Canada's insider blog

It’s spooky out there this month, even in downtown Montréal, which is turning up the fright factor for a scary urban Halloween. At the Old Port, Shed 16 is a huge indoor labyrinth with a maze of dark alleys, surprising obstacles and riddles. Check out two levels of Halloween-themed experiences, a Halloween Special and – not for the faint of heart – Extreme Halloween, a flashlight night with “100% dark! 100% dread!”

Nearby, among the cobblestone streets of Old Montréal, a nighttime ghost walk or ghost hunt encounters victims and criminals of New France who share life and death stories of hangings, torture, slavery and sorcery. Meanwhile, over at Old Montréal’s Pointe-Á-Callière archeological museum, an Irish character named Jack O'Lantern offers up a whimsical tour (with some thrills and chills) for kids about the cultural origins of Halloween.

There’s a Great Pumpkin Ball at the Montréal Botanical Gardens and other activities including pumpkin carving. Next, head to the Insectarium for a special spooky spider exhibition.

Finish up at La Ronde amusement park’s Halloween Fright Fest. If its massive, spider-webby Haunted House and dark avenues populated with horrifying characters doesn`t scare the urban daylights out of you, Goliath – one of North America’s highest and fastest roller coasters – will definitely do the job.