The City of Montreal and the Borough of Ville-Marie, in collaboration with the Partenariat du Quartier des spectacles, the Montreal Downtown and Old Montreal SDCs, as well as Tourisme Montréal and the Multicolore group, kick off the 2024-2025 winter program. Montrealers and visitors alike are invited to celebrate winter with a multitude of festive and illuminating activities in the heart of downtown.
During the cold season, the downtown core is transformed into a dynamic and welcoming space, offering cultural and sporting activities that support the economic and cultural vitality of the metropolis. Montréal, Ville-Marie and their partners aim to make winter a season as attractive as summer, by showcasing our northern character and winter riches.
Experience our nordicity through exceptional cultural programming
Montreal's winter will be bright and festive this year, animated by a rich, human, accessible, free, diversified and innovative cultural program. Downtown Montreal will be the beating heart of this season, and the entire population is invited to come and enjoy Lumino and its thirty or so participative, contemplative and luminous works, from November 28, 2024 to March 9, 2025, as well as the host of activities at the esplanade Tranquille skating rink, starting at the end of November.
In January, the Glissades Gamelin, at Place Émilie-Gamelin, will feature a completely redesigned site offering free sliding sports. Families are also in for a treat this 2nd year. These initiatives are produced by the Partenariat du Quartier des spectacles.
A grandiose holiday season, culminating in the December 31 festivities
An extraordinary call for projects has resulted in the selection of six festive activities that will bring Montreal to life during the holiday season, including a December 31st show organized by Festival Igloo. This major New Year's event will be held on the Jacques-Cartier Quay in the Old Port of Montreal. The December 31 program includes free concerts from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., and a spectacular fireworks display just before the New Year countdown, preceded by a multimedia performance.
From December 29 to 31, Place Jacques-Cartier comes alive with Montréal Festif, produced by Aire commune. Enjoy free outdoor concerts, themed installations and family activities throughout the day. The synergy between the signature December 31 event and the festivities on Place Jacques-Cartier will transform Old Montreal into a holiday hub to celebrate the end of the year.
A host of other activities will make downtown and other parts of the city shine during the holiday season.
The borough of Ville-Marie invites residents to enjoy winter!
Four winter-themed block parties will feature music, entertainment and hot chocolate. Outdoor skating rinks, including the refrigerated rink in Square Cabot, will also be animated during six evenings of Skating Under the Stars. Many other activities will be available free of charge: tobogganing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, snow yoga and more. The Place du Village also awaits you, with new winter features and event programming created in collaboration with local partners.
In winter, the scenery changes, but the fun continues, with Tourisme Montréal
Tourisme Montréal presents its new marketing campaign, designed to showcase Montréal winter on the international scene. The video, which has been shown in France, the United States and Mexico, illustrates the concept of the Montreal winter: a constantly changing decor, where the festive spirit of Montrealers remains intact. Snow, while present, is not the protagonist; it is integrated into a multitude of activities, both indoors and out. Through this campaign, Tourisme Montréal shows that every day in Montreal is a new opportunity to celebrate the magic of the season.
Quotes
“We're proud to unveil this winter program, a celebration of Montreal's northern character and our city's unique festive spirit. This winter, thanks to a series of free activities, we invite Montrealers and tourists alike to rediscover the city's downtown core, which will be illuminated and animated. We want Montreal to be as attractive in winter as it is in summer, celebrating our northern character and embracing the season to the full. This winter, entertainment will be in full swing downtown, offering privileged access to our living, accessible culture.”
- Ericka Alneus, responsible for culture, heritage, gastronomy and nightlife on the Executive Committee of the Ville de Montréal.
“We're thrilled to see the buzz of free winter activities in the Quartier des spectacles and downtown! This winter, Lumino will offer a renewed, unique and luminous experience over an expanded territory, while the esplanade Tranquille skating rink and the Glissades Gamelin will enable families and visitors to enjoy winter sports in an urban setting. All these initiatives contribute to making the Quartier des spectacles a major winter attraction for Montrealers and visitors alike.”
- Monique Simard, Chair of the Board, Partenariat du Quartier des spectacles
“Montreal Downtown is proud to host the 72nd Santa Claus Parade and to support the 4th annual Montreal Christmas Market, the Christmas in the Park Festival and Luminothérapie. This winter, downtown Montreal will shine like never before thanks to the spectacular illumination of its public squares, including Phillips, Victoria and Dorchester squares, as well as Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle and McGill College Avenue. We're delighted to contribute to a program that not only brings warmth and magic, but also actively supports our merchants in offering Montrealers and visitors an unforgettable experience. Together, we're transforming downtown into a unique winter destination, showcasing the talent and energy of the metropolis.”
- Glenn Castanheira, General Manager, Montréal centre-ville
“Old Montreal is set to be a focal point of this year's festive season! For the entire month of December, the historic district will be decked out in its magical mantle, offering visitors an array of unique festive opportunities, in addition to some thirty illuminated sites. Concerts, cultural activities, outdoor programming, holiday rallies, historical tours, glittering decorations, winter rest areas and enchanting window displays: so many opportunities to marvel and gather, especially around the official end-of-year festivities! The SDC Vieux-Montréal is delighted to be part of a group of quality partners working to energize the city's holiday season.”
- Mario Lafrance, General Manager, SDC Vieux-Montréal
“Tourisme Montréal is fully committed to promoting our city as a world-class urban winter destination. By financially supporting a multitude of vibrant festivals and events throughout the winter months, we contribute to unique experiences that attract visitors. This approach also helps to spread tourist flows over time, in line with our harmonious destination strategy. Together, let's make winter in Montreal a celebration, aligned with the art of living that characterizes us.”
- Yves Lalumière, President and CEO, Tourisme Montréal
“It's a real pleasure to have Igloofest join in the New Year's festivities to celebrate the dynamism and diversity of our city. We've put together a unique program that highlights the musical essence of Quebec, and will allow citizens and visitors of all ages to experience a memorable New Year's Eve, marked by the magic of winter. In this season of gatherings, we invite everyone to come and enjoy the free activities and festive moments that we are carefully preparing. We're proud to be able to contribute to the celebrations by taking the Igloofest experience and signature even further this year.”
- Pascal Lefebvre, co-founder of Igloofest and president of Multicolore
Launch of the 2024-2025 winter program downtown Montreal
An overview of downtown's 2024-2025 winter program:
Return of the esplanade Tranquille refrigerated skating rink (mid-November to April 2025) - Quartier des spectacles
Lumino (November 28, 2024 to March 9, 2025) - More than 15 downtown locations and public squares
Glissades Gamelin (January 16 to March 9, 2025) - Place Émilie-Gamelin
Igloofest (January 16 to February 8, 2025)
Montreal High Lights (February 27 to March 9, 2025)
Holiday events at a glance :
December 31st festivities - Igloofest - Quai Jacques-Cartier
Santa Claus Parade (November 23, 2024) - Downtown Montreal - René-Lévesque Boulevard, between Bishop and Saint-Urbain streets
Le Grand Marché de Noël de Montréal (November 22 to December 30, 2024) - La Lutinerie - Place des Festivals du Quartier des spectacles
Santa's Kingdom (November 23 to December 24, 2024) - Complexe Desjardins
Montréal festive (December 29 to 31, 2024) - Aire commune - Place Jacques-Cartier
Festival Noël dans le parc (November 29 to December 31, 2024) - L'Auguste Théâtre - Le Parterre
Récits divers (December 1 to 5, 2024) - Maison de la poésie - Place du Canada (integrated into the Christmas in the Park Festival)
Noël Doux (December 21, 2024) - Festival Triste - Place du Village
Holiday Joy (December 22, 2024) - Happiest Montreal - Place du Village
An overview of programming in the Ville-Marie borough:
Lunar New Year (January 25 to February 2) - Mural - Chinatown
Four block parties and six Skate Under the Stars evenings in borough parks
A winter program of events developed with community partners for Place du Village
Outdoor sports facilities: 8 skating rinks, including 3 refrigerated (Square Cabot, Esplanade Tranquille and Mount Royal), 1 snow park, 4 sliding hills, cross-country ski trails in Mount Royal Park, playground furniture and self-service play bins in parks
Fun yoga classes on snow
SOURCE Ville de Montréal - Office of the Mayor and Executive Committee
