Old Quebec hosts Étrange Carnaval from 23 to 25 October

Old Quebec (Vieux-Québec) hosts Étrange Carnaval from 23 to 25 October 2026, bringing a Halloween programme to Quebec’s historic quarter. The event combines a retro fairground theme with street performances, workshops and activities spread across several public sites.

Étrange Carnaval spreads through Old Quebec from 23 October

The fourth edition begins on Friday 23 October and continues until Sunday 25 October. The Société de développement commercial du Vieux-Québec is presenting the programme across Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, the city hall gardens, Rue Saint-Jean and Carter Hall of Holy Trinity. The 2026 programme also identifies Rue Sainte-Famille, Rue Buade and Place d’Youville as event locations.

Visitors will find swing instruction, a traditional magician, circus and mask workshops, juggling, acrobatics and a costumed procession. The programme includes a fire performance by Sonia Legault with Cello Ex Machina, a market on Rue Sainte-Famille and a sweets collection involving participating neighbourhood shops. These elements connect the Halloween theme with the quarter’s streets rather than confining the event to one hall.

Old Quebec’s walls frame a three-day Halloween programme

The Historic District of Old Quebec was founded in the early seventeenth century and includes Upper Town on Cap Diamant and Lower Town around Place Royale and the harbour. Its preserved ramparts, bastions, gates and defensive works remain part of the urban setting. UNESCO’s district profile records the area as a fortified colonial city of about 135 hectares.

UNESCO inscribed the district on the World Heritage List in 1985. That status gives the event a particular setting: performances and workshops take place among a protected historic ensemble that includes religious, administrative and military buildings. The carnival’s use of the city hall gardens, adjoining streets and Holy Trinity’s Carter Hall therefore links a contemporary public programme with several different parts of the old city.

Four public areas connect the historic quarter

The main outdoor locations sit in Upper Town, while the named streets create routes between performances, the market and participating shops. The official programme lists activities at the city hall gardens and square, on Rue Saint-Jean and at Place d’Youville, allowing visitors to encounter different parts of the district during the same weekend.

The programme is not limited to performances. It also includes a temporary market, craft activities, games, face painting and a sweets collection. Some partner activities are separately marked as paid on the organiser’s programme, so the public outdoor programme and individual partner offers should be treated as distinct parts of the weekend.

Visiting Old Quebec: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Étrange Carnaval takes place from 23 to 25 October 2026 at Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, the city hall gardens, Rue Saint-Jean, Rue Sainte-Famille, Rue Buade, Place d’Youville and Carter Hall of Holy Trinity.
• The outdoor programme includes street animation, workshops, a market and a costumed procession. Partner activities are listed separately by the organiser, with some marked as paid.
• Old Quebec is divided into Upper Town on Cap Diamant and Lower Town around Place Royale and the harbour. The event sites are within or beside this historic district.
• The quarter contains preserved ramparts, bastions, gates and defensive works. Visitors should expect an urban historic area with streets, slopes and a cliff-top Upper Town.
• French is the official language of Quebec, and the currency is the Canadian dollar.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Old Quebec

When does Étrange Carnaval take place at Old Quebec?

The 2026 edition runs from 23 to 25 October at several sites in the historic district.

What is Old Quebec?

It is the historic district of Quebec City, formed by Upper Town and Lower Town and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.

Where is Old Quebec and how do you get there?

It occupies the cliff-top Upper Town and the Lower Town beside the harbour in Quebec City. The carnival’s listed sites include Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, Rue Saint-Jean and Place d’Youville.