A chilly, rainy night couldn’t dampen Montréal’s Halloween spirit this year. Despite the presence of poor weather throughout the week, as well as substantially cooler temperatures than last year, families, students, and others found their own ways to celebrate across the island.
The youngest residents of Montreal, with their parents in tow, ventured out for classic trick-or-treating adventures. Leafy Westmount blocks and the decorated lanes of Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie drew in crews of candy seekers, causing steady foot traffic around elaborate stoops and front-yard decorations, which made up for the drizzle. The city’s event lineup also leaned into family fun, as the OSM’s “Trick or Treat!” concert brought out a swarm of costumed little ones to Place des Arts on October 26th for an orchestra-led run through of spooky favourites.
Pets also had their time to shine this year. The annual Pawlloween Pawrade turned Outremont into a runway of tiny, four-legged superheroes, lobsters, and one oddly realistic sewer rat. The parade began from Place Alice-Girard on Saturday, October 25th, and included photo ops, food stands, and a costume contest, proving that Montréal’s most dedicated paraders may actually be the unexpected.
For many CEGEP and university students, as well as other members of the 18+ crowd, Halloween weekend was stretched over multiple days and venues. New City Gas staged its annual multi-night “Karnavale” with big-room headliners taking the stage. A few blocks away, the Society for Arts and Technology (SAT) hosted a two-floor, two-night event that lasted into the early hours of November 1st. The event featured Danny Daze, DJ Minx, Ayesha, Kittin, and more, with a special extended bar licence until sunrise. Additionally, Old Montréal added its own gothic spin on the night, from La Voûte’s costume ball to a vampire-themed burlesque night, all a part of a packed citywide slate curated by Tourisme Montréal.
Annual festivities also returned to Montreal landmarks. La Ronde’s Fright Fest returned for weekends from October 4–26, transforming the theme park into a multitude of scare zones, this year with a clown-themed addition to spice up the event. Cinéma du Parc, conveniently located right below McGill’s New Residence Hall, hosted a variety of Halloween screenings. For those interested in a different vibe on Halloween, the Casino de Montréal hosted a two-night costume runway, complete with DJs and roaming characters on October 31 and November 1.
Though the rainy weather may have altered a few plans, the city as a whole adapted to make the most of October’s most haunted night. Most importantly, Halloween 2025 demonstrated that the event isn’t confined to a single night. Rather, it’s a month-long festival that moves from stroller routes to sound systems, from dog parades to spooky films with friends, and ultimately brings the city of Montreal closer together.
