Holiday season cultural activities in Montréal

Montréal’s entertainment scene sparkles with concerts and shows at venues big and small. Here are some of our picks.

The Queens of Christmas, drag superstars BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon return to Montréal with their 8th annual blockbuster tour The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show at the Olympia Theatre on November 23.

Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal’s timeless adaptation of Casse-Noisette (a.k.a. The Nutcracker) by Quebec choreographer Fernand Nault returns to Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier for its 61st year. This two-act ballet based on Hoffmann’s classic tale is set to the music of Tchaikovsky and brings together more than 60 dancers and 100 extras, plus Les Grands Ballets Orchestra under the direction of conductor Dina Gilbert. If you have never seen it, this famed production is a must. The Nutcracker runs from December 12 to 30.

The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal performs one of Handel’s greatest masterpieces under the baton of Rafael Payare, in The Messiah: Hallelujah! with soprano Lucy Crowe, alto Luciana Mancini, tenor Levy Segkapane, bass Roderick William, and the OSM Chorus with choirmaster Andrew Megill (December 10 and 11), at the Maison Symphonique.

The Orchestre Metropolitain with Yannick Nézet-Séguin at the helm present Bach’s Christmas Oratorio at Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal on December 17.

Canada’s renowned Orchestre Classique de Montréal perform their cherished annual holiday season concert Händel’s Messiah, in the crypt at Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal on December 11.

Bourgie Hall presents The Taurey Butler Trio performing their beloved annual A Charlie Brown Christmas concerts, with guest vocalist soul diva Kim Richardson, for four concerts on December 17 and 18.

After a successful run in Paris, the French-language family classic Le Petit Prince headlines Théatre Outremont from December 26 to 28.

The blockbusterKent Monkman: History Is Painted by the Victors exhibition at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts features 40 iconic and monumental paintings by the famed Canadian artist and member of ocêkwi sîpiy (Fisher River Cree Nation) who challenges colonial narratives and offers new perspectives on the past and our present. Highlights include two 7-metre paintings that Monkman was commissioned to paint for the Great Hall of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, which depict the historical and contemporary relationships between the Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island (North America) and newcomers to their lands. Runs to March 8, 2026.

Over at the McCord Stewart Museum, relive the magic of Ogilvy’s mechanical Christmas window displays in the Holidays at the Museum installation November 29 to January 4, 2026. Visitors of all ages will see The Mill in the Forest outdoors on Victoria Street and The Enchanted Village inside the Museum. These dazzling displays – a holiday tradition that goes back to 1947 and among the last of their kind in North America – feature handmade animals that come to life in a Bavarian setting.

A Canadian exclusive organized by London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, the McCord Stewart Museum presents the Africa Fashion blockbuster exhibition that showcases men’s, women’s and gender-fluid fashion and accessories, jewelry, textiles, photographs, music and art from across the African continent, from the 1960s onwards. Runs to February 1, 2026.

Click here for more Montréal museum exhibitions.

DISNEY ON ICE: Road Trip Adventures headlines Place Bell for multiple performances from December 18 to 21.

The Hudson Village Theatre presents their Annual Holiday Pantomime, Peter Pan by Tom Whalley, co-directed by Steve Walters and Jean-Frédéric Samson. Filled with singing, dancing, silly jokes, goodies, baddies, and loads of fun for the whole family. Runs December 12 to January 4 (matinee and evening performances).

As the nights grow longer, Montréal lights up with tons of activities to get you glowing with holiday spirit.

The Lumino playground in the Quartier des Spectacles lights up the night with eye-popping interactive installations from November 27 to March 8, 2026.

Created by Montréal’s renowned multimedia entertainment studio Moment Factory, AURA literally reconstructs Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal‘s interior with lights and sound.

Montréal is known as a city that celebrates food year round, so you’ll find lots of palate-pleasing options, plus a festive menu of holiday-themed dinner shows.

Stay up to date with the city’s dynamic culinary scene by clicking here to read food critic Mayssam Samaha’s latest picks.

Food critic Jason Lee’s choice picks where to eat during the holidays.

For those looking for dinner and a show under one roof, Le Balcon music hall and restaurant in the Quartier des Spectacles offers themed live-music shows year-round, starring such well-known entertainers as Freddie James and Michelle Sweeney. Le Balcon’s Celebration holiday party concert series runs from November 28 to December 20. Then soul legend Michelle Sweeney headlines her Gospel Brunch concert on December 27. Le Balcon also presents the Christmas Gospel Experience with the JAMVP Choir conducted by music legend Jennifer Meade on December 28 and 29.

Stretch your legs and work off some of those delicious meals with outdoor fun all around the city.

The 75-hectare Jardin botanique (Botanical Garden) is home to some 20 thematic gardens, including the Alpine Garden and the First Nations Garden, as well as 10 greenhouses. It is an ideal getaway for families looking for a calm and spacious oasis in the city. Along with the Planetarium, Biodôme, Biosphere and Insectarium, the Jardin botanique  is part of Montréal Espace pour la vie, the largest natural sciences museum complex in Canada. Click here for more info about Montréal Espace pour la vie.

Enjoy music, festive lights, hot chocolate and more at Noël dans le Parc on the Parterre of the Quartier des Spectacles from December 5 to 24.

Les amis de la montagne operates a sports equipment rental service for ice skating, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snow tubing and more in Mount Royal Park each winter. Enjoy the refrigerated skating rink at Beaver Lake or explore the marked trails for cross-country skiing (22 km), snowshoeing (3 km) and hiking (10 km in winter). Click here for their updated programming.

If you have your own equipment, go hiking, cross-country skiing or snowshoeing on the trails of Parc Maisonneuve and Parc Jean-Drapeau.

Every neighbourhood in Montréal exhibits a unique character of its own, embodied by its historical sights, restaurants, hotels and art galleries, nightlife, parks and people. Click here for an introduction to Montréal’s most popular neighbourhoods, plus here are other choice picks:

Chosen by Time Out magazine as one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world, Villeray’s charms lie in its people and independent businesses, from its picturesque parks to its curved apartment staircases. Be sure to check out the legendary Ferlucci Coffee Shop and stop by Avanaa Chocolat for some hot chocolate.

Verdun has been shaped by the borough’s proximity to the St. Lawrence – in fact, the beautiful green parks that line the entirety of the waterfront were originally built to protect the area from flooding. A little snow doesn’t keep anyone inside either, with a cross-country ski track along the river’s edge starting at Parc Arthur-Therrien and traversing all the way to Lachine nearly 20 km away. In 2023, Time Out magazine chose Verdun’s Wellington Street as one of the coolest streets in the world. Click here for more info about Verdun and its attractions.

Les Quartiers du Canal district is comprised of three Montréal neighbourhoods: Griffintown, Little Burgundy, and Saint-Henri, bound together by the historic Lachine Canal. The pathways and greenspaces along the Lachine Canal are a perfect area for dining and daydreaming, for promenading and pedaling. Highlights include famed Joe Beef restaurant and historic Atwater Market. Click here for more info about Les Quartiers du Canal.

Montréal is a shopper’s paradise year-round, but the experience becomes even more festive during the spirited holiday season. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Le Village de Noël de Montréal at Atwater Market (runs November 27 to December 21), and the Great Christmas Market (runs November 21 to January 4, 2026) located in the Quartier des Spectacles are back this holiday season.

Montréal’s Underground Pedestrian Network, often nicknamed “the underground city” by visitors, connects all the major downtown shopping centres without setting foot outside. Look for “RESO” signs and start exploring.