Make your holiday visit to Hamilton merry and bright with our guide to the best events, gifts, food and good cheer this holiday season.
Classic Holiday Events
Jingle all the way to these iconic Hamilton holiday events.
- Explore the magic of the Botanical Train display at Royal Botanical Gardens this holiday season. While you’re there, hop aboard the RBG Express.
- Enjoy an intimate Christmas Evening Tour of historic Dundurn Castle with carol singing, traditional Christmas treats and stunning Victorian-era holiday decorations.
- Bundle up and head to Westfield Heritage Village to experience an old-fashioned Christmas in the Woods, complete with a horse-drawn wagon ride, treats and a roaring fire.
- Experience the magic of the beloved CP Holiday Train when it rolls into Hamilton’s Gage Park.
- Sing along to classic hits with Boney M and Barenaked Ladies Hometown Holidays or experience a true Hamilton holiday classic at JR Digs Annual Acoustic Christmas Concert.
- Join the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra for a festive evening of classic carols.
- Celebrate the season with friends and family and experience A Hamilton Holiday at Theatre Aquarius.
A Made-in-Hamilton Gift Guide
Give your loved ones a piece of Hamilton this holiday season.
- Give the gift of delicious eats with a restaurant gift card. Head to Hometown Hub to search by restaurant type and location.
- For the brew and wine lovers on your list, check out these Hamilton bottle shops: Sunny Corner Bar, Red Church, Endless and Dundurn Market.
- Share Hamilton’s outdoor playground with a membership to Royal Botanical Gardens or Hamilton Conservation Authority.
- Pick up something pretty and unique at well-curated shops like: Studio 205, Pretty Grit, STORE on James and The Local Life.
Filmed Here Holiday Movies
Watch these filmed-in-Hamilton holiday movies and see how many locations you recognize.
- Six Degrees of Santa was filmed at local spots like charming gift shop Studio 205, downtown’s Radius Restaurant, and the beautifully restored Westinghouse HQ.
- A Candlelit Christmas, about rediscovering family holiday traditions, was shot at Westfield Heritage Village in rural Rockton, and Hamilton’s iconic Ancaster Mill restaurant – both picture-perfect holiday destinations.
Festive Food & Drink
Say cheers to the season with these festive food and drink experiences.
- Bring your family and friends together with a delicious holiday-themed meal at local spots like Radius with its Holiday Wonders specials or host an unforgettable holiday party at Rapscallion.
- Make the extra season sweet with Cake & Loaf’s Holiday Menu including paint-your-own Hannuka kits.
- Build a delicious gingerbread house with your family and cheers to the season, as Cake & Loaf and Grain & Grit Brewery partner up for this festive kit.
- After a day spent gift shopping, warm up with a cup of joe in some of these top-rated coffee shops.
- Satisfy the chocolate lovers on your list with the best sweats and treats in the city.
Ho Ho Holiday Markets
Grab those one-of-a-king gifts at these Hamilton holiday markets.
- Stuffed! holiday market is one of the city’s coolest holiday shopping destinations with over fifty vendors, live DJ, and local food and drinks.
- Treat yourself to a pint and some holiday shopping as local breweries and cideries Merit Brewery, Fairweather Brewing, Steel Town Cider and West Avenue Cider host holiday markets.
- Mom Market Hamilton is hosting a special Holiday Pop-up Market at Shed Brewery, so yo can sip while you shop.
- Showcasing over twenty local BIPOC and 2SLGBTQIA+ vendors, the Holiday Night Market is the perfect place to pick up something special.
- Craftadian, Christmas in Ancaster Craft Show, Handmade in Hamilton and the Ancaster Christmas Craft Show have you covered when it comes to everything locally handmade, from artwork, clothing, jewelry and pottery.