Go nose to nose with an illuminated polar bear at the Winter Festival of Lights. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF NIAGARA FALLS TOURISM
REWARDS
Holiday Highlights
Enjoy spending time with family and friends exploring festive activities in the Niagara Region.
By Elisa Keay
THE HOLIDAY SEASON is an ideal reason to spend time with family and friends. With activities, holiday displays, outdoor markets and cozy indoor indulgences throughout the Niagara Region, you’ll find the perfect way to share your time and make memories with those who mean the most to you.
See the lights
Now in its 43rd year, the Winter Festival of Lights features over three million lights in more than 75 displays. Running from November 15, 2025, to January 4, 2026, in addition to the beautiful installations, there are magnificent fireworks displays to enjoy. Bundle up, grab a thermos of cocoa and head down to Niagara Falls, where you can wander through larger-than-life creations and enjoy the spectacle of it all.
(Below) Riding the illuminated seesaw at the Winter Festival of Lights. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF NIAGARA FALLS TOURISM
Skating
Grab your skates and go skating at Wayne Gretzky Estates. All ages are welcome, with free entry and free rentals for kids 12 and under. The outdoor skating rink is open from early December to early March, weather dependent. The heated Whiskey Bar Patio is a sumptuous refuge, serving up food and beverages to enjoy rink-side.
(Background) Take a turn or two around the rink at Wayne Gretzky Estates. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF DESTINATION ONTARIO
Holiday market at the Grimsby Museum
A trip to the museum is always an enticing way to enjoy a family day together — but in the lead up to the holidays, it gets even better. On December 13, the Grimsby Museum hosts a holiday market filled with artisan creations. You’ll find homemade goodies, handcrafted pieces and vintage treasures. Warm up with some apple cider and indulge in s’mores! Admission is free for this one-day shopping event.
Safari Lights
Running from November 21 to December 30, 2025, Safari Lights is fun by the carload. In warmer weather, Safari Niagara is an adventure-filled nature park and zoo, home to over 1,000 animals. During Safari Lights, it transforms into a three-kilometre trail of light installations that will surprise and delight. Ideal for those who like warmer winter activities, you remain snug inside your car throughout the experience. You can even bring your favourite snacks and warm drinks to enjoy — it’s the perfect place to start a family tradition. Plan to spend about an hour touring the displays. CAA Members get access to exclusive Member pricing; check online for savings.
New Year’s Eve
The New Year’s Eve party is on in Niagara Falls. Join friends and neighbours filling Queen Victoria Park with cheer to ring in the new year! There will be two spectacular fireworks displays over the Horseshoe Falls to enjoy — the first at 8 p.m. to wow the early crowd, and then a second spectacle at midnight to welcome 2026 with a bang.
(Right) Fire and ice combine in a fireworks display at Niagara Falls. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF NIAGARA FALLS TOURISM
Norfolk Night Market — Christmas edition
As the sun sets and the twinkling lights cast a festive glow over the Norfolk County Fairgrounds, the spirit of the season comes alive. For two nights, the fairgrounds are transformed into a traditional European-style Christmas market, filled with vendors, artisans, delicious treats and holiday wares. At the heart of the market are firepits with seating where you can warm up — or settle in — with hot chocolate and mulled wine while music fills the air. The Norfolk Night Market offers winter workshops, photo ops with Santa, horse-drawn carriage rides and more holly jolly fun. Visit on Friday, November 28 from 4-9 p.m. and Saturday, November 29 from 2-9 p.m. Parking is free; admission is free for kids 12 and under, $5 for everyone else.
(Left) Handmade offerings from the 2024 Norfolk Night Market. | PHOTO: CLUTCH CAPTURES/COURTESY OF NORFOLK COUNTY FAIR
The theatre
A production like no other, Cinderella: The Panto is mounted at the St. Jacobs Theatre, promising holiday audiences of all ages roaring laughter and a wonderful time. Following the success of similar fairytale stage productions, this is a modern twist on the time-honoured tale, complete with music, dancing, ugly stepsisters and a glass slipper. The humour is witty, but appropriate for the whole family. There’s audience interaction and participation — your children just might end up on stage. The play runs eight shows a week from November 27 to December 28, 2025, with matinees and evening showtimes available. CAA
See the lights
Now in its 43rd year, the Winter Festival of Lights features over three million lights in more than 75 displays. Running from November 15, 2025, to January 4, 2026, in addition to the beautiful installations, there are magnificent fireworks displays to enjoy. Bundle up, grab a thermos of cocoa and head down to Niagara Falls, where you can wander through larger-than-life creations and enjoy the spectacle of it all.
(Below) Riding the illuminated seesaw at the Winter Festival of Lights. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF NIAGARA FALLS TOURISM
Skating
Grab your skates and go skating at Wayne Gretzky Estates. All ages are welcome, with free entry and rentals for kids 12 and under. The outdoor skating rink is open from early December to early March, weather dependent. The heated Whiskey Bar Patio is a sumptuous refuge, serving up food and beverages to enjoy rink-side.
(Background) Take a turn or two around the rink at Wayne Gretzky Estates. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF DESTINATION ONTARIO
Holiday market at the Grimsby Museum
A trip to the museum is always an enticing way to enjoy a family day together — but in the lead up to the holidays, it gets even better. On December 13, the Grimsby Museum hosts a holiday market filled with artisan creations. You’ll find homemade goodies, handcrafted pieces and vintage treasures to discover. Warm up with some apple cider and indulge in s’mores! Admission is free for this one-day shopping event.
Safari Lights
Running from November 21 to December 30, 2025, Safari Lights is fun by the carload. In warmer weather, Safari Niagara is an adventure-filled nature park and zoo, home to over 1,000 animals. During Safari Lights, it transforms into a three-kilometre trail of light installations that will surprise and delight. Ideal for those who like warmer winter activities, you remain snug inside your car throughout the experience. You can even bring your favourite snacks and warm drinks to enjoy — it’s the perfect place to start a family tradition. Plan to spend about an hour touring the displays. CAA Members get access to exclusive Member pricing; check online for savings.
New Year’s Eve
The New Year’s Eve party is on in Niagara Falls. Join the friends and neighbours filling Queen Victoria Park with cheer to ring in the new year! There will be two spectacular fireworks displays over the Horseshoe Falls to enjoy — the first at 8 p.m. to wow the early crowd, and then a second spectacle at midnight to welcome 2026 with a bang.
(Above) Fire and ice combine in a fireworks display at Niagara Falls. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF NIAGARA FALLS TOURISM
Norfolk Night Market — Christmas edition
As the sun sets and the twinkling lights cast a festive glow over the Norfolk County Fairgrounds, the spirit of the season comes alive. For two nights, the fairgrounds are transformed into a traditional European-style Christmas market, filled with vendors, artisans, delicious treats and holiday wares. At the heart of the market are firepits with seating where you can warm up — or settle in — with hot chocolate and mulled wine while music fills the air. The Norfolk Night Market offers winter workshops, photo ops with Santa, horse-drawn carriage rides and more holly jolly fun. Visit on Friday, November 28 from 4-9 p.m. and Saturday, November 29 from 2-9 p.m. Parking is free; admission is free for kids 12 and under, $5 for everyone else.
(Below) Handmade offerings from the 2024 Norfolk Night Market. | PHOTO: CLUTCH CAPTURES/COURTESY OF NORFOLK COUNTY FAIR
The theatre
A production like no other, Cinderella: The Panto is mounted at the St. Jacobs Theatre, promising holiday audiences of all ages roaring laughter and a wonderful time. Following the success of similar fairytale stage productions, this is a modern twist on the time-honoured tale, complete with music, dancing, ugly stepsisters and a glass slipper. The humour is witty, but appropriate for the whole family. There’s audience interaction and participation — your children just might end up on stage. The play runs eight shows a week from November 27 to December 28, 2025, with matinees and evening showtimes available. CAA