Along with flurries and freezing temperatures comes the return of a number of traditional holiday events this weekend across the Hamilton, Halton and Niagara regions.
Environment Canada’s forecast is calling for very light snow around Hamilton and Halton with daytime highs of between -2 C and -4 C.
Meanwhile, Niagara Region will have similar temperatures but will look a little more like Christmas with several centimetres of snow.
Here are just a few Christmas-themed events to check out in and around southern Ontario this weekend.
Winter Festival of Lights
In Niagara Falls, the Winter Festival of Lights is underway for the 40th straight year.
Janice Thomson, president and CEO of Niagara Falls Tourism, says approximately one million people are expected to take in the light show this winter, which will ultimately boost the economy by millions of dollars.
“It’s 101 nights, so it runs from now right through until family day, February the 20th,” Thomson told 900 CHML’s Good Morning Hamilton.
“So it’s now been extended. It’s a longer period. So our numbers may, in fact, be higher than that.”
The annual event brings Christmas-themed boat tours, fireworks, helicopter tours and a new illumination on the falls created specifically to mark the 40th anniversary.
More information on the event, which runs now until mid-February, can be seen on the Winter Festival website.
Magic of Locke
Locke Street merchants will celebrate the start of the festive season Saturday and Sunday with tree lightings, late-night shopping, Santa visits and Victorian carolers.
Aldershot Village Tree Lighting
The event runs from 2 to 6 p.m. with the actual lighting at 6 p.m. just off 355 Plains Rd. E.
It includes a vendor market, choirs, Santa visits and Halton police’s Cram-a-Cruiser taking donations of a non-perishable food item.
Christmas in the City Market
The Christmas in the City Market runs Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at McMaster Innovation Park.
The event cost $5 and supports medically challenged, medical crisis, isolated and palliative care patients, in particular those at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
More than 40 vendors, including food trucks and photo ops with Santa, will be on site.
Santa parades
Multiple Christmas-themed parades are happpening across the Hamilton, Halton and Niagara regions this weekend.
They include:
- Hamilton Santa Claus Parade – Saturday at 6 p.m.
- Oakville Santa Claus Parade – Saturday at 9 a.m.
- Ohsweken Santa Claus Parade – Saturday at 10 a.m. from the Ohsweken Speedway
- Cambridge Santa Claus Parade – Saturday at 6 p.m.
- Toronto Santa Claus Parade – Sunday at 12:30 p.m.