Looking for some fun cheap & FREE things to do in Toronto at Christmas time? This guide is for you!
As someone who lived in Toronto for over 6 years and is a huge lover of all things Christmas, I definitely did my fair share of Christmas activities in Toronto every winter.
Although I already have a full guide on fun things to do in Toronto at Christmas, I wanted to put together a guide that is specifically for activities that are budget friendly.
I understand that this time of year especially can be difficult for some families financially, and so I wanted to put together a list of cheap & free things to do at Toronto at Christmas time.
I hope this guide inspires you to get out and enjoy some of Toronto’s many affordable Christmas activities this winter!
PS – if you’re headed to Toronto soon, you might also want to check out these posts:
- 24 Incredibly Fun Things to do in Toronto at Christmas
- 8 Magical Christmas Towns in Ontario
- 16 Instagrammable Pink Places in Toronto
- 30 Best Picnic Spots in Toronto
- 13 Best Beaches in Toronto you Need to Visit this Summer
- 16 Reasons You’ll Love Staying with the Four Seasons Toronto
- Where to Stay in Toronto: The Shangri-La Hotel
And be sure to follow me on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. I share a lot of travel content on those that never make it to the blog!
Now, onto the guide of cheap & completely free things to do in Toronto at Christmas time!
Cheap Things to do in Toronto at Christmas Time
Let’s start this guide off with cheap activities to do this Christmas in Toronto.
All of these activities are under $20 per person, with most being quite a bit below that.
I’ve included the price of each activity for your reference :).
1. Visit the Distillery Winter Village
Where: 55 Mill St
When: Nov 18th – Dec 30th
Cost: FREE during the week, but $15-18 per person after 4pm on Thursdays and Fridays as well as all day on Saturdays and Sundays
The Toronto Christmas Market (now called the Distillery Winter Village) has always been one of my favourite cheap Christmas activities to do in Toronto.
If you’re able to visit the Distillery Winter Village during the week it is completely free and much less busy.
However, you will find there are less attractions and things going on during the week.
I personally have always preferred visiting weekdays anyways to avoid the crowds, and if you can do that I highly recommend it!
There are all sorts of Christmas themed activities to enjoy at the Distillery Winter Village.
From hot chocolate and mulled-wine, to warm pretzels, poutine, candied nuts, and all sorts of delicious holiday treats you won’t go hungry here!
There are also lots of little pop-up shops selling all sorts of things from Christmas decorations to gifts.
But even if you don’t have extra money to spend beyond your admission, The Distillery Winter Village is lots of fun to walk around.
There are all sorts of activations and Christmas photo opportunities.
You can even enjoy live carollers singing by the iconic Distillery Winter Village Christmas tree which is a beautiful sight to see.
You can book your tickets for the Distillery Winter Village here!
2. Go Skating at Nathan Phillips Square
Where: 100 Queen St W
When: Nov 27th – March 20th
Cost: Skate rentals are $15 for 2 hours, entrance is free if you have your own skates!
As if I would write a guide to the best cheap & free things to do in Toronto at Christmas time without including skating at Nathan Phillips Square!
Skating at Nathan Phillips Square during the winter season is easily one of Toronto’s most iconic Christmas activities.
I am certainly not the greatest skater, but I still love doing laps on an outdoor rink with friends, surrounded by twinkling lights while listening to holiday tunes.
Grab a few of your friends (or family members) and head out for a morning skate to avoid the crowds, or at night to experience the mixture of city and holiday lights twinkling around you.
Skate rentals are only $15 for 2 hours so no matter your budget this is a holiday activity you can do this winter!
Plus if you have your own skates it’s completely free!
3. Have a Very Festive Drink a one of Toronto’s Cheeky Christmas Pop up Bars!
Where: Project Gigglewater, Miracle Toronto, Papi Chulo’s Mistletoe’s and Margaritas, Java Jingle, Ginger’s Cocktail Bar, Melody’s at Gladstone
When: Nov-Dec
Cost: $18-20 per drink
Toronto has so many great Christmas pop up bars, and every year more keep popping up!
In fact, I think there are 7 in total that you can check out this year!
Although the prices for Toronto’s Christmas pop up bars are (not surprisingly) not super cheap, if you limit yourself to one drink it is a completely affordable Christmas activity.
And totally worth it too!
There’s nothing quite like sitting in a bar completely covered head to toe in Christmas decorations, and sipping on a festive holiday drink to get you in the Christmas spirit.
You’ll feel like you stepped right into a real life Christmas movie.
Please note that these are adults only and kids are not allowed.
This is definitely a Christmas activity to enjoy with friends or with your spouse!
4. Go Skating at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre
Where: 235 Queens Quay W
When: November 19th – February 27th
Cost: Skate rentals are $8 for youth, $10 for students, and $13 for adults
Another great outdoor skating rink you have to take advantage of this Christmas in Toronto is the Harbourfront Centre’s Natrel rink!
Enjoy a skate surrounded by pretty Christmas lights with an incredible view of both Lake Ontario and the CN Tower.
Skate rentals at Natrel rink are $8 for youth, $10 for students, and $13 for adults making it a great cheap activity to do in Toronto this Christmas.
5. Hit up a Local Holiday Market
Address: Various addresses (listed below)
When: Mid November – Dec 31st
Cost: Free without purchase
Another great Christmas activity to do is to visit one of the many holiday craft & artisan markets!
There are so many wonderful markets to check out during the holiday season and not only are they a free activity to do (and I just love grabbing a coffee and browsing around a market on a lazy Saturday), but they make for a great opportunity to get in some of your last minute Christmas shopping.
Plus, it always feels good to support local.
Here is a list of some of the local markets happening this year:
- Toronto Art Crawl Christmas Market (Nov 2nd)
- Swedish Christmas Fair (Nov 23rd & 24th)
- Junction Triangle Craft Show: Holiday Show (Nov 24th)
- Toronto Botanical Gardens Holiday Market (Nov 22-24th and Dec 13th-15th)
- Riverside Holiday Market (Nov 24th)
- New Toronto Holiday Market (Nov 30th)
- Toronto Art Crawl Christmas Pop-Up (Dec 1st)
- Leslieville Pop-up Christmas Market (Dec 6th-8th)
- Holiday Artisan Market (Dec 8th)
6. Go Skating on the Bentway at Night
Where: 250 Fort York Blvd
When: Dec 18th – Jan 31st
Cost: Skate rentals are $8 for children and $10 for adults. Free if you have your own skates!
During the winter season, The Bentway transforms into a uniquely urban winter wonderland with a 220 metre, figure-eight skating trail.
This absolutely magical skating trail is a truly unique and affordable activity to do in Toronto during the holiday season.
The Bentway also has a winter village which offers hot chocolate and alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverages plus warming stations.
Skate rentals at The Bentway cost only $8 for children and $10 for adults making it the perfect affordable Toronto Christmas activity.
Free Things to do in Toronto at Christmas Time
Looking for some completely free things to do in Toronto at Christmas time?
This section is for you!
7. Catch the CPKC Holiday Train Rolling in!
Where: 750 Runnymede Road,
When: Nov 29th at 20:30-21:00
Cost: Free
The CPKC Holiday Train is back again making its journey across Canada starting on Nov 21st (starting in Saint John, NB) and will be making stops with live performances till Dec 20th, when it finishes in Port Coquitlam BC!
This is such a fun event and attending it is completely FREE.
You don’t want to miss these free shows and chance to get a peek at the festive & colorful holiday train yourself.
This year’s free show in Toronto will be featuring Tyler Shaw & Shawnee Kish
8. Visit Canada’s tallest Christmas tree at the Eaton Centre
Where: 220 Yonge St
When: Nov 18th – TBD
Cost: Free
Did you know that Canada’s tallest Christmas tree is right here in Toronto?
It sure is!
The tallest sparkling Christmas tree in all of Canada is located right in the middle of Toronto’s Eaton Centre and is completely free for you to visit.
This massive Christmas tree is 108 feet tall and is lit each year by Santa Claus himself!
The Christmas tree at Eaton Centre is truly magical and definitely something you will want to see for yourself this Christmas season.
9. Take a Walk Through Holiday Magic at Yorkville Village
Where: 55 Avenue Rd.
When: Nov 27th – Dec 31st
Cost: Free
One of my all time favourite free things to do in Toronto at Christmas time is to visit the holiday light displays in Yorkville Village.
Every year at Christmas time Yorkville Village is decorated with the prettiest Christmas light displays and it is truly magical.
Grab some hot chocolates (or bring a thermos with homemade cocoa!) and take a stroll through Yorkville Village to check out the incredible Christmas light displays.
This would make the perfect free Christmas date idea, or family activity.
The holiday light displays at Yorkville Village are so beautiful, and Yorkville is hands down one of the most festively decorated places in Toronto.
An evening stroll through Yorkville village is the perfect free Toronto Christmas activity and is sure to put you in the holiday mood!
10. Admire the Christmas window displays at Hudson’s Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue
Where: Unfortunately this one is not happening for 2024 due to the Ontario line construction
When: Not happening in 2024 but stay tuned!
Cost: Free
Every year at Christmas time Hudson’s Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue in Toronto unveil beautiful themed Christmas window displays that are truly a sight to see.
Viewing the window displays is completely free, and there is an official window display reveal event that happens early November.
Head here to check out this year’s beautiful Christmas windows before walking across the street to visit Canada’s tallest Christmas tree inside of the Eaton Centre.
11. Attend Toronto’s Iconic Santa Claus Parade
Where: The Parade route runs from Christie Pits along Bloor Street West, south on Avenue Road/Queen’s Park Crescent/University Avenue to Front Street West, and east along Front to St. Lawrence Market.
When: 3rd Sunday of November
Cost: Free
Another super fun and family friendly free things to do in Toronto at Christmas time is attending the Santa Claus parade!
The Toronto Santa Claus Parade (also known as The Original Santa Claus Parade) is an incredible parade held each year on the third Sunday of November in Toronto.
The parade attracts more than half a million people who come out to see it each year.
Since 1905, the Santa Claus Parade has kicked off the Christmas season in Toronto and has been an important part of the holiday season in the city.
Experience the magic at this year’s Santa Claus parade and enjoy watching the many extravagant floats, marching bands and dancers before getting to see the big man himself!
This is such a great family friendly free activity to do at Christmas time in Toronto.
12. Head for a walk down Kringlewood to see the Santa Clauses
Where: Inglewood Drive between St. Clair East and Rosedale Heights
When:
Cost: Free
Have you heard of Kringlewood in Toronto?
Each year at Christmas time the residents of Inglewood drive put up 14-foot tall giant inflatable Santa Clauses outside of their homes.
And these giant inflatable Santas are why Inglewood Drive is known as Kringlewood at Christmas time.
Last year there were apparently more than 60 inflatable Santas at Kringlewood!
Grab the kids and head out to Inglewood Drive to visit the inflatable Santas at Kringlewood.
This is one free things to do in Toronto at Christmas time that your kids will definitely love!
13. Visit the Toronto Light Festival at the Distillery District
Where: 55 Mill St
When: January 17th – March 1st
If you’re wanting to keep the Christmas magic alive well into January even though the Christmas season is technically done, then the Toronto Light Festival is for you!
The Toronto Light Festival is a beautiful festival of light displays in Toronto’s Distillery District that offers a visual journey and a playful adventure for all.
Bundle up and get outside to celebrate the winter season and enjoy the incredible light displays that will have you feeling warmth and joy well into January.
This is a beautiful free activity to do in Toronto during the winter months that will definitely keep the festive spirit alive!
Final Thoughts
As I am sure you can see from this guide, there are some really great cheap & free things to do in Toronto at Christmas time!
Christmas in Toronto is really a magical place, and there is no shortage of fun Christmas activities to enjoy.
I hope this guide to the best cheap & free things to do in Toronto at Christmas will give you tons of ideas to keep you busy this holiday season!
PS – if you’re headed to Toronto soon, you might also want to check out these posts:
- 24 Incredibly Fun Things to do in Toronto at Christmas
- 8 Magical Christmas Towns in Ontario
- 16 Instagrammable Pink Places in Toronto
- 30 Best Picnic Spots in Toronto
- 13 Best Beaches in Toronto you Need to Visit this Summer
- 16 Reasons You’ll Love Staying with the Four Seasons Toronto
- Where to Stay in Toronto: The Shangri-La Hotel
Be sure to keep up with me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and Facebook if you aren’t already!
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