A dreamy Alberta lake town has 300,000 Christmas lights and it's FREE to enjoy
A town in central Alberta is leaning into the holiday spirit, with a massive skating rink that lights up at night and over 300,000 Christmas lights to marvel at.
Winter Village in Sylvan Lake will be lit up nightly throughout the holiday season and beyond, offering everything from a stroll under thousands of Christmas lights to skating on a massive rink with a large Christmas tree in the middle. It sounds too good to be true and is a total must-see this holiday season.
Visit Sylvan Lake/Facebook
It just makes sense that Sylvan made it onto our list of Alberta small towns and cities that become magical in the winter — it’s enchanting!
If you are looking to play some pond hockey, there are even some ODRs that you can hit up. Be sure to bring your own skates, as there are no places to rent skates in Sylvan.
Town of Sylvan Lake/Facebook
Among the hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights in the town is a light tunnel perfect for a holiday Instagram photo. Winter Village can be found at Lakeshore Drive and 50th Street on the Sylvan Lake Pier.
The village’s daily light show will start at 7 p.m. and last for approximately 10 minutes with flashing lights timed to music, and the daily light display that involves the lights being lit up but not flashing goes from 5 to 9:30 p.m.
You can also try your hand at ice fishing, with rentals available from several providers in Sylvan Lake, or bring your own equipment and try your luck. There are even a few providers that do overnight ice-fishing adventure rentals for a truly unique winter experience.
There are also lakeside bonfires every weekend to keep visitors warm and toasty. Don’t forget the hot chocolate!
Visit Sylvan Lake/Facebook
So, there you have it.
We can’t wait to check out some of the most stunning Christmas lights Alberta has to offer and do some ice fishing, ice skating, or tobogganing.
Sylvan Lake is just under two hours south of Edmonton and a little over an hour and a half north of Calgary.
If you are doing a full-on holiday road trip, here’s a lengthy list of holiday and winter events you must do in Alberta. ‘Tis the season!
Sylvan Lake Winter Village
When: Friday, Nov. 14, 2025, until March 2026
Where: Sylvan Lake, Alta.
Cost: Free