5 hidden gem holiday events in Toronto this year
Once the winter months come tumbling in and before we all get tired of the snow and slush, be sure to take a trip to Toronto — a city beaming with holiday cheer.
From The Distillery Winter Village to the Cavalcade of Lights, there are more exciting holiday events in the city than toys in Santa’s bag. But, while the lights of these bigger events shine bright, they often dim some of the other, hidden gem holiday activities in Toronto.
To help you warm up at Toronto’s holiday hot spots, here’s a list of hidden gem holiday events in Toronto this year.
Experience stackt’s outdoor holiday market
If you haven’t checked out North America’s largest shipping container market, there’s no better time to do it than during the holiday season.
Made up of small and local businesses operating out of converted shipping containers, stackt is running its Holiday Hills event from November 18 until December 31. The event will feature workshops, concerts, a ferris wheel, games, food, and the city’s best small businesses — making it probably one of the most fun places to get your holiday shopping done.
If that wasn’t enough, stackt is also hosting “Shop the Block” from November 29 to December 11. Brought to you by Style Canada, this event will bring some favourite local Toronto brands together for a pop-up shop just in time for the gifting season.
Ice skating at a neighbourhood rink
Evergreen Brick Works (Destination Toronto)
Whether you’re a regular Patrick Chen on the ice or you’re wobbling for dear life, one of the quintessential things to do during the holidays is ice skate. If you’re itching to lace up and hit the ice, Toronto has anywhere from 30 to 40 ice skating rinks operational in different neighbourhoods during the winter, making it a city where you can ice skate plenty.
While Nathan Phillips Square is the grand rink most visitors flock towards, there are plenty of rinks located throughout different Toronto neighbourhoods. Places like The Bentway Skating Trail (with an awesome 220-metre figure-8 loop) and Dufferin Grove Park (with more of a community atmosphere) are less central, and therefore less busy. And Albert Campbell Square actually has a skating rink that is the inspiration behind the one in Nathan Phillips Square.
Check out some festive lights
Toronto Light Festival (Destination Toronto)
It’s a classic tradition this time of year to decorate with festive string lights. While there are always incredible lighting displays at Toronto landmarks like Casa Loma, The Distillery District, and Young and Dundas square, some of the best lighting displays are put on throughout different Toronto neighbourhoods.
Head to Glow Christmas, a fantastic indoor light festival, with a theme that will take you on a magical journey through six countries — perfect for holiday lovers of all ages. Decorate Brenyon Way, is also a mainstay, located in Scarborough, that puts on big displays for the holidays to help raise money for different Toronto organizations.
If that’s not enough, there’s the Holiday Night of Lights — a walk-through experience featuring more than 1.5 million LED lights, pop-up performances, bumper cars on ice, and more — at Assembly park running from November 24 until January 7.
Take in some arts and culture
Toronto is the largest hub of arts and culture in Canada, so why not take advantage? The Toronto Symphony Orchestra is always putting on holiday-themed concerts, with this year featuring music from the movie Elf.
Certain museums around the city also run holiday events — such as the holiday market at the Scarborough Museum — plus they’re a great place to soak in some culture.
The beautiful painting of the renaissance era will be on display at the Gardiner museum, and you’re able to take a dive deep into the works of Lenard Cohen at the Art Gallery of Ontario.
Whether you’re exploring modern Canadian works at the ROM, catching the bird theme at Aga Khan Museum before it flies south for the winter, or want to step into the footwear of Marie Antoinette at the Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto’s museums always have interesting programming.
What’s more, you can access exclusive savings to some of the best holiday events that really make the city sparkle, including concerts at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Bata Shoe Museum, using Pass TO Savings.
Grab a holiday cocktail at a local bar
If you’re into festive holiday cocktails, there’s no shortage of innovative drinks in Toronto. With bars like Grey Tiger serving up some clever renditions of classic cocktails — we recommend the espressotini with salted caramel vodka, cognac, grey tiger espresso liqueur, coffee, super vanilla cordial, and chocolate bitters.
If you’re looking for the complete holiday cocktail experience, Civil Liberties has come in to bring us a Christmas-themed pop-up cocktail bar, Miracle. They also donate $1 of every drink sold to Nellie’s Shelter, an organization providing shelter, education, and advocacy for women and children in the GTA. And if you’re lucky enough to be in town on November 19, be sure to check out its Christmas with the Queens drag show for an unforgettable night
Another fantastic pop-up bar is The Thirsty Elf. Located in the Fairmont Royal York, this annual event is full of glistening lights and Christmas decor — the perfect place to sip a delicious cocktail and bask in pure festive vibes.
To discover more about what Toronto has to offer during the holidays, check out Destination Toronto’s Pass TO Savings — a mobile-exclusive passport. Users can get up to 20% off of some of Toronto’s best attractions and experiences.
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