Christmas Markets in Ottawa: Dates, Hours and Tips

Ottawa's biggest Christmas market is free, outdoors and open only on weekends, so the dates matter more than the shopping list.

The Ottawa Christmas Market fills Aberdeen Square at Lansdowne Park from Friday to Sunday between November 20 and December 20, 2026, with one more night on New Year's Eve. Around it, the season brings the ticketed Originals Christmas Craft Sale at the Cohere Centre (December 9 to 13), a free Christmas Market at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau (November 26 to 29), neighbourhood craft fairs, farm Christmas villages and the free Winter Lights Across Canada route downtown. Below is when each runs, what it costs and how to get there.

Key Highlights

TL;DR: The Ottawa Christmas Market at Lansdowne is free and runs Friday to Sunday from November 20 to December 20, 2026, plus December 31. There is no O-Train station at Lansdowne; take OC Transpo routes 6 or 7 on Bank Street. Book Originals tickets early for the presale price, and plan a free evening on the Winter Lights route.

Ottawa Christmas Market at Lansdowne

The Ottawa Christmas Market, run by the team behind TD Place, opened in 2018 and now describes itself as welcoming more than 60 vendors and over 400,000 guests a year. It sits outdoors in Aberdeen Square at Lansdowne, beside the heritage Aberdeen Pavilion rather than inside it, and Ottawa Tourism lists it as a free, family-friendly event. Only the extras cost money: Cocktails & Crafts workshops sold through Ticketmaster and private chalet rentals.

2026 Dates and Hours

The market is open on weekends only. In 2026 that means November 20 to 22, November 27 to 29, December 4 to 6, December 11 to 13 and December 18 to 20, with these hours each weekend:

There are no market days between December 21 and 30. The New Year's Eve night adds a 10-minute drone show at 9 pm and fireworks at midnight; our New Year's Eve in Ottawa guide covers the rest of that night.

What You'll Find

More than 60 vendors fill the square, and the organiser also lists a Twinkle Tunnel of lights, a small skating rink sponsored by Laiterie de l'Outaouais, fire pits to warm up beside, Santa's Village, Blitzen's Bar and two stages for live entertainment. Bring your own skates if you want to try the rink; the City's Lansdowne skating court is also a short walk away, and our ice skating rinks guide lists its hours and rentals.

Because the whole market is outdoors, dress for an evening standing on cold pavement: insulated boots, a toque and mittens matter more than a heavy coat you will unzip anyway.

Getting There

There is no O-Train station at Lansdowne, despite what some older guides say. The market's own directions are to take OC Transpo routes 6 or 7 along Bank Street. From Line 2, get off at Carleton University and walk about 15 minutes; from Line 1, transfer at Hurdman or Pimisi to a southbound Bank Street bus. Our OC Transpo guide explains fares and PRESTO.

Driving is the hardest option. TD Place parking is very limited and cannot be prepaid, so the organiser points drivers to nearby lots such as 170 Second Avenue (about an eight-minute walk). A limited number of accessible parking spaces are available first come, first served; call 613-690-0517 at least 48 hours ahead. Para Transpo, taxi and rideshare drop-off is on Service Way, and there are 285 bike rings around the park.

The ByWard Market Winter Season

The ByWard Market District Authority (BMDA) now runs a ByWard Winter Market festival from November to early January; its first edition, in 2024–25, ran from November 22 to January 5 with an outdoor market and a synthetic skating rink. The 2025 season opened on Friday, November 21 with a free holiday launch at George Street Plaza, including a tree lighting and a light show with music at 5:30 and 7:30 pm. Dates for the 2026–27 season had not been announced by mid-October, so check byward-market.com before you plan around it.

The district itself is open whatever the festival schedule. The BMDA counts more than 500 businesses in the area, and Heritage Hall at 55 ByWard Market Square is listed as open daily from 10 am to 6 pm outside summer, with public washrooms (including an accessible one on the first floor) inside. The outdoor vendor village on York and George streets lists holiday trading Wednesday to Sunday, 11 am to 7 pm. Our ByWard Market guide covers restaurants and shops for the rest of the visit.

Indoor Craft Sales and Holiday Markets

When the weather turns, Ottawa's indoor sales are the warmer way to shop for handmade gifts. Ottawa Tourism says the region hosts more than 100 Christmas markets; these are the larger ones with 2026 details confirmed on the organisers' own pages.

Originals Christmas Craft Sale

Running since 1974, the Originals Christmas Craft Sale brings more than 210 Canadian artisans to the Cohere Centre, formerly the EY Centre. Hours are 10 am to 9 pm Wednesday to Friday, 10 am to 6 pm Saturday and 10 am to 5 pm Sunday. Early-bird presale tickets were listed at $7.50 for adults and $6 for seniors, with $5 entry after 5 pm on Wednesday and Thursday; the ticket page does not say whether fees or HST are added. Re-entry is free for the whole show. Take the O-Train Line 4 to Uplands station, or park on site for a flat daily fee (listed at $10 on the show's visitor page). The show is accessible, has a coat and bag check, and allows service dogs only.

Christmas Market at the Canadian Museum of History

Across the river in Gatineau, the Museum of History fills its Grand Hall and three salons with more than 100 exhibitors. Hours are 11 am to 8 pm on Thursday, November 26 and Friday, November 27, then 9 am to 5 pm on the weekend. Admission is free and no ticket is needed, there is a free coat check and an ATM on site, and for 2026 the museum is grouping ready-to-eat food vendors in the Panorama Café.

The Farmers' Market Christmas Market

The Ottawa Farmers' Market's indoor Christmas market, which filled the Aberdeen Pavilion with more than 100 vendors, says it is relocating for 2026, with details to come. Check ottawafarmersmarket.ca before heading to Lansdowne expecting it.

Village and Farm Christmas Outings

Some of the season's best markets are a short drive out of the core, and several pair shopping with lights, wagon rides or Santa.

Watson's Mill Christmas Craft Market (Manotick). The historic mill at 5525 Dickinson Street holds its craft market on three weekends in 2026: November 21 and 22, November 28 and 29, and December 5 and 6. Ottawa Tourism describes more than 35 vendors across three historic buildings and admission by donation; 2026 hours were not yet posted (2025 ran 10 am to 4 pm). Only the main floors of the mill and Dickinson House are accessible, and the mill itself has no washrooms. Our Watson's Mill market guide has more on the village.

Mādahòkì Farm (west end). At 4420 West Hunt Club Road, about 15 minutes southwest of downtown, Christmas at Mādahòkì runs November 26 to December 19, 2026, Thursday to Saturday from 4 to 8 pm. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children under 12 or $45 for a family pass, plus tax, with a limit of 200 tickets a night. An Indigenous Craft Market runs on December 4 and 5 from 11 am to 8 pm, and the year-round marketplace of more than 60 Indigenous vendors opens Thursday to Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm. See our Mādahòkì Farm guide.

Stanley's Olde Maple Lane Farm (Edwards). Stanley's says its Christmas Village returns in December 2026, without exact dates yet. The village has run on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 3 pm (Santa 11 am to 2 pm), and the evening Holiday Stroll, a 2 km lit trail where leashed dogs are welcome, on Thursdays to Saturdays from 6 to 9 pm. Tickets are sold online. Our Stanley's Christmas Village guide describes a visit.

Saunders Farm (Munster). A Country Christmas, with a holiday light stroll by day and night, Santa's cabin and a tree lot, had not posted 2026 hours by mid-October. The farm is cashless, parking is free, buildings are wheelchair accessible and dogs other than service animals are not permitted. See our Saunders Farm Christmas guide.

Upper Canada Village (Morrisburg). About an hour away, Alight at Night runs on select nights from November 27, 2026 to January 2, 2027, 5 to 9 pm. Adult tickets are $18 plus HST and must be bought online in advance; drive-through accessibility nights are December 2, 9 and 16.

Holiday Lights Downtown

Canadian Heritage's Winter Lights Across Canada, which began in 1985 as Christmas Lights Across Canada, lights a free outdoor route through the capital each December. The 2025–26 edition ran every evening from December 8, 2025 to January 7, 2026, with lit sites including the National War Memorial, Confederation Park, the Peacekeeping Monument, Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau and the Supreme Court. Dates for 2026–27 are not yet posted; the official page says only "See you in December 2026". The Capital Information Kiosk answers questions at 613-236-0044.

For a neighbourhood display, Taffy Lane in Orléans (Bilberry Creek, in the east end, not Barrhaven) is known for coordinated house lights. Residents had a traffic dispute in 2024, so walk in from a nearby street or drive through slowly and respect the neighbours.

Planning Your Market Days

Start with the calendar, because Ottawa's markets barely overlap. The Glebe fair and the NAC's HoliYay sale share the weekend of November 21 and 22, the Museum of History market follows from November 26 to 29, and the Originals sale takes the middle of December. Lansdowne fills every weekend from November 20 to December 20, so you can fit it around the others.

Dress for standing still outdoors at Lansdowne and on the lights route, and plan warm-up stops. At Lansdowne, the organiser lists fire pits in the square; in the ByWard Market, Heritage Hall is the indoor fallback with public washrooms. Our list of hot chocolate spots in Ottawa helps between stops, and our holiday restaurants guide suggests where to book a festive dinner nearby.

Bring a card and a little cash. Cohere Centre parking is a flat daily fee, the Museum of History market has an ATM on site, and Saunders Farm is fully cashless, so payment habits differ from one outing to the next. If you rely on accessible parking at Lansdowne, call 613-690-0517 at least 48 hours ahead; at Watson's Mill, expect upper floors and the Carriage Shed to be out of reach for wheelchairs.

FAQ

Q: When does the Ottawa Christmas Market at Lansdowne open in 2026?

Opening night is Friday, November 20, 2026. The market then runs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until December 20, with hours of 5 to 10 pm on Fridays, 10 am to 10 pm on Saturdays and 10 am to 8 pm on Sundays. It returns for New Year's Eve, December 31, from 6 pm to 1 am.

Q: Is the Lansdowne Christmas market free?

Yes. Ottawa Tourism lists it as a free, family-friendly event, and the organiser sells no general admission ticket. You pay only for what you buy, plus optional extras such as the Cocktails & Crafts workshops sold through Ticketmaster or a private chalet rental. Parking nearby is paid and limited, so transit is easier.

Q: How do I get to the Lansdowne market by transit?

Take OC Transpo route 6 or 7 along Bank Street; there is no O-Train station at Lansdowne. From Line 2, get off at Carleton University and walk about 15 minutes. From Line 1, transfer at Hurdman or Pimisi to a southbound Bank Street bus. Para Transpo and rideshare drop-off is on Service Way.

Q: Which Ottawa Christmas markets are indoors?

The Originals Christmas Craft Sale at the Cohere Centre (December 9 to 13, 2026), the Christmas Market at the Canadian Museum of History (November 26 to 29), the NAC's HoliYay Craft Market (November 22) and the Glebe Craft & Artisan Fair (November 21 and 22) are all indoors. Only Originals charges admission for adults.

Q: Are there Christmas markets with Indigenous artisans?

Yes. Mādahòkì Farm on West Hunt Club Road holds an Indigenous Craft Market on December 4 and 5, 2026, from 11 am to 8 pm, alongside its evening Christmas programming. Its year-round marketplace of more than 60 Indigenous vendors is open Thursday to Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm.

Q: When are the Winter Lights on in Ottawa?

Canadian Heritage had not announced the 2026–27 dates by mid-October 2026. The previous edition lit the downtown route every evening from December 8, 2025 to January 7, 2026, including Confederation Park, the National War Memorial and Jacques-Cartier Park. Watch canada.ca for the December 2026 announcement.

Final Thoughts

Ottawa's Christmas market season is short and spread out, so plan by date rather than by venue. Lansdowne covers every weekend from November 20 to December 20 for free, the indoor craft sales cluster in late November and mid-December, and the farm outings and Winter Lights fill the evenings in between. Confirm hours on each organiser's site the week you go, since several 2026 schedules were still being finalised in October.

Source: Ottawa Christmas Market

Source: Ottawa Tourism – Ottawa Christmas Market

Source: Originals Christmas Craft Sale and Canadian Museum of History – Christmas Market

Source: ByWard Market District Authority and Canadian Heritage – Winter Lights Across Canada

Source: Watson's Mill, Mādahòkì Farm, Stanley's Olde Maple Lane Farm, Saunders Farm and Upper Canada Village