Ottawa Events in December: Holiday Markets, Lights & Shows

December in Ottawa runs on twinkle lights, hockey nights and a holiday show on almost every evening.

Ottawa events in December 2026 start early and stack up fast. The Ottawa Christmas Market keeps its weekend hours at Lansdowne until December 20, Magic of Lights and Alight at Night glow into the new year, and the Mayor's Christmas Celebration lights the City Hall tree on December 5. The NAC fills Southam Hall with Handel's Messiah, Jann Arden and The Nightmare Before Christmas, while The Vinyl Cafe Christmas Musical runs December 14 to 30. Add eight Senators home games, the Charge's first season at the Canadian Tire Centre, Hanukkah from December 4 and a Saturday Boxing Day.

Every event date on this page was checked on October 12, 2026, against the organizer's or venue's website or another official listing. Holiday schedules change, so open the official link before you buy tickets or drive out.

Key Highlights

TL;DR: December 2026 in Ottawa centres on the Christmas Market weekends (to December 20), the Mayor's Christmas Celebration and tree lighting on December 5, the Originals Christmas Craft Sale (December 9 to 13), the NAC's holiday concerts and The Vinyl Cafe Christmas Musical, and plenty of hockey: eight Senators home games, three Charge games and five 67's games. Hanukkah begins at sundown on December 4, and Boxing Day falls on Saturday, December 26.

Image: By December the whole downtown core is dressed for the holidays, and the calendar fills to match.

December 2026 at a glance

If you are planning further ahead, Ottawa events in November covers the run-up to the season, and our Ottawa festivals calendar maps the big annual events, including Winterlude in February.

Christmas Markets and Craft Sales in December

Image: December weekends at Ottawa's markets are busy, so go early for the best browsing.

The Ottawa Christmas Market at Lansdowne keeps its weekend rhythm through three more December weekends: December 4 to 6, 11 to 13 and 18 to 20. Hours are Fridays 5 to 10 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. After Sunday, December 20, it closes for regular shopping and reopens once more for its New Year's Eve party. More than 60 local vendors, a skating rink, the Twinkle Tunnel, fire pits, Santa's Village and Blitzen's Bar make it a full evening, and the market's Cocktails and Crafts workshops (a burlap wreath on December 4, 5, 18 and 19, and a wood-frame decoration on December 11 and 12) are booked through Ticketmaster. The official site does not list an admission price for 2026, so check before you go. OC Transpo routes 6 and 7 stop at TD Place. The Lansdowne garage lists $5 an hour on weekends to a $25 daily maximum, plus taxes, but event-day rates vary, and the market warns that parking is very limited and cannot be pre-purchased for market days.

The Originals Christmas Craft Sale runs from Wednesday, December 9 to Sunday, December 13, at the Cohere Centre (formerly the EY Centre), 4899 Uplands Drive. Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are sold through GateHopper, with a presale discount of 25% while it lasts, and the show points visitors to the O-Train, since Line 4's Uplands station now serves the building. Our story on the Originals Christmas Craft Sale from last year covers what you will find, the quieter times to visit and shopping strategies.

The first weekend of December has three more good markets. The National Arts Centre hosts Adàwàning: Indigenous Women's Art Market, free, on December 5 and 6 in the Atrium O'Brien. The team behind 613flea runs 613Christmas at Carleton University the same weekend, December 5 and 6. And in Gatineau, Noël dans le Vieux-Aylmer is listed for a second weekend, December 4 to 6, around 115 rue Principale, with local food products, crafts, illuminated floats along the main street and a walking route to Santa's float; the Tourisme Outaouais listing does not print a year beside its dates, so check it before you go.

For everyday holiday groceries, the Ottawa Farmers' Market's Sunday Lansdowne Market runs year-round from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Aberdeen Square. Our Ottawa Christmas markets guide, Ottawa gift shops guide and ByWard Market winter guide cover the rest of the holiday shopping map.

Holiday Lights: Parliament Hill, Magic of Lights and Alight at Night

Image: Ottawa's light shows range from a free walk downtown to a drive-through tunnel and a lit-up 19th-century village.

Winter Lights Across Canada (formerly Christmas Lights Across Canada) is coming back: Canadian Heritage's page says "See you in December 2026 for another dazzling edition," although the switch-on date had not been posted when we checked on October 12. The program lights up Parliament Hill, national museums, embassies and other significant sites in Ottawa and Gatineau, and it grew out of lighting sites along Confederation Boulevard. Last year the lights came on in early December; our Winter Lights Across Canada story shows what the Hill looks like once they are on. It is free and best seen on foot after dark.

Downtown's other big lighting moment is the City Hall Christmas tree, lit at 4:45 p.m. on Saturday, December 5, during the Mayor's Christmas Celebration (more on that below).

Magic of Lights at the Wesley Clover Parks campground, 411 Corkstown Road, runs every night until January 2, 2027: Sunday to Thursday from 5:30 to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 5:30 to 10 p.m. You stay in your car for the whole route, which suits cold nights and small children. Tickets are priced per vehicle; the site lists regular online prices of $37.99 for an any-day ticket and $35 for a Monday-to-Thursday ticket (cut to $33.99 and $30.50 if you buy the online-only "Santa Saver" ticket before November 19), a season pass costs $97.99, and gate prices are only posted once the show is open. Our Magic of Lights guide has more on the route.

Alight at Night at Upper Canada Village, 13740 County Road 2, Morrisburg, is open on select nights from 5 to 9 p.m.: December 3 to 6, 10 to 13, 17 to 23, and December 26 to January 2, so it is closed on December 24 and 25. Admission is $18 for adults (25 to 64), $17 for seniors, $16 for students aged 13 to 17 and $15 for youth aged 5 to 12, plus HST, and children 4 and under are free; all tickets are sold online in advance. Accessibility Nights on December 2, 9 and 16 offer a 30-minute evening driving tour for guests with limited mobility or sensory needs, at $18 plus HST, and a horse-drawn carriage package for up to four guests costs $200 plus HST. Read our Alight at Night guide before you make the drive.

For a free evening, follow one of our self-guided holiday light tours in Ottawa and finish with something warm from our best hot chocolate in Ottawa list.

City Hall, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Other Holiday Celebrations

Image: The Mayor's Christmas Celebration turns the City Hall plaza and rink into a free family evening.

The Mayor's 24th Annual Christmas Celebration is free and open to all. It runs on Saturday, December 5, from 3 to 6 p.m. at Marion Dewar Plaza, Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West. The program includes visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus in their cabin, marshmallows over a campfire, hot chocolate, maple fudge and taffy on snow, skating on the Rink of Dreams, horse-drawn wagon rides, live outdoor entertainment and the Christmas tree lighting at 4:45 p.m. BeaverTails are sold at a reduced price with the proceeds going to the Ottawa Food Bank. Bring skates if you want to use the rink; our Rink of Dreams guide covers the rink itself.

Hanukkah begins at sundown on Friday, December 4, 2026 and ends on Saturday, December 12. Ottawa's public menorah lightings are posted on the Jewish Federation of Ottawa's community calendar as the holiday approaches; none had been listed for 2026 when we checked in October, so look there in late November.

Kwanzaa runs from December 26 to January 1, celebrating African heritage through seven principles. Ottawa's community Kwanzaa celebration had not announced its 2026 date and venue when we checked, so follow our Kwanzaa in Ottawa guide for background on past celebrations and where to look for this year's details.

Christmas Day falls on Friday, December 25 and Boxing Day on Saturday, December 26; both are public holidays in Ontario, so expect holiday hours almost everywhere. Many of Ottawa's Orthodox communities celebrate Christmas on January 7, and our Orthodox Christmas in Ottawa guide lists the churches and traditions involved.

Holiday Concerts and Shows at the NAC and Around Town

Image: The National Arts Centre's December calendar is full of holiday concerts and family shows.

One change to note first: this year the NAC's Nutcracker, by Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, runs November 26 to 29, so it is finished before December begins. The only Nutcracker on the NAC's December calendar is the Ottawa Jazz Orchestra's Nutcracker Double on December 19. Everything else on the December schedule leans toward concerts and family theatre:

The Vinyl Cafe Christmas Musical is the pick for families who grew up with Stuart McLean's radio stories, and its run through December 30 makes it an easy holiday-week outing. French-language audiences have Céleste Lévis's Chante Noël (December 18, Fourth Stage) and the NAC French Theatre's Je suis William (December 19 and 20, Azrieli Studio, ages 10+). Anyone under 30 can buy $15 tickets to many NAC performances, which makes Messiah or Nightmare Before Christmas an affordable night out for students.

Beyond the NAC, Ottawa Little Theatre stages Norm Foster's comedy Ethan Claymore's Christmas from December 2 to 19, Wednesday to Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. Ottawa Chamberfest opens the month with Gala Noël: All Is Bright on Tuesday, December 1, at the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre, and the Ottawa Choral Society sings Timeless Christmas, choral classics for the season, on December 12 and 13. For background on the arts centre itself, read our history of the National Arts Centre.

Senators, Charge and 67's: December Hockey

Image: With three teams playing at home, December is packed with hockey in Ottawa.

The Ottawa Senators have eight home games at the Canadian Tire Centre (1000 Palladium Drive, Kanata) in December 2026, including two afternoon starts:

There is one more "home" game that will not be played in Ottawa. On Friday, December 18, the Senators host the Chicago Blackhawks at the PSD Bank Dome in Düsseldorf, Germany, as part of the 2026 NHL Global Series. Puck drop is 1 p.m. Ottawa time, so it is a lunchtime game for fans watching in a pub back home. The New Year's Eve matinee against Pittsburgh ends well before any evening plans, which makes it a good family option on December 31.

The Ottawa Charge begin their first season at the Canadian Tire Centre in December. The home opener is Sunday, December 6, at 2 p.m. against the Toronto Sceptres, followed by PWHL San Jose on Tuesday, December 15, and PWHL Detroit on Wednesday, December 23, both at 7 p.m. For Senators games, general parking in Lots 5 and 9 is listed at $21 on the team's parking page (check the arena's event page for Charge games), and OC Transpo's event buses stop at shelters marked with the Connexion 400 logo, with service scaled to the size of the event. Our Canadian Tire Centre guide covers seats, food and getting out of the lot.

The Ottawa 67's play five home games at The Arena at TD Place:

The 67's had not announced the date of their annual Teddy Bear Toss game when we checked in October; last year it was an early-December game against Flint, as our Teddy Bear Toss recap shows, so watch the team's announcements. A 67's ticket is also your OC Transpo fare from three hours before to three hours after the game, and a free OSEG shuttle runs from Carleton University's P-18 lot. Our Ottawa 67's game-day guide explains the rest.

The weekend of December 5 and 6 is a true hockey weekend: the 67's on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, the Senators on Saturday night and the Charge's home opener on Sunday. If you only have one weekend in town, that is the one.

Museums, Skating and Winter Outings Over the Holidays

Image: The national museums make a reliable cold-day plan between Christmas and New Year's.

The holiday week is museum week in Ottawa-Gatineau, and several exhibitions are in their final weeks. At the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Spotlight on Soccer closes on January 3, 2027 and Napoleon – The Immersive Saga on January 10, 2027. The National Gallery of Canada's 2026 Sobey Art Award exhibition, with work by the six finalists for Canada's major contemporary art prize, runs into early January. At the Canadian War Museum, Canada at War Against Japan, 1941–1945 closes on December 31, while Canada's Unknown Soldier continues until September 2027.

Two museums offer free evenings: the Canadian Museum of Nature is free for general admission on Thursdays from 5 p.m. (it stays open to 8 p.m. on Thursdays), and the War Museum is free on Thursdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Regular adult admission is $26 at Nature and $23 at the War Museum, plus HST. Check each museum's holiday hours before Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Our free museum hours in Ottawa guide lists every free window.

Skating is the other holiday-week staple. The Rink of Dreams at City Hall is the easiest downtown option (the rink inside the Ottawa Christmas Market is only open on market days, which end on December 20 before the New Year's Eve party), and our ice skating rinks in Ottawa guide lists neighbourhood rinks across the city. The Rideau Canal Skateway depends entirely on a long cold spell, so treat it as a bonus if it opens over the holidays and check our Rideau Canal skating guide for how the NCC reports conditions. Snow days are also toboggan days; our Ottawa toboggan hills guide and winter activities guide have plenty of ideas, and Winterlude follows in February (see our Winterlude guide).

Christmas Week to New Year's Eve: Weather, Transit and Holiday Hours

Image: By the holiday week, most Ottawa streets are under snow and the days are at their shortest.

December is properly cold. Environment Canada's 1991 to 2020 normals give Ottawa an average high of −1.5°C and an average low of −8.7°C, with about 74 mm of precipitation and roughly 43 cm of snow. Around the solstice there are only about eight and a half hours of daylight, so it is dark well before the light shows open at 5 or 5:30 p.m. For outdoor evenings, wear insulated waterproof boots, a hat that covers your ears and mitts rather than thin gloves, and carry hand warmers if you will be standing still.

An adult OC Transpo fare is $4.10 in 2026, and a TD Place event ticket doubles as your transit fare from three hours before to three hours after the event. OC Transpo had not posted its 2026 holiday schedule when we checked in October, so check its holiday service page before travelling on December 24, 25, 26 and 31. If you drive, remember that overnight street parking rules tighten after snowfalls; our Ottawa winter parking ban guide explains how they work.

Christmas Day (Friday, December 25) and Boxing Day (Saturday, December 26) are both public holidays in Ontario. Store and restaurant hours vary, so confirm before you go; our Ottawa shopping malls guide is a good starting point for Boxing Day plans, and our holiday restaurants guide lists places serving festive meals.

New Year's Eve gets its own guide, but a few December 31 events are already set. The Senators play the Penguins at 2 p.m., The Sound of Music is mid-run at the NAC, and the Ottawa Christmas Market reopens for a New Year's Eve party at Lansdowne from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m., with a drone show by Capital Drone Show at 9 p.m. and fireworks at midnight. For countdowns, fireworks and transit on the night, read our New Year's Eve in Ottawa guide, and for a Scottish twist see our Hogmanay in Ottawa guide.

December Itineraries for Families, Couples and Free Days

Image: Mix one booked event with a free outdoor stop and December days feel festive rather than frantic.

Family weekend, December 5 and 6. On Saturday, head to City Hall for the Mayor's Christmas Celebration between 3 and 6 p.m., stay for the 4:45 p.m. tree lighting, then take the bus to Lansdowne for the Christmas Market, which is open until 10 p.m. On Sunday, browse the free Adàwàning art market at the NAC, then choose between the Charge's home opener at 2 p.m. in Kanata or the 67's against Flint at 3 p.m. at TD Place. Our family activities in Ottawa guide has more indoor backups.

Couples' evening. Book Handel's Messiah (December 15 or 16) or the Good Lovelies' Christmas concert (December 18) at the NAC, have dinner nearby, then walk up to Parliament Hill once the Winter Lights are on. For a longer night out, the Alight at Night carriage package in Morrisburg is a memorable splurge.

Free day in the capital. Visit the Canadian Museum of Nature on a Thursday from 5 p.m. or the War Museum between 5 and 7 p.m., walk the Winter Lights route along Parliament Hill, and save the first Saturday of December for the Mayor's celebration and the free Adàwàning market at the NAC. Our free things to do in Ottawa guide has the full list.

Holiday week, December 28 to 31. Spend one day at the Canadian Museum of History before Napoleon – The Immersive Saga closes on January 10, 2027, catch the Senators against Dallas on December 29 or The Sound of Music from December 29, take younger fans to the 67's afternoon game on December 30, and finish the year with the Senators' matinee on December 31 before your New Year's Eve plans.

For updates as the month approaches, check our things to do in Ottawa this weekend page and the year-round things to do in Ottawa hub.

FAQ

Q: When is the Ottawa Christmas Market open in December 2026?

The Ottawa Christmas Market at Lansdowne is open on three December weekends: December 4 to 6, 11 to 13 and 18 to 20. Hours are Fridays 5 to 10 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. A New Year's Eve party follows on December 31, 6 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Q: When is the City Hall Christmas tree lighting in 2026?

The tree is lit at 4:45 p.m. on Saturday, December 5, 2026, during the Mayor's 24th Annual Christmas Celebration at Marion Dewar Plaza, 110 Laurier Avenue West. The free celebration runs from 3 to 6 p.m., with Santa and Mrs. Claus, a campfire, taffy on snow, horse-drawn wagon rides and skating on the Rink of Dreams.

Q: Is The Nutcracker playing in Ottawa in December 2026?

Not as a ballet at the NAC in December. Les Grands Ballets Canadiens perform The Nutcracker in Southam Hall from November 26 to 29, 2026, so book a November date if the ballet is a family tradition. The only Nutcracker on the NAC's December calendar is the Ottawa Jazz Orchestra's Nutcracker Double on December 19, at the Fourth Stage.

Q: Where can I see Christmas lights in Ottawa in December?

Winter Lights Across Canada lights Parliament Hill, national museums and embassies in Ottawa and Gatineau for free, although its 2026 start date was not posted in October. Magic of Lights is a drive-through show at Wesley Clover Parks every night to January 2, and Alight at Night lights up Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg on select nights.

Q: Are the Senators playing at home on New Year's Eve 2026?

Yes. The Ottawa Senators host the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday, December 31, 2026, at 2 p.m., so the game ends well before evening plans. The team has eight December home games in Ottawa, plus a December 18 "home" game against the Chicago Blackhawks in Düsseldorf, Germany, at 1 p.m. Ottawa time.

Q: Does OC Transpo run on Christmas Day and Boxing Day?

OC Transpo had not posted its 2026 holiday service schedule when we checked in October, so check the OC Transpo website in December before travelling on December 24, 25, 26 or 31. An adult fare is $4.10 in 2026, and a TD Place event ticket covers your transit from three hours before to three hours after the event.

Final Thoughts

December in Ottawa fills up quickly, so book the fixed-date shows first: Messiah, The Vinyl Cafe Christmas Musical, the Jann Arden concert and any Senators game you have your eye on. Then plan around the free anchors, the City Hall tree lighting on December 5, the Winter Lights on Parliament Hill and the Thursday museum evenings, and keep the holiday week for museums, skating and the 67's afternoon game. Dress for −10°C, check holiday hours before you leave, and when the month winds down, our New Year's Eve in Ottawa guide takes over. If you are planning ahead, Ottawa events in November covers the start of the season.

Source: Ottawa Christmas Market

Source: Originals Christmas Craft Sale

Source: 613flea – 613Christmas and Ottawa Farmers' Market

Source: Tourisme Outaouais – Christmas in Old-Aylmer

Source: Canadian Heritage – Winter Lights Across Canada and About the program

Source: Magic of Lights Ottawa

Source: Upper Canada Village – Alight at Night

Source: Ottawa Food Bank – The Mayor's 24th Annual Christmas Celebration

Source: Hebcal – Chanukah 2026 and Jewish Federation of Ottawa – Community calendar

Source: Government of Ontario – Public holidays

Source: National Arts Centre – December 2026 calendar, Messiah and The Vinyl Cafe Christmas Musical

Source: Ottawa Little Theatre – Ethan Claymore's Christmas

Source: Ottawa Chamberfest – Gala Noël: All Is Bright and Ottawa Choral Society

Source: Ottawa Senators schedule, Canadian Tire Centre events, Senators parking and Canadian Tire Centre – Public transportation

Source: Ottawa Charge schedule and CTV News – Charge announce December 6 home opener

Source: Ottawa 67's schedule, TD Place upcoming events, Getting here on a 67's game day and TD Place parking

Source: Canadian Museum of History – Exhibitions, Sobey Art Foundation – 2026 shortlist, Canadian War Museum – Exhibitions and Admission, and Canadian Museum of Nature – Admission

Source: Councillor Glen Gower – 2026 transit budget

Source: 613today – Ottawa weather in December (Environment Canada 1991–2020 normals)