The holiday season officially elbows its way onto the calendar this weekend. If you’re hunting for things to do in Montreal this weekend, Friday, Nov. 13 to Sunday, Nov. 15, brings the opening of downtown’s big Christmas market, a free Indigenous arts celebration at Place des Arts, a zine fair in Rosemont, a natural wine fair on the Old Port, the Habs at home Saturday night and the Alouettes in the Grey Cup on Sunday. Here are nine plans worth bundling up for.
If you missed earlier picks, our week-at-a-glance guide for Nov. 9–15 covers the weekday stuff, and last weekend’s Tibetan Bazaar roundup has a few ideas that work any time.
Things to do in Montreal this weekend: holiday markets
1. Le Grand Marché de Noël opens at Place des Festivals (from Fri.)
The big one opens Friday, Nov. 13, and runs until Jan. 3, 2027. Le Grand Marché de Noël de Montréal fills Place des Festivals in the Quartier des Spectacles with nearly 60 artisans selling from wooden chalets, plus a food court, a snack bar, a bar and a tasting room, live shows and plenty of lights. Admission is free and the closest metro is Place-des-Arts. Hours aren’t posted on the Tourisme Montréal listing, so check noelmontreal.ca before you head down. It’s a good first stop before you work through our full guide to Montreal Christmas markets in 2026.
2. Holiday Market at Locoshop Angus (Sat. and Sun.)
Over in Rosemont, Locoshop Angus (2600 William-Tremblay St.) hosts its holiday market on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 14 and 15, then again Nov. 21 and 22. More than 100 designers from Montreal and across Quebec set up shop. Entry is free, with an optional small donation to The Lighthouse, Children and Families. Hours aren’t listed, so check the organizer’s socials before you go.
Free culture: books, zines and Indigenous art
3. Micro ouvert autochtone at Place des Arts (Sat.)
The sixth edition of Micro ouvert autochtone (Indigenous Open Mic) takes over the Espace culturel Georges-Émile-Lapalme and the Salon urbain on Saturday, Nov. 14, from noon to 6 p.m. It’s free. Elder Nicole O’Bomsawin leads the opening and closing ceremonies at noon and 5:30 p.m. There are First Peoples dance performances at 12:45, 2:30 and 3:45 p.m., DJ Pøptrt sets throughout the afternoon and live painting by Eruoma Awashish. A Crafts & Flavours Market with Indigenous artisans and food, a family medicine-pouch workshop and a youth reading corner make it easy to bring the kids.
4. Expozine turns 25 (Sat. and Sun.)
Montreal’s beloved small-press fair marks its 25th year. The Expozine fair runs Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 14 and 15, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Église Saint-Arsène on Bélanger St. E. Admission is free, and hundreds of independent publishers bring zines, comics, art books and prints. It closes out a festival week of workshops and talks that started Nov. 7. Bring cash and a tote bag.
5. Pyjama Day at the McCord Stewart Museum (Sat.)
The McCord Stewart Museum kicks off its holiday season on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with storytime in French and English, face painting, a family workshop, choir performances and the return of the beloved mechanical Ogilvy’s Christmas windows. A heads-up: the free event needs a reservation, and the museum’s page currently lists it as sold out. The Ogilvy windows will be up for the season, so a later visit works too.
Eat and drink: last call and a wine fair
6. Final weekend of MTLàTABLE (through Sun.)
Sunday, Nov. 15, is the last day of the 14th edition of MTLàTABLE. According to Time Out Montréal, 165 restaurants are taking part with dinner menus at $38, $55, $70 and $90, plus $28 brunch menus. If you’ve been meaning to book, this is your last chance. Bon appétit.
7. RAW WINE Montréal at the Grand Quai (Sat. and Sun.)
Natural wine fans, this one’s for you. RAW WINE Montréal runs Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 14 and 15, at the Grand Quai du Port de Montréal (200 de la Commune St. W.). Ticket prices and hours weren’t on the listings we checked, so look them up on the RAW WINE site before you go.
Shows and sports
8. iD – Évolution by Cirque Éloize at TOHU (final weekend)
Cirque Éloize’s urban circus show wraps up its run at TOHU (2345 Jarry St. E.) on Sunday, Nov. 15. The show turns the city into a stage, mixing acrobats, dancers and urban performers with trampoline, aerial hoop, trial bike and breakdancing. Tickets are on TOHU’s website. For more December stage picks, see our holiday shows guide.
9. Canadiens vs. Avalanche (Sat.) and the Grey Cup (Sun.)
The Canadiens host the Colorado Avalanche at the Bell Centre on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. No tickets? Our list of the best bars to watch the Canadiens in Montreal has you covered.
Then on Sunday, Nov. 15, the Alouettes face the Edmonton Elks in the 113th Grey Cup at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, with kickoff at 6 p.m. ET. It airs on TSN, CTV and Crave in English and on RDS in French. We couldn’t confirm an official watch party in Montreal as of Friday morning, so plan to grab a seat early at your local sports bar, or host your own. Get caught up with our Alouettes vs. Elks Grey Cup preview. Allez les Als!
Dress warm, check hours before heading out, and enjoy the first real holiday weekend of the season.
More on MTL365
- Canadiens Bruins: Habs Snap Boston’s Home Streak, Extend Point Streak to 12
- The Best Sushi in Montreal: 10 Spots From Michelin Omakase to Dépanneur Maki
- Microsoft Outage in Montreal: Hospitals, Via Rail and Campuses Feel the Hit (Updated Nov. 13)
- More things to do in Montreal on MTL365
Photo: Jeangagnon / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Sources: Tourisme Montréal – Things to do this weekend, Tourisme Montréal – Great Christmas Market, Tourisme Montréal – Holiday Market at Locoshop Angus, Place des Arts, Expozine, McCord Stewart Museum, Time Out Montréal, Restomontreal, Tourisme Montréal – iD Évolution at TOHU, Wikipedia – 113th Grey Cup
