Montréal en Lumière
Montréal en Lumière, 18 to 28 February 2027: what to eat and drink at the winter festival, from guest chefs’ menus to the free outdoor site downtown.
At a glance
- 18 to 28 February 2027, the festival’s 28th anniversary, says Tourisme Montréal
- Guest chefs from abroad cook with some of Montréal’s best tables for special menus, says Tourisme Montréal
- The outdoor site is free. Some shows and gourmet events are ticketed
- More than 800,000 festival site visits a year
- Nuit blanche, a night of activities across the city, on 27 February 2027
The 2027 edition, day by day
- Thu18Feb
- Fri19Feb
- Sat20Feb
- Sun21Feb
- Mon22Feb
- Tue23Feb
- Wed24Feb
- Thu25Feb
- Fri26Feb
- Sat27Feb
- Sun28Feb
Weekend · 11 days · Dates announced
How the festival runs
The gourmet programme opens
In 2026 the Banque Nationale Gourmet Program started on 20 February, a week before the shows and the outdoor site. The 2027 gastronomy theme was still to be announced in August 2026.
Outdoor site and shows 18 to 28 February 2027
The Quartier des spectacles turns into the festival site: a skating loop, a Ferris wheel, the LUMINO light works and musical performances.
Nuit blanche 27 February 2027
An all-nighter of cultural and festive activities, the festival’s last Saturday.
What to taste
Guest chefs’ menus
Renowned chefs from abroad join some of the city’s best tables to cook menus and food and wine pairings, says Tourisme Montréal.
Finest Tables
In 2026, a network of more than 80 restaurateurs offered dishes exclusive to the festival, from Au Pied de Cochon to Alma.
Workshops and one-off events
The 2026 Gourmet Program added exclusive collaborations, one-of-a-kind events and educational workshops.
Tastings on the outdoor site
Bonjour Québec lists tastings, a snack bar and a picnic area on the festival site.
Montréal en Lumière began in 2000 with three strands, and gastronomy, Le Devoir recalls, stole the show. The French chef Paul Bocuse took part in the first edition.
Guest chefs in Montréal’s restaurants
“Des chefs et cheffes de renommée internationale s’associent à certaines des meilleures tables de la ville pour concocter des menus” (internationally renowned chefs team up with some of the city’s best tables to create menus), writes Tourisme Montréal.
The festival lists gastronomy first among its sections, before shows, the outdoor site and Nuit blanche.
- Finest Tables (2026): more than 80 restaurateurs with dishes exclusive to the festival.
- Gourmet Program (2026): collaborations, one-of-a-kind events, culinary discoveries and workshops.
- Quartier gourmand: a strand begun in 2019. In 2024 it offered about twenty free activities with chefs and producers, Le Devoir reported.
Winter on the Montréal en Lumière outdoor site
Tourisme Montréal titles its page “the magic of winter through gastronomy and art”: the festival is a reason to come to Montréal in the heart of winter.
Bonjour Québec calls it one of the largest winter celebrations in the world. Between meals, the free site in the Quartier des spectacles offers a skating loop, a Ferris wheel and illuminated artworks.
Two more food dates around the festival
Tourisme Montréal’s calendar of food festivals lists two others in the same late-winter season.
- La Poutine Week: each February, restaurants create their own poutine and compete for the title of best in town, 1 to 7 February in 2026.
- Happening Gourmand du Vieux-Montréal: from February to March, table d’hôte menus at three set prices in restaurants of Expérience Vieux-Montréal, a group of boutique hotels and upscale venues, 6 to 29 March in 2026.
Before you go
- Restaurants: guest chefs’ menus are booked and paid at each restaurant, not at the festival.
- Metro: Place-des-Arts station serves the Quartier des spectacles.
- Parking: paid parking on site.
- Cold: the outdoor site has a heated shelter and washrooms, says Bonjour Québec. Dress for a Montréal February.
- Accessibility: listed as accessible to people with a disability (Kéroul).
- Packages: hotel partners offer festival packages, says Tourisme Montréal.
- Alcohol: the minimum legal age to buy alcohol in Quebec is 18.
Montréal en Lumière: the last two editions
| Edition | Festival dates | Gourmet programme |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 27 February to 6 March | From 20 February |
| 2027 | 18 to 28 February | n/a |
Sources: Tourisme Montréal (2026 and 2027) and the official site (2027). 2027 gourmet dates not yet published.
Frequently asked questions
When is Montréal en Lumière 2027?
From Thursday 18 to Sunday 28 February 2027, with Nuit blanche on 27 February.
Is Montréal en Lumière free?
Partly. The outdoor site in the Quartier des spectacles is free. Some shows and gourmet events are ticketed, and the chefs’ menus are paid at the restaurant.
Where is Montréal en Lumière held?
Downtown, in the Quartier des spectacles bordered by René-Lévesque, Sherbrooke, City Councillors and Saint-Hubert, and in partner restaurants across the city.
What is there to eat at Montréal en Lumière?
Above all the menus of visiting chefs in Montréal restaurants. In 2026 more than 80 restaurateurs of the Finest Tables network took part. The outdoor site has tastings and a snack bar.
How do you get to Montréal en Lumière?
By metro to Place-des-Arts. There is paid parking on site.
Sources
- Montréal en Lumière: official site (2027 dates, programme sections) consulted on October 21, 2026
- Tourisme Montréal: Montréal en Lumière (dates, address, free entrance, Nuit blanche, visits) consulted on October 21, 2026
- Tourisme Montréal: Montréal en Lumière, updated 13 August 2026 (gourmet events, outdoor site, packages) consulted on October 21, 2026
- Tourisme Montréal: guide to Montréal’s food festivals (2026 dates, guest chefs) consulted on October 21, 2026
- Bonjour Québec: Montréal en Lumière (outdoor site, services, metro, accessibility) consulted on October 21, 2026
- Tastet: Montréal en Lumière 2026 guide (Finest Tables, Gourmet Program) consulted on October 21, 2026
- Le Devoir, partner content, 2024: 25 years of the gourmet festival consulted on October 21, 2026
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