It’s only mid-November, but the best seats for December are already going. If you want to catch some of the holiday shows in Montreal this year, from the Nutcracker at Place des Arts to a candlelit Messiah, now is the time to book. Tourisme Montréal’s holiday show roundup, updated on Nov. 3, lists dozens of concerts and family events. Here are the ones we would plan around, with dates to circle.
Holiday shows in Montreal: the Nutcracker, three ways
Les Grands Ballets’ Casse-Noisette (Dec. 5 to 30). Fernand Nault’s version of the Nutcracker returns to Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier for a 62nd year, with more than 60 dancers, about 100 extras and the Orchestre des Grands Ballets led by Jean-Claude Picard. Place des Arts lists 21 performances, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., with regular prices from $99 to $194, taxes and fees included. Weekend matinees close to Christmas sell first.
Bach Before Bedtime (Nov. 29 and Dec. 1). A 45-minute, kid-sized Nutcracker at the Gesù, with dancers, a string quartet, bilingual narration and sing-along moments. Great for little ones who won’t sit through a full ballet.
Ballet Ouest (Dec. 4 to 6). A 35-member company joined by 80 local kids on the stage of Salle Pierre-Mercure.
Classical Christmas
- Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with OSM conductor emeritus Kent Nagano, Dec. 8 and 9 at the Maison symphonique.
- Noël choral à la Basilique, the Orchestre Métropolitain with conductor Léa Moisan-Perrier, Dec. 8 at Notre-Dame Basilica.
- Handel’s Messiah by the Orchestre classique de Montréal in the crypt of Saint Joseph’s Oratory, Dec. 10.
- Handel’s Messiah by Ensemble Caprice at the Maison symphonique, Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m. Place des Arts lists tickets from $39.95 to $125.
- Holiday Traditions with Le Vent du Nord, the OSM teaming up with the Quebec trad band, Dec. 17.
- Des airs de fêtes, the Orchestre Métropolitain with Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Dec. 19 and 20 at the Maison symphonique.
If you caught the Festival Bach Montréal this fall, the Christmas Oratorio is the natural next step.
Québécois traditions and big sing-alongs
Parapapam (Dec. 26 and 27). The post-Christmas favourite returns to the Maison symphonique with a 35-piece orchestra led by Marianne Trudel, a 100-voice choir and guests including Mélissa Bédard, Manon Séguin and Patrick Normand. Tickets are on the Place des Arts site.
Décembre (Dec. 11 to 29). Québec Issime’s holiday musical, seen by more than a million people, plays Salle Pierre-Mercure.
At the Casino de Montréal: Noël, une tradition en chanson on Dec. 1 and 2, and tenor Marc Hervieux’s Noël Big Band on Dec. 21.
Jazz, gospel and candlelight
- Noël Gospel, more than 100 singers and musicians from the Jireh Gospel Choir and the Montreal Gospel Choir, Nov. 28 at the Maison symphonique.
- Holly Cole’s Swinging Christmas 2026 with Strings, Dec. 4 at Théâtre Outremont.
- Martha and Rufus Wainwright’s Harmonies d’Hiver, a benefit for Centennial Academy, Dec. 13 at the Monument-National.
- A Charlie Brown Christmas with the Taurey Butler Trio and vocalist Halie Loren, four shows on Dec. 16 and 17 at Bourgie Hall.
- Candlelight carols at the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul, Dec. 19 and 20.
- Gospel brunch with Michelle Sweeney at Le Balcon, Dec. 27.
Family theatre and Christmas laughs
- Alice in Wonderland, a panto by the Hudson Village Theatre, Dec. 11 to Jan. 3.
- Le Petit Prince at the Monument-National, Dec. 27 and 28.
- O Christmas Tea, the British comedy duo James & Jamesy, Dec. 29 and 30 at Théâtre Jean-Duceppe.
- Le grand bal de Noël, a kids’ show at Place des Arts’ Cinquième Salle, Dec. 6.
Free festive outings
Not every holiday tradition needs a ticket. The 74th Santa Claus Parade follows René-Lévesque Boulevard between Drummond and Saint-Urbain on Saturday, Nov. 21. And the McCord Stewart Museum brings back the beloved Ogilvy mechanical windows, a tradition dating to 1947, until Jan. 10. Pair them with a stroll through the Montreal Christmas markets.
Booking tips
- Buy from the official venue or company site to avoid resale markups.
- Matinees are easier with kids and often sell out first in late December.
- Bundle up: Place des Arts and the Maison symphonique connect to the Underground City, so you can skip the cold.
Still planning your November? Our guide to November concerts in Montreal covers the rest of the month, and a cozy afternoon tea makes a lovely pre-show treat. More ideas every day in our Things to Do section. Joyeuses fêtes!
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Photo: Jeangagnon / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Sources: Tourisme Montréal, Les Grands Ballets, Place des Arts, OSM, Orchestre Métropolitain
