It’s the most wonderful time of the year, Toronto!
December is here and it’s time to be with the ones you love most. Celebrate the holiday season amongst family and friends, whether that looks like browsing a marketplace for your festive needs or taking a visit to our favourite jolly giant from the North Pole!
This month, there are plenty of winter events available throughout the city for everyone to enjoy (and many of them are FREE!)
Keep reading to find some of the best places to explore in Toronto this month.
FESTIVALS & EVENTS
The Indigenous Artisan Marketplace 2024
Date: On until December 8
Location: The Native Canadian Centre Toronto
Admission: Free
Looking for gift ideas? Explore the free Indigenous Artisan Marketplace in the heart of Tkaronto (Toronto) at The Native Canadian Centre of Toronto! Happening now until Dec. 8, visitors can peruse authentic and homemade Indigenous arts and crafts from more than 45 local vendors, with a different set of businesses stationed every weekend. Perfect for the whole family, there will also be live artist interviews and music, and free daily prize draws!
Don’t miss out on seeing this year’s featured artist Tessa Shank and her exclusive six piece art show themed “Red: The Medicine Wheel,” celebrating Ontario’s native flowers and plants.
From beautiful paintings to healing skincare products and traditional clothing and jewellery, the marketplace is the perfect chance to purchase something special for that special someone this holiday season.
For more information, click here.
The Winter Market at Evergreen Brick Works 2024
Date: December 1, 8, 15, and 22
Location: Evergreen Brick Works
Admission: Pay what you can
Make unforgettable memories with loved ones this season at the Winter Market!
Evergreen Brick Works is offering four days of winter extravaganza at the market, providing endless opportunities to enjoy meaningful moments with loved ones. Step inside the Ontario Artisan Market and Ontario Vintage Market, providing the best in vintage clothing and handmade art, as well as shopping options from more than 60 vendors!
From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. feel free to bring out the entire family, as there will be plenty of children’s activities, a cozy winter garden, ornament making workshops, an immersive holiday light experience and so much more. Feeling hungry after a day of wintery fun? Head over to the food court or food trucks to try culinary bites from all around the world – from Tibetan dumplings to French crepes!
For more information, click here.
Winterland – Illuminarium at The Distillery District
Date: On until January 5, 2025
Location: Illuminarium at The Distillery District
Admission: $34.50
Get ready to walk into a winter wonderland, or rather, a Winterland!
Exploring the Distillery Winter Village is magical, but its partnership with Illuminarium is sure to bring guests on an even brighter adventure! From 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., immerse yourself in the joys of the season at Winterland, a 45-minute journey through enchanting winter scenes. Take time to wander beneath the Northern Lights, frolick with reindeer amid snow-covered hills, explore festive holiday villages, and learn awesome fun facts along the way.
This year, The Distillery District and Illuminarium are offering a new Winter Village Combo Ticket, which includes express entrance to the Winter Village, as well as access to both Winterland and a featured cinematic experience.
Embrace the season’s spirit at every turn, from taking advantage of the tons of photo opportunities with friends to transforming into an elf, and of course – don’t forget to stop by the exclusive gift shop to take a piece of Winterland home!
For more information, click here.
ARTS & CULTURE
Fleurs de Ville NOËL
Date: December 4-8
Location: Bloor-Yorkville
Admission: Free
Stroll the festive floral trail of Fleurs de Villes NOËL, a magnificent sight inspired by the songs of the season and created by Toronto’s favourite florists.
The third annual beloved holiday trail can be experienced throughout the Bloor-Yorkville neighbourhood and features 30 floral installations, including their famous floral mannequins. Open at 10 a.m. daily and best toured during daylight, viewers can not only be in awe of the beautiful displays, but also listen to holiday carolers and shop for fresh blooms from local florists at the Sunday pop-up flower markets!
For more information, click here.
Holiday Light Tour
Date: December 5-January 4, 2025
Location: Casa Loma
Admission: Starting at $45
Be illuminated by the dazzling Holiday Light Tour at Casa Loma this season!
The gardens and tunnels of the stunning property will be draped with lighting displays and decorated for the festive season. Designed as a self-guided walk, guests can stroll at their own pace while enjoying the spectacular decorations, brilliant outdoor lights and outstanding live performances. From 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., this family-friendly affair encourages children to stop by and visit Santa in his castle workshop. But hurry, he’ll be leaving on Dec. 24 to head back to the North Pole!
For more information, click here.
The Model Railroad Club
Date: On until December 27
Location: Model Railroad Club of Toronto
Admission: Starting at $10
All aboard – next stop is the Model Railroad Club of Toronto!
The club invites thousands of visitors to view Canada’s premier O scale model trains which capture the flavour of Central Ontario, but with some holiday touches along the railway!
This experience appeals both to a child’s sense of wonder and discovery and an adult’s interest in technology, artistry and history. Discover the importance of trains and how they pass through cities, towns and countryside, popping in and out of tunnels and crossing over bridges! Visitors can also explore awesome innovations, from hand-crafted models to 3D printing.
For more information, click here.
Light: Visionary Perspectives Exhibition
Date: On until April 2025
Location: Aga Khan Museum
Admission: Pay what you can
Brighten the holiday season at Light: Visionary Perspectives Exhibition at the Aga Khan Museum!
Marking the museum’s 10th anniversary, the exhibit will explore light’s multifaceted impact. Featuring contemporary installations by prominent international and Canadian artists, such as Anila Quayyum Agha, Tannis Nielsen and Olafur Eliasson, it dives deep into how light shapes history and continues to influence our perceptions, emotions, and understanding of the world.
Showcasing an array of items, from mesmerizing mirrored sculptures that offer moments of self-reflection, to the Opticae Thesaurus, a significant 16th-century Latin translation of an 11th-century text on optics, the exhibition offers a captivating glimpse into the contemporary and historical impact of light.
The museum is open on Tuesdays to Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (and until 8 p.m. on Wednesdays!)
For more information, click here.
STAGE
A Drag Queen Christmas
Date: December 6
Location: Meridian Hall
Admission: Starting at $65
For the very first time in Canada, A Drag Queen Christmas is headed to Meridian Hall!
The longest running drag tour in the world is celebrating its 10th Anniversary Tour hosted by Brooke Lynn Hytes. Get ready to spot your favourite queens performing live on stage for the festive season, including Lady Camden, Sapphira and Manila!
For more information, click here.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Date: On until December 30
Location: Young People’s Theatre
Admission: Starting at $49
You’ve got the golden ticket!
Dive into a world of pure imagination at Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, featuring Charlie, Grandpa Joe and four golden ticket winners who embark on a wild journey coated with chocolate rivers, gumdrop trees and cocoa-loving Oompa Loompas!
Celebrating its 60th anniversary, head to Young People’s Theatre to enjoy this delightfully delicious musical adaptation sure to bring life to all of your favourite characters, songs and yummy confections. Enjoy musical classics from the 1971 film, including “Candy Man”, “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket”, “Oompa Loompa Song” and “Pure Imagination.”
For more information, click here.
The Second City Presents ‘Naughty, Nice, & Undecided’
Date: On until December 31
Location: The Second City
Admission: Starting at $49
Are you naughty or nice this season? You don’t have to be tied down to one!
Join Naughty, Nice, and Undecided at The Second City, a rollicking holiday comedy party! This one-of-a-kind theatrical experience festively fuses classic Second City songs, scenes and characters with a helping of the improvised mayhem that the comedy club is famous for. Naughty, Nice, and Undecided comes in two exciting holiday flavours: Nice for the family, and Naughty for the late-night crowd. If you’re undecided… don’t be!
Show start times vary depending on the selected day, ranging from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
For more information, click here.
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