Experience the holiday joy in Guelph! Discover all the special festive events with our guide. From Guelph residents to holiday tourists, our guide showcases the city's festive highlights.
Among the festivities, the River Lights Winter Festival enchants visitors with its dazzling light displays and family-friendly activities. With festive music and seasonal treats, the First Light at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons offers a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage of the region. And the Rockwood Stellar Christmas Market is something you definitely don't want to miss, featuring local artisans and unique holiday gifts. See more details on these and other fun events and activities below!
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Top Holiday Events In and Around Guelph
- River Lights Winter Festival (Cambridge)
- First Light at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons (Midland)
- Rockwood Stellar Christmas Market (Rockwood)
- Christmas Toy Bingo (Caledonia)
- Caledonia Breakfast With Santa (Caledonia)
- Christmas Tree Sale
- Oktoberfest at Bingemans KoolHaus (extends into November) (Kitchener)
- Creepy Caledonia Ghost Tours (Caledonia)
- Ghost Walk at Pickering Museum (Pickering)
- Trick or Treat at PMV (Pickering)
See these and even more events listed below!
Guelph Holiday Markets and Shopping
Rockwood Stellar Christmas Market
What to Expect:
Local vendors and festive food offerings.
Description:
The Rockwood Stellar Christmas Market is a vibrant holiday event featuring local vendors, festive food, and a variety of seasonal items. Enjoy a day filled with community spirit and holiday cheer.
Where: Rockwood | More Info: Rockwood Stellar Christmas Market
Guelph Holiday Shows and Entertainment
First Light at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons
What to Expect:
Candlelit historical site with live music and artisan market.
Description:
First Light at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons is an award-winning holiday event featuring live musical performances, blacksmithing demonstrations, and an extensive artisan market amidst the glow of thousands of candles.
Where: Midland | More Info: First Light at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons
Scottish Gaelic Diaspora
What to Expect:
Reclaiming ancestral teachings through music and storytelling.
Description:
Camryn Ruthven explores the Gaelic lineage in this presentation, unearthing our local Grey-Bruce Gàidhlig heritage through story and song, honouring ancient traditions in the modern era.
Where: Singhampton | More Info: Scottish Gaelic Diaspora
Every Brilliant Thing: A Staged Reading
What to Expect:
Heartfelt exploration of grief and resilience through a personal story.
Description:
Every Brilliant Thing is a poignant and powerful staged reading that explores the complexities of grief and the human spirit through a deeply personal narrative.
Where: Guelph | More Info: Every Brilliant Thing: A Staged Reading
Guelph Other Holiday Activities
River Lights Winter Festival
What to Expect:
Diverse community events celebrating the season.
Description:
Cambridge Winterfest is a month-long celebration featuring a variety of events for all ages, including volunteer opportunities, sponsor partnerships, and accessible evening events.
Where: Cambridge | More Info: River Lights Winter Festival
Christmas Toy Bingo
What to Expect:
High-stakes bingo with exclusive toy prizes.
Description:
Join the Christmas Toy Bingo at the Caledonia Fair for a wildly fun fundraiser supporting the Caledonia Agricultural Society and Mary Poppins Cooperative Preschool. Each ticket includes three cards for ten games, with prizes like an Xbox Series X, Kids Ride-On Vehicle, and Barbie Dream House. Additional raffle tickets offer chances to win more amazing gifts, and specialty beverages are available at the bar.
Where: Caledonia | More Info: Christmas Toy Bingo
Caledonia Breakfast With Santa
What to Expect:
Meet Santa Claus while enjoying a hearty breakfast.
Description:
Join us for a delicious eat-in breakfast in support of Senior Support Services and the Caledonia Agricultural Society, featuring Santa Claus. Savor the flavors of freshly prepared breakfast items like fluffy pancakes, savory sausages, and crispy bacon.
Where: Caledonia | More Info: Caledonia Breakfast With Santa
Christmas Tree Sale
What to Expect:
Unique selection of fresh-cut trees with pet-friendly environment.
Description:
Visit Evergreen Tree Farm to choose and cut your own Christmas tree from a variety of species, including Balsam Fir, White Spruce, and Blue Spruce. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the season with complimentary parking and no admission charge. Explore the gift shop for festive decor and wreaths, and stay to roast marshmallows by the campfire.
Where: Guelph | More Info: Christmas Tree Sale
Oktoberfest at Bingemans KoolHaus (extends into November)
What to Expect:
Authentic Bavarian experience with live music and traditional German cuisine.
Description:
Oktoberfest at Bingemans KoolHaus is a celebration of Bavarian traditions and entertainment, featuring live music, traditional German food, and a variety of activities.
Where: Kitchener | More Info: Oktoberfest at Bingemans KoolHaus (extends into November)
Spooky All Hallows' Eve
What to Expect:
Immersive Halloween experience with historical and contemporary elements.
Description:
Explore the origins of Halloween traditions at Lang Pioneer Village, where the historic village transforms into a spooky fun scene with ghostly graveyards, witches' lairs, fortune telling, and tractor rides.
Where: Keene | More Info: Spooky All Hallows' Eve
Trick or Treat at PMV
What to Expect:
Interactive Halloween activities in a historic village setting.
Description:
Trick or Treat at PMV offers Halloween-themed activities and decorations throughout the village, providing a fun experience for all ages.
Where: Pickering | More Info: Trick or Treat at PMV
Ghost Walk at Pickering Museum
What to Expect:
Paranormal-themed tour with historical insights.
Description:
The Ghost Walk at Pickering Museum is a spine-tingling tour that leads visitors through the village by lantern-light, sharing paranormal investigations, infamous staff stories, and historical tragedies.
Where: Pickering | More Info: Ghost Walk at Pickering Museum
Creepy Caledonia Ghost Tours
What to Expect:
Lantern-lit walking tour with local ghost stories.
Description:
Explore historic Caledonia on a lantern-lit walking tour featuring local ghost stories, legends, and folklore. This unique historical tour is great for all ages, offering insights into the town's interesting ghostly history.
Where: Caledonia | More Info: Creepy Caledonia Ghost Tours
Cemetery Tours
What to Expect:
Spooky historical walking tour with unsettling stories.
Description:
Explore the spooky side of Wellington County history on a guided tour from the Wellington County Museum to the Poor House Cemetery. Learn unsettling stories about the people who called this place home.
Where: Wellington | More Info: Cemetery Tours
Vaughan Culture Days 2024 (though mostly in October, some events in November)
What to Expect:
Celebrating arts, culture, and heritage with diverse activities.
Description:
Vaughan Culture Days 2024 is a three-week celebration of arts, culture, and heritage featuring free workshops, performances, exhibits, tours, and interactive activities for the whole family. The event highlights the diversity of Vaughan with over 217 ethnic or cultural origins and 113 different languages spoken.
Where: Vaughan | More Info: Vaughan Culture Days 2024 (though mostly in October, some events in November)
Festive Fun in Nearby Cities!
Discover Holiday events in hundreds of cities worldwide. Check out these nearby locations for more festive fun!
- Fergus (13 miles)
- Cambridge (13 miles)
- Waterloo (14 miles)
- Kitchener (15 miles)
- Milton (19 miles)
- Burlington (24 miles)
- Caledon (26 miles)
- Brampton (26 miles)
- Ancaster (26 miles)
- Orangeville (27 miles)
- Brantford (29 miles)
- Hamilton (29 miles)
- Brant (29 miles)
- Oakville (29 miles)
- Mississauga (30 miles)
- Etobicoke (35 miles)
- West Humber-Clairville (35 miles)
- Islington-City Centre West (36 miles)
- Mount Olive-Silverstone-Jamestown (36 miles)
- Willowridge-Martingrove-Richview (36 miles)
- Stratford (37 miles)
- Kingsview Village-The Westway (37 miles)
- Mimico (38 miles)
- Woodstock (38 miles)
- Stonegate-Queensway (38 miles)
- Rockcliffe-Smythe (39 miles)
- Glenfield-Jane Heights (40 miles)
- Black Creek (40 miles)
- High Park North (40 miles)
- High Park-Swansea (40 miles)
- Downsview-Roding-CFB (40 miles)
- York University Heights (41 miles)
- South Parkdale (41 miles)
- Dovercourt-Wallace Emerson-Junction (42 miles)
- Oakwood Village (42 miles)
- Grimsby (42 miles)
- Englemount-Lawrence (43 miles)
- Vaughan (43 miles)
- Niagara (43 miles)
- Westminster-Branson (43 miles)
- Annex (43 miles)
- Bedford Park-Nortown (44 miles)
- Bay Street Corridor (44 miles)
- Toronto (44 miles)
- Waterfront Communities-The Island (44 miles)
- Newtonbrook West (44 miles)
- Mount Pleasant West (45 miles)
- Church-Yonge Corridor (45 miles)
- Rosedale-Moore Park (45 miles)
- Moss Park (45 miles)