Family fun for all ages

Halloween Shivers (running September 29 to October 31, 2023) at the Space for Life’s Montréal Botanical Garden offers soft scares featuring a Sorcerer’s haven (home to Kalbacius and his apprentice Petiole), potion-making workshops, a magic steps circuit with surprises around every corner, a Japanese paper theatre and live performances featuring Frisson l’écureuil (Scaredy Squirrel) from children’s author Mélanie Watt’s book series. The ever-popular Gardens of Light also continues until October 31, 2023!

Humans aren’t the only ones who love a bit of Halloween dress-up fun. Take your four-legged friends to the third annual Pawlloween Pawty for dogs on October 28, 2023, where you’re guaranteed to see some great tricks for treats in action. The festivities kick off at 14h00 at Parc Laurier.

Montréal’s Mexican community numbers over 20,000 citizens, and this year they’re commemorating the traditional Festival Dia de muertos MTL (or Day of the Dead) from October 21 to November 4, 2023 in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighbourhood, including brightly coloured altars and fun family activities that reach beyond the grave. Find their full program here.

All October long, Café La Chouette invites families and baker hobbyists alike to Halloween cookie decorating, with a party and “plus beaux biscuits” competition on October 29, 2023! Meanwhile, the Dinette Nationale hosts a Parents + Kids Workshop: Making Halloween Lollipops on Sunday, October 15, 2023. Get on that sugar rush early!

Parc Jean-Drapeau hosts a number of events throughout the park, including the Zombiethèque (where you can get your own makeup as a zombie or other Halloween creature) on October 21-22, Ghosts from the Past (a guided adventure hosted by Guiadatour, focusing on the park’s ghosts and histories) on October 21 and 28 and Pumpkin Decoration (where you can make the best pumpkin in the city) on October 28 and 29, 2023!

Zoo Ecomuseum presents a Halloween Rescue Mission to save the Wood Turtle, including a fun escape game. And other animals throughout the zoo will also join in the Halloween fun between October 21 to 31, 2023.

Amusement park La Ronde hosts their annual Kids Pumpkin Festival from October 7 to 29, 2023, including corn mazes, special performances, autumn-themed rides and friendly witch story times. The family fun continues until 5:30 PM, when it’s time to get the kids safely home. But more on that below …

Promenade Masson cuts through the heart of the Rosemont–Petite-Patrie neighbourhood, and on October 28, 2023, this friendly shopping street transforms into Massonloween. Featuring beloved mascots and Halloween characters, candy for the kids and a pair of thrilling Tunnels of Mystery—one for all audiences, and a somewhat more gory alternate route for adults-only.

Promenade Fleury is hosting a day of events on October 31, 2023, including a pumpkin hunt hidden in shop windows, free treats from multiple businesses, a haunted house at La Molisana restaurant and spooky photo opportunities.

If you thought the one thing missing from this summer’s blockbuster Barbie film was the rotting undead, you’re in luck! Surely one of the most on-topic theme parties of the year, Pangea’s Zombie Barbie Halloween Party on October 28th is sure to set Instagram feeds alight.

Montréal’s vibrant drag community including its leading lights Rita Baga, Michel Dorion and Uma Gahd comes together with some international marquee stars including Ra’jah O’Hara and La Big Bertha for Canada’s first major DragCon event Rendez-vous de la drag at the Palais des congrès de Montréal on October 28-29, 2023. And if anyone does Halloween right, it’s the queens—keep an eye on the QueerMTL Things to Do page for a full listing of drag events all October long!

Throughout the month of October, the Château Ramezay hosts its ode to Halloween’s symbolic gourd with Pick a Peck of Pumpkins. With activities designed specifically for 4 to 7 year olds and 8 to12 year olds, it’s a fulfilling blend of education and giggles. Afterwards, why not visit one of Montréal’s near-by pumpkin patches in search of a perfect specimen to carve into this year’s jack-o-lantern?

Montréal Roller Derby presents the Haunting on Mount Royal Hill at Arena St. Louis on October 6-8, 2023, bringing together teams from Montréal, Ontario and New York City in one of the most exciting playoff series of the year!

Surprises and shocks around every corner

With over 2km of twists and turns, the SOS Labyrinthe is about to get even scarier with its special witches ball running October 7-29, 2023. Who knows who’s waiting around that next corner? And those thirsty for another thrill right around the corner won’t want to miss the MTL Zipline, zipping through mid-air over the Old Port of Montréal. Just follow the screams …

From October 6, 2023, the lights and lanterns experience Illumi Laval host Halloween at Illumi, featuring more glowing pumpkins than you can count. But beware the ghosts and witches hiding throughout—at least the more than 25-million lights keep the path somewhat lit up for a speedy escape!

’Tis the season to scare the bejeezus out of yourself and your loved ones, and the Montréal Ghosts guided walk through Old Montréal is the perfect way to share the creeps together. The Haunted Montréal Blog keeps a chronicle of the city’s paranormal activities and shares those tales with those daring enough to take one of their Haunted Montréal tours. Check out their Haunted Downtown, Old Sainte Antoine Cemetery, Haunted Mountain and Haunted Griffintown routes—with the latter offering a potential face-to-face meeting with the neighbourhood’s infamous Headless Mary. Trust us, you’re going to need their Haunted Pub Crawl for some liquid courage!
 

"It was a dark and stormy night …!”

The Pointe-à-Callière historical museum hosts The True and Terrifying Story of Fairy Tales with storyteller Eric Michaud on October 27, 2023, as part of the annual Montréal Intercultural Storytelling Festival (which runs from October 20-29, 2023). And you thought those stories were for kids! 

Spiders, bats and ghouls take over the Exporail / The Canadian Railway Museum as part of Railway Ghosts. Back from the dead for one last ride through the haunted station and train cars, these terrifying trains run from October 13-29, 2023. Riders may or may not arrive at their destination!

They’ve thrilled audiences on TV on the silver screen and now they’re on-stage. Things go from kooky to spooky when everyone’s favourite spooky family La Famille Addams runs from October 19-November 5, 2023 at Théâtre St-Denis! Don’t miss this Broadway hit, performed now in French in Montreal.

Cuddle up close at Candlelight Halloween: Haunted Compositions in the darkened halls of the Église Notre-Dame-des-Seept-Douleurs on October 28, 2023. Featuring all of your seasonal favourites from Danny Elfman’s score for Beetlejuice to Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain, all by candlelight.

From October 16th to October 31st, the Cinémathèque québécois presents its Romantic Ghosts film series, featuring Ghost, Birth, The Strange Case of Angelica, Ugetsu and more. Who says ghost movies can’t make for a perfect date night outing? Those looking for cinematic chills of a particularly less lovey-dovey fashion will flip their lids (with gore flying everywhere, obviously) for the SPASM Festival at Théâtre Plaza. Don’t miss the Grande soirée Horreur on October 27 and 31st, and the Old School Halloween Party with music from the ‘90s and ‘00s on September 28, 2023. And if you don’t want everyone to see you scream, you can also partake in the festival’s online programming.

Rated-R thrills and chills!

Get ready to run for your life at Six Flags La Ronde with the return of their annual Fright Fest from October 7-29, 2023! After the sun goes down and darkness falls across the park, things get darker than ever! A series of haunted houses, rides in the pitch black and terrifying roaming characters (yes, that is a chainsaw-wielding clown running after you) are sure to leave you trembling in your boots. We can’t guarantee your survival, but YOLO!

The Time Out Market presents their two-day Dia de los Muertos festivities on October 28 and 29, 2023, with activities for the grown-ups on the Friday evening followed by more family-friendly fare on the Saturday. Expect mariachi bands, DJ Don Barbarino, pumpkin paintings, costume contests and a Yolk Poetry pop-up. Find details here.

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 Cinéma Impérial hosts the Rocky Horror Picture Show Halloween Ball on October 26-28, 2023. As always, crowd participation is encouraged. Those wanting the in-person experience shouldn’t pass up the chance to experience Mainline Theatre’s performances of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show from October 19-31, 2023. 

Everyone loves to show off a good costume, and in partnership with the Rendez-vous de la drag convention happening simultaneously, the Marche de l’Halloween takes over the Village neighbourhood on October 26, 2023. Come see for yourself why the LGBTQ+ community calls Halloween “gay Christmas”!

On October 27-28, 2023 the Casino de Montréal's Valet Bar is throwing a costume party so epic it’s two days long! Show up dressed in your Halloween finest—but if your outfit isn’t completely finished, there’s face painting and accessories stations available too. DJ Daze will keep revellers dancing late into the night, and photo opportunities for the best looks will abound.

The Society for Arts and Technology (SAT for short) presents HALLOWEEN in the Dome in their iconic rooftop dome space on October 28, 2023 with mind-blowing all-over immersive projections by the Isotone collective and DJ and performance sets from Mok-T, N/UM, Djima and Leëf.

La Voûte cabaret, housed in a converted bank building, presents their full-on Halloween costume ball on October 31, 2022, modelled after the Instagram-hit soirées held by model Heidi Klum. It’s the perfect spot to show off your gory best. 132 Bar Vintage also keeps the party going all month long, with the Halloween pop-up Black Lagoon MTL running October 3-31, 2023.

Cirque de Boudoir presents their unique blend of burlesque, circus and fetish at HELLSCAPE on October 28, 2023 at Théâtre Paradoxe. In their own words, it’s sure to be Montréal’s Kinkiest, Freakiest, most Sexy, Fetish Halloween event! 🙀

Queer women (and others who also identify with the sapphic experience) won’t want to miss Queen & Queer Dance Party—Édition Halloween with Lis Dalton and DJ Sam at Bain Mathieu on October 27, 2023.

Freak Fest: The Afro-Caribbean Halloween Party takes over Jet Nightclub on October 29, 2023, featuring the best African and Caribbean sounds from DJ Tokyo, DJ Jokege, DJ Marbel and performances from Noumbz and El Luis de Cuba. Prepare to go full-in costume wise, because this party brings it!

Each year, the twisted minds behind Malefycia transform your goriest horror movie fantasies into an immersive in-person experience with a new performance each year that requires a waiver before entry. 2023’s V7CE once again suggests attendees don’t wear anything they won’t want to get stained, because the blood and guts are guaranteed to fly. 

Happy Halloween!