Labour Day is done and school is back in session, which means the weekend is now a precious resource. The good news: Montreal just loaded the calendar with some genuinely excellent reasons to get out. From a free action sports festival at the Old Port to a roller disco that runs all fall, here’s what to put on the family agenda.

🛹 JACKALOPE: Free Action Sports Festival at the Old Port (Sept 11–13)

This one is hard to top. JACKALOPE is back at Jacques-Cartier Pier for three days of world-class skateboarding, BMX, bouldering, and breakdancing competitions, all free to watch from the ground level of the Old Port. The production is serious, with professional athletes pulling tricks most adults couldn’t describe let alone land, which makes it viscerally exciting for kids of any age. There are also interactive zones where families can try their hand on an Arc’teryx initiation bouldering wall with instructors on hand to help. Strollers are welcome, dogs on leash too, food trucks are lined up, and there’s no ticket required to walk in and stay all afternoon. It’s one of those events that rewards just showing up.

📍 Where: Quai Jacques-Cartier (Jacques-Cartier Pier), Old Port of Montréal. Metro Champ-de-Mars (Orange line), then a 10-minute walk.
🗓️ When: Friday September 11 through Sunday September 13. Free admission. Full schedule and athlete lineup at jackalope.co.

🎉 Montreal Family Fun Day: Three Days at Maisonneuve Park (Sept 11–13)

Running at the same time (and across town from JACKALOPE), the Montreal Family Fun Day sets up at Parc Maisonneuve from Friday through Sunday with games, activities, and food organized specifically around families with young kids. Maisonneuve Park’s wide lawns and open layout make it easy to move around with little ones, and the event has a neighbourhood fair feel that’s less overwhelming than the Old Port crowds. A solid pick if JACKALOPE’s festival intensity isn’t quite the vibe you’re after, or if you want to do both and split the weekend.

📍 Where: Parc Maisonneuve, 4601 rue Sherbrooke Est, Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie. Metro Pie-IX or Viau (Green line).
🗓️ When: Friday September 11 through Sunday September 13, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets at eventbrite.ca.

🛼 Tranquille à Roulettes: Outdoor Roller Disco Through October (Sept 5–Oct 25)

If you haven’t caught this yet, it’s worth knowing it runs all fall: Tranquille à roulettes is an outdoor roller skating rink set up in the Quartier des Spectacles, running Thursday through Sunday with rentals available on site. The format is disco-era nostalgic, the vibe is relaxed, and kids from around age 5 up take to it quickly with the beginner-friendly surface. Adults who haven’t skated since the 90s also tend to have an unreasonably good time. It’s one of the better low-key activities to fill a weekday evening or Sunday afternoon as the weather cools down.

📍 Where: Quartier des Spectacles, near Place des Festivals, downtown Montreal. Metro Place-des-Arts (Orange/Green lines).
🗓️ When: September 5 through October 25, Thursday–Sunday. Rentals on site. Check tranquillearoulettes.com for the full schedule and pricing.