To Do: Halloween in Montreal

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Here’s where to find your tricks and treats on October 31 in sin city.

Rocky Horror

Rocky Horror comes in two flavours in Montreal: the Richard O’Brien Rocky Horror Show which is a stage show (=theatre) at the Mainline Theatre from October 21-24, and the Rocky Horror Picture Show (=film version) at the Imperial Cinema on October 29-31. They’re both good with regular cast and general madness. To find out about the stage show, click HERE. To find out more about the film version, click HERE.

Films

The Spasm film festival is several weeks of the campiest, craziest, sci-fi-iest, wackiest films worth catching. This year, catch Back to the Future II and TurboKid among others in the lead up. The Grande Soirée de Horreur takes place at Club Soda (1225 St Laurent) on October 30 at 9 p.m. Think slasher films with all your favorite baddies. Then, the Old School Halloween Party of music through different decades takes place at Theatre Plaza (6505 St Hubert) on October 31., starting at 9 p.m.

The Zombie Walk

Whether you prefer to go fast or slow, be cute or gruesome, the Zombie Walk is an annual event worth watching or participating in. If you arrive at 9 a.m., for just $5, you can have a make-up artist fix your face so it looks like you met with the wrong end of a chainsaw (Make-up at AHC, Pavillion 3200 Jean Brilliant, Local 2375 and later get gorified at Place des Festivals starting at 1 p.m. where the cost is $15). The Zombie walk takes place at Place des Festivals at 4 p.m. and lasts until 5:15 p.m. The Breastfeeders will perform in the evening and Turbo Kid will be screened.

PugHalloween 7th annual Party

Better than zombies? Dogs, of course. Pugs in particular. These cute but funny looking canines get even cuter when dressed up like pumpkins, witches, trolls, and hot dogs. Check out the 60 different pugs and their costumes. (Parc Griouard, 1 p.m.)

Silent Disco Halloween

The Silent Disco Squad lets the beat not be heard as it invites a parade of dancers to march through the city with their music on headphones. Join the squad at Station Metro Mt. Royal at 5 p.m. and dance your butt off until 7 p.m.

Burlesque and Drag Queens

If you like your halloween with less clothing rather than more, check out the Dead Divas burlesque at the Wiggle Room (3974 St Laurent) at 7:30 p.m. The show pays tribute to Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse, and Marilyn Monroe, among other dead divas. $20. Glam Gam takes over Cafe Cleo (1230 St Laurent) with its signature stamp of camp and craziness as it brings to life scenes of Tim Burton films at 8 p.m. with its show Tim Bits. If you prefer drag queens to burlesque, Billy L’Amour and friends perform at the Phi Centre’s (407 St Pierre) party, Hysteria starting at 8 p.m. $20/30.

Balkan Gypsy Party

The Balkan Gypsy party is alive and kicking at Divan Orange. Eight musician band Oktopus plays and DJ Touski spins afterwards. Always a good time to be had at these. Party starts at 10 p.m. $12

Haunted Houses and Ghost Walks

We recommend checking out the house of horrors created at Peel basin (1059 Rue de la commune) with Malefycia. This haunted house seems like it will scare your pants off. $20/15. Peur Depot, Montreal’s interactive game themed around fear and zombies is open on October 31. It takes about 30 minutes to go through the site. Located at Vieux Port de Montreal — Place des Vestiges. Tickets are $15. The ever popular Fantomes Montreal Ghost walks are so in-demand at Halloween time that extra walks are added. Street theatre and tourism are combined as you walk through part of the city and encounter some of its old inhabitants. Walks start at 360 ST Francois Xavier St. and last approximately 90 minutes. Tickets are $22/19/15. La Ronde isn’t just about rides. From October 3-November 1, the park lets loose dozens of zombies after 5 p.m., and has four haunted houses (The Doll’s House, the Massacre Museum, District 510, and Death Row) for those who like a good scare and are willing to pay an extra fee to check them out.

DJs and Parties

Since Halloween falls on both a Saturday and a full moon, pretty much every club in the city is planning something special. A few that might catch your eye are as follows… Bain Mathieu promises a pool party with DJ Podz, Rednose, and Wally on the decks (2915 Ontario E). $15/20. The Speakeasy group offers a Spookeasy Halloween party at Cabaret Lion d’Or (1676 Ontario E). The Speakeasy crew will be on the decks, but the night includes a burlesque performance by Anna Violette (9:30 p.m.). The SAT also promises a massive DJ fest with 9 different DJs performing all night, including Seb Diamond, Le Matos, and TiN (10 p.m.).Not to be outdone, New City Gas (940 Ottawa) goes for a three day festival Karnavale starting October 30 with Sultan Shepard, KYGO on October 31, and Armin van Buuren on November 1. Le Velvet Speakeasy claims that Auberge St. Gabriel (426 St Gabriel) will be transformed into Dracula’s house in a party known as Yelloween. There will be food and… oh… champagne (it’s sponsored by Veuve Cliquot). For the kink crowd, Cirque de Boudoir has its annual BDSM Halloween party at Paradoxe Theatre (5959 Monk). I suspect their costume contest is going to be unlike most others. $30/60. Brothers and Sisters and DONDEpiano are giving an all nighter of bands, dancers, DJs and festive freakiness (so they say) at La Passe (1214 de la Montagne). Party starts at 9 p.m. and goes until dawn. Check out Yokofeu, pachyderm, FELP, Nebula, and more. Details HERE.