Free Cultural Feast in Brossard (2026 edition)

Seven dates for your calendar. Between early November and the holidays, a lot happens in Quebec, in Montreal, Quebec City and the Laurentians. Here are seven outings, in date order. For each one, the dates come from the event's official page; check it before you go, as times can always change.

November 5, 6 and 7: La Grande Dégustation de Montréal. This wine and spirits fair holds its 16th edition at the Grand Quay of the Port of Montreal. According to the event's website, the general public is welcome on Friday, November 6, from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday, November 7, from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday, November 5, is reserved for professionals and an SAQ Inspire evening. More than 1,700 products are on offer, and purchases are made through the SAQ mobile app.

November 7: the Eastern Final of football, in Montreal. According to the CFL playoff schedule, the Eastern Final is played in Montreal on Saturday, November 7, with kickoff at 3 p.m. According to the Alouettes' schedule, the game is on the team's calendar; its opponent will be the winner of the Eastern Semi-Final, played in Toronto on October 31. The championship game, the 113th Grey Cup, takes place in Calgary on November 15; it will be broadcast on TSN and RDS, among others.

November 14: the Toy Parade, in Quebec City. This parade of floats, with characters, dancers and musicians, is free. According to Québec Cité, it starts at the corner of 50e Rue and 1re Avenue in Charlesbourg and ends at Place Jean-Béliveau. You can bring new or used toys: they're collected at the start of the parade and given out by local organizations. Grandstand seats are available with a VIP package.

November 26: ski season opening day at Tremblant. The resort launches its 2026-2027 season on Thursday, November 26, from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., at the base of the Express gondola. According to Tremblant, there will be a red-carpet welcome, entertainment and music, and the first runs of the season.

November 28: the Vanier Cup, in Quebec City. Canada's university football championship is played at TELUS-Université Laval Stadium. According to Québec Cité, presale tickets start at $34.

December 5 to 30: The Nutcracker, at Place des Arts. Les Grands Ballets perform their Nutcracker 21 times at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, with the orchestra. According to Place des Arts, tickets cost $99 to $194, taxes and fees included. The show runs 2 hours 10 minutes with intermission and is recommended for ages 5 and up.

December 15 to 20: the Salon des métiers d'art du Québec. For its 70th edition, this crafts fair moves to the Grand Quay of the Port of Montreal, in Old Montreal. According to the fair's website (in French), about 200 artisans from every region sell their work directly. Detailed hours hadn't been announced at the time of writing, and buying your ticket online is recommended.

Good to know for newcomers. Several of these outings fill up fast: for The Nutcracker and the football final, buy your tickets early. Free outings like the Toy Parade are a good way to discover a city and hear everyday French. For Christmas markets, see our article on Christmas markets in Quebec; to enjoy winter outdoors, see our guide to winter outdoor activities.

A 40th edition. The Coup de cœur francophone festival holds its 40th edition from November 5 to 15, 2026 (site in French). Founded in Montreal in 1987, it's dedicated to French-language song in all its forms, with a lineup that leans toward emerging artists and new work, according to its official description (in French).

In Montreal, and beyond. The festival takes place every November in Montreal and in nearly 45 Canadian cities, through a network of partners in francophone communities. In all, it presents around 200 shows from coast to coast.

How to pick your shows. The online program (in French) can be filtered by city, date and genre, from chanson to rap, folk or electro. Each show has its own page, with the venue, time and a link to buy a ticket. On Thursday, November 5, for example, Catherine Leduc (with Perma) plays L'Esco at 9 p.m., and Alice Bro plays Quai des Brumes at 10 p.m. The festival also offers an app, FEST, to follow the program.

Getting a seat. If one concert matters to you, buy your ticket ahead of time from its page, rather than counting on the door that night.

Good to know for newcomers. Seeing local artists live is an enjoyable way to get used to the French spoken in Quebec, and to discover local artists. Our guide to practicing French in Quebec suggests other everyday ways to do it.

The dates. The 29th Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) runs from November 19 to 29, 2026. Forum RIDM, the program for film industry professionals, takes place from November 20 to 25. As every year, the festival's headquarters are at the Cinémathèque québécoise.

The lineup is online. The festival unveiled its full program on Wednesday, October 28, at an evening event at the Cinémathèque québécoise. It is now available on the program page, with the schedule and the PDF program. It includes opening and closing films, the competitions, Panorama, a focus on the Western Balkans, a Bani Khoshnoudi retrospective, special screenings, Wapikoni, the Emerging Talent Day, family activities and talks.

The passport. According to RIDM's ticket office, the passport giving access to all screenings now costs $150, or $125 taxes included for students and people aged 65 and over. The $120 offer ended on October 27. New this year: with the passport, you can book up to five screening tickets in advance. For other screenings, you get in by showing your passport, subject to seat availability.

You don't need a passport to go. The passport is mainly for people planning to see several films. For a single screening, individual tickets are also available: the online ticket office lists prices and times once the program is out.

Good to know for newcomers. A documentary festival is a good way to discover Quebec and the rest of the world through the eyes of filmmakers from here and elsewhere. Before booking, check each film's page for the screening language and subtitles. Our guide to cultural festivals in Quebec covers other events throughout the year.