The last ten days of October are the best stretch of the year for a date that is a little different. Skip the dinner-and-a-movie routine and pick something with candles, costumes, or a good story to argue about on the walk home. Here are eight picks for couples, none of which repeat our earlier date night posts.

🕯️ Candlelight Halloween Concerts (Plateau and Verdun)

Two Halloween editions of the candlelit church concerts are on the calendar. The first plays spooky classics at Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste; the second, “Compositions hantées,” fills the Verdun church with eerie arrangements. Dim lights, live strings, and no phones: an easy yes.

📍 Where: Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste (Plateau, Montreal) and Église Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs, 4155 rue Wellington, Verdun
🗓️ When: Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Sat Oct 24; Verdun, Fri Oct 30. Tickets from about $30 via Fever; confirm start times when booking.

🎭 Wonderful Joe (Centaur Theatre)

Ronnie Burkett’s marionette show is for adults only (16+) and it is as moving as it is strange. A man and his dog take a last journey through a broken world, meeting Mother Nature, Santa and the Tooth Fairy on the way. It closes Nov 1, so this is the final stretch.

📍 Where: Centaur Theatre, 453 rue Saint-François-Xavier, Old Montreal
🗓️ When: Through Sun Nov 1. Tickets $15 to $59; check centaurtheatre.com for showtimes.

💃 My Fierce Ignorant Step (Théâtre Maisonneuve)

Greek choreographer Christos Papadopoulos brings a one-hour piece of pounding, synchronized unison movement to Danse Danse. There are DJ sets from DJ Evita on three of the nights and post-show chats with the artists, which makes it feel more like a night out than a night at the theatre. Heads up: the piece uses strobe effects.

📍 Where: Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts, downtown Montreal
🗓️ When: Wed Oct 28 to Sat Oct 31. Tickets from $49 at dansedanse.ca.

🖼️ Stephanie Comilang: HYMNES (PHI Centre)

The first Quebec exhibition by artist Stephanie Comilang opens Oct 28 and mixes video installations, VR and textiles to explore migration and what “home” means. Old Montreal is lovely after dark, so pair it with a drink nearby and you have a low-key date that gives you plenty to talk about.

📍 Where: PHI Centre, 451 rue Saint-Jean, Old Montreal
🗓️ When: Opens Wed Oct 28 and runs to Mar 14, 2027. Check phi.ca for hours and tickets.

🎹 Ciné-Piano Halloween (Maison de la culture Mercier)

Silent horror films with a live pianist improvising the score. It is cheap, cozy and a lot more charming than a multiplex. A good pick if you want spooky without the gore.

📍 Where: Maison de la culture Mercier, 8105 rue Hochelaga, Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, Montreal
🗓️ When: Fri Oct 30. Confirm time and ticket details with the borough’s culture network.

🪶 Halloween Burlesque at The Wiggle Room

The Wiggle Room runs burlesque nightly in October, and the final week is themed: “Haunted Tease” on Oct 29, “Trick or Tease” on Oct 30, and “Hallo-Tease” on Oct 31. It is playful, flirty and a good fit for couples who like a show with their cocktail. Adults only.

📍 Where: The Wiggle Room, Montreal (confirm the address on the ticket page)
🗓️ When: Thu Oct 29, Fri Oct 30 and Sat Oct 31

👻 Ghost Walks and Haunted Pub Crawls (Old Montreal and Griffintown)

Haunted Montréal runs ghost walks and paranormal investigations through the old city, plus a pub crawl for people who prefer their history with a drink in hand. Wear good shoes; cobblestones and a late October chill are a real combo.

📍 Where: Meeting points in Old Montreal and Griffintown (given when you book)
🗓️ When: Nightly through Halloween; book ahead for weekends

🎃 Halloween Night: Casino Costume Runway or La Voûte Ball

If you want to go all out on the 31st, the Casino de Montréal hosts a costume runway with DJs and roaming characters, while La Voûte holds its yearly costume ball in a converted bank. Both are adult nights out, so leave the kids with a sitter and book early.

📍 Where: Casino de Montréal, 1 avenue du Casino, Parc Jean-Drapeau; La Voûte, downtown Montreal (see ticket page)
🗓️ When: Sat Oct 31

Showtimes and tickets change, so double check each link before you head out.