Thrills and chills in Montréal this Halloween! 🎃
Autumn Festivals and events
Montréal’s darkened corners and cobblestone streets are home to ghouls and goblins all year long with spooky surprises waiting around every corner (and even tours dedicated to these ghostly frights), but paranormal sightings reach their height across the city every Halloween season. There’s freaky fun for every member of the whole family, from kid-friendly adventures with loads of treats to be had to R-rated thrills and chills just for grown-ups. Don’t say we didn’t warn you … 😱
For kids of all ages
Jardin botanique – Espace pour la vie: Halloween Shivers
Halloween is a cornerstone celebration of childhood, be it trick-or-treating door-to-door or costume parties and ghost stories. Don’t miss these family-friendly events in Montréal sure to thrill the socks off of kids of any age.
- When: Annually in October
- Where: Jardin botanique
- What: Halloween Shivers is an annual treat, offering a wealth of programming including live performers both in the outdoor garden spaces and inside the Main Greenhouse. There’s also workshops on magic wands and potion-making, an outdoor maze, presentations on the special powers of plants. The eye-popping Gardens of Light lantern installations remain lit through the Halloween season.
- When: Annually in October
- Where: Ecomuseum Zoo, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue
- What: Ecomuseum Zoo presents Halloween-themed special events all autumn long, in both family-friendly and adults-only versions. There’s additional Halloween-themed enhancements throughout the park too—ask at the entrance gate for the day’s special surprises.
- When: Annually in late October, early November
- Where: Location TBC
- What: Over 20,000 Mexicans call Montréal home, and the city’s Festival Dia de muertos MTL (or Day of the Dead) celebrations are not to be missed. The full programme includes craftmaking workshops, performances of dance and music, art exhibitions, a parade (with Mexican candies!) and a traditional altar exhibition.
- When: October 24, 2026
- Where: Inventor STEM School
- What: The Inventor STEM School hosts their annual LEGO and robotics Halloween party, in which participants will construct season-themed builds, gorge on treats, show off their spooky costumes for prizes and also meet the famous LEGO man mascot! Best party ever!
- When: October 3 to 25, 2026
- Where: La Ronde
- What: La Ronde’s annual Kids Pumpkin Festival features corn mazes, special performances, seasonal-themed rides and story times. The family fun continues until 5:30 PM, when it’s time to get the kids safely back home and let darkness reign. But more on that below …
- When: October 24 and 25, 2026
- Where: Promenade Masson
- What: The Promenade Masson cuts through the heart of the Rosemont–Petite-Patrie neighbourhood, and on October 24-25, 2026, this friendly shopping street transforms into Massonloween. Expect spooky characters, fun costumes, candy for the kids and some thrilling installations in the Halloween Village—some for all audiences, and somewhat more gory alternates just for adults.
- When: Annually in October
- Where: CF Fairview Pointe-Claire
- What: Get your shop on while raising funds for a good cause simultaneously at CF Fairview Pointe-Claire shopping mall’s Le Carnaval d’Halloween. Candies, photo ops, a makeup station and crafting opportunities are lined up throughout the centre.
- When: Throughout October
- Where: ArtChaos
- What: ArtChaos hosts Fluid Toy Experience: Pumpkin Pouring throughout October. Forget about carving a pumpkin—this year, try painting and creating an abstract masterwork the ArtChaos way.
Parc Jean-Drapeau - Floralies Gardens
Bewitching and terrifying in equal measure!
SOS Labyrinthe - Halloween
Day of the dead / Dia de los Muertos
- When: Annually in November
- Where: Centre Eaton
- What: Each year the Centre Eaton transforms for Day of the dead celebrations, including mariachi performances, face painting stations, sugar skull decorating workshops and gourmet pop-ups.
Nosferatu the Vampire – in concert live to film
- When: October 29, 2026
- Where: Maison symphonique de Montréal
- What: Playing live to a screening of F. W. Murnau’s classic 1922 horror film Nosferatu, organist Jason Roberts will present a fully-improvised live score on the hall’s powerful Grand Orgue Pierre-Béique.
- When: Throughout October
- Where: SOS Labyrinthe
- What: With over 2km of myriad twists and turns, the SOS Labyrinthe gets even scarier with its SOS Halloween festivities throughout October. Who knows who’s waiting around that next corner? And those thirsty for other thrills right next door won’t want to miss the MTL Zipline flying at high speed over the Old Port of Montréal and Montréal Bungee, the highest urban bungee jump in North America. If you’ve ever wanted to feel like a ghost zipping across the sky, now’s your chance! Just follow the screams …
Montréal Halloween Food, Craft and Artisan Market
- When: October 30 to November 1, 2026
- Where: Parc Jean-Drapeau
- What: Three days of handicrafts, live entertainment, tasty food and Halloween fun in Parc Jean-Drapeau, this market is sure to leave everyone smiling with the perfect seasonal gifts in hand.
- When: Late October
- Where: Maison France-Montréal
- What: The Maison France-Montréal transforms for an eye-popping Halloween celebration in two parts. A free cocktail party with food stalls and costume contest from 5:00-10:00 p.m. will be followed by a ticketed event from 10:00 p.m.-3:00 a.m.. Costumes required!
There’s freaky fun for everyone, from kid-friendly adventures with treats to be had to R-rated thrills and chills just for grown-ups.
"It was a dark and stormy night …!”
Montréal Ghost Hunts - Guidatour
Edward Scissorhands In Concert
- When: October 10, 2026
- Where: Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier
- What: Tim Burton’s enduring classic starring Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Dianne Wiest and Vincent Price screens with live orchestral accompaniment. It’s the perfect way to kick off Halloween season in style.
- When: Throughout October
- Where: Old Montréal
- What: 'Tis the season to scare the bejeezus out of yourself and your loved ones, and the Montréal Ghosts guided walks and ghost hunts through Old Montréal are the perfect way to share the creeps together.
- When: Throughout October
- Where: Old Montréal
- What: Haunted Montréal offers ghost walks, paranormal investigations, tours of the Old Montréal and Griffintown quartiers and highly recommended Haunted Pub Crawls with ample opportunity to stock up on liquid courage! We, uh, might just wait for you in the pub. 😬
Paranormal Investigation – Colonial Old Montréal
- When: Throughout October
- Where: Old Montréal
- What: Explore some of Old Montréal’s darkest histories with professional ghost-hunter Dominique Desormeaux, who’ll share the tricks of the trade while taking guests back to the earliest days of Montréal. Expect thrills and chills including visits to some of the city’s execution spots and hidden cemeteries. Brrr!
- When: Late October
- Where: College Ahuntsic
- What: The Otakuthon Anime Convention held annually in August, hosts a Halloween Party edition full of cosplay, matsuri-style games, anime vendors and costumes galore.
- When: October 24 to 25, 31 and November 1, 2026
- Where: Exporail, the Railway Museum
- What: Ghouls and goblins take over Exporail as part of their annual Railway Ghosts celebrations. Back from the dead for one last ride through the haunted station and train cars, these trains are terrifying. Don’t look now, but I think that’s a skeleton in the driver’s seat!
- When: October 24 and 30, 2026
- Where: Église catholique Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs and Saint-Jean-Baptiste Catholic Church
- What: Cuddle up close for Candlelight Music’s Halloween Classics and Haunted Compositions, featuring music from Psycho, John Carpenter’s Halloween, Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain and Michael Jackson’s Thriller all by twinkling candlelight. Find ticketing and scheduling details here.
Rated-R thrills and chills!
Festival SPASM
- When: October 21 to 31, 2026
- Where: Théâtre Plaza
- What: Those with a cinematic bloodlust will flip their lids (with gore flying everywhere, obviously) for the 25th edition of Festival Spasm, complete with an exciting program of parties and other activites above and beyond the stacked screening schedule. And if you don’t want everyone to see you scream, you can also partake in the festival’s programming online from the comfort (and safety) of your own home via their website.
- When: October 3 to 25, 2026
- Where: La Ronde
- What: La Ronde's annual Fright Fest transforms the entire park into Scare Zones sure to shock your socks off even more than the epic rides and iconic roller coasters that are even more terrifying in the dark. More than 100 creatures roam the park waiting to jump out from every dark corner. Trust us—if you hear a chainsaw, drop what you’re doing and run.
- When: Throughout October
- Where: Location TBD
- What: Each year, the twisted minds behind Malefycia transform your bloodiest horror movie fantasies into an immersive in-person experience with a new performance each year that requires a waiver before entry. Like we do every year, we'd suggest attendees don’t wear anything they won’t want to get stained, because the blood and guts are sure to fly. Their tagline is “Grossness Guaranteed,” so consider yourselves forewarned!
Cirque Du Rave: The Freak Show
- When: October 31, 2026
- Where: Yoko Luna
- What: Rave the night away in a haunted Big Top featuring circus performers, world-class DJs and breathtaking immersive production. If you’ve ever been scared of clowns, this is the party for you.
- When: Annually in October
- Where: New City Gas
- What: One of Montréal’s coolest warehouse-sized venues celebrates the Halloween season with three nights of performance and party inspired by Day of the Dead and produced by local event magicians Produkt.
Rocky Horror Picture Show Halloween Ball
- When: October 29 to 30, 2026
- Where: Théâtre Rialto
- What: Dammit, Janet, if you haven’t experienced Rocky Horror with a rabid audience, you haven’t lived! It’s time to don those fishnets and get ready to dodge those flying hot dogs when the iconic Théâtre Rialto hosts Rocky Horror MTL for their annual projections of the classic film. As always, crowd participation is very encouraged.
- When: Throughout October
- Where: Various venues
- What: There’s a reason why the LGBTQ+ community calls Halloween “gay Christmas” and Montréal’s vibrant drag community present Halloween-themed performances all month long. If anyone does Halloween right, it’s the queens—keep an eye on the Queer MTL things to do page and Instagram for a full listing of drag and LGBTQ+-themed events throughout October and beyond!
Halloween Havoc Boat Party | The Ghost Ship
- When: October 31, 2026
- Where: Navark Nomade
- What: With a night of music, costumes, rooftop dance floor and a professional photographer on hand to capture it all, the Halloween Havoc Boat Party promises the spookiest party in Montréal won’t be on land. Keep an eye on the closest life preserver!
- When: Annually on October 31
- Where: La Voûte
- What: La Voûte cabaret, housed in a converted bank building, presents their annual Halloween costume ball inspired by Heidi Klum’s legendary yearly soirées. It’s the perfect spot to show off your costume creativity at its finest.
- When: October 31, 2026
- Where: Théâtre Paradoxe
- What: Cirque de Boudoir presents the Black Mass Halloween at Théâtre Paradoxe while simultaneously celebrating their 20th anniversary as a performance group. In their own words, these are no less than Montréal’s Kinkiest Halloween events, featuring techno and electronic DJs, circus and fetish performances, and an easy dresscode—fetish or extreme costumes! 🙀
Halloween at Casino de Montréal
- When: October 31, 2026
- Where: Casino de Montréal
- What: Celebrate Halloween at the Casino de Montréal with a big costume runway show, DJs, roaming characters, makeup stations and more. Festive entertainment, popcorn, cotton candy and surprise performances will make it a Halloween like no other!
- When: Throughout October
- Where: The Wiggle Room
- What: Burlesque fans are always well served every Halloween season with seasonal programming all month long at the Wiggle Room. Find ticketing and lineup info on their website.
Mark Hamilton
Mark Hamilton is the community director for QueerMTL, a musician in the projects Woodpigeon, Frontperson and Brittle Dreams and a curator and historian specializing in LGBTQ+ activism and zinemaking. He’s lived in Montréal since 2015, during which time he’s most often spotted atop a BIXI bike usally running a few minutes late.