Montreal Christmas Market 2026: Open Past New Year

December in Montreal is properly cold, and that’s half the fun of the Montreal Christmas Market. You’ll warm up at fire pits between the chalets with a mug of mulled wine, then duck into the Underground City when you need a change of scenery. You can choose between two markets: one lively and central, the other smaller and made for families.

Montreal Christmas Market 2026

Dates

Status: Confirmed
The Great Christmas Market: 13th November 2026 to 3rd January 2027
The Christmas Village: 26th November to 24th December 2026
Last checked: October 2026

Update: Dates were announced in February. Sign up for our newsletter to be notified of changes.

Source: Verified by Ultimate Christmas Markets via Noël de Montréal.

Plan Your Visit

Location and Times

The Great Christmas Market
Location: Sainte-Catherine Street between Balmoral and Jeanne-Mance Street, Quartier des Spectacles.
Opening times:
13th November to 13th December 2026:
Wednesday to Friday: 3pm to 10pm
Saturday: 11am to 10pm
Sunday: 11am to 8pm
16th December to 3rd January 2027:
Daily: 3pm to 10pm
21st to 23rd December: 11am to 10pm
Christmas Eve: 11am to 7pm
Christmas Day: 11am to 7pm

The Christmas Village
Location: Place du Marché Atwater, at the corner of Saint-Ambroise Street and Atwater Avenue.
Opening times:
26th November to 20th December:
Friday: 4pm to 8pm
Saturday: 11am to 8pm
Sunday: 11am to 6pm
27th November: 4pm to 10pm
21st to 23rd December: 11am to 6pm
Christmas Eve: 11am to 3pm
Christmas Day: Closed

Travel and Accommodation

Recommended tour: Discover the character of Old Montreal with a detailed walking tour with a local guide.
Public transport: Place-des-Arts or Saint-Laurent metro for the Great Christmas Market, and Lionel-Groulx metro for the Christmas Village.
Parking: Please take public transport to help limit congestion. Bicycle parking is available.
Where to stay: Hotel Monville is located near the main market.

Amenities and Attractions

Admission: Free
Fire pits: At both markets.
Santa: At the Christmas Village, along with the Kingdom of the Elves and the movie trains for children.

Dietary Options

Vegetarian: Yes. Many options.
Vegan: Yes. Vegan tacos, sausages and hot chocolate among them.
Gluten-free: Some options.
Specialties: Tartiflette, raclette, fondue, poutine, chocolate and vin chaud.

Accessibility

Accessible: Yes. Both markets have stroller and wheelchair friendly layouts.
Pet-friendly: Yes, on a leash at the Great Christmas Market. At the Christmas Village, pets are fine outdoors but not inside the Atwater Market building.

Convenient Hotels

Old Montreal suits you if you want cobblestones and grey stone buildings on the doorstep, while downtown keeps you close to the shops and the Underground City (RÉSO), the network of tunnels that’s a lifesaver on the coldest days.

Quartier des Spectacles, the city’s arts district, is where the main market sits and where I recommend staying. The Hotel Monville is an excellent option nearby.

Enjoy more winter markets with my guide to the best Christmas Markets in Canada.

Visitor Feedback

What Visitors Loved

• It feels close to a European market, with wooden chalets and Quebec makers who are happy to talk about what they’ve made.
• Evenings are when it comes alive, with the lights on and family shows on the stage.
• The fire pits are a favourite, especially with a marshmallow to roast or a maple taffy in hand.
• The Christmas Village wins over families looking for a cosier visit, and its Santa gets glowing reviews for taking his time with each child.

Common Complaints

• Saturday nights downtown get shoulder to shoulder, so a weeknight is far more comfortable.
• Prices are high for both gifts and drinks, and a few locals feel some of the stock isn’t handmade enough to justify them.
• The Christmas Village is small and mostly about shopping, with little to do beyond the stalls once the children’s activities are done.

Location

What to Expect & Events

The bigger of the two, the Great Christmas Market (Grand Marché de Noël), lines a stretch of the Quartier des Spectacles with around 40 wooden chalets and more than 50 Quebec makers. Both markets are run by La Lutinerie, a non-profit that builds its own decorations and light installations in its workshops.

Over the season there are more than 150 free shows, from carollers to La Lutinerie’s own family musical on the big stage. Once it’s dark, people gather round the fire pits between the chalets, and the Orangery lounge is the place to thaw out with a coffee.

The Montreal Christmas Village is smaller and more neighbourly, set beside Atwater Market near the Lachine Canal, with close to 60 makers chosen for ethical, lower-impact products. It’s the one for children, with Santa’s workshop, the movie trains and the Kingdom of the Elves, a quest to find the golden cookie recipe and save Santa’s Christmas.

Montreal is my favourite Canadian city. I’ve only ever visited in winter and found so many things to do.

• Museums: The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is a renowned institution where you can admire a diverse collection of art. The McCord Stewart Museum tells the story of Montreal’s past and present.
• Art galleries: The Darling Foundry is a former foundry in Griffintown given over to contemporary art from local and international artists.
• Movies: The Cinémathèque Québécoise is an excellent spot for film buffs to explore Quebec’s cinematic heritage.
• Theatre: Venues like Place des Arts and the Centaur Theatre regularly stage a variety of performances.
• Ice skating: The Old Port’s skating rink is a famous spot in the heart of the city, and there’s a free rink on the Esplanade Tranquille, a few minutes’ walk from the downtown market.
• Snowshoeing: Mount Royal and the city’s other parks make an easy backdrop for a wintry walk.
• Skiing and snowboarding: Ski hills such as Mont Saint-Sauveur and Mont Tremblant are close enough for a day on the slopes.
• Hockey: It wouldn’t be a Montreal winter without catching a Montreal Canadiens game at the Bell Centre.

At the Market Stalls

• Maple taffy (tire d’érable): Hot maple syrup poured onto snow and rolled onto a stick as it sets, a sugar shack classic.
• Roasted brie: Warm brie roasted with maple syrup and ice cider, the Quebec cider made from frozen apples.
• Raclette and tartiflette: The Savoyard chalet brings the Alps to Montreal, with raclette melted into sandwiches and tartiflette heavy on the cheese.
• Poutine: Fresh-cut fries, cheese curds and gravy, the Quebecois specialty, served classic or loaded at the poutine stall.
• BeaverTails: Stretched, fried dough topped with anything from cinnamon sugar to Nutella.
• Roasted marshmallows: At the Christmas Village, you can buy skewers and s’mores kits to toast over the fire.
• Mulled wine: Enjoy a cup of mulled wine to keep you warm as you stroll, or try a maple whisky or maple tea from the tavern. Remember, you can keep the mug as a souvenir.

Sustainability Tips

• Bring a cup: Single-use cups are gone from both markets, and bringing your own reusable cup, or a collector cup from a past season, gets you a discount on drinks.
• Buy from the region: Most of the artisans come from Greater Montreal, and their goods are sourced within 100 km.
• Eat meat-free easily: More than 70% of the food on offer is vegetarian and around 30% is vegan.
• Ride the Green Line: Place-des-Arts and Lionel-Groulx metro stations are on the same line, so getting between the two markets takes no changes.
• Cycle to Atwater: The Christmas Village has parking for 200 bikes, right by the Lachine Canal cycle path.
• Shop inside Atwater Market: The public market behind the Christmas Village sells Quebec cheese, maple products and produce all year.