It’s time for some ‘cool’ outdoor play! Get into the spirit at a winter festival. Winter carnivals are typically held in January, February & March and are a great way to beat those winter blues! Ontario winter festivals often include fun activities like ice carving, dog sled racing, traditional winter games, trail walks, winter lights, maple syrup, snow shoeing, sledding, skating and plenty of other creative winter activities.
2025 Winter Festivals Guide in and around Toronto
Celebrate Winter in the GTA and Southern Ontario
2025 Winter Festivals
Winter Nights, City Lights
Nov 15, 2024
to Jan 31, 2025
The Esplanade Park
Pickering’s Winter Nights, City Lights kicks off the holiday season with family fun After the event, the park will be lit until January 31st. Join us for our annual winter season celebration! Watch as we light up Esplanade Park with ...
Burlington Festival of Lights
Nov 29, 2024
to Jan 8, 2025
Spencer Smith Park
Celebrating 29 Years of Holiday Magic The Festival of Lights illuminates Burlington’s waterfront through December to early January each year. Thousands of local residents and visitors from across the region, and beyond, have made it a seasonal tradition to wander ...
Cavalcade of Lights
Nov 30, 2024
to Jan 7, 2025
Nathan Phillips Square
Experience the magic of the holiday season with the much-loved Cavalcade of Lights presented by Desjardins Financial Group. With an opening night inspired by international lantern, fire and light festivals and winter solstice celebrations, Cavalcade of Lights is a free ...
Winterlit
Dec 29, 2024
to Feb 17, 2025
Mountsberg Conservation Area
Add some whimsy to your winter nights and plan your visit to Mountsberg’s award-winning display of outdoor lights at Winterlit. Enjoy a moonlit stroll along two different trails featuring sustainably sourced, illuminated art installations. This unique evening out is a ...
Ignite the Night
Jan 11, 2025
to Mar 1, 2025
Terra Cotta Conservation Area
Explore a brightly lit 2-kilometre winter trail at Ignite the Night. Visitors can experience the beauty of Terra Cotta CA’s forest after dark on Saturday nights from January 4 until March 1, 2025. Ignite the Night lights up different parts ...
Huntsville SnowFest
Jan 24, 2025
to Mar 2, 2025
River Mill Park
This season-long celebration transforms the heart of Muskoka into a frosty playground for families seeking winter magic on ice. On select weekends, the River Mill Skating Rink comes alive with a unique blend of entertainment that’ll have you lacing up ...
The Fire & Ice Festival
Jan 25, 2025
to Jan 25, 2025
Downtown Bracebridge
Join us on January 25th, 2025 in Downtown Bracebridge. The “FIRE” features include performances by talented fire artists and a spectacular fireworks display. Warm up around the many fire pits throughout the festival and enjoy a classic Muskoka treat, ...
Stratford WinterFest
Jan 25, 2025
to Jan 25, 2025
Stratford Upper Queens Park
Stratford’s Annual Winter Festival is packed with family fun activities and demonstrations. Blacksmith Demonstrations begin Zoltan the Adequate Show Ice Sculpting Face Painting Blacksmith Demonstrations Maple Taffy Great Canadian Lumberjack Show and more!
Port Union Winterfest
Jan 25, 2025
to Jan 25, 2025
Port Union Community Centre
On Saturday January 25th Port Union Winterfest will be celebrating their 25th Festival. at Port Union Community Centre starting at 11:00 am until 3:00 PM. The festival features a market place, live entertainment, games and activities for kids, cloting swap, ...
Taste of the Middle East Winter Festival
Jan 31, 2025
to Feb 2, 2025
Mississauga Convention Centre
Celebrating Arabic Music, Art, and Culture The 1st Annual Taste of the Middle East Winter Festival 2023 will transform “The Mississauga Convention Centre” into a walk through the streets & souks of the Middle East, serving up the delightful tastes ...
Port Carling Winterfest
Jan 31, 2025
to Feb 2, 2025
Port Carling Community Centre
Join us at Port Carling’s annual Winterfest! The Muskoka Lakes Museum will be back with our classic snow snakes – a traditional Haudenosaunee winter game. Come and try your luck to win a free family pass to the museum for ...
Winterlude - Ottawa
Jan 31, 2025
to Feb 17, 2025
Various locations, Ottawa, Ontario
From January 31 to February 17, 2025, let Winterlude inspire, entertain and warm you up across Ottawa and Gatineau! A highlight of the winter season, THIS is Winterlude! Experience the best the Canadian winter has to offer at the free ...
PolarFest
Jan 31, 2025
to Feb 2, 2025
Town of Selwyn
PolarFest is an exciting family festival, offering something for everyone to enjoy! A weekend full of laughter, friendly competition and the enjoyment of winter. Choose from activities for the young and the young at heart, including: Opening Ceremony with fireworks ...
Sunnidale Winterama
Jan 31, 2025
to Feb 2, 2025
New Lowell
Sunnidale Winterama is a winter-themed festival presented by Clearview Township and has celebrated winter activities since 1975 in the village of New Lowell. Touting itself as “the greatest little show on snow”, active volunteers known as the “Friends of Winterama” ...
Kuumba
Feb 1, 2025
to Feb 28, 2025
Harbourfront Centre
Toronto’s largest and longest-running Black Futures Month festival, plus our year-long initiative KUUMBA 365 Harbourfront Centre’s KUUMBA Festival, presented by TD Bank Group through the Bank’s Corporate Citizenship platform, the TD Ready Commitment, is Toronto’s largest and longest-running Black Futures ...
Barrie WinterFest
Feb 1, 2025
to Feb 2, 2025
Centennial Park in Barrie
The City of Barrie proudly presents Barrie Winterfest, a community tradition and one of the top winter festivals in Ontario. Enjoy spectacular ice sculptures, lumberjack shows, polar bear dip, family entertainment, drop-in activities, skating & much more winter fun. The ...
Richmond Hill Winter Carnival
Feb 1, 2025
to Feb 2, 2025
Mill Pond
The annual Richmond Hill Winter Carnival returns Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 1 and 2, 2025 at Mill Pond! Enjoy traditional outdoor activities such as children’s games and crafts, the wood carver, Viking display, Lumberjack shows, children’s colouring contest, live entertainment, ...
Vaughan Winterfest
Feb 1, 2025
to Feb 2, 2025
Velore Village Community Centre
Join for exciting entertainment and fun activities for the whole family to enjoy as Vaughan celebrates its annual Winterfest. NEW for 2025, this is now a two-day event! Saturday, February 1, 2025, 4pm-8pm, outdoors only Sunday, February 2, 2025, 10am-3pm, ...
Hamilton WinterFest
Feb 1, 2025
to Feb 17, 2025
Multiple Venues in Hamilton, Ontario
The City of Hamilton, Cobalt Connects Creativity and dozens of community-led event organizers are excited to welcome you to Hamilton Winterfest 2025! The event features, music, food, crafts, movies, cartoons, fashion and much more. Running from February 1-17, 2025, Hamilton ...
Gravenhurst Winter Carnival
Feb 14, 2025
to Feb 17, 2025
Various Venues, Gravenhurrst
The Gravenhurst Winter Carnival is a cherished annual tradition in the heart of Muskoka, celebrating the magic of winter with fun for all ages. This family-friendly event offers exciting activities like snowmobile puddle-jumps, the demo derby, polar dip, and snow ...
Dorset Snowball Winter Carnival
Feb 14, 2025
to Feb 15, 2025
Dorset Recreation Centre
Snowball presents a wide variety of activities including horse-drawn wagon rides, face painting, cardboard toboggan races, a hockey shoot-out, silent auction and more! New this year, we have a chainsaw carver and an interactive walk-through zoo featuring exotic animals. You ...
Maple Syrup Experience at Elliott Tree Farm
Feb 15, 2025
to Apr 6, 2025
Elliott Tree Farm
The Elliott Tree Farm 2025 Maple Syrup Experience kicks off on Saturday February 15 for Family Day Weekend! Join us within an hour of the GTA for our annual Canadian tradition with our famous pancake breakfast at the Horse Barn ...
Mid-Winter Social: Experience Winter
Feb 15, 2025
to Feb 17, 2025
Discovery Harbour
Discovery Harbour celebrates winter by welcoming visitors to the historic site in tandem with the Town of Penetanguishene at their 77th Annual Winterama on February 15-17, 2025 from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. daily. Activities may include (please see website ...
Penetanguishene Winterama
Feb 15, 2025
to Feb 16, 2025
Town of Penetanguishine
Town of Penetanguishene organized events occur from Saturday, February 15th until Sunday, February 16th. Specific details on local businesses and partners who host events and discounts will be posted in the event schedule. 77th Annual Winterama Buttons Buttons have returned! ...
Puppet Festival Mississauga
Mar 8, 2025
to Mar 16, 2025
Maja Prentice Theatre
Looking for things to do in Mississauga with the family this March Break? Treat your family to quality theatre at Puppet Festival Mississauga this March Break. From March 8-16, 2025, Puppet Festival Mississauga presents puppet shows and educational activities specifically curated ...
Sweetwater Harvest Festival
Mar 22, 2025
to Mar 23, 2025
Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre
Spring is in the air! Join the Friends of Wye Marsh and Sainte-Marie Among the Hurons for a celebration of the spring season and all things maple syrup! Wander through the sugar bush and visit the sugar shack to watch ...
