatures will be unleashed to wreak havoc on the innocent. And after sunset, it’s Fright by Night with chilling scare zones like the Vampire Lair, Zombie Camp, and Demon’s Hell. The festival will also showcase haunted houses with the return of Evil Circus 3D, District 510 – in the dark, and Cursed Farm.

When: Until October 30
Time: Various times
Where: La Ronde
Price: All-day passes begin at $39.99

Gardens of Light — Jardin botanique de Montréal

 

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There’s no denying Montreal is gorgeous during the fall and the city’s Gardens of Light help to amplify its beauty 10-fold.

Espace pour la vie is celebrating its 30th year of the magical Gardens of Light and this time around, the venue is hosting Ode to the Moon, transforming the site’s Japanese Garden into a mesmerizing spot to soak up the fall’s natural colours and the event’s setup array of different lights and hues.

The First Nations Garden takes guests into the “seasons of life,” highlighting the spirits of our planet’s elements.

The Chinese Garden also shines bright with hundreds of lanterns telling the story of Pangu, a primordial figure known for separating heaven and Earth in Chinese mythology.

All in all, the one-stop venue offers three magical gardens that are oozing with photo opportunities and spectacular sights until the end of October. If it’s not yet on your must-do radar for the fall, you might want to make it so.

When: Every day until October 31
Time: Sunday to Thursday, 9 am to 9 pm; Friday and Saturday, 9 am to 10 pm
Where: 4101 Sherbrooke Est
Price: $11 to $22

AURA

The timeless Notre Dame Basilica will host another wave of its breathtaking immersive light show, AURA, a sight you really don’t want to miss out on.

It’s seriously breathtaking.

When: Every day in October
Time: 6 to 9 pm (varies per day)
Where:
Notre-Dame Basilica — 110 Notre-Dame Street Ouest
Price: Ranges from $21 to $32, available online

La Cuisine Privée

When it comes to autumn dining, can you really do better than being surrounded by lush maple syrup forests in the Montreal area countryside?

Come on, a full stomach AND endless photo opportunities…

La Cuisine Privée has reopened its seasonal dining room, offering brunch and dinner service from Friday to Sunday during the autumn harvest seasons.

The bring-your-own wine restaurant is located inside a rustic chalet-style venue just outside the countryside town of Ormstown — just over an hour outside of Montreal.

When: Now until October 30
Time: Friday & Saturday, 5 to 11 pm; Sunday, 11 am to 2 pm
Where: 3240 chemin Erskin, Hinchinbrooke
Price: $40 to $54

Nuit de Terreur

 

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Quebec’s biggest haunted house, Nuit de Terreur, is a 30-minute trek through a horror maze with 45 different monsters and ghouls — some of whom might even attack you.

When: October 21 to 23, and 28 to 30
Time: 7 to 11:30 pm
Where: 5545 B Boulevard des Rossignols, Laval
Price: $39.99 to $49.99, available online

Citrouilleville

 

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Citrouilleville in Saint-Zotique is a village devoted to everything pumpkin. They have entire houses made of pumpkins, a corn maze labyrinth, fall-themed photo booths, tractor rides, and pumpkin picking, plus the whole site lights up at night, meaning primetime photo ops.

When: Weekends until October 30
Time: 9:30 am to 5 pm
Where: 560 avenue 69, Saint-Zotique
Price: $10 to $15

Malefycia

 

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This adult-only haunted house is not for the faint of heart.

It’s actually marketed as “immersive horror theatre” which means guests become part of the story.

It’s going to be a hard no here, but power to you if you have the stones…

When: October 21 to 23, and 28 to 30
Time: Various times
Where: 6945 avenue du Parc
Price: $66 to $120, available online

Find the Key

‘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 (two to four).

Find the Key has been internationally praised for its difficulty and originality on sites like Tripadvisor, World of Escapes, and Room Escape.

When: Every day in October
Time
: Tuesday to Thursday, 4 pm to midnight; Friday to Saturday, 10 to 1 am; Sunday, 10 am to 10:30 pm
Where: 1000 Atateken Street #101
Price: $20 to $25 per person

DH Montreal StaffDH Montreal Staff

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