Toronto Christmas Market 2026: Distillery Winter Village Guide

The Toronto Christmas Market is now called the Distillery Winter Village, and it's the holiday outing in this city worth building an evening around. You get brick lanes, a 55-foot tree, something hot to drink and dinner a short walk away. It runs from November 12, 2026 to January 3, 2027, and it's closed on Christmas Day.

The smartest visit is free. Come Monday to Wednesday before December 14, arrive in the afternoon and stay for the lights. On busier nights, a dinner reservation at a Distillery restaurant replaces the $19.89 admission ticket. Everything else you need is below: when it's free, which ticket to buy, what to eat and how to get there now that the King streetcar route has changed.

Tickets • Daily schedule

For a first visit, pick a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday between November 16 and December 9. There's no 4 p.m. cutoff to worry about, so you can browse in daylight and stay for the lights. November 19 and 26 are free Thursdays too.

On paid days, you have to be through the gate before 4 p.m. to get in free, so being in line at 3:55 won't do it. Lines build from about 3 p.m., so aim for 2 to 2:30. You can stay as long as you like once you're in, but it won't be fully dark until around 5, so plan on filling a couple of hours. If you leave after 4, you'll need a ticket to come back.

Hours and holiday changes

Shops open at 10 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Food cabins and vendors keep close to the same closing times, but plan on noon or later if you're coming to eat.

A few dates run differently. Shops close at 5 p.m. on November 25. Everything closes at 6 p.m. on December 24, and the Village is closed December 25. Shops keep shorter noon–5 p.m. hours on December 26 and January 1. On December 31 the cabins stay open until midnight, and on January 3 they close at 6 p.m. The daily schedule has the full list.

Tree lighting on opening night

The tree lighting is Thursday, November 12 at 6 p.m., with live music from 4 p.m. Santa flips the switch, and profits from opening-night tickets go to the Village's charity partners. Book the 4–7 p.m. window, since a 7–9 p.m. ticket gets you in after the lighting. It's the busiest night to arrive, so pick another evening if the ceremony isn't the point. Opening-night tickets.

New Year's Eve

December 31 has its own ticket options. General Admission and Express cover arrival from 4 to 9 p.m., and there's a separate General Admission entry for the late-night event starting at 10 p.m. Flex isn't sold that day. The Village's New Year's event starts at 10 p.m. and cabins stay open until midnight. Check your entry time carefully before you buy.

General Admission is enough for most people, and you may not need a ticket at all. Tickets are sold online only, with no box office at the gate. Kids 9 and under are free and don't need one.

Totals include the service fee and HST. Tickets are non-refundable, but you can give yours to someone else by forwarding the confirmation. Your arrival window only sets when you enter, so you can stay until closing. There's no in-and-out, so finish anything outside the district first.

Skip the ticket with a dinner reservation

If you have a dinner reservation at a Distillery restaurant or a ticket to a show at one of its theatres, you don't need a Village ticket during paid hours. Show your confirmation to security at the gate, on your phone is fine. For two people on a December weekend, that's about $40 back toward dinner. A coffee, a shop visit or a plan to walk in for dinner doesn't count. The Immersive Nutcracker doesn't either: if you go during paid hours, you'll need both tickets.

The tree plus one main activity is a full visit. Add more only if everyone's still having a good time.

Santa's hours here and across the city are in our guide to where to see Santa in Toronto.

Nutcracker tickets

Shopping

The outdoor cabins are only half of it. New this year, the Cooperage Marketplace puts seven independent Canadian businesses in an 1860s building, and Maplee Market is a shop of local brands and makers. Quince's gingerbread-style Cashmere Cabin is the big sponsor stop. Save time for the year-round shops and galleries too.

Live performances

Performances are on the stage in front of the tree and come free with admission, so regular ticket rules still apply. These are the ones to plan around. The performance page has the rest, and there's live music December 28–30 from 4 to 8 p.m.

• Sunday, November 15: A Super Simple Christmas with Caitie & Tobee, 1 p.m.
• Sunday, November 22: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, 6 and 7 p.m.
• Sunday, November 29: Opera Atelier, 6 and 7 p.m.
• Friday, December 4: Canadian Opera Company, 6 p.m.
• Sunday, December 13: A Very Merry Mirvish Concert, 7 p.m.

A show at Soulpepper

Soulpepper's romantic comedy Parfumerie runs November 18 to December 20 at the theatre inside the district. It's the best way to get out of the cold for a couple of hours, and your show ticket gets you through the gate during paid hours. Book the show first, then fit dinner around the curtain.

There are more than 50 food vendors and outdoor bars, so go in with a short list: one savoury stop, one treat, then see how hungry you are. If you've booked dinner, go easy.

Market food shortlist

• Carousel Bakery: the peameal bacon sandwich or an apple fritter. The St. Lawrence Market classic, new to the Village this year.
• Stick Shift Robata: the A5 Wagyu Sando, and the splurge of the lineup.
• Prince St. Pizza: a cult favourite by the slice, and an easy pick for a group.
• Spirit of York: the Yorkie Burrito, a Village favourite when you want something savoury you can carry.
• Cluny: the torched s'mores hot chocolate, if you only have one.
• Peacock Bakehouse: elaborate cookies in inventive flavours, and the treat to take home.

Potato Bar, Japan Taco, WuBaEats, Scooped by Demetres and the new Sweet Crumble are good backups if there's a line.

Chef's Lane is back with four new cabins and a dish each from Michael Angeloni, Afrim Pristine, Taylor Wells and Arush Vardhan Singh. You'll also find the Río Celeste Chocolate Waterfall this year, a flowing chocolate display with chocolate-drizzled pineapple and banana.

If anyone in your group has a food allergy, ask about ingredients at each cabin, or book a table instead.

Outdoor bars

• The Canuck Tavern: a new Canadian-themed bar on the Archeo patio with Muskoka chairs, fire pits and hockey on the big screen. It's the casual pick for a group of friends.
• Naughty or Nice Bar: the Pure Spirits courtyard bar, lit with 50,000 white and blue lights and built around a long communal table. Good for a quick drink between the market and dinner.
• Silent Night Disco: DJ nights on the heated patio in the Cluny Tunnel, with disco balls and mousse au chocolat. Check the schedule, since the DJs don't play all day.
• Merry Matcha: a new Trinity Street stop for alcohol-free matcha drinks, with flavours like ube and strawberry rose.

Restaurants to book

All five restaurants are inside the district, and any of them can double as your way in on a paid night. Book early for December weekends and ask for an indoor table if you want to warm up, since some seating is on heated patios. Have your confirmation ready at the gate.

For more decorated dining rooms around the city, see Toronto's most festive Christmas restaurants.

Coffee and a quick bite

These are good for warming up, but they don't get you past the gate during paid hours.

Take transit or a rideshare if you can. Parking is limited and construction makes it worse.

King streetcar change: the 504A no longer runs to the Distillery. Since November 1, 504 King streetcars run between Dundas West and Broadview stations, and a 504C replacement bus runs to the Distillery end at Front Street East and Cherry Street. Some directions online still say otherwise, so check the TTC trip planner on the day. The TTC's notice warns that more changes may follow.

The 121 and 65 get extra service on Fridays from 4 p.m. and on weekends from 11 a.m. Castle Frank Station isn't accessible.

Rideshare: the drop-off is on Trinity Street north of Mill Street, in front of the main gates.

Accessibility: Wheel-Trans uses the main gate at 55 Mill Street, which is also the designated accessible entrance. The district has ramps and two public washrooms with accessible stalls and changing facilities, but the cobblestones are uneven, so strollers and wheelchairs have an easier time earlier in the day.

Driving: if you have to drive, check parking before you leave. The Green P garage at 70 Distillery Lane is accessed from Cherry Street.

St. Lawrence is about a 15–20 minute walk west of the Distillery, and it's the best pairing for a full afternoon. There are two separate things to know about here.

How to do both: start at St. Lawrence around noon for lunch and the outdoor vendors, then walk east and reach the Distillery by 2 or 2:30 p.m. Do it in that order, since there's no in-and-out at the Village on paid nights. The easiest days are Thursday, November 19 and Thursday, November 26, when both markets are free all day. November 26 also happens to be U.S. Thanksgiving, if you're visiting from the States. Here's where to celebrate American Thanksgiving in Toronto.

Winter Market details • St. Lawrence Market hours

St. Lawrence and 20 more are in our Toronto Christmas markets guide.