10 Things to Do in Montreal in March

March is an ideal month to visit Montreal, as it includes things to do during winter and spring. If you visit the city during the first days of the month, you will need warm clothes to protect you from freezing winds, rain and low temperatures, so it is best to make plans indoors. On the other hand, during the last days of the month you can do outdoor activities and enjoy the spring festivals.

I suggest you visit the free exhibitions in the city's museums on the first Sunday of the month, or have a cup of mulled wine at the Winter Action Sports Festival. Additionally, in March the Monarch butterfly returns to the city, so you will find celebrations, informative talks and festivals. If you still want to keep exploring, you can take advantage of the circus and cabaret show season.

Montreal is a city where history, art and architecture predominate, so you will find many museums and temporary exhibitions that you can access completely free on the first Sunday of each month. The first days of March I recommend you to include this plan in your itinerary, as the rains and low temperatures are usually maintained.

This is the perfect opportunity to visit the best museums in Montreal and have a different time.

McCord Museum

If you find yourself walking around downtown Montreal, I recommend you to stop by the McCord Museum, one of the largest in the country. You can learn about Canadian culture, there are sections on interesting corners of the city, crafts, customs, lifestyle of communities and the legacy of the first peoples.

Through QR code you can access exclusive material in the exhibition rooms, such as the indigenous past of the city. In addition, if you bring your water bottle and recyclable coffee cup, you can refill them completely free at the fountains or at Café Norman, whose production processes are sustainable.

Details of interest: Admission is around 10 €, but you can enter for free on the first Sunday of each month or every Wednesday afternoon.

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

If you are passionate about art and history, you can visit the Museum of Fine Arts, also known as the Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal, which has been in the city since 1860 and offers a variety of exhibitions in different wings of the building.

You can get to know the encyclopedic collection that spans around five pavilions, which are interconnected subway and offer at least 80 art galleries. Here you can enjoy an outdoor garden, a concert and cinema hall, an auditorium and more. You will also find an atelier of education and art therapy, a discipline that encourages the maintenance and recovery of mental health through art.

The entrance fee is approximately 10 €, but you can access for free on the first Sunday of each month.

Details of interest: Note that Parall(elles): A History of Women in Design is a private exhibition that does not have discounts and whose entrance fee is usually around 30 €, as it brings together more than 250 works of crafts, textiles, jewelry and interior design, among others, which are made by women in North America.

To celebrate an authentic Irish holiday, don't miss St. Patrick's Day, which has been celebrated in Montreal since 1759. To start the day, many cafes in the city usually offer an Irish menu, with interesting breakfast proposals. Most of the activities during this day are completely free.

Get your camera ready because in the famous parade held in St-Catherin street, you will see many people wearing traditional Irish costumes, especially leprechaun costumes, green hats, red beards, shamrocks and much more. You can enjoy the decorations, floats, live music and local performers.

Details of interest: Wear something green to fit in with the theme.

Traveller Tip

It is a celebration that attracts many people from neighboring cities and other parts of the world. I recommend arriving early so you don't miss any activities and can enjoy the parade from a privileged location.

March is a month that takes advantage of the best of spring and winter activities, offering events on ice rinks and outdoors.

Casteliers Festival

The Casteliers Festival is an ideal event to share and enjoy puppet shows suitable for children and adults. The entrance fee is around 200 € and includes access to all theater shows. In addition, you can take advantage of other activities such as outdoor film screenings, lectures, art exhibitions, gastronomic proposals and a bar with a variety of cocktails.

Details of interest: Tickets usually sell out very quickly.

Festival Montréal Joue

The famous Festival Montréal Joue is a board game and video game event, which takes place between late February and early March and offers more than 200 free activities. Usually distributed in several libraries throughout the city, you can choose the most suitable spot and attend competitions, exhibitions of collectible games and much more.

Details of interest: To access some activities or rent games, you may need a library card, your student card or passport.

Festival Montréal en Lumière

The Festival Montréal en Lumière is a winter event featuring shows, food stalls and activities scattered throughout the city. There are many entertaining shows featuring ice rinks, plays, musicals, children's workshops, ice structures and live music performances.

In addition, many outdoor activities are organized in the city center in spaces decorated with lights, winter markets, ferias with Ferris wheels, skating rinks and free events.

Details of interest: For the skating rink you can rent protective equipment and other accessories for free, such as sleds, helmets, skates, walkers and more.

International Art Film Festival

Don't miss the International Festival of Films on Art, held in March. It is ideal for film lovers, as films and documentaries are presented through free outdoor activities. During several days you can attend conferences, workshops and talks where they explain the production process behind the works presented.

The most anticipated event is the film competition, where more than 5,000 films from at least 70 countries compete.

Details of interest: There are immersive experiences to which I suggest you arrive early to get a privileged seat.

New Music Festival

The MNM Festival or New Music Festival is an event that hosts artists in different parts of the city. From the last days of February to the first days of March, you can enjoy a variety of musical proposals, such as national and international artists, orchestras, bands and much more.

It lasts approximately ten days with a busy itinerary. You can attend conferences, musical instrument exhibitions, electroacoustic laboratories and some outdoor activities completely free of charge.

Details of interest: The entrance has an approximate cost ranging from 12 € to 33 €.

In March, the Monarch butterfly flies from Mexico and the United States to return to Canada. For this reason, many activities are organized in Montreal around this annual event. To celebrate, there are parties that merge Mexican and Canadian culture, as well as informative talks that promote the care of this arthropod.

An ideal place to learn more about its history and preservation is the Insectarium of Montreal whose spaces safeguard the history of a variety of insects. In addition to being home to more than 250,000 species, it is a museum with detailed information on the butterfly's route. The entrance fee is around 12 €.

Here you can also visit the Montreal Botanical Garden which will allow you to experience a variety of outdoor activities involving the Monarch butterfly's return home.

It is one of the best plans to do with children, as you can walk the trails full of fauna and flora, visit the greenhouse which is available until May and visit more than 23 gardens including:

• Chinese Garden, is one of the largest Chinese gardens outside of China and offers architecture ideal for taking memorable photographs. The landscaping and other architectural elements were transferred directly from Shanghai.
• Japanese Garden, is a space surrounded by greenery and has a very quiet pond, ideal for a picnic. You can photograph the bonsais or enjoy the activities that take place in this area.
• Rose Garden, if you like flowers, this will probably become your favorite place in the world. There is a variety of roses, tulips and lilies that decorate the room, making it an ideal place to spend the afternoon.

Details of interest: The city is full of butterflies, especially in mid-March, so I recommend scheduling your trip during these dates.

One of the most important events in the art scene comes to life in March, the Art Souterrain or Art Underground, which features fun activities such as festivals and art exhibitions. It lasts approximately three weeks and you can access all the celebrations completely free.

Each year the theme is different and provides an immersive experience for tourists and locals. For maximum enjoyment you can schedule a guided tour of the exhibition facilities.

Details of interest: The events are held using abandoned or subway spaces that fit the type of art offered by this celebration. In addition, you can access the venues through subway passages.

March is the exclusive month to enjoy a variety of shows organized by local circus artists, who offer events throughout the year, but perform special activities to open spring and bid farewell to winter. Circo Cabaret is the center of attention during the spring season. Its concept revolves around circus and cabaret shows, as well as competitions between the best performers. Admission is around 24 €.

Details of interest: For each ticket you will get a free drink, as well as special discounts for the season.

The best way to get to know the city is by taking a tour of the corners that Montreal has to offer. It is an ideal plan to do in mid-March, as there are many local events and temperatures are more pleasant.

If you go during the first days of the month I suggest you dress warmly, while the second part of the month you can opt for cooler clothes.

Bus tour with free stops

Montreal is a very big city, so the best way to visit it is to schedule a bus tour with free stops, you will have a professional guide that will optimize the time of your visit, helping you to know the most attractive places around.

It is an excellent plan to visit the Notre-Dame Basilica, Chinatown and the area where the 1976 Olympic Games were held.

Details of interest: You can also take this tour by metro, fares range from approximately 3 € to 55 €.

If cold, snow and ice activities are your thing, I suggest you arrive in the city between late February and early March when the best winter activities take place.

The Barbegazi or Winter Action Sports Festival is an event that includes winter obstacle courses, skiing and skating trails, snowmobile demonstrations, fatbike competitions and more.

For Canadians, a winter without this famous festival is not a complete winter. It is one of the most anticipated events of the season, held in the streets of the city and is ideal for enjoying a steaming mug of mulled wine.

Details of interest: Admission is free, I recommend you wear warm clothes with thermal protection or rent special equipment to approach the Montreal Olympic Park where the event is usually held.

FIKAS is an annual event held in March that brings together the best of the Scandinavian lifestyle, including food stalls, arts and crafts, live music, theater and outdoor cinema.

Details of interest: It is a completely free immersive experience.

Buy tickets for the Ferris wheel at La Grande Roue de Montreal and get unparalleled views of the city. Nearby you can enjoy food stalls, live music and outdoor activities. It is a recommended attraction during the last days of March, as the views will be clearer.

Details of interest: This attraction costs around 23 € and by buying tickets in advance, you will save queues. Nearby there is a river where you can rent individual or group gondolas.