Things to do in Montréal (January)

January winter wonders

Winter shines bright in Montréal throughout the month and across the city. 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, andgo “dancing” on DJ nights!). At the rink and throughout the Quartiers des spectacles, experience illuminated artwork, activities and more as part of Les Moments lumineux du cœur de l'île. This year’s Luminothérapie outdoor exhibition features illuminated interactive art that makes us all feel like kids again – follow the light and sound displays along Sainte-Catherine Street, in Place des Festivals and projected on building facades in the.

XP_MTL extends the holiday spirit until January 6 with giant artwork The Legend of the Bears by Cree artist Jason Carter and lighting installations on Sainte-Catherine Street, along with choir performances and more holiday activities and entertainment at street-level and in the underground city. And an unmissable classic, Ogilvy's holiday window displays Enchanted Worlds are free to see outside and inside the McCord Stewart Museum until January 8.

In Chinatown, see outdoor exhibition Dragons Chasing the Moon by artist Karen Tam – a multitude of floating panels inspired by traditional Chinese paper cutouts on De La Gauchetière Street at Sun-Yat Sen Park – and don't miss the Lunar New Year Market at the Centre Communautaire de Loisirs Sainte-Catherine d'Alexandrie and the Lunar New Year festivities and parade on the weekend of January 21-22, celebrating the Year of the Rabbit. 

See massive The Ring installation aglow at Esplanade Place Ville Marie downtown. 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 in the Old Port of Montreal, dance under the stars and in the snow at  one of Montréal's favourite winter festivals, Igloofest! The outdoor electronic music festival celebrates its 15th anniversary on the Jacques-Cartier Pier from January 19 to February 11 – dress in your best parka and join the winter party!

 

January city sights

In Old Montréal, walk the cobblestone streets to the Saint-Lawrence River and visit the peacefully illuminated square outside Notre-Dame Basilica – inside, see gorgeous multimedia show AURA. In the Old Port of Montréal, you can see incredible city and river views from the Observation Wheel. And you can’t miss the wintery sight of the Old Port of Montréal ice skating rink, where you can rent skates and glide next to the Saint Lawrence River under twinkling lights. Nearby, explore the Montréal Science Centre: see new interactive exhibition Dinosaurs Around the World, with 20 life-sized dinosaurs that move and make sounds, plus other hands-on activities and exhibitions.

Take a free walking tour of the Quartier des spectacles too! MURAL Festival may be over, but you can still see murals from this year and years past on Saint-Laurent Boulevard and adjacent streets – find the murals and hear more about the artists on a street art tour with Spade & Palacio. Meanwhile, in pro sports: cheer on the Montréal Canadiens at home at the Bell Centre throughout the month. If you’re not at the game, watch hockey and other sports at Montréal’s sports bars.

By night, look for the history-illuminating tableaux projections of Cité Mémoire in Old Montréal. And for ultimate relaxation any time of the day, visit Bota Bota, spa sur l’eau on the Saint-Lawrence River in the Old Port and other world-class spas like Scandinave Spa Vieux-Montréal, Avie Spa & Coiffure, Rainspa and Strøm Nordic Spa.

Visit dozens of Montréal attractions, museums and more at a discount with the MTL Fall + Winter Passport and MTL + Montérégie Passport! And if you’re a regular train traveler on the Québec CityꟷWindsor corridor, take advantage of VIA Rail’s “Midweeker” discount card to save 25% to 40% off your ticket!

 

Winter in the city

As the snow starts to fall, visit Montréal's parks and cultivated gardens for a natural winter wonderland experience. Among the many free things to do this winter, see incredible city views of the city from Mount Royal Park: bundle up for a walk through the park and up the stairs to the lookout or bus or drive up to Beaver Lake. In winter, go ice skating, sledding and cross-country skiing around Beaver Lake and the lookout. Another picturesque winter sight, Parc La Fontaine in the Plateau neighbourhood is perfect for taking a stroll or a skate around the park’s illuminated pond.

Cross the river to Parc Jean-Drapeau for a riverside winter walk and a different view of the city – while there visit the Space for Life Biosphère too for environment-focused exhibitions, the interactive Ecolab and more. And on snowy days, enjoy snowshoeing, ice skating, cross-country skiing and more outdoor winter activities along Parc Jean-Drapeau’s trails and skating paths, through the expanse of Frédéric-Back Park, and in many other city parks. Or try skating indoors at Atrium Le 1000 downtown, decorated for the season!

At the Space for Life museums: stroll the Montréal Botanical Garden grounds and sprawling tropical greenhouse, experience several wild ecosystems at the Biodôme, where you’ll see penguins, otters and more; explore the mysteries of the universe in immersive 360° films and exhibitions (like new film Worlds of Ice) at the Planetarium; and learn about the thousands of butterflies, moths and other insects at the Insectarium. Or walk, snowshoe or cross-country ski around Parc Maisonneuve right next to the Botanical Garden. And visit the West Island’s Ecomuseum Zoo to glimpse local wildlife in their natural outdoor habitats.

 

Seasonal food and drink

Indulge in incredible food at Montréal’s variety of restaurants this winter. Warm yourself to the core with the best hot food for cold days, from Indian dishes to Japanese ramen and Vietnamese pho. Discover the Montréal’s newest restaurants and “buvettes” and don’t miss a classic Montréal brunch, whether you’re looking for elegance or comfort food! Also try some of Montréalers’ favourite lunch restaurants, from Old Montréal and downtown to Villeray or the South-West. Dig into long-time Quebec classics like smoked meat, poutine and Montréal bagels. And check all the boxes on your “must-eat list” with these musts for foodies in Montréal. Any time of day, warm up with the best hot chocolate in Montréal!

It’s an excellent time to have dinner and see a show at the Casino de Montréal, all decked out in winter wonders: live music and cabaret shows are back along with incredible seafood and more on the grill at Le Montréal, a gourmet buffet at Pavillon 67, and quick delicious eats at L’Instant. Riverside St-Henri becomes Hiverside in winter: an ice palace cocktail bar designed by Julien Doré. Explore superb restaurants and cafés along Beaubien Street in the Rosemont-La-Petit-Patrie neighbourhood (also where you’ll find Little Italy). And enjoy dinner and a show at restaurant-cabaret Le Balcon.

Downtown, explore the wide variety of excellent meals at gourmet food halls, including Time Out Market, Marché Artisans, Le Cathcart Restaurants et Biergarten and Le Central - Manger Montréal. Get your caffeine fix at Montréal's indie coffee shops – and fresh-baked doughnuts to go with it! Add more sweetness to your life with creations from 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. By night, discover the city’s 30 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.

The restaurant Bivouac opens its winter terrace on January 12: guests will be installed under huge domes to experience an evening of boreal gastronomy. Each dome has a speaker to play music, is heated, and offers a magnificent view of Montreal's winter effervescence.

 

New Year shopping

Go shopping for winter wardrobe staples and dinner-party glam in Old Montréal’s boutiques, downtown along Sainte-Catherine Street and in the underground city malls, or head to the Plateau and Mile End for unique finds. Keep your eye out for items made by Montréal designers, relaxing self-care staples and plenty of home decor. Add sparkle to your life at the coolest Montréal jewelry stores. 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.

 

January exhibitions and experiences

At the Galerie d'Outremont, explore David Farsi's La Couleur du Récit, an exhibition made up of a serie of paintings by the artist. Inspired by his various encounters with others and his explorations of digital painting reinventing his artistic practice, Farsi unveils two parts of his production that lead us to a narrative and surrealist universe. From January 18 to February 26.

At the Corona Theatre on January 25th, Bruichladdich, a distillery located on the Rhinns of the isle of Islay in Scotland, brings The Water of Life experience to Montreal. The Water of Life introduces the artisans, chemists and outlaws who are at the heart of the whisky revolution... paired with tastings throughout the documentary.

Montréal’s museums and art galleries inspire all year – and there’s always something new to see. At the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts, see new blockbuster exhibition Seeing Loud: Basquiat and Music, as well as exhibitions Shary Boyle: Outside the Palace of Me and Diane Arbus: Photographs, 1956-1971, exhibition ᑐᓴᕐᓂᑐᑦ TUSARNITUT! illustrating the Inuit musical expression, and new exhibition 根付Netsuke Hands On, a collection of tiny, exquisitely detailed Japanese objects called netsuke, tucked away in the Stephan Crétier and Stéphany Maillery Wing for the Arts of One World, plus collections exhibition Views of Within: Picturing the Spaces We Inhabit.

The Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal presents new previously unseen immersive works by Montréal artist Nelson Henricks, including a program of 15 Screen Tests produced by Andy Warhol between 1964 and 1966. On screen at home, explore immersive online exhibition Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything, a recreation of the MAC’s monumental show, and comprehensive new digital platform MACrépertoire.

Explore ideas of metamorphosis and mutation and rethink the values we live by at the International Digital Art Biennial (BIAN), a digital and immersive art exhibition presented by ELEKTRA at Arsenal Contemporary Art Montreal, until February 5. Also at Arsenal, experience a major audiovisual retrospective of Pink Floyd’s music and the band’s effect on art and culture in The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains until February 5.

Experience award-winning virtual reality at the Phi Centre in Horizons VR, as well as multi-sensorial experience Last Minute, focused on mourning, births and metamorphoses, Habitat Sonore’s intimate sound immersion environment (until January 16), new (and free!) exhibition Figure–Ground featuring works from thePHI’s art collection, and a photo exhibition by Fabrizio Maltese. At night, see The House of Murmurations light and sound installation highlighting historical architectural elements at the intersection of Bonsecours Street and Saint-Paul Street East in Old Montréal (until January 16), as well as Water Road, a motion-activated river appears on the Phi Centre facade on Saint-Pierre Street.

A massive immersive art experience in surround sound and laser light, Oasis Immersion takes over the ground floor of Palais des congrès: don’t miss VAN GOGH-Distorsion, a 360° experience with surround sound, featuring 225 paintings, drawings and sketches by the Dutch-born painter, open until January 8 – new Oasis virtual reality experience transformé opens January 19! Experience 3D creation Lasting Impressions, inviting us to move into and through the canvases crafted by the impressionist masters, at Espace St-Denis.

In the Place des Arts exhibition space, stop to see As Water Falls, a virtual interactive waterfall installation. Galerie de l’UQAM presents new work by Eritrean-born artist Dawit L. Petros in exhibition Spazio Disponibile (originally organized and circulated by The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery), highlighting colonization, migration and modernism. Watch for local artwork in vacant downtown commercial spaces as part of Art souterrain’s Créer des Ponts project.

Also see new exhibitions at Bradley Ertaskiran in St. Henri, Darling Foundry in Old Montréal, Hugues Charbonneau, Galerie B-312 and Ellephant downtown, at Oboro, MAI in the Plateau, Centre Clark and Dazibao in Mile End and many, many other amazing art galleries in every neighbourhood – find out more in our Montréal guide to gallery hopping and these affordable places to buy contemporary art. Take a Portrait Sonore sound walk downtown and on the Mountain to discover Montréal art and culture. And hunt for more public art everywhere in the city.

 

History past and present

History buffs of all ages will love Montréal’s museum exhibitions this winter. At Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Archaeology and History Complex in Old Montréal, learn about the significance of headdresses in different cultures in Headdresses from Around the world: The Antoine de Galbert Collection; follow the story of Montréal through historic objects in Favourites! Our Collections on Display; see environmentally themed exhibition Frédéric Back: A Passion for the Planet; and kids of all ages can step into history in interactive display Come Aboard! Pirates or Privateers?

Go to the McCord Stewart Museum to witness Indigenous Voices of Today: Knowledge, Trauma, Resilience, experience Alexander Henderson: Art and Nature, and glean insights from new photography exhibitions Incipit - COVID-19 by Michel Huneault and Disraeli Revisited – throughout December, don’t miss the free Ogilvy Christmas mechanical window displays Enchanted Worlds. At the Canadian Centre for Architecture, see Retail Apocalypse, examining the entangled worlds of architecture, fashion, business and art, and ᐊᖏᕐᕋᒧᑦ / Ruovttu Guvlui / Towards Home, an Indigenous-led exhibition and publication project exploring Arctic spaces.

Travel back in time in Old Montréal as you tour the rooms of Château Ramezay and historical site Chateau Dufresne. Climb aboard railway cars, learn about the history of the railroad and explore miniature railways at the Exporail the Canadian Railway Museum. Take a historic walking tour of Jewish Montréal, with the Museum of Jewish Montréal, relocated to 5220 Saint-Laurent Blvd. – see exhibition Public Intimacy by Berlin-based artists Sophia Hirsch and Johannes Mundinger. Explore the Afromuseum, representing the contributions of Afro-Canadians to the cultural landscape of Canada. 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.

Make the most of your visit and save big on museums and other attractions with the MTL Fall + Winter Passport: discover five Montréal attractions for one low price, and get discounts at many more! Or discover even more in the city and just outside it in the Montérégie region with the  MTL + Montérégie Passport.
 

On stage in January

Montréal’s cultural calendar is packed this season, with entertainment for everyone on the city’s many stages. Circus is never in short supply in Montréal. Let Cirque du Soleil’s fabulous show Corteo awe you at the Bell Centre from December 21 to January 1 – and secure your seats for Cirque du Soleil’s brand new show ECHO, celebrating its world premiere in Montréal in spring 2023! In theatre this month, see Come From Away, the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers stranded in a small town in Newfoundland, at Place des Arts from January 10 to 15, and Piaf! The Show, a musical celebration of the life and music of the legendary French chanteuse, at Place des Arts on January 12.

Unique new performances that challenge the conventions of theatre are on the program for The Wildside Festival, including Jean Genet adaptation Proje(c)t: Les Bonnes, Ukrainian theatre work Planting an Apple Tree, David Paquet's fierce dark comedy Wildfire, and Confabulation storytelling event Me, My Selfie and I: Stories of the technology that completes, complicates, and controls us, all at Centaur Theatre from January 16 to February 11. And see insightful comedy Myth of the Ostrich at the Segal Centre Studio, from January 10 to 15.

In contemporary dance, Danse Danse presents Compagnie Marie Chouinard’s «M», an ode to life featuring 12 dancers in motion with poetry, drawing, photography, cinema, installation art and new technology at Place des Arts from January 31 to February 4. See Emile Pineault and Gabriel Cholette’s new creation Rock Bottom at MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels) from January 25 to 28. Discover new contemporary dance and interdisciplinary works presented by Agora de la danse, Tangente, and Danse Cité.

 

On screen in January

In the Society for Art and Technology’s 360° Satosphere dome, immerse yourself in Parallèles program of 10 immersive short films, from microscopic views to cosmic landscapes that invite you to discover the limitless possibilities of the mind and the universe. Starting January 31, teh SAT presents Allison Moore’s CLOUD BODIES, a generative immersive experience in the Satosphere combining dance and technology. See independent features, family films, documentaries and more at Cinéma Moderne in person and online. See the art world in a whole new light thanks to the International Festival of Films on Art year-round ART FILM program.

Discover new art house films and more from Montréal indie cinemas' programming at Cinéma du Parc, Cinéma du Musée at the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts, and Cinémathèque québécoise in the Quartier des spectacles. The Montréal Science Centre’s IMAX cinema puts nature on the giant screen in all its glory – including exciting new addition, Dinosaurs of Antarctica 3D. And explore the city through cinema in these Hollywood movies made in Montréal.

 

Live music

Classical music starts 2023 in a celebratory way with the Salute to Vienna New Year’s Concert performed by Orchestre Strauss de Montréal at Place des Arts on January 1. The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal starts the year with concert Harmonium symphonique - Pure Symphony at Maison symphonique from January 11 to 14, followed by violinist Maxim Vengerov performs Max Bruch's Concerto no. 1 with the OSM conducted by Danish-Israeli conductor Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider on January 18 and 19, as well as The Mathematics of Music on January 29. The Orchestre Métropolitain performs concert French Colours at Maison symphonique on January 27.

Iranian singer Homayoun Shajarian performs  with Siavosh Orchestra at Place des Arts on January 15. Opera star Joyce DiDonato performs with ensemble Il Pomo d’Oro and Maxim Emelyanychev, on January 29 at Place des Arts. Choir Ensemble ArtChoral performs Moonlight, a concert of Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Bruckner on January 15 at Maison symphonique. Orchestre Philharmonique et Choeur des Mélomanes performs La Bohème on January 20. The Orchestre symphonique du Conservatoire de musique de Montréal presents La Symphonie no 1 de Brahms on January 28. Relaxed and acoustically refined, Bourgie Hall at the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts is also a source of beautiful concerts.

Igloofest celebrates its 15th anniversary with weekends packed with electronic dance music on the Jacques-Cartier Pier from January 19 to February 11 — afterwards, hit up the Igloofest after-parties, including 25 Après-Ski evenings in Old Montreal venues the PHI Centre, Auberge Saint-Gabriel, Francesco's and Soubois, as well as the Society for Arts and Technology downtown.

During winter and any time of year, there’s plenty of live music in Montréal. Quebec music legends Les Cowboys Fringants perform at the Bell Centre on January 6, while Belgian-Congolese rapper-singer-songwriter Damso performs at Place Bell on January 29 and 30. See Dry Cleaning at La Tulipe on January 10, Sword at Corona Theatre on January 14, Ruby Waters at Bar Le Ritz PDB on January 20, MorMor at Theatre Fairmount on January 24, Suki Waterhouse at Le Studio TD on January 25, Jeff Martin at Corona Theatre on January 26, Jonathan Roy at MTELUS on January 27, Jon Spencer & the Hitmakers on January 27 at Bar Le Ritz PDB, and Eden at Corona Theatre on January 31. See these shows and more co-presented by Greenland, Blue Skies Turn Black, I Love Neon, and other show promoters at venues citywide, including Fairmount Theatre, Corona Theatre, Bar Le Ritz PDB, Casa del Popolo and Sala Rossa, L’Escogriffe and elsewhere throughout the month.

In the SAT’s Satosphere dome, dance late into the night every weekend at now-legendary Domesicle dance parties, featuring stunning immersive visuals and techno and house by a lineup of talented DJs from by RE:UNION, Temple Records, bontempo, Éditions Appærent and Making time. Also dance the nights away at Newspeak, featuring electronic music by Nils Hoffman on January 13, Agents of Time on Jan 27 and more, and at New City Gas with Benny Benassi on January 21.

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 ‒ or have meal and drinks on Le Balcon’s new terrasse right on Sainte-Catherine Street downtown. 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.