December is the heart of the holiday season in Montreal: markets every night, The Nutcracker at Place des Arts, carols at Notre-Dame Basilica and the city’s free New Year’s Eve party at the Old Port. Here’s your calendar of things to do in Montreal in December 2026.
Dates marked “to be confirmed” were listed but not yet officially confirmed. Check with each organizer before you go.
December 2026 at a glance
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| All month | Great Christmas Market, LUMINO, Festilumi |
| Until Dec 24 | Christmas Village at Atwater Market |
| Friday, Dec 4 | Noël dans le Parc begins (until Dec 24); Hanukkah begins at sundown (until Dec 12) |
| Saturday, Dec 5 | The Nutcracker opens at Place des Arts (until Dec 30) |
| Tuesday, Dec 8 | Noël choral à la Basilique at Notre-Dame Basilica; Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the OSM (Dec 8 and 9) |
| Friday, Dec 11 | Handel’s Messiah with Ensemble Caprice |
| Saturday, Dec 12 | Beaver Lake rink on Mount Royal listed to open (to be confirmed) |
| Dec 15 – 20 | Salon des métiers d’art du Québec at the Grand Quai, Old Port |
| Thursday, Dec 17 | OSM holiday concert with Le Vent du Nord |
| Friday, Dec 18 | Christmas Village open daily until Dec 24 |
| Monday, Dec 21 | Winter solstice; Great Christmas Market open daily |
| Tuesday, Dec 22 | A Charlie Brown Christmas, symphonic, at the Maison symphonique |
| Wednesday, Dec 23 | Last day of Quebec City’s German Christmas Market |
| Thursday, Dec 24 | Christmas Eve: stores close at 5 p.m.; masses at Notre-Dame Basilica |
| Friday, Dec 25 | Christmas Day: most stores closed; Great Christmas Market open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Saturday, Dec 26 | Boxing Day: stores open at 1 p.m. |
| Thursday, Dec 31 | Grand Minuit New Year’s Eve party at the Old Port |
First week: everything opens
By early December, Montreal is in full holiday mode. Noël dans le Parc brings bonfires and free concerts to the Quartier des spectacles and the Plateau, and The Nutcracker begins its run on December 5. Christmas shows · Concerts
Mid-December: shop local
The Salon des métiers d’art du Québec, the province’s biggest fine crafts fair, celebrates its 70th edition at the Grand Quai of the Port of Montréal from December 15 to 20. It’s the best place in the city for one-of-a-kind gifts. See also made-in-Quebec gift ideas.
The week before Christmas
The markets open every day and stay busy. Go on a weekday afternoon if you can. It’s also the best time to buy a real Christmas tree and go skating or sledding if there’s snow.
Christmas and the week after
Stores close on December 25, and Boxing Day sales start at 1 p.m. on December 26. Between Christmas and New Year’s, families head to museums, rinks and the Great Christmas Market, which stays open until January 3, 2027.
New Year’s Eve
Ring in 2027 at Grand Minuit on the Quai Jacques-Cartier, with live music and fireworks over the river. New Year’s Eve guide
