The days in Montreal are still warm and sunny, punctuated by summery thunderstorms. Soon, we’ll have to put on a light jacket in the evening, and that means fall is quickly arriving in the city. Soon, we won’t be able to wear our soft ballet flats anymore, and we’ll be pulling out our boots and (faux) fur hats.
The slats will be warm, the days will grow shorter, the afternoons will be more studious… And it’s (almost) Halloween. The season is gothic, gentle, and it’s time to spend some time outdoors before the icy winter wind replaces the gentle Montreal autumn breeze.
Fall officially begins on the autumnal equinox —September 22. On that date, it will still be 17–18 degrees with plenty of sunshine. Summer will linger into the fall, and the colors are expected to start appearing around mid-October.
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OUR FALL 2026 BUCKET LIST IN MONTREAL
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TAKE THE TRAIN AND GO FOR A STROLL THROUGH A VILLAGE AS IF YOU WERE A “GILMORE GIRL”
We’ll need a knitted scarf—preferably striped or knitted by an old lady who thinks we’re exceptional, or both—and a coffee in hand. We’ll walk through the crunching fallen leaves, read on a bench, and bring back a jar of jam to Montreal.
A bonus for those reading Gogol’s *Dead Souls* on the train, and for those strolling around with a Walkman from the early 2000s and a romantic tune playing.
We hop on the train in the morning and off we go;
- in the Pointe-Claire Village
- at Mont Saint-Hilaire
- in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue
- in Hudson
- in Vaudreuil-Dorion
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CHECK OUT AN EXHIBITION AT AN ART GALLERY
In the fall, Montreal is always a bit rough-hewn, a bit gothic, and a bit damp, eerie, and exhilarating under the last scorching rays of the summer sun. And this fall, the city’s must-see exhibitions follow this twisted and poetic anamorphism.
On display this season in Montreal’s museums and galleries are threads woven like spiderwebs, folkloric monsters, scorching deserts, undiscovered planets, and plenty of ornate beauty.
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LISTENING TO MUSIC IN A CHURCH FOR HALLOWEEN
A little romantic, a little scary, but with plenty of atmosphere—that’s what we want for Halloween. And the season, even though it’s back-to-school time, is classic and cozy. For the great classics of Halloween music, let’s check out one of the two candlelit concerts of the season dedicated to the festival of spirits and occult forces.
- CANDLELIGHT HALLOWEEN: HAUNTED COMPOSITIONS on October 30, 2026
- CANDLELIGHT HALLOWEEN: HALLOWEEN CLASSICS on October 24, 2026
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BEING NEO-GOTHIC LIKE MONTREAL’S CHURCHES
Under the cover of the fall wind, the city appears bathed in the distinctive glow of a light that’s half-somber, half-pleasant. The downtown skyscrapers stand out in white and blue, the old buildings are dark gray, and among the trees, the church steeples seem a bit lost but infinitely romantic.
When we think of Montreal, we don’t necessarily think of Europe’s Gothic cathedrals, gargoyles, or Notre-Dame. But we know that North America has drawn its most ardent lovers of Old World architecture, and that—with space and resources—they’ve built true masterpieces. In Montreal, however, the style is Neo-Gothic.
We took a tour of the city’s most beautiful neo-Gothic buildings—must-sees before the storm…
And to get into the neo-gothic spirit ourselves, we;
- reinterprets the medieval style with crocheted sweaters in chainmail colors
- rises toward the heavens, symbolizing human hubris
- is (almost) getting a little too fancy
- Take a walking “architectural tour” of neo-Gothic Montreal
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REVISIT OUR HORROR MOVIES
Fall is a time of refinement, study, and nostalgia. And, with stormy skies and red leaves raining down from the trees, it’s a truly cinematic season.
Nostalgia comes through the eyes and the muscle memory of a night at the movies for the fall midnight film series at the Cinéma du Parc. From September through Halloween, it’s the “audience’s choice”—and it’s ultra-polished, colorful, gory, and a little surreal.
On the schedule: *Possession* (1981), *Videodrome* (1983), *Fallen Angels* (1995), *The Shining* (1980), *Suspiria* (1977), *House* (1977)…
Each film is shown three times—Friday night at 9:30 p.m., Saturday night at 9:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
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GO APPLE PICKING
Fall is apple season—it officially begins in September and lasts until the end of October. And for the season, we know exactly where we’re going to pick apples—in an orchard at the foot of a European-style castle.
Depending on the weather, the Abbey of Saint-Benoît-du-Lac (technically, not a castle) has the atmosphere of a fairy tale or of Gothic romance. Its orchards will be open every weekend starting September 5, 2026.
Let’s head out in a ruffled skirt, a basket, and rain boots.
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Where? Saint-Benoît-du-Lac Abbey, 1 Principale Street, Saint-Benoît-du-Lac, QC
When? The orchards are open Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., from September 5, 2026, through Thanksgiving (October 12, 2026).
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KNITTING A STRIPED SCARF
The craft of the season is going to be knitting—it keeps you warm, it’s (pretty) easy, and it’ll let our creativity run wild without screens—and because we’ve been waiting for Zac Posen to bring back those striped GAP scarves for way too long, so we’ve decided to take matters into our own hands.
The Les Laines Biscotte store offers group classes for beginners and those who already know a little bit about knitting, on Tuesdays or Wednesdays;
- 2 hours x 6 weeks – $145
- 2 hours x 3 weeks – $75
- 1 2-hour class – $35
Where? Les Laines Biscotte, 5354 Saint-Laurent Boulevard
Website? leslainesbiscotte.ca
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HOST A DINNER WITH FRIENDS FOR THANKSGIVING
Thanksgiving, the Canadian version of Thanksgiving, is quite different from the American celebration based on a supposed feast shared between settlers and Indigenous peoples.
In Quebec (and Canada), the holiday has religious, Indigenous, and pagan origins. It’s a time to give thanks for the bountiful late-summer harvests.
Since every festival of abundance needs its feast, and since Quebec is an agricultural and livestock-raising region, we’re in a great position here in Montreal to cook a Thanksgiving dinner using local ingredients and old-fashioned recipes.
This year, we’re going to be the ones hosting the Thanksgiving dinner.
- long, colorful candles bought at ANNEX Vintage
- a homemade roast turkey
- a mismatched set of glasses I found at the new home decor shop at the Marché Floh
- ribbons and paper garlands made with tissue paper from Boucle et Papier
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HAVE THE COOLEST HALLOWEEN COSTUME IN MONTREAL
No, we won’t be dressing up as the girl from OBSESSION for Halloween—we’re going to get a little more creative and thrift something Kate Bush might wear on stage.
Even better, we’re stopping by a real gothic shop;
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