Guide to Halloween in Montreal: Festivals, Events, Things to Do

Attend the Spasm Film Festival

For a different kind of film festival to get you in the Halloween spirit, head over to the Spasm Film Festival at the Theatre Plaza in Montreal for a made-in-Quebec spoof fest. It features the goofiest and campiest mashups of the worst film and television productions ever made, in addition to horror film screenings. Tickets typically go on sale a week or two before the individual shows, so you should be able to score seats even if you wait to buy yours. Check the lineup and buy tickets online before you plan your trip, though.

The 19th annual Spasm Film Festival is scheduled for October 29, 30, and 31, 2020, but in a scaled-down version from the usual fanfare.

Win Money in the Malefycia Scavenger Hunt

One of Montreal's scariest haunted houses, Malefycia is an immersive and interactive experience where participants have the possibility to win 10,000 Canadian dollars (or about $7,500). The 2020 event is different than previous years, where participants must embark on a 48-hour scavenger hunt across Montreal searching for clues and interacting with actors in order to reach the final objective and win the grand prize. The contest begins on October 30, 2020, at 3 p.m. and lasts until November 1. Tickets cost 45 Canadian dollars per participant, or roughly $34.

Hunt Ghosts in Old Montreal

With a history spanning centuries and plenty of war and death seen on its soil, Montreal has its fair share of ghost stories and haunted tales to discover on your trip to the city this Halloween. Whether you'd rather explore haunted locations on your own or have an experienced guide lead you through spooky streets, there are plenty of spooky thrills waiting around Montreal. Fortunately, the tour company Fantômes Montréal Ghosts offers unique guided excursions through the city year-round that take you to all of Montreal's most-haunted destinations. Choose from either the Traditional Ghost Walk or the Ghost Hunt to hear about the legends, grim stories, and criminal mysteries that still haunt the streets of Montreal to this day.

Walk With the Dead at the Montreal Zombie Walk

The Montreal Zombie Walk is canceled in 2020.

It wasn't that long ago that the Montreal Zombie Walk was a simple grassroots flash mob featuring a handful of people, but it's now one of the largest events of its kind in North America. Fortunately, it's still extremely easy to get involved in the stampede of undead enthusiasts each year—all you have to do is head over to the official website to sign up and then meet at the Place des Festivals in the Quartier des Spectacles dressed up in your most gruesome zombie gear.

Get Kinky at Cirque de Boudoir

The 2020 Cirque de Boudoir Halloween event is postponed until further notice.

Kink event organizer Cirque de Boudoir hosts BDSM and fetish-friendly parties year-round, but its annual Halloween bash might very well be one of its naughtiest and darkest. Cirque de Boudoir's Halloween event in 2019 took place at the Paradoxe Theatre—which was once a church—and featured extreme fetish demonstrations and circus acts. Tickets are required to attend and the event is known to sell out. Be warned: This event is extremely adult-oriented and appeals to the kink and fetish communities. Dressing up isn't just encouraged, but required.

Sing Along at The Rocky Horror Picture Show

The Rocky Horror Picture Show Halloween Ball is canceled in 2020.

No Halloween in Montreal is complete without attending a screening of one of the world's favorite cult classic films: "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Fortunately, you've got three chances to attend the largest "Rocky Horror Picture Show" event in North America, at the annual RHPS Halloween Ball Montreal, which hits Cinéma Impérial inside the Place-de-Artes on October 31, 2019, and again November 1 and 2. Tickets for screenings of the Rocky Horror Montreal Halloween Ball go on sale at the end of September.

Stroll Around the Gardens of Light

The Gardens of Light event at the Montreal Botanical Gardens is canceled in 2020.

You don't need a special Halloween costume to attend this fall staple at the Montreal Botanical Garden, which coincides with a similar event in Montreal's sister city Shanghai every year. During the Gardens of Light, the Chinese Garden, Japanese Garden, and First Nations Garden are all decked out with brilliant light installations and illuminated by glowing bulbs of various colors. However, you'll need to schedule a time slot for your visit due to the popularity of this once-a-year event. While not necessarily Halloween-oriented, this unique display is sure to add a little sparkle to your evening in Montreal.

Get Spooked at Fright Fest La Ronde

Fright Fest at La Ronde is canceled in 2020, but the amusement park is open to the public for general admission.

On select dates in October, La Ronde Amusement Park in Montreal turns into a haunted attraction for the annual Halloween event known as Fright Fest. Enjoy the usual thrills and amusement throughout the day, but at nighttime, zombies and ghouls overrun the park, turning it into a truly frightening experience only meant for older children and adults. While you're there, check out La Ronde's La Maison Rouge, which is French for "The Red House" and is dubbed a "labyrinth of terror." Just make sure you're tall enough to get in as the minimum height is 54 inches (1.37 meters), and it's not recommended for kids ages 12 and under.

Party All Night at Club La Voûte

Eccentric theatrics are guaranteed at Old Montreal's hottest nightclub, La Voûte, on October 31. The annual Halloween Ball at Club La Voûte presents a night of chills and thrills at the vaults of the former Banque Royale. With actors in spooky costumes presenting live entertainment throughout the event, you're sure to have an incredible Halloween night at this ticketed bash.