Festivales y eventos

On weekends from November to early January, Todmorden Mills lights up the Don Valley with seasonal lights, hands on crafts in the Brewery Building and festively decorated historic houses. It is free, with free tours at 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Nov 7, 2026 to Jan 10, 2027, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A free exhibition at the National Assembly about Quebec's maritime regions and their people, part of the Assembly's fall program of free activities. It runs until February 13, 2027 in the Parliament Building. Visits to the Parliament are free but must be booked online or on site.

Free holiday festivities between Christmas and New Year's in the heart of Old Québec, at Place D'Youville, Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville and the City Hall gardens. Admission is free. It runs daily from December 27 to 31, 2026, from 2 PM to 9 PM.

Old Québec turns into a European style Christmas village, with wooden chalets spread over six sites including Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville, Place d'Armes, Rue Sainte-Anne and Place D'Youville. Entry is free; you only pay if you buy food or crafts. It runs November 19 to December 23, 2026: Thursday to Saturday 11 AM to 9 PM and Sunday 11 AM to 6 PM, then December 21 and 22 from 11 AM to 9 PM and December 23 from 11 AM to 8 PM.

A free exhibition of 30 photographs looking at poverty in Quebec, shown at the National Assembly as part of its free public program. It runs from November 16, 2026 to January 16, 2027 at the Parliament Building. Admission is free; plan your visit through the Assembly's visitor reservation.

The 9th annual Adàwàning market brings together Métis, Inuit and First Nations women makers at the National Arts Centre, with beadwork, jewellery, paintings, sculptures, mittens, moccasins and more. It is a great chance to meet the artists and find meaningful holiday gifts. It runs Saturday December 5 and Sunday December 6, 2026, from 10 am to 4 pm each day. Entry is free with no tickets needed.

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.