Discover our favorite Montréal Christmas events and experience holiday magic like brand-new. During the holiday season, Montreal transforms into a snow-capped winter wonderland, with frosted windows and dazzling lights everywhere you look. It’s a magical place to celebrate the season—and who better to say so than Cirque du Soleil, born and raised right here in Montréal. Oh oui!
Need help narrowing down the to-do list? Check out our favorite holiday-themed activities, attractions, and more in the 514. If you’re looking for fun Christmas activities in Montreal, you’ve come to the right place. Zip up your coat, put on your mittens, and join us as we explore the most delightful things to do in Montreal at Christmas.
Christmas Markets and villages in Montréal
Village de Noël de Montréal
The Village de Noël de Montreal (Montréal Christmas Village) is a yuletide market located beside the famed Atwater Market in the Sud-Ouest borough. This year’s edition kicks off on November 27 and runs every weekend until Christmas.
Looking to shop local this year? We’ve found your number one shopping destination. Artisans from across Québec come here to sell food and merchandise, making this the ideal choice to find something for everyone on your list.
- Address: Saint Ambroise St, Montreal, Quebec H4C 3R6
- Date: November 27, 2025, through December 21, 2025, every Thursday from 4PM to 8PM, on Fridays from 4PM to 8 PM, on Saturdays from 11 AM to 8 PM and on Sundays from 11 AM to 6 PM
- Cost of admission: Free to enter, but bring a bit of spending money if you’re coming to shop
- Age requirements: All-ages
- Vibe: Family-friendly
- Pro tip: Parking around Atwater Market is limited. Your best bet is to come via public transit.
The Great Montreal Christmas Market
Great Montreal Christmas Market returns this year after taking a few holiday seasons off. Starting November 21, locals and out-of-towners can gather in Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles to browse some 40 vendors housed in kiosks that look like tiny cottages inside a snow-globe.
Enjoy all this festive market has to offer as you sip warming beverages like mulled wine or hot cocoa. You might even be lucky enough to catch merry carolers singing some of your favorite Christmas tunes.
- Address: 1499 Jeanne-Mance, Montréal, QC H2X 2J4
- Date: November 21, 2025 – January 4, 2025
- Cost of admission: Free
- Age requirements: All-ages
- Vibe: A centrally located holiday market with loads of food and festive fun.
Holiday Performing Arts in Montréal
The Nutcracker by Les Grands Ballets
The Nutcracker is a timeless holiday production, performed every year around the world. In Montreal, it’s put on by the impressive Les Grands Ballets troupe. This timeless Christmas tale takes you on a romantic journey with Clara and her “Nutcracker” Prince. You’ll travel to an enchanted realm where toy soldiers come to life and dance with fairies.
The ballet is accompanied by the Les Grands Ballets Orchestra, whose musical performance is nothing short of perfection, making Tchaikovsky himself proud.
- Address: Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, 75 Saint-Catherine St W, Montreal, Quebec H2X 1Y9
- Date: December 12, 2025 – December 30, 2025
- Tickets: $89 - $168
- Age requirements: All-ages, but may be suitable for older children
- Vibe: Enchanting, mesmerizing, festive
Un piano pour Noël
Un piano pour Noël is a one-night-only performance and fun Christmas activity celebrating the works of Canadian composer André Gagnon. The performance features the world-renowned pianist Stéphane Aubin, accompanied by a string orchestra and 14 musicians, performing all your favorite Christmas melodies. After the show, keep the yuletide vibes going with a visit to a nearby jazz bar in Montreal.
- Address: Théâtre Maisonneuve, 260 Blvd. de Maisonneuve Ouest, 2nd floor, Montréal QC H2X 1Y9
- Date: November 30, 2025 at 3:00 PM
- Tickets: $60-$90
- Age requirements: All ages
- Vibe: Intimate, astonishing, must-see performances
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Ice Skating, Tubing, and Sledding in Montréal
Parc La Fontaine Sledding and Skating
Parc La Fontaine is a sprawling park in the heart of Montreal, filled with enchantment during the colder months. It features two sports drinks and one chalet-style rink, making it a great place to test your ice skating moves in a fun setting.
This picturesque park also has great spaces for sledding and tobogganing, so you can enjoy a bit of thrill on a cold winter day. There’s even pond skating rink here, where you can sharpen your skating skills.
- Address: 3819 Ave. Calixa-Lavallée, Montréal QC. H2H 1P4
- Date: The park opens year-round, while the skating rink opens every day during winter from 8 AM to 10 PM
- Cost of entry: Free
- Age requirements: All ages
- Vibe: A taste of nature in the heart of the city
- Pro tip: Don’t have skates? Don’t worry! You can rent some at Parc Lafontaine’s ice rink.
Parc du Mont-Royal Inner Tube Sliding
Parc du Mont-Royal will have your kids squealing with glee as they whizz down the slopes. Situated on the shores of Beaver Lake, this exhilarating seasonal pastime offers family-friendly holiday fun. A well-organized inner tube sliding area ensures a safe, enjoyable ride down the dedicated corridors.
This attraction opens when snow starts blanketing the park, usually in early- to mid-December. The park offers equipment rentals and charges for parking and admission. This is also one of the best views in Montreal.
- Address: Beaver Lake, Parc du Mont-Royal (accessible via Chemin Remembrance)
- Date: Early-to-mid December through March, depending on weather conditions
- Cost of entry: About $10-$15 for tubing (varies by age); parking fees cost extra
- Age requirements: For children aged 4+
- Vibe: Classic winter in Montreal: fun, festive, outdoorsy, and family-focused
- Pro tip: Arrive early on weekends to avoid lineups and cap off your fun day of outdoor Christmas activities with a hot chocolate from the nearby pavilion café.
Parc Ignace-Bourget Sledding Slopes
Park Ignace-Bourget has two sledding slopes one for beginners and one for experienced riders. This separation between skill levels allows everyone a safe and satisfying ride. The venue offers an affordable family fun day since the slopes and equipment rentals are free — the perfect way to pass the time between Christmas and New Year’s.
- Address: 5925 avenue de Montmagny in the Côte-des-Neiges borough
- Date: From December through March
- Cost of entry: Free entry and free equipment rentals
- Age requirements: Suitable for all-ages; young children should be supervised
- Vibe: Low-key, community-oriented, tons of fun
- Pro tip: If you bring your own sled, you can skip the rental line and spend more time on the slopes!
Holiday Window Displays in Montréal
Ogilvy’s Christmas Mechanical Window Displays
The Christmas mechanical window displays, once in the window of Ogilvy’s department store, has captivated onlookers for more than 70 years. A relic of department stores past, the display features a Bavarian holiday diorama featuring dozens of handcrafted critters working and playing.
Though this display is no longer in the window of Ogilvy’s (now Holt Renfrew’s) Ste-Catherine Street entrance, it has a new home during the holidays in front of the McCord Stewart—one of our favorite museums to visit in Montreal year-round, but especially so during the holidays. This display is part of what makes Christmas in Montréal so special.
- Address: 690 Sherbrooke Street W, Montreal, QC H3A 1E9
- Date: November 29, 2025 through January 4, 2026
- Cost of entry: Free, but voluntary donation is recommended
- Age requirements: All ages
- Vibe: Nostalgic, heart-warming, festive
Holiday Parades in Montréal
Le Défilé du Père-Noël Montreal
Le Défilé du Père-Noël Montreal is the “unofficial” holiday kick-off in Montreal. Held on Sainte-Catherine Street, this parade boasts over 20 floating stages and showcases singing and dancing from over a thousand players. Although attendance is free, parking may be challenging due to the influx of locals and tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of “Ole” Saint Nick. The Santa Clause Parade is one of the best things to do in Montreal with kids at Christmas.
- Address: The parade begins on Réné-Levesque Blvd
- Date: Saturday, November 22, 2025
- Cost of entry: Free
- Age requirements: Suitable for children of all ages
- Vibe: Playful, inviting, silly, joyful, community-oriented
- Pro tip: Santa shows up around 10:30 a.m., just as the parade reaches the Place-Ville-Marie Esplanade. Make sure to have your cameras ready to snap a pic of St-Nick!
Montréal’s Holiday Tours
A Victorian Christmas at Sir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic Site
A Victorian Christmas welcomes visitors to the home of Sir George-Étienne Cartier — a national historic site — to see its most beautiful Christmas decorations. Not only can you embark on a guided tour, but you’ll get to see what 19th-century bourgeois Christmas preparations and celebrations looked like.
- Address: Sir-George-Etienne-Cartier historic site, 458 Notre-Dame East Street, Montreal QC H2Y 1C8
- Date: Saturdays and Sundays from early to late December
- General admission: $10
- Age requirements: All-ages
- Vibe: Victorian, informative, festive
- Pro tip: This is a popular tour that tends to sell out quickly, so reserve your spot early!
Christmas Secrets of Old Montréal Walking Tour
The Christmas Secrets of Old Montréal Walking Tour is a 90-minute walking tour that takes you through Montreal’s historic, old-World streets. You’ll be shepherded by a guide, who might surprise you with their breadth of knowledge, and learn about Québec holiday customs while catching glimpses of sites like Victoria Square and Bonsecours Market. You’ll see Old Montreal in a charming, festive new light.
- Address: The group meets in the lobby of 360 St-Jacques Street
- Date: Mid-November through early January
- Cost of entry/Ticket info: $248 per group
- Age requirements: All-ages appropriate
- Vibe: Festive, joyful, educational, uplifting
- Pro tip: Mark Twain once named Montréal the “city of a hundred steeples.” Look around on this walking tour and you’ll see what he meant when he said so!
Frequently asked questions about Christmas in Montréal
When do Christmas events in Montreal usually start?
Most holiday festivities and Christmas activities kick off toward the end of November, just after the Santa Clause parade. From that point onward, you’ll find no shortage of markets, light shows, concerts, and more to light up your time in the city.
Are there any family-friendly Christmas events in Montreal?
Oh yes! Check out the Jean-Talon or Atwater markets for crafts and treats in the days leading up to the holidays or bring the kids to the Quartier des Spectacles for dazzling light installations. Another fun, family-friendly activities is ice skating at Parc La Fontaine, which transforms into an outdoor ice rink once the temperatures dip below zero. Many museums and performance venues host special holiday programming for kids, too!
What’s the weather like in Montreal during the holidays?
Bundle up, because it gets downright frigid in December in Montreal! Average temperatures usually hover around -5 degrees Celcius, but can feel much, much colder with the wind chill. If you’re planning on taking part in any fun outdoor activities, you’ll need a proper winter coat, boots, or gloves. On the flipside, you can look forward to a white Christmas!
Are there free Christmas activities or events in Montreal?
Yes! There are plenty of free Christmas activities in Montréal. The city’s light displays — such as the ones that illuminate Old Montreal or the Quartier des Spectacles can be enjoyed at no cost! Public skating rinks are often free, too, if you bring your own skates. Keep an eye out for merry concerts and festive pop-ups that happen all throughout the city during December.
Embracing the Festive Spirit: Reflecting on Christmas in Montreal
We may be biased, but the Cirque du Soleil team believes that no city is doing the holidays better than Christmas in Montréal. We hope this guide will help you plan the best holiday season yet — complete with fun, festive activities that’ll take you right into next January.
After reveling in all the holiday sparkle that takes over Montreal, we encourage you to keep the joyous feeling alive by watching one of our Cirque du Soleil shows in Montreal. At a Cirque du Soleil show, you’ll be kept on the edge of your seat through magical performance and mind-blowing acrobatics, sending your imagination and excitement levels to heights as high as our Big Top! P.S., tickets to a Cirque du Soleil performance are a fabulous gift idea — just saying!
Cover image by Miguel Ausejo on Unsplash.