"This city is out of control."

That's something we were saying in our DMs to one another when we were frantically trying to keep up with everything happening this weekend. Not only have holiday markets been dropping like surprise albums from Beyoncé or Taylor Swift as restaurants jump on the bandwagon, but festive menu launches, drag performances, and hot cocktail pop-ups have joined the fray.

Like, ho-ho-hold your horses, man.

While it's great to feel like a spoiled seven-year-old tearing through a pile of presents on Christmas Day, we've personally witnessed that exhaustion is almost certain at this time of year when everyone's vying for attention.

We've done our best to make this weekend's things to do, eat, see, drink, and pass out after experiencing both robust and curated. No duds here. Enjoy.

Activities, parties, points of interest, art exhibitions, you name it: These are the weekend events you don't want to miss.

Thursday

🎁 The inaugural OG1 Holiday Market features 15 of the city’s emerging artists, designers, and tastemakers—many of whom operate without physical storefronts.

🐈 Bar de Courcelle celebrates the season with winter cocktails, festive karaoke at 10 PM, and custom Christmas ornaments by Shaune Thompson—plus cat sweaters in all sizes (S to XXXL) for extra holiday cheer.

🎵 Orchestre Métropolitain presents Holiday Melodies, a convergence of Québécois, American, and European traditions with jazz and classical styles.

💃 The festive spirit meets the art of drag as The Jingle Belles take the stage at 132 Bar Vintage for an evening of colour, laughter, and stunning performances.

📽️ Immersion Mont Blanc x Baby chronicles the journey of three women who completed the 175 km Tour du Mont Blanc in four days.

📚 Explore discounted books, engage in panel discussions, and support independent voices with radical ideas and critical stories at Co-op Bar Milton-Parc.

Friday

✨ Quartz Co. hosts the inaugural Le Beau Weekend Christmas Market at their Mile-End store with an impressive lineup of local brands.

🍻 Join The Word Bookstore at 5:00 p.m. for an evening of mulled wine and good company—it's their annual glögg party!

🎙️ Carmen Lagala, a Vermont hall-of-fame athlete turned celebrated New York City comedian, headlines shows at the Comedy Nest.

🎧 PHI Centre presents Habitat Sonore: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, an immersive listening experience featuring the new album Wild God.

Saturday

😋 The Terrasse Gourmande comes to Jean-Talon Market with the help of Bar Bello, mulled wine, eggnog cocktails, hot chocolate, raclette sandwiches, and polpettes. Enjoy live music from a DJ set, plus activities like meeting Santa.

🎄 Montreal Plaza presents its Marché de Noël 2024, featuring collaborations with M iels d'Anicet, Patisserie Clementine, Au Pied de Cochon, and others.

☕️ Saturday Café returns to Pas Mon Style's studio for a $30 pottery workshop to create or paint your own mug, plus lattes, cappuccinos, americanos, and Kate’s cookies.

🍷 The Mini Salon des Vins Naturels returns to Peluso Beaubien for a festive edition, featuring tastings of 2023 vintages and a lineup of talented Québec winemakers.

🎥 Société des arts technologiques (SAT) partners with RIDM and Hubblo to present an immersive dome screening of the short films Ceci n’est pas une cérémonie and Texada.

🏒 The Montreal Canadians face off against the Washington Capitals.

🌲 Located at Parc National d’Oka, the Indigenous Winter Market's holiday shopping will be a celebration of artistry and culture.

✨ Following its successful debut, Marianne Fest returns with a magical holiday market in the heart of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve at Église Très-Saint-Rédempteur.

🎁 This weekend marks the first of two for the beloved Christmas market at the Centre de la nature de Laval.

Sunday

🎷 The Jazz Sit-In at Magpie Magique invites music lovers to enjoy live jazz , plus an open jam session for brass players—no cover charge, with drink specials available.

🖼️ The MMFA’s modernized Inuit art galleries, developed with Inuk artist asinnajaq, showcase works celebrating Inuit Nunangat's heritage and unique rhythms.

🍽️ Celebrate the holiday season at Royalmount’s cozy Christmas Market from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., hosted at Le Fou Fou, with exclusive vendors.

🎼 The Secret Chord: A Leonard Cohen Experience at the Segal Centre for Performing Arts celebrates the life, music, and poetry of Leonard Cohen.

Give the gift of dining at the city’s best restaurants

There’s no better gift than an unforgettable experience, and Montreal’s top-rated restaurants excel at creating nights to remember.

Give a gift your special someone will always remember with digital gift cards from TREATER: Select a restaurant, choose an amount you want to offer, and watch their face light up twice—first when they receive it, and then after they experience it.

Best of all? TREATER gift cards do not expire and can be redeemed at any of their 75+ partner restaurants.

WHAT TO EAT & DRINK IN AND AROUND MONTREAL

Scope the latest restaurant openings, recommendations on where to eat, plus new menus, old classics, and everything in between.

Bar Bello transforms into a festive wonderland with Vacanze di Natale from Dec 3 to 30, blending the magic of Christmas with the groove of Italo Disco.

The Scent Supper Club by Chimie offers an innovative five-course dining experience on Dec 7 with dishes inspired by curated perfumes.

Haute Saison hosts the inaugural Caviar du Saint-Laurent evening, an intimate dining experience featuring a refined menu by chefs Clément Boivin and Yanrick Bernier, on Dec 5.

Wills Beer is running a winter gear drive—donate coats and more and get a free Montreal-themed graphic tee by @whaaatstudio (poutine, bagel, and maple syrup designs available, S-XXL). Bonus: beer discounts included!

Joy Hill's vineyard boutique will be open from noon to 6 PM on Dec 7 for a selection of summer cuvées and the latest vintages—perfect for holiday parties! 🍾

Bar Bisou Bisou's next Open Kitchen pop-up takes place on Dec 8, showcasing a curated Mexican menu by Alejandro Ramirez Huerta of Buvette Chez Simone with Sherry and tequila cocktails.

Don’t miss the special pop-up at Cafe Kuya featuring a halal menu of burgers, Chicken Mac, and Ube Milkshakes on Dec 7.

Foxy kicks off the holiday season with Lunchs des Fêtes from December 11–13 and 18–20, a festive 3-course menu for $65.

Boxermans transforms into a nostalgic trattoria for one night on Dec 7, welcoming two special guest chefs to serve pasta, fine wine, and cherished memories before its official closure on December 21.

Join Entre-Deux for “Sous La Nuit,” a cocktail evening series on Dec 7, from 10 PM until late. Sip expertly crafted cocktails and enjoy the late-night ambiance.

Mignon celebrates its 3rd anniversary with $10 classic martinis and unlimited steak frites until December 8.

Ketiw announced an updated menu featuring sandwiches exclusively at lunch and new dinner dishes like drunken noodles and curry, launching Dec 5.

Mon Lapin continues its tradition of festive December lunches, offering à la carte delights—including passatelli romagnoli—Thurs to Sat from Dec 5 to 21.

Bar Suzanne's annual oyster party returns on Dec 11 with free oysters, wine, and special gin cocktails. First-come, first-served basis starting 5 p.m.

The second edition of CHOP UP POP UP brings a collaborative tapas-style menu blending Chinese and Filipino flavours by Buboy and host Dobe & Andy on Dec 16.

Celebrate the holidays with an Independent Contractors Holiday Dinner at Turbo Haus on Dec 21—because who needs an office or coworkers to party? Join the fun with free spaghetti, meatballs, garlic bread, and tirami-fucking-su!

A practical guide to interior design from a Montreal expert

We asked local designer Guillaume Ménard of MRDK for a guide to interior design, and how small, thoughtful changes can tell your story and make your space your own:

💡 Lighting tips

🛋️ How to apply vintage-modern contrasts

🎨 Creating a dialogue with furniture and accessories

Read the full guide and get inspired by ECARPETGALLERY’s selection.

Demystifying interior design with MRDK co-owner and designer Guillaume Ménard

A practical guide from a Montreal expert on how space can tell stories through texture, lighting, colour, furniture, accessories, and more.

The MainThe Main

Here, you'll find a weekly round-up of the latest local news, from entertainment to current affairs and more.

Everlasting vinyl revivals and cycles of nostalgia: Here's how local record store Cheap Thrills keeps things spinning despite the changing times. Read more.

Winter won't slow us down. Our list of the best new restaurants in Montreal just dropped, and there's even more to explore than November. Read more.

A Filipino-style casse-croûte in NDG. Buboy chef-owner Eric Lozaro Magno talks up his spot and how it connects his roots with comfort food. Read more.

Mid-20th century holiday clockwork. Here's the story of Ogilvy’s Christmas window displays, preserved by the McCord Stewart Museum. Read more.

Head west, young diners and restaurateurs: Recent West Island openings show how downtown Montreal’s less of the dining zeitgeist it once was. Read more.

Stunning as always. 2024's been an odd banner year for people revisiting the wonders of Habitat 67's architectural design. Here's another: Read more.

Montreal will redo more of Ste-Catherine Street next summer to repair aging pipes that was installed in the 1800s and hasn't been updated. Read more.

Akin to sonic warfare during the holidays. The Complexe Desjardins has been playing Baby Shark in some stairwells to prevent loitering. Read more.

A breakthrough discovery in HIV research. Montreal researchers have uncovered a "new frontier" in exposing and destroying the virus. Read more.

$870 million for the entire project. Work on the third roof in the 48-year history of the Olympic Stadium will be completed in 2028. Read more.

We're a "bookstore city": YouTubers speak with store owners about how these they reflect Montreal’s unique linguistic and cultural mix. Read more.

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And that wraps yet another weekly bulletin. We’ll be back with more curiosities, local stories, and events to discover next week.

If ever you catch something we should know, don't hesitate to reach out to us on Instagram.

👋 Masthead: Philip Tabah, Founder & Head of Creative / Jean-Philippe Lauzon, Co-Founder & Head of Tech / Daniel Bromberg, Co-Founder & Head of Operations / JP Karwacki, Managing Editor / Amber Spector, Social Media Manager