Things to do in February 2025

Throughout February and across the city, winter shines bright in Montréal — especially at Montréal’s signature winter food and culture festival MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE. Starting on February 20 and running into March, the festival welcomes visitors and locals alike to an outdoor site, culinary events and workshops, music and artistic performances and more. Ride the Ferris wheel and play with light and sound art installations, and more. Mark your calendars for March 1, too, when Nuit blanche à Montréal brings all-night art, theatrical and musical performances downtown and in neighbourhoods across the city.

Also downtown, the Esplanade Tranquille proves itself to be much more than a typical skating rink: expect lighting displays, live music, performances, storytelling and sports activities, along with ice skating for all ages and levels. Rent skates or bring your own, learn a few moves from instructors, and go “dancing” on DJ nights! 

At the rink and throughout the Quartiers des spectacles, experience illuminated artwork, activities and more. This year’s Lumino outdoor exhibition, running all month long and beyond, features illuminated interactive art that makes us all feel like kids again.

Stroll along the glittering boardwalk in the Old Port of Montréal — also where you’ll see a great view of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge aglow with colour-shifting light. And while you’re in the neighbourhood, dance under the stars and in the snow at one of Montréal's favourite winter festivals, Igloofest! Prepare to dance under the stars in your best parka until February 8. 

Film festival Les Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma celebrates Québec cinema from February 19 to 27 at Cinémathèque québécoise, where you can see over 300 feature films, shorts, documentaries and more, as well as talks and special events.

The easiest way to visit dozens of Montréal attractions, museums and more at a discount is by getting your own key to the city: Passeport MTL, whose special winter edition will help you experience the best of the magical season.

We hope you make yourself at home in Montréal’s incredible hotels — there’s an accommodation option for everyone, from landmark hotels to family friendly hotels and boutique hotels galore. 

In Old Montréal, walk the cobblestone streets to the St. Lawrence River and visit the iconic Notre-Dame Basilica — see the gorgeous multimedia AURA Experience, a wonderful way to feel the grandeur of this landmark.

In the Old Port of Montréal, after shooting a selfie at the glimmering BONJOUR structure, see views of the city and the river from the Grand Quay of the Port of Montréal, where you’ll find a cruise ship dock, marine history displays, green spaces and a stunning attraction: the Port of Montréal Tower. Nearby, treat yourself to bird’s-eye views on La Grande Roue de Montréal observation wheel. 

February 16 marks the start of a new experience at the Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal, where Chant du verglas — a unique 10-stop immersive journey centred around the 1998 ice storm — will be available to listen to as you stroll onsite. Dozens of everyday heroes and heroines share their experiences in a poetic and moving soundscape, revealing a historic moment of solidarity for Quebec. 

Starting on February 27, discover tomorrow’s best artists at Art Matters Festival, the largest student-run arts festival in North America! Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, there are amazing things to see at several galleries and event spaces across Montréal.

Downtown holds one of the city’s most lovely churches, the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul, where you can admire the beautiful stained glass during services or during the regular organ concerts.

Visit the esplanade of Place Ville Marie, where the massive art installation The Ring glimmers above you. Or take a break for entertainment and a snack at Esplanade Tranquille at the corner of Clark and Sainte-Catherine Street. 

One of the best ways to discover the city is with expert guides on Montréal tours: bundle up and set your own agenda with private walking tours at your own pace. See the city like a local with MTL Detours, take a day trip outside the city with N-Tours, call upon the experts at Guidatours, or take yourself on self-guided audio tours thanks to TourBird. For an unparalleled taste of the city, savour one of the expert 2 or 3 hour walking tours given by Local Montréal Food Tours — they range from Mile End to Old Montréal.

If you’re wondering why Montréal has so many colourful murals, hear more about them and their artists on a street art tour with Spade & Palacio, including the most recent murals from the last MURAL Festival. For an electric bike tour of the murals (weather permitting), look to Fitz Montréal — their comfortable cycling tours cover anything from downtown Montréal to Jean-Talon Market.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day and the month of love with a tête-à-tête in one of Montréal’s newest restaurants where you can delight à deux in a gourmet meal at one of the city's many romantic restaurants. Some restaurants offer special Valentine’s Day offers. Hearty and delectable treats await! And if you’re still hungry in the morning, refuel with a lovely romantic brunch in the city that makes it a true artform.

For the rest of the month, indulge in incredible food at Montréal’s variety of restaurants. To fill up on fresh produce and local goods, explore the city’s beautiful public markets, including Jean-Talon Market in Little Italy and Atwater Market in Saint-Henri. Montréal’s smallest market, the Public Market of Lachine in the southwest, offers a great selection of products year-round.

Le vin dans les voiles is a natural, organic and biodynamic wine agency based in Montréal that offers fascinating wine tasting and educational events. Peruse the calendar here. The workshops happen in French, but hey — wine is a universal language!

Explore superb restaurants and cafés along Beaubien Street in the Rosemont-La-Petit-Patrie neighbourhood (also where you’ll find Little Italy).

Discover Montréal’s newest restaurants and buvettes, and don’t miss a classic Montréal brunch, whether you’re looking for elegance or comfort food. For some crowdsourced favourites, try Montréalers’ favourite lunch restaurants, from Old Montréal and downtown to Villeray or the South-West. Get a taste of long-time Quebec classics like smoked meat, poutine and Montréal bagels and keep on ticking the boxes on your must-eat list with these other musts for foodies in Montréal. 

Get an incredible bird’s eye view on Quartier des Spectacles from within the clear bubbles on the terrasse of Bivouac, where you can taste the best of the terroir, or of Old Montréal and beyond from the bubbles on Terrasse William Gray. Stop for a bite with a view at Muze lounge & terrace in Hôtel HONEYROSE downtown, or clink oyster shells in your own private holiday seafood celebration at Maestro SVP in the Plateau.

The new year also an excellent time to have dinner and see a show at the Casino de Montréal: live music and cabaret shows will entertain while you enjoy incredible steaks and more on the grill at Le Montréal, a gourmet buffet at Pavillon 67, and quick delicious eats at L’Instant.

Downtown, explore the wide variety of excellent meals at gourmet food halls  including Time Out Market, Marché Artisans, Le Cathcart and Le Central — or venture out to the de la Savane metro station to explore Le Fou Fou in the huge and tawny Royalmount mall. Also note that parking is now free for the first 4 hours.
Get your caffeine fix at Montréal’s indie coffee shops — and fresh-baked doughnuts to go with it! Add more sweetness to your life at Montréal’s best bakeries and pastry shops, best chocolate shops and candy shops.

Eat plant-based with our ultimate guide to vegan eating in Montréal or join the debate over who makes the best pizza in Montréal — or the best tacos. Warm up with authentic Japanese ramen and Vietnamese pho. By night, discover the city’s 34 top cocktail bars, inventive Montréal microbreweries and late-night eats. Or mix Montréalesque cocktails at home with gin, vodka, rum and more specialty spirits from these Montréal specialty alcohol and spirit makers.

Hockey fans will come together at the 4 Nations Face-Off™, an exhilarating tournament happening at Montréal’s Bell Centre from February 12 to 15. Featuring the best players from four of the top hockey-crazy countries, this event — temporarily replacing the 2025 All-Star Game — pits teams representing Canada against Finland, Sweden and the United States in a round-robin format, culminating in an epic final between the top two teams. 

Mark your calendars for the Fan Fest at Windsor Station on February 15, an exciting event perfect for hockey fans of all ages. Expect family-friendly interactive hockey games and attractions, delicious food options, special guest appearances, and an exclusive opportunity to snap a photo with the coveted 4 Nations Face-Off trophy for the very first time! 

On February 1st and 2nd, come cheer on our Canadian athletes as Team Canada takes on Hungary for a spot in the Davis Cup Finals at IGA Stadium in Jarry Park on February 1 and 2.

Cheer on the Montréal Canadiens as the NHL season gathers full steam with lots of nail-biting matches happening on home turf at the Bell Centre. See the whole month’s schedule here! If you can’t make the games in person, watch all the hockey, soccer, football, basketball, MMA and more at Montréal’s sports bars. 

The Grand Chelem Baseball Centre, located Downtown, invites you to step up to the plate: whether you’re an elite player or a casual hitter, Grand Chelem offers baseball and softball training for all levels and any age. 

Wanna play games? Head to the Centre Eaton de Montréal where the PLAYBOX Centre has a game for everyone, from internationally renowned crane games to arcade games, skill games and VR attractions. Montréal Bowling is the perfect spot downtown to play a few rounds of bowling, play some pool, watch some sports, play some arcade games and grab some great snacks and cocktails.

Get swinging with a foray into the circus arts at the Montréal Circus Academy, where you can learn flying trapeze, pole fitness, exotic pole dance, aerial silks, aerial hammock, straps, handstands, flexibility and more. 

If you’re feeling more artsy, Art Chaos is a fantastic family- or group-friendly activity in Mile End, where you can paint crazy creations on rapidly spinning canvases, for a truly interactive experience. And while you’re in the neighbourhood, stop into 3 Wizards Shop on Avenue du Parc — it offers an immersive foray into the magical world of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts sagas, with a selection of official products. You can take your quidditch to the next level.

As winter chills the air, don your puffer jacket and visit Montréal’s parks for some gorgeous snow-blanketed strolls. At the Espace pour la vie museums, enjoy the Montréal Botanical Garden’s sprawling tropical greenhouse environments. Experience several wild ecosystems at the Biodôme (there are penguins, otters, monkeys and more), explore the mysteries of the universe at the Planétarium, and learn about the thousands of butterflies, moths and other insects at the Insectarium. 

The West Island’s Ecomuseum Zoo is a wonderful place to glimpse local wildlife in their natural outdoor habitats and even have breakfast with some of them throughout February.

Among the many free things to do this season, see incredible city views from Mount Royal Park: head for a walk through the park and up the stairs to the lookout or bus or drive up to Beaver Lake. Stroll (or cross-country ski, or skate) around Parc La Fontaine, go to St-Michel’s Parc Frédéric-Back, or cross the river to Parc Jean-Drapeau for a riverside walk and a different view of the city. While there, visit the Espace pour la vie Biosphère too, for environment-focused exhibitions and more. And on snowy days, head to the parks for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and more outdoor winter activities.

For the ultimate relaxation session after a day of trekking (or just because you deserve it), visit Bota Bota, spa-sur-l’eau, a unique spa in a moored boat on the St. Lawrence River in the Old Port, and other world-class spas like Scandinave Spa Vieux-Montréal, Avie Spa & Coiffure, Rainspa and Strøm Nordic Spa.

For some fresh-air sports, there are more ice skating options in city parks throughout the city, and even indoors at Atrium Le 1000 downtown.

Shop for some new winter wardrobe staples in Old Montréal’s boutiques, downtown along Sainte-Catherine Street and in the Underground City malls. The Centre Eaton de Montréal andPlace Montréal Trust are full of the latest styles from the hottest shops, including Uniqlo, Nike, Aritza, Decathlon and many more boutiques (and remember to ask for a VIP Visitor Card at Guest Services for exclusive discounts only for tourists). 

Keep your eye out for items made by Montréal designers, relaxing self-care staples and plenty of sparkly goods from the coolest Montréal jewellery stores.

Find foodstuffs from local artisans as well as imported delicacies at Montréal’s public markets, and shop local and eco-friendly at the most fabulous vintage boutiques in the city. Pick out the perfect new books for friends and family from Montréal’s bookstores, and dive into a wide world of music at Montréal’s excellent vinyl stores.

Forgot to pick up souvenirs? Fear not, Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) has got you covered. The focus on local goods in both the domestic and the international zones range from food to goods, including scarves and bags from M0851, yoga gear from Lolë and novels by local authors. Start your foray at Découvrir Montréal. 

The winter cultural season is in full effect in museums, galleries and cultural centres around town. Get an eyeful in the heart of town where the ephemeral art installation Polar Circle stands proud at the Place Ville Marie Esplanade, featuring large-scale illuminated representations of polar bears and giant penguins. The collaboration between Cree artist Jason Carter and MAD Collectif is on view throughout the month.

Enter a realm of enchantment running throughout the month with Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: The Seven Ravens, an augmented reality storybook book that draws from advancements in AR to transport you to the heart of a timeless tale narrated by award-winning author Neil Gaiman. Taking place at Place des Arts until February 23, it combines the magic of the fairy tale classic and cutting-edge technology, creating a spellbinding experience that transcends traditional storytelling.

At PHI Foundation, running throughout the month, Oma-je by Laure Prouvost is an immersive presentation that celebrates Prouvost’s relationship to family, friends and their loved ones, as well as inspirational thinkers, activists, chosen kin and artistic predecessors. Her art intertwines and celebrates love, touch and teachings. 

At the Montréal Planétarium, tickets to any of the shows gets you access to Rouge 2100: A Martian Adventure, an exhibition that offers a journey in five chapters and as many rooms, where we realistically imagine the first steps of a rare humans in 2100 on the fascinating red planet. A fantastic world that also questions the place of humans in our universe and the fragile balance that must be maintained if all species are to prosper.

Visit the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts to enjoy the Canadian premiere of Ravel Ravel Interval, an immersive video installation by world-renowned French-Albanian artist Anri Sala in its Contemporary Art Square. Sala trains his lens on the left hands of the two performers, Montréal pianist Louis Lortie and French pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, who play Ravel with varying levels of synchronicity. Don’t miss the grand opening of Heart On, a career retrospective celebrating the radical art-making of Joyce Weiland, one of the most influential Canadian artists of her time. There are also the Glenn Gear: ulitsuak | marée montante | rising tide exhibition and Two by Two, Together, featuring recent additions to the MMFA’s collection, to see this month.

Among the Montréal museum exhibitions this season, go to Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Archaeology and History Complex in Old Montréal to board the good ship D’Iberville to embark on an immersive and interactive seafaring adventure taking place in the days of New France, with their permanent exhibition Come Aboard! Pirates or Privateers? While you’re there, also take in Witches: Out of the Shadows, a captivating journey of discovery exploring the mythical, multifaceted and little-known history of witches.
You’ll also be near the kid-friendly Montréal Science Centre, where you can explore interactive exhibitions that investigate the scientific world. This month don’t miss the Banquet, a multi-sensory interactive experience that teaches about the omnipresence of science in cooking and gastronomy in five edutaining zones.

The McCord Stewart Museum bridges past and present in its exhibitions, which in February include Costume Balls: Dressing Up History, a fun and eye-popping show featuring outfits from extravagant costume balls and skating carnivals that were the pinnacle of society entertainments at the turn of the 19^th century, as well as the retrospective of work by Manasie Akpaliapik, a contemporary artist from Ikpiarjuk (Arctic Bay) on Baffin Island, Nunavut, considered one of the most gifted sculptors of his generation.

Visit MEM – Centre des mémoires montréalaises, a cutting-edge museum dedicated to the voices of Montrealers presiding over the corner of Boulevard Saint-Laurent and Rue Sainte-Catherine. 

Travel back in time as you tour the rooms of Château Ramezay and visit historical site Château Dufresne near the Olympic Stadium. The Musée des Hospitalières de l’Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal marks the bicentennial of Mount Royal Park’s creator, architect Frederick Law Olmsted with the exhibition Our Mountain: Memories of Mount Royal. 

Not far from the city, climb aboard railway cars, learn about the history of the railroad and explore miniature railways at the Exporail the Canadian Railway Museum.

Discover the vivid history and present of Québec ceramics at the Musée des métiers d’arts du Québec. And for another slice of Québec history, visit Montréal’s stunning churches and sacred sites.

Experience a massive immersive art experience in surround-sound and laser light at OASIS Immersion, where Root for Nature extrapolates on biodiversity in all its splendour. You can also dive headfirst into the work of Van Gogh.

And don’t forget Montréal’s plethora of small, independent art galleries, from Bradley Ertaskiran to Hugues Charbonneau, Galerie B-312, SBC Gallery and Ellephant Downtown, Oboro and MAI in the Plateau, Centre Clark and Dazibao in Mile End, Galerie d’Outremont in Outremont and many, many others in every neighbourhood.

Montréal’s cultural calendar is packed this season, with entertainment for everyone on the city’s many stages. Among the world-class theatre, dance, opera, circus and more gracing the city’s stages throughout February, you’ll find one unusual venue: Hôtel Le Germain Montréal. Niebo Hotel is an event by Ballets Jazz Montréal, CAPAS, Danse Danse and French choreographer Christophe Garcia wherein dozens of dancers take over the boutique hotel’s halls, rooms and elevators to perform an immersive work. Runs from February 18 to March 1. 

On February 13 at Théâtre Maisonneuve, Hamlet, Prince du Danemark is a dance performance inspired by Hamlet and presented by choreographer and principal dancer Guillaume Côté and theatre maker and director Robert Lepage. Transcending words to reveal the character’s dark side and deep humanity, it features nine virtuoso performers, a minimalist set and John Gzowski’s music. 

Les Grands Ballets presents a unique adaptation of The Sleeping Beauty by Marcia Haydée, a former prima ballerina and dance legend, at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier from February 19 to 23. Expect elaborate costumes and grandiose sets that will bring the fairytale’s magic to life.

On February 23, don’t miss Step Afrika! at Théâtre Maisonneuve, appearing here for the very first time. With 18 full-time artists, the troupe uses the stage as a means of expression, combining songs, stories and humour in its rhythmic dances. Its shows are participatory, with audience members encouraged to get up and move their bodies to the rhythm of the percussion.

Tango lovers will delight at Tango Dominguero de Buenos Aires on February 26 and 27 at Salle Claude-Léveillé.

February 1 marks the last day of Sylvain Émard Danse - Les Champs Magnétiques at the Place des Art’s Cinquième Salle, a fascinating new work featuring a sextet of performers whose compelling energy speaks of the close ties that bind people together.

At Montréal, arts interculturels, catch the last showing of the dance performance Anxiety on February 1 — it delves into the history, personal stories and current realities of Indigenous and racialized communities, all choreographed by Simik Komaksiutiksak.

Among the shows in Montréal’s vibrant English theatre scene, catch Strawberries in January at Centaur Theatre until February 9. Four years in the making, this is a new musical adaptation of Evelyne de la Chenelière’s heart-warming comedy about four singletons looking for connections and tripping on fate in Montréal. It was dubbed “light therapy in the heart of winter” by La Presse when it originally premiered.

When the music of Céline Dion makes sweet Canadian love with the 11-time Oscar-winning blockbuster film Titanic, you get Titanique, off-Broadway’s most award-winning splash hit, which turns one of the greatest love stories of all time into a hysterical musical fantasia. Catch it at Segal Centre for the Performing Arts from February 2 to 16.

From February 4 to 9 at Théâtre Maisonneuve, catch TINA— The Tina Turner Musical from Broadway. It’s the inspiring journey of a woman who broke barriers and became the Queen of Rock’n’Roll, set to the pulse-pounding soundtrack of her most beloved hits.

Film festival Les Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma celebrates Québec cinema from February 19 to 27: get a front row perspective on local culture with over 300 feature films, shorts, documentaries and more, as well as talks and special events.

On February 7 and 8 at Maison Symphonique, the FILMharmonique Orchestra is back with another edition of its acclaimed series, Music at the Movies, with a special tribute to the legendary film composer Ennio Morricone. Under the direction of Maestro Francis Choinière, the FILMharmonique Orchestra and Chœur des Mélomanes will perform Morricone’s scores, from the moving themes of Mission to the unforgettable melodies of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, not to mention heartfelt love theme from Cinema Paradiso.

On February 28 at Maison Symphonique, Ligeti: the musical soul of Kubrick’s visions presents the McGill Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Alexis Hauser, performing iconic musical pieces drawn from 2001: a Space Odyssey, Eyes Wide Shut and The Shining.

The Montréal Science Centre’s IMAX cinema puts nature on the giant screen in all its glory — this month you can see the incredible Australia 3D: The Wild Continent throughout February, where you can discover flora and fauna that have evolved in splendid isolation, explore ancient landscapes sculpted by great geological forces, and learn from traditional custodians of the land. 

See independent features, family films, documentaries and more at Montréal’s indie cinemas including Cinéma Moderne, Cinéma du Parc, Cinéma du Musée at the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts, and the iconic Cinémathèque québécoise in the Quartier des Spectacles (the city’s entertainment district). 

Explore the city through cinema in these Hollywood movies made in Montréal. 

We’ve got the perfect overview of Montréal’s big, can’t-miss concerts in 2025 to get you excited about the year ahead.

At Place des Arts this month, the fun starts on February 9 at Maison Symphonique.  After his successful debut with the Orchestre Métropolitain, Austrian Christoph Koncz is back to conduct Stravinsky’s The Firebird in Fiery Flight. The orchestra will carry this fiery energy into a brilliant performance of Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra.

On February 12 at Salle Claude-Léveillé, 17-year-old Sophia Shuya Liu will transport us all with her piano renditions of compositions by Tchaikovski, Liszt and Chopin.

Ravel and Prokofiev with Weilerstein and Payare features the viola player Alisa Weilerstain’s interpretation of the ballet Daphnis et Chloé and Prokofiev’s Sinfonia Concertante, a colourful piece tinged with sarcasm and humour. Catch it at Maison Symphonique on February 12 and 13.

On February 13 at Cinquième Salle, the Orchestre national de jazz de Montréal continues its season with Grammy-nominated singer Malika Tirolien, presenting her latest album, Higher, rearranged for orchestra and conducted by Jean-Nicolas Trottier.

Ukrainian star KRUTb is both an ethereally voiced singer and a virtuoso of the bandura, an iconic traditional Ukrainian folk instrument. Catch her at Cinquième Salle on Valentine’s Day, when, through moving melodies and compelling narratives, she will weave a musical tapestry infused with resilience and cultural richness.

You’ll find all sorts of fun music shows at MTELUS, including 070 Shake on February 4, tripleS on February 5, Chayce Buckham on February 6, Atliens on February 7, Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats on February 8, Toro y Moi + Panda Bear on February 11, Peach Pit on February 15 and Foster the People on February 19. See full schedule here. 

The world’s best EDM artists come to New City Gas to get you moving, which in February includes Malaa with Dillon Natahaniel and Sam Duke on February 7, Alan Walker on February 8, Crankdat on February 13, 20 Years of Pryda on February 15,  Sultan + Shepard with Kasbo and Luzi Tudor on February 22, and DJ Pauly D with James Kennedy on February 28. 

Groove to live soul, disco, jazz, funk, salsa, Cuban music Fridays and more at Le Balcon, where you can have dinner with a show, go dancing, and enjoy a gospel brunch on weekends. 

Hear live jazz nightly at Montréal’s amazing jazz and blues clubs, like Diese Onze and Upstairs Jazz Bar & Grill. And go out dancing late into the night at Montréal’s dance clubs.

Indie venues Casa del Popolo and Sala Rossa have chock-a-block full monthly programs featuring both local and visiting bands, which you can find here. Look here for the many live events at hole-in-the-wall Barfly. Same for Bar Le Ritz PDB, where there’s a show nearly every night. Explore the lineups at Le Ministère and Turbo Haüs, and follow L’Escogriffe on Facebook to stay on top of all their upcoming shows. L’Hémisphère Gauche, up in Little Italy, is packed with music lovers for their nightly shows, as is Quai des Brumes on the Plateau — it never takes a night off.