Celebrate American Thanksgiving in Montréal

In Montréal, we’re thankful year-round for the amazing range of live performance options to whet entertainment appetites. Thanksgiving weekend is no exception, especially at the city’s crown-jewel performing arts complex, Place des Arts (PdA) in the Quartier des Spectacles:

• World-renowned contemporary dance company Ballets Jazz Montréal presents its final MTL performances of the acclaimed work Dance Me – Music by Leonard Cohen, which it has toured to 96 cities in 17 countries. At PdA’s Théâtre Maisonneuve, November 25-28.
• The romantic opera Werther, by Jules Massenet features an exceptional cast, marking the grand return of Julie Boulianne to the Opéra de Montréal and the Montréal debut of rising French tenor Julien Dran. At PdA’s elegant Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, November 21, 26 and 29.
• Tim Burton’s film The Nightmare Before Christmas comes to life through Danny Elfman’s spellbinding music as performed live-to-film by the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. At PdA’s aurally and visually spectacular Maison Symphonique, November 26 and 27.
• Noël Gospel kicks off the Christmas season with more than 100 voices from the Jireh Gospel Choir and Montréal Gospel Choir. The repertoire spans traditional and contemporary gospel, from spirituals to hip-hop to Christmas favourites. At Maison Symphonique, November 28.
• And don’t miss out on a chance to experience the mesmerizing ORB, a majestic, illuminated public art installation beautifying the water basin on the Esplanade of Place des Arts.

Live music fans will have a range of other choices, including the following: 

• Canadian icons Barenaked Ladies (Americans will recognize them from The Big Bang Theory sitcom’s theme song) play at L’Olympia theatre in The Village, November 26.
• It’s downtempo electro from British producer/DJ Bonobo at MTELUS in the Quartier des Spectacles, November 27.
• L.A.’s “Queen of Pop-Rap” Doja Cat brings her world tour to the downtown Bell Centre (home of the Montréal Canadiens, or Habs), November 27.

Given that it’s U.S. Thanksgiving, and not the Canuck one, traditional turkey dinners with all the fixins may not be all that common, but they do exist, a well as numerous other restaurants serving seasonal meals. Among places to eat downtown:

• The esteemed Alexandre et fils Parisian brasserie in the heart of downtown has, for over 40 years, been offering a holiday turkey dinner but with a French twist and presentation. It will do so again this year over three days, during both lunch and dinner hours. 
• Also, Sir Winston Churchill Pub on Crescent Street, a Montréal institution, will once again be doing a traditional American Thanksgiving turkey dinner with all the trimmings. 
• If the taste of turkey is all that’s required, famous Montréal smoked meat eatery Schwartz’s does a mean smoked turkey plate. 

Or why not camp out in the heart of downtown? Les Refuges du Bivouac — a seasonal dining creation by the wholly unique Restaurant Bivouac — invite you to set up camp for an evening of seasonal gastronomy under heated domes overlooking Place des Arts in the Quartier des Spectacles. Under the stars, this warm and magical dinner experience features a menu with boreal flavours that take advantage of the best that Québec and its top-tier culinary artisans have to offer.

Possessing the highest concentration of kitchens on the continent (approximately 65 restaurants per square kilometre), Montréal is a veritable horn o’ plenty for foodies this holiday season.

• Bota Bota, Spa-sur-l’eau (“spa on the water”) is a favourite among locals and visitors alike for its chic, contemporary appeal and its location on a converted ferryboat docked in the Old Port. A second boat, the Pavillon, was recently added, expanding the already-spacious floating wellness complex by 20,000 square feet.
• The iconic Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth hotel is home to the beautiful Moment Spa, a downtown oasis where you can enjoy long, languid moments of indulgence or a quick hit of leisure. 
• One of the many perks of staying at the Ritz-Carlton Montréal is the Spa St. James. The spa is the epitome of luxury, and includes waterfalls, a relaxation lounge with fireplaces, access to the stunning rooftop pool and a state-of-the-art salon. Speaking of which, don’t forget to try out the sci-fi-like O2toDerm oxygen glass dome, an anti-aging skin care system that also features an oxygen infusion gun. Cool.
• Spa William Gray is a destination unto itself within the Hôtel William Gray. It features a full-pampering circuit including an herbal sauna, a Himalayan salt room, a Finnish sauna, a eucalyptus steam room and an especially delightful hot quartz bed.
• Experience the northern tradition of Scandinavian baths in the cutting-edge Scandinave Spa Vieux-Montréal at Hôtel Saint-Sulpice. Nestled among the historic buildings of Old Montréal, this leading day spa has garnered numerous awards for its architecture and design. (Please note: the spa will be closed October 19-23 and October 26-31 for renovations before reopening on November 1 under a new banner.)
• And speaking of Old Montréal, the perennially popular Rainspa, in the classy Hôtel Place d’Armes, manages to be exclusive and inclusive at the same time, a serene space with a vast Middle Eastern–style hammam that we can all be thankful for.

• When in Rome, it’s good to roam, and Old Montréal is always a great place to start. Notre-Dame Basilica is one of the city’s most-revered societal and architectural landmarks, and is currently hosting the AURA experience, a captivating display of projections and manipulation of light set to orchestral music accompanied by a massive 7,000-pipe organ. 
• When in the Old Port, be sure to take a spin on La Grande Roue de Montréal. At 60 metres in height, the towering Ferris wheel is the tallest in Canada and offers views that stretch up to 28 kilometres on a clear day. Open 365 days a year, the enclosed gondolas of the wheel are fully climate-controlled.
• Get ready for a thriller at the Casino de Montréal in  Parc Jean-Drapeau, where audience members can partake in Michael Jackson – Legacy. An immersive experience inspired by the genius of Michael Jackson, Legacy puts the audience in the performance at a speakeasy-style bar where they recreate Jackson’s legendary music repertoire and dance moves.
• Until February 14, 2027, the esteemed Montréal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) is showing The Soul Trembles, the largest solo exhibition to date of world-renowned Japanese performance installation artist Chiharu Shiota. The MMFA exhibition will be its first North American stop since its Tokyo premiere in 2019. 
• A downtown journey will likely take you past the Grand Marché de Noël de Montréal (or Great Montréal Christmas Market) at the one-of-a-kind Place des Festivals in the Quartier des Spectacles. The market transforms the city into a dazzling holiday wonderland featuring picturesque chalets offering unique artisanal creations, local treasures and gourmet treats. 
• And the nearby, splendorous Maison Symphonique de Montréal will be ground zero for the 20th anniversary edition of the prestigious Festival International Bach Montréal. The festival will present over 40 concerts and conferences, many of them free, honouring the timeless musical genius of J.S. Bach, November 4 to December 9.

It’s American Thanksgiving in Montréal everyone — time to dig in!