As of October 21, North York has a Christmas market on Nov 28, a menorah lighting on Dec 7, a botanical-garden market over two weekends, and two lantern-lit nights at Black Creek. The big downtown lightings are locked in; the neighbourhood tree lighting and the mall displays are not announced yet. We say which is which, and we will update this page as dates land.
Four things have 2026 dates on an official page: the We Love Willowdale Christmas Market at Mel Lastman Square (Sat Nov 28), the Public Menorah Lighting there (Mon Dec 7), the Holiday EcoMarket at the Toronto Botanical Garden (Nov 20-22 and Dec 18-20), and Festive Nights at The Village at Black Creek (Dec 12 and 19, 6-9 PM).
Not yet announced: the Yonge North York BIA tree lighting, mall displays at Yorkdale, Fairview and Shops at Don Mills, any repeat of the Aga Khan Museum's projection show, and the De Sario family's Benjamin Boake Trail display. Downtown, the Distillery Winter Village opens Nov 12 and the Cavalcade of Lights is listed for Nov 28.
Each listing below comes from the organizer's page or the City of Toronto's Mel Lastman Square calendar, checked October 21, 2026. Where an organizer has not posted hours, we say so instead of copying last year's.
Organized by Neighbourlink at the square beside the North York Civic Centre. The City's calendar lists the date but not the hours. For reference, the 2025 market ran 2 to 8 PM with a tree lighting at 6:30 PM; treat that as a pattern, not a promise. A 2026 RSVP page lists free, pay-what-you-can, $5, $10 and $20 tiers.
A nature-inspired, sustainable shopping market with new vendors each weekend. Hours are Friday 2-6 PM, Saturday and Sunday 10 AM-4 PM, and admission is free. The Garden does not list a lights event for 2026; the grounds stay open dawn to dusk, so the market is a daytime visit.
The closest thing to a true light night on the confirmed list: a heritage village glowing with traditional lights and lantern-lit buildings, with live music, storytelling and a stop at Santa's Cottage. Tickets are $37.20 adult / $31.45 youth (4-17) on Dec 12 and $39.95 / $34.00 on Dec 19, plus HST. A daytime Santa at the Village runs on seven dates from Dec 12 to 23.
Hosted by the Jewish Russian Community Centre. Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, Dec 4 and ends Saturday, Dec 12, so Dec 7 is the fourth night. The City's calendar gives no time yet.
Black Creek is the only confirmed North York event built around evening light, and Dec 12 is $2.75 cheaper for adults than Dec 19. Mel Lastman Square on Nov 28 is the free, walk-up option, and it falls on the same evening as downtown's Cavalcade of Lights, so pick one.
These are North York displays that ran in earlier years. None has a 2026 date on an official page as of October 21, so none is in the table below. We will add them when the dates are posted.
Both are in the city centre, not North York. They are the big-ticket dates people search for, so here is when they fall relative to the local calendar.
Opens Thursday, Nov 12, 2026 with a ticketed 6 PM tree lighting, and runs to Jan 3, 2027. General admission starts at $16 plus HST and fees; children 9 and under are free; tickets are online only. Entry is free during quieter periods. Closed Dec 25.
Toronto's official tree lighting, free, listed for Saturday, Nov 28 by Toronto's tourism guide (checked October 2026). The City's own Cavalcade page had not posted 2026 dates as of Oct 21, so confirm there before travelling. Nightly skating and light installations follow for the season.
North York first, downtown last. Unconfirmed displays are left out on purpose.
| Event | Date | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holiday EcoMarket | Nov 20-22 & Dec 18-20 (Fri 2-6 PM; Sat-Sun 10 AM-4 PM) | Toronto Botanical Garden, 777 Lawrence Ave E | Free |
| We Love Willowdale Christmas Market | Sat Nov 28 (hours not posted) | Mel Lastman Square, 5100 Yonge St | Free / pay-what-you-can RSVP tiers up to $20 |
| Public Menorah Lighting | Mon Dec 7 (time not posted) | Mel Lastman Square, 5100 Yonge St | Not stated |
| Festive Nights | Dec 12 & 19, 6-9 PM | The Village at Black Creek, 1000 Murray Ross Pkwy | $31.45-$39.95 + HST |
| Santa at the Village | Dec 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, noon-4 PM | The Village at Black Creek | $22.50-$27.45 + HST |
| Distillery Winter Village (downtown) | Nov 12 - Jan 3, 2027 | Distillery Historic District | From $16 + HST and fees |
| Cavalcade of Lights (downtown) | Sat Nov 28, 5-10 PM | Nathan Phillips Square | Free |
Not one with a confirmed date yet. The Yonge North York BIA's Festive Season 2026 page shows banners for a Christmas Market and a tree lighting but says "Stay Tuned" with no dates. The City of Toronto's Mel Lastman Square listing (updated September 28, 2026) shows the We Love Willowdale Christmas Market on November 28 and no tree lighting. At the 2025 edition of that market, the tree lighting was at 6:30 PM — a likely but unconfirmed pattern for 2026.
Saturday, November 28, 2026, at Mel Lastman Square (5100 Yonge St), organized by Neighbourlink. The City's listing gives no hours. The 2025 market ran 2 to 8 PM. A 2026 RSVP page lists free, pay-what-you-can, $5, $10 and $20 tiers.
Confirmed for 2026: Festive Nights at The Village at Black Creek (1000 Murray Ross Pkwy) on December 12 and 19, 6 to 9 PM, with lantern-lit buildings and traditional lights. Unconfirmed for 2026: the De Sario family's long-running display on Benjamin Boake Trail, which ran nightly from 5 to 11 PM from early December 2025 to January 6, 2026, and a repeat of the Aga Khan Museum's Light Up the Dark projection show, last held December 27 to 29, 2025.
Yes, two with 2026 dates. The We Love Willowdale Christmas Market is at Mel Lastman Square on November 28. The Toronto Botanical Garden's Holiday EcoMarket runs November 20 to 22 and December 18 to 20 (Friday 2 to 6 PM, Saturday and Sunday 10 AM to 4 PM) with free admission.
Both are downtown, outside North York. The Distillery Winter Village opens Thursday, November 12, 2026, with a ticketed 6 PM tree lighting, and runs to January 3, 2027. Toronto's tourism guide lists the Cavalcade of Lights at Nathan Phillips Square for Saturday, November 28, 5 to 10 PM, free; the City's own Cavalcade page had not posted 2026 dates as of October 21.
Adult (18+) tickets are $37.20 on December 12 and $39.95 on December 19; youth (4 to 17) are $31.45 and $34.00, all plus HST. Member rates are lower. Hours are 6 to 9 PM.
No lights event is listed for 2026. The Garden's Holiday EcoMarket is a daytime and early-evening shopping event, and the grounds are open year-round from dawn to dusk.
Yes. Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4 and ends Saturday, December 12. The Public Menorah Lighting at Mel Lastman Square is listed for December 7, which falls on the fourth night; no time has been published.
The season before this one: trick-or-treat streets, Black Creek and Downsview.
What's open and what isn't on the long weekend.
Updated weekly, ranked.
Recurring festivals: when each usually runs and what it costs.
Arena schedules from the City of Toronto.
The full calendar.
Join North Yorkers who get our weekly weekend brief.
No spam. Privacy Policy
Check your inbox for a welcome from us.