Things to do in Montréal this October 2026

Welcome to Montréal!

To enjoy the best the city has to offer during your stay in October, please don't think of yourself as a tourist, but as one of us. Whether you're here for a few days, a few weeks or a few years, we're counting on you to enjoy Montréal in a spirit of respect, responsibility and celebration!

As the weather shifts into fall, Montréal festival season doesn’t stop: fall festivals and other major events celebrate artistry, culture, food and the city itself. Also explore the many free things to do this fall, which range from outdoor performances to cultural festivals. Plus so much more:

• At historic Marché Bonsecours, see global events, hidden corners of the world and more through a photojournalism lens at the Expo World Press Photo Montréal, continuing until October 12.
• Electronic dance music takes over Parc Jean-Drapeau every weekend until October 18 at Piknic Éléctronik, when the whole family can spend the day dancing, eating from food trucks and generally basking in the sun. 
• The Mois du Créole celebrates its 25th anniversary in Montréal with a major opening concert on October 3, 2026, at the Monument-National’s Ludger-Duvernay Hall. This festive event kicks off a month-long celebration showcasing the richness of Creole cultures and their contribution to Montréal’s vibrant cultural landscape.
• On October 3 and 4, shop your heart out at the Autumn Creative Market at Locoshop Angus, an arts and craft fair featuring more than 180 local artisans and designers.
• The Festival du nouveau cinéma de Montréal entertains from October 8 to 18, screening over 200 features and short films from around the globe, plus panel discussions, workshops, tech-focused events, a children’s program and parties. 
• Watch (or join!) the runners of the Marathon Beneva de Montréal from October 9 to 11. The start of the Sunday races is at Espace 67, in Parc Jean-Drapeau. 
• For the Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend (from October 10 to 12) or any time this month, enjoy local harvest season activities, seasonal food and more at public markets like Jean-Talon Market and Atwater Market — or try apple picking in and around Montréal at several locations, including at Verger Labonté, where you can also find your way through a corn maze and play games. 
• October gets digital with MTL connect: Montreal Digital Week, which from October 13 to 16 brings an opportunity for entrepreneurs, researchers, decision-makers, industry players and artists to exchange and collab at its downtown event.
• The Annual Montreal Gem & Mineral Show shimmers, shines and rocks at the Palais des congrès de Montréal from October 16 to 18.
• On October 25 starting at 12:30 p.m.,  the façade of Montréal’s Notre-Dame Basilica is finally being unveiled to the public after ten years of restoration work. To mark the occasion, the Société philharmonique du Nouveau Monde and organist Jean-Willy Kunz will present a free performance, both outside and inside the basilica. It’s a great opportunity to rediscover one of Montréal’s architectural gems.
• Family-friendly activities abound at SOS Labyrinthe in the Old Port, where kids can swing from the rafters — literally! The adventure sports site also puts on special activities throughout the season, including the popular Blackout nights every Thursday.
• An autumn must, visit the Gardens of Light lantern installation by night at the Jardin botanique, which also hosts Halloween Shivers and harvest activities all month.
• There’s more Halloween fun in Montréal with thematic events and parties at month’s end, including Château Ramezay’s annual family event Pick a Peck of Pumpkins event, and the interactive cult film experience The Rocky Horror Picture Show Halloween Ball, which screens the original 1975 film at the historic Cinéma Impérial downtown throughout the end of October. Dress up, sing along and do the time warp again!
• Festivals continue to entertain downtown and throughout the city, starting with the foodie flagship event, MTLàTABLE, which returns for a 14th delicious edition next month. Plan your reservations now!

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 fall edition will help you experience the best of this beautiful season.

You can also devise your own self-guided art tour (or follow one of their expertly curated ones) thanks to Art Public Montréal, a fountain of information on Montréal’s hundreds of public artworks that are viewable for free year-round. Explore their selection of podcasts, too, for the inside scoop.

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, also offers a great selection of products year-round to go with its quaint design.

Annette bar à vin, a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand favourite, invites wine lovers to discover its curated tastings and engaging educational events. Browse the upcoming schedule here.

Indulge in incredible food at Montréal’s variety of restaurants all month long. 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 the terrasse of Bivouac, where you can taste the best of the terroir under the stars (and falling snow), or of Old Montréal and beyond from Terrasse William Gray. At Montréal’s oldest and longest-running restaurant, Auberge Saint-Gabriel, in the heart of the Old Port.

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. 

Get your caffeine fix at Montréal’s indie coffee shops — and fresh 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 vegetarian and 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 Montrealesque cocktails at home with gin, vodka, rum and more specialty spirits from these Montréal specialty alcohol and spirit makers.

Speaking of Espace pour la vie museums, enjoy the Jardin botanique’s sprawling tropical greenhouse environments, a welcome hit of warmth on these cold days. 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. 

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.

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 the month.

Feel like learning something? Make Montréal your best skillcation location ever with a slew of classes and workshops, including those at La Maison Générale in Outremont, where on October 1 you can learn how to embroider by hand. 

Explore the many outdoor activities the city has in store, including the list of 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 Saint-Michel neighbourhood’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.

October shopping

Shop for some new sweater weather wardrobe staples, starting in Old Montréal’s boutiques, downtown along Sainte-Catherine Street and in the Underground City malls. The Centre Eaton de Montréal and Place Montréal Trust are full of the latest styles from the hottest shops, including Uniqlo, Nike, Aritzia, 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. 

Fall art and exhibitions 

The fall season is in hyperdrive in museums and galleries around town, as they kick off their rentrée culturelle, so get your cultural fill in Montréal’s magnificent museums.

See the world’s best and most moving news photography at the World Press Photo Exhibition, presented at Marché Bonsecours in Old Montréal until October 12.

Visit the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts before October 11 to catch the tail end of Rising Suns: Art from the Confederacies of the Great Lakes and Rivers, an artful look into Indigenous perspectives on the territories where we reside. Until October 12, you can also see Ready, Set, Go! Sports Inspire Art, an exhibition highlighting a selection of works from its collection that are related to sport in honour of the 1976 Summer Olympics’ 50th anniversary.

The McCord Stewart Museum bridges past and present in its exhibitions, which until October 18 includes On the Menu – Montréal: A Restaurant Story: witness the evolution of Montréal’s restaurant scene in all its forms since the 1960s. Also on view, the permanent exhibition Indigenous Voices of Today: Knowledge, Trauma, Resiliencefeatures over one hundred carefully selected cultural belongings from the museum’s collection and bears witness to the still unrecognized knowledge of Indigenous peoples in Quebec and Canada as well as the deep wounds they carry and their incredible resilience.

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? Also on view is the exhibition Heroes of Greece: The Age of Troy, featuring a remarkable selection of close to 400 authentic objects from 28 Greek museums and archaeological sites.

You’ll also be near the kid-friendly Montréal Science Centre, where you can explore interactive exhibitions that investigate the scientific world, like the permanent exhibition Human: a voyage to the very heart of human evolution through a fully interactive and highly energetic environment. Explore – Life-Sized Science is a permanent exhibition that explains the wonders at work behind motion, air, light, water, geometry, matter and code via interactive games involving giant soap bubbles, water tables — even a crane.

At PHI, two exhibitions kick off on October 28: Stephanie Comilang: ANTHEMS, exploring migration, technology, and the invisible networks that connect us, and Jean-François Bouchard: Turn or Burn, exploring the connections between belief, image, and power in the public sphere.

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. Throughout the month you can catch Detours – Urban Experiences, an immersive exhibition that takes you into the world of Montrealers with singular backgrounds, and the permanent exhibition MONTRÉAL: which highlights the diverse experiences that have contributed to the city’s distinctive characteristics while bringing its story to life on a human scale.

Travel back in time as you tour the rooms of Château Ramezay and visit the historical site of Château Dufresne near the Olympic Stadium. The Musée des Hospitalières de l’Hôtel-Dieu de Montréalexplores the history of medical care in Montréal. 

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 Quebec ceramics at the Musée des métiers d’arts du Québec, and Canadian arts and crafts at large at La Guilde in the Golden Square Mile. 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.

Speaking of immersive experiences, the Fabulous FAB Exhibition is an all-around trippy space spanning three floors in the Centre Eaton de Montréal, where you can experience no less than 20 extraordinary worlds. 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 (you guessed it) Outremont and many, many others in every neighbourhood.

Onstage this October

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 October, you’ll find:

• Grandiose opera until October 4 thanks to Turandot by Puccini, presented by Opéra de Montréal and featuring a massive chorus, dancers and bold staging.
• Celebrate the beauty and complexity of Deaf culture blending American Sign Language, spoken English, and movement within a vivid digital landscape at Centaur Theatre, titled The Sound of Dogs, running from October 1 to 10.
• Also at Centaur Theatre, don’t miss an intimate and inspiring theatre experience about What You Won’t Do for Love, from October 2 to 4: it’s a unique meeting of minds between internationally-renowned environmentalists David Suzuki and Tara Cullis.
• Until October 4 you can catch Teaċ Daṁsa, a contemporary dance show rooted in Irish tradition and presented by Danse Danse at Théâtre Maisonneuve.
• Starting on October 5 and running until October 25 at the Segal Theatre, The Secret Chord: A Leonard Cohen Experiencereturns by popular demand. Expect an evocatively staged tribute concert.
• On October 9, catch a full-fledged cabaret hosted by Rita Baga at the glorious Caf’Conc’, among the most beautiful venues in town — catch up on the full month of programming
• Musical theatre lovers will be happy to see Mamma Mia! at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier between October 13 and 18.
• Starting on October 13 and running until the end of the month at Centaur Theatre, Wonderful Joe is a play about a man and his dog who set out on a fantastical odyssey through a fractured world, discovering magic in the margins.
• British comedian Jimmy Carr visits Montréal with his stand-up show Laughs Funny at  Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier on October 20 and 21.
• From October 28 to 31 catch Christos Papadopoulos’s choreography My Fierce Ignorant Step at Théâtre Maisonneuve, billed as an ecstatic soundscape, bursting with the contagious bliss of being alive.
• Les Grands Ballets present the best of classical ballet with their rendition of Midsummer Night Dreams from October 29 to 31 at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier. Choreographer Guillaume Côté offers a deeply human reimagining of Shakespeare’s 1595 play.