Festivales y eventos

Every evening from December 7, 2026 to January 7, 2027, thousands of lights decorate Confederation Boulevard, the ceremonial route around Parliament Hill, the national museums and other landmarks in Ottawa and Gatineau. It makes a lovely free evening walk through the downtown core during the holidays. The lights are on public streets and parks, so anyone can enjoy them at no cost.

Winterlude, Canada's capital winter festival, returns for its 49th edition from January 29 to February 15, 2027, mostly on weekends. Expect ice sculptures, giant snow slides at Snowflake Kingdom in Jacques-Cartier Park, skating and family winter games in Ottawa and Gatineau. Admission to the festival sites is free; a few activities and food stands cost money and are marked as paid in the official calendar. Detailed site hours for 2027 are posted on the official Winterlude page closer to the date.

A live ice dance performance on the lakeside rink at Harbourfront Centre for the Family Day weekend. Short 30 minute shows on Saturday, February 13 and Sunday, February 14, 2027, at 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM each day. Admission is free and no tickets are required.

The City of Toronto's holiday festival lights up Nathan Phillips Square, in front of City Hall, with the official Christmas tree, light installations and free public skating to music on the square's rink. Opening night with the tree lighting is Saturday, November 28, 2026, and the festival runs until January 7, 2027, from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Visiting the square and skating are free (bring your own skates or rent on site).

Toronto's big Christmas market fills the cobblestone lanes of the Distillery District with lights, stalls and a giant tree from November 12, 2026 to January 3, 2027. Entry is free every day before 4:00 PM, all day Monday to Wednesday until December 13, and all day on Thursdays in November except opening night (Nov 12); children 9 and under are always free. Paid tickets are needed from 4:00 PM on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, Thursdays in December and every day from December 14 to 31, so be inside the gates before 4:00 PM on those days.

A free holiday market with seasonal finds and local vendors in the Harbourfront Centre main building, part of the HarbourFrost winter festival by the lake. It runs Fridays to Sundays from November 20 to December 20, 2026: Fridays 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Saturdays noon to 9:00 PM and Sundays noon to 6:00 PM. Admission is free and no tickets are required.

Around twenty interactive, contemplative and luminous light and sound installations spread across the Quartier des spectacles and downtown Montreal, all free. The 17th edition runs from November 2026 to March 2027; exact dates are still to be announced (last year it ran November 27 to March 8, open daily from sunset to 11 p.m.).