10 Things to Do in Montreal in April

April welcomes spring in Montreal and is one of the best times to visit the city, as it dresses up with the colorful blooming of tulips. You can enjoy festivals ideal for hanging out and more pleasant temperatures ranging from 8° to 11°, even reaching 15° on its best days. However, if you're not a lover of the cold, you'll probably still need warm clothes.

It is the perfect month for outdoor activities, just check the daily weather forecast. In addition, the city's chocolate shops offer seasonal gastronomic offerings and you can celebrate Easter by enjoying the fun Canadian traditions, which often merge with other cultures rooted in the country. Want to visit Montreal in April? Read on!

Easter and Easter celebrations in North America are very fun and interesting, specifically in Montreal you can enjoy the Easter egg hunt and interact with the big bunny. However, being a multicultural country you will see many Catholic customs typical of Latin America.

The events last a week, note that in Montreal Friday is not a holiday, as it is exchanged for Monday to commemorate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Collect Easter eggs

During Easter many fun activities are organized, among them the Easter egg hunt, it is ideal to do things with the kids during your stay in the city. I suggest you sign up for this plan, since from Wednesday to Sunday many attractions such as museums, parks and gardens, among others are usually closed, so it is worth adding it to your itinerary.

Usually, the egg hunt is organized at the Ecomuseum Zoo and the activity consists of you following the clues to collect the chocolate eggs. In addition, there are themed games, make-up art booths and you can have your picture taken with the big bunny.

Another ideal place to sign up for this plan is the Quinn Farm, which is located twenty minutes away from the city by car, in addition to the egg hunt you will find tractor or wagon rides and at the end of the day you will be given a basket with the eggs you collected.

Details of interest: The entrance to the Ecomuseum Zoo has an approximate cost of 16 €, while for Quinn Park is around 4 €.

Ice skating

If you are a lover of winter activities, you can still enjoy some events during the spring, especially among the Easter attractions is ice skating at Atrium le 1000, which is located in downtown Montreal. Here they also often organize Easter egg hunts and give away baskets at the entrance.

Details of interest: With the entrance fee of around 6 €, you can access free WiFi and parking.

Enjoy an Easter meal

To commemorate the Easter celebrations, around the city you will find different gastronomic proposals that you should try. If you have eaten a lot of chocolate, but still want something sweet, you can head to a local Sugar Shack style which are usually factories where all desserts are based on the typical maple syrup.

A great option is the Au Pied De Cochon shack where you can sample maple syrup houses, maple cookies and jelly, maple cotton candy and savory dishes drizzled with this particular syrup.

Details of interest: Admission to Au Pied De Cochon is around 42 €.

Attend Snowdon Baptist Church or Notre Dame Basilica

If you prefer a traditional Catholic celebration, you can go to Snowdon Baptist Church, a church that offers services in honor of the Resurrection of Christ.

The most visited option is the Basilica of Notre Dame where you can attend on Thursday of Holy Week for the washing of feet and a mass of thanksgiving.

On Friday there are tributes and representations of the crucifixion, and on Saturday there is a vigil, the lighting of the fire and singing. On Sunday there are activities for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Details of interest: Admission to Snowdon Baptist Church is completely free. To access the Basilica of Notre Dame you must pay approximately 10 €, if you want to experience the AURA which is a visual and musical attraction that has canvases of neo-gothic architecture, dynamic lights and an orchestra, you will have to pay an additional 22 €.

April could be considered the month of chocolate in Montreal, as it is the favorite dessert of people during Easter. There are a variety of options you can explore, from artisanal chocolatiers to imported options. It's an ideal option if you plan to organize a two-day visit to Montreal.

A chocolate shop run by women

Chocolates Geneviève Grandbois is a woman-run chocolate shop with boutiques and factories throughout the city. The boxes of chocolates and chocolates range from 3 to 34 €. You can go to their physical stores located at:

• Factory & Store on Ontario Street. Please note that it is closed on Mondays, Saturdays and Sundays.
• Mile-end on Saint-Viateur street. Open every day except Mondays.
• Marché Atwater on Atwater Street. Open every day.

Details of interest: A gastronomic experience not to be missed, note that the most requested are the house special hot chocolate and the chocolate caramel.

A seasonal chocolate shop

If you are looking for an artisanal option Les Chocolats de Chloé is your best option, as they offer products according to the season, during Easter and spring you will find special flavors. You can find boxes or packs of Easter eggs, rabbits and chickens, fish and more.

You will also find gift bags from 26 €, snacks from 4 € and truffles for about 10 €.

Details of interest: During the Easter season it can be very busy and you will find queues, so you can order by delivery. However, I recommend you to live the experience in their store located at 546 East Duluth.

An artisan chocolate shop

Try the handmade chocolates from Joane l'Heureux Chocolats Montréal, a factory that offers an explosive experience of flavors. They have been in town since 2003 and their most exotic products are chocolates, chocolate and alcohol pairing, as well as hot chocolate.

Details of interest: Products range from approximately 4 € to 34 €.

Spring is one of the most beautiful seasons in Montreal, but also the shortest. It is characterized by filling the city with colors, outdoor activities and fun festivals. Although there may still be precipitation, this does not stop Montrealers who continue to have fun in every corner with their umbrellas.

Panafrica International African and Caribbean Film Festival

Spring is the ideal time to celebrate the Pan-African International African and Caribbean Film Festival, which takes place in late April, when the season is at its brightest and most pleasant. It is the ideal plan to enjoy open-air film screenings, film conferences and other activities related to the African film world.

You can enjoy the Le Baobar event which consists of a fashion show to showcase Malian cotton collections. There are also exhibitions revolving around the culture of Algeria, Burkina Faso, Haiti and Morocco, among others. There is no shortage of music and a variety of live stages.

Details of interest: Tickets range from approximately 7 € to 100 €.

Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival

In April you can also take advantage of the Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival which operates in Montreal since 1997, it is an ideal cultural and literary event to spend a different day. You can enjoy reading groups, round tables and scenic representations of books.

The space where the activities take place belongs to ancient indigenous communities, so events are held in honor of their customs. Admission is completely free.

Before attending this festival I suggest you visit the best museums in Montreal, to learn more about the indigenous and colonial past of the country.

Details of interest: Most activities are conducted in English and French, although you can also find people who speak Spanish.

Festival de la Voix

The Festival de la Voix is a music event that runs from March to April and lasts approximately one month. It brings together a variety of genres to fill the city's spaces with rhythm. Renowned artists are presented, as well as new emerging proposals.

Details of interest: The general admission or concert passport is around 68 €, but if you have a student card you can get a discount of at least 17 €.

In the interactive Place des Festivals an annual event is held to welcome spring, you can enjoy more than 250 water jets in the surrounding fountains. In addition, an orchestra is usually installed to fill the atmosphere with music, there are outdoor art exhibitions, professional photographers to help you collect these moments and exclusive attractions during April.

Details of interest: It is a public space, so admission is free.

If you want to include unrepeatable plans in your itinerary, I suggest you take a walk through the Barbie Expo, which brings together history, art, fashion and culture in the same space. This plan is ideal during April, since you can cover yourself from unexpected precipitations.

It is a permanent exhibition that honors the iconic Barbie doll, many of them wear dresses from important fashion houses such as Christian Dior, Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, among others.

It is divided by categories so you can locate comfortably, you will find the changes of the doll since 1959, editions inspired by brands such as Coca Cola, with features from different countries, based on celebrities or works of art, bridal version and much more.

Details of interest: Admission is completely free and the exhibition is open every day.

Montreal is a box of surprises between April and May, as spring offers natural attractions not to be missed, starting with the tulip blossom. A central place to appreciate them is the city's Biosphere, which has a variety of activities for the whole family.

Also, in mid-May you can leave the city to take advantage of the tulip fields, which are accessible by car, bus, train or bicycle.

Tulip blossoms in the Biosphere

The Biosphere is an ideal space to visit during the spring, especially during April. It houses a greenhouse and an ecological museum, where you will see exhibits with special effects on water, air, climate change and environmental care proposals. I recommend including this plan in your itinerary if you are looking for things to do in Montreal with kids.

To appreciate the flowering you can visit the greenhouse or enjoy the tulips that are scattered around the room. This space also has a planetarium, insectarium, botanical garden and guided tours.

Details of interest: If you go in April, avoid visiting it on Easter holidays, as it is usually closed. Additionally, keep in mind that the entrance fee is around 10 € and you can buy it online to avoid queues and crowds.

Montreal is full of fashion events during April and you definitely can't miss them. If you want to buy something Le Braderie de Monde Québécoise is the place for you, here you can watch a fashion show or take advantage of discounts at luxury designer stores.

Witness a spring fashion show

Le Braderie de Monde Québécoise is a spring fashion event held at the Bonsecours Market in St. Paul. They present an annual fashion show where the catwalks dress up to welcome national and international designers showcasing their upcoming (usually fall) seasons.

Details of interest: Admission is around €35 and includes access to the Grand Sale.

Come to the Big Fashion Sale

It is a space inside Le Braderie de Monde Québécoise where you can buy samples or old collections of luxury designers with up to 70% discount. For purchases between 34 to 60 € they usually give free champagne, general admission costs approximately 30 €.

Details of interest: I recommend arriving early to avoid queues and crowds, this way you can take advantage of discounts to the fullest and stay with the best clothes.

If you like to discover cultures of other countries, you can learn more about Japan from Canada, in Montreal celebrates the Japanese spring with the Hanami Festival that brings together many people to learn about the food, art, music and dances of the country. In fact it is considered a replica of the Japanese flowering.

In addition, between April and May there is a whole week where restaurants in the city offer gastronomic experiences involving Japanese culture.

Details of interest: The entrance is very cheap, you only need to give a donation of about 2 €.

Jewelry and glitter lovers cannot miss the annual Montreal event of the Salon des Pierres which gathers local, national and foreign jewelers in a very interesting exhibition. You will find semi-precious stones, gems, fossils, minerals, crystals and luxury jewelry with a variety of prices, some are amber, lapis lazuli rough, aquamarine, quartz, kunzite, rose quartz, giant amethyst geodes, among others.

Details of interest: You can access this fair for about 7 €.