Mysterious, Morbid, and Magical Montreal

A list of events and attractions for families in Montreal who have a deep appreciation and a strong fascination for elements of the paranormal, the unexplained, and the macabre.

For families like us who have a deep appreciation and a strong fascination for elements of the paranormal, the unexplained, and the macabre, Halloween is essentially all year round. Whenever October 31st comes around, it isn’t difficult to find spooky events, attractions, and activities to do around Montreal and within our hometown province of Quebec. As soon as the Halloween hype is over, however, it takes a bit more research and doing on our part to seek out attractions within the province which fit our morbid interests.

For readers out there like us with families interested in plain old spooky stuff, we decided to make the search easier for you and compile an ongoing list of things to do in Quebec for the summer of 2017. We urge you to keep checking back to this page or Join our Circus since we will be adding to this list regularly. If there are attractions or events we missed and worth noting here, do not hesitate to let us know .

And, in no particular order, here are some events and attractions worth checking out for all the grim and gruesome families out there.

The Montreal Science Centre does not shy away from morbid-type exhibits catered to families and children that are designed to not only entertain but educate. Their newest exhibit CSI: The Experience throws families right into a middle of a crime scene. Families are then encouraged to solve the crime through various methods such as forensic anthropology, toxicology, blood spatter and DNA analysis. The centre does indicate the exhibit is best suited to ages 8+. It shouldn’t be an issue, however, if you have young kids like ours that won’t be disturbed by the premise of the crime scenes. We will be reviewing this exhibit soon so be sure to Join our Circus for updates.

For families who love to spend some bonding time watching horror flicks, the Fantasia Film festival offers a generous helping of films within the horror genre. For folks interested in Asian Cinema when it comes to horror films, The House of the Disappeared, Innocent Curse, and Mon mon mon Monsters! are worth noting. For those of you who derive satisfaction from seeing films where animals finally take revenge on their human counterparts, Spoor and Prey are reputed to be a must-see. Of course, there will be the usual films surrounding vampires, zombies, ghosts, as well as existential-type films which examine the monsters within.

The great horror films always encourage discourse and debate. We use these films as pedagogical tools for our young-uns to discuss concepts such as cultural differences, the sociological significance of folklore, animal rights, or the human condition. We will be reviewing some films showing in the Fantasia Film Festival in the next while so be sure to Join our Circus for updates.

Now, wait a second, before you head on over to a screening with your family, some films may have R ratings. The Circus Living kids do not frighten easily and admittedly, we do not censor them from much. Only you know if your kids will be able to sit through a screening so always be sure to check out the film description, trailer and reviews (if any) to get an idea of what to expect beforehand.

The Illusions: The Art of Magic exhibit at the McCord Museum is no ordinary magic exhibit. Vintage posters displaying morbid phantasmagoric imagery emphasize a time when the art of illusion was often associated with demons, communing with the dead, restless spirits, and death-defying acts. This exhibit is delightfully dark - perfect for families who wish to explore the history of the imageries surrounding a darker sort of magic.

The older two of the Circus Living kids - Ronan and Kiarra - attended and enjoyed their time at the McCord Museum’s Art of Illusions summer camp which revolved around this exhibit. Parents who are afraid their kids will learn how to turn them into rats don’t need to worry - you can rest assured no dark arts were taught in camp.

Now if only Ronan and Kiarra learned how to make their messes disappear...

So far, the Circus Living kids do not recoil at the thought of eating bugs. Then again, they tried cricket protein bars which effectively disguises the presence of bugs. For families open to trying bug delicacies, Montreal’s Insectarium is offering the public a chance to try dishes made with insects and local foods. Just imagine...soft and scrumptious ice cream...dipped in rich chocolate...covered with termites. Oh, c’mon, it’s not that bad. Do as Kiarra said she would do and pretend you are eating raisins.

Due to Kiarra having dietary restrictions, we may not be able to sample the Insectarium’s tasting menu. We still have more research to do beforehand. As I mentioned, however, Kiarra and her siblings have knowingly eaten snacks made of insects before. It’s now just a matter of ensuring if some of the Insectarium’s dishes fit Kiarra’s dietary concerns and Kiarra’s Finds of Healthy Treats and Sweets’ overall objective.

This list will be updated regularly as we research and gather more info so Join our Circus for updates. If you are part of an organization, association, or company in Montreal which you think should be added to this list, do not hesitate to contact us with the details.