Waterloo, Ontario is a great place to celebrate the holidays. Learn the very best ways we celebrate the season.

2. Waterloo is a magical
place to celebrate the
holiday season, and
there are plenty of
great opportunities
across the Waterloo
Region to take in the
sights, sounds, and
smells of the season.

3. 1. Canadian Pacific Holiday Train
A Canadian holiday tradition spends another year on the tracks as the CP Holiday Train
rolls through the area on December 1st with stops in Cambridge (25 minutes from
Waterloo) at 4 PM, Ayr (30 minutes from Waterloo) at 5:15 PM, and Woodstock (45
minutes from Waterloo)
at 6:35 PM. Country star Kira Isabella will be performing holiday favourites in all three
cities, with offerings for local food banks also happening at every stop.

4. 2.Canada’s Original Christkindl Market
Downtown Kitchener is transformed into an authentic German Christkindl
(Christmas Market) full of vendors, shops, musicians, crafts, model trains, and
more from December 4th to 7th. Bring the family to do some holiday shopping,
crafts, or simply enjoy the holiday spirit in the air.

5. 3. Phil Kline’s Unsilent Night
Cambridge brings this unconventional holiday light and music parade to life as
marchers carry boomboxes and mp3 and CD players with portable speakers along with
more creative setups playing Kline’s composition through the streets. A limited number
of CD’s and cassettes
will be available at Cambridge’s City Hall before the parade, or you can download the
free Unsilent Night app that contains the music from the App Store or Google Play.

6. 4. Waterloo Region Museum’s “Country
Christmas”
The museum holds their annual “Country Christmas” celebration Sundays in
December leading up to Christmas from 11 AM-5 PM. Enjoy the museum,
visiting with Father Christmas, singing Christmas carols, and touring the
village. $10 adults, $8 seniors and students, $5 children, four and under free.

7. 5. Wonders of Winter
Waterloo Park turns into a festival of 100,000 beautiful lights that turn on at
5:30 PM nightly from November 29th to New Year’s Eve. On select nights,
there are other activities that range from wagon rides to plays at the old
schoolhouse. Freewill donations are accepted.

8. 6. Christmas JOY Home Tour
Get some holiday decorating ideas while benefiting HOPE House at the same
time by taking a tour of professionally decorated homes in Guelph (35 minutes
from Waterloo), Fergus (35 minutes from Waterloo), and Aberfoyle (30 minutes
from Waterloo). $30 in advance, $35 at the door.

9. 7. Santa Pur-Suit
If “getting into the holiday spirit” for you means running either a 1, 3, or 5 K in a Santa
suit, you’re in luck. Participants in the 3rd annual event, which benefits the Waterloo
Region YMCA’s, receive a “Santa suit” which consists of a jacket, pants, hat, beard, and
belt in what will be a jolly run through the streets of Waterloo for the whole family.

10. 8. KW Santa Claus Parade:
Santa comes to Waterloo on November 15th to wish everyone a Merry
Christmas as the parade moves down King Street, ending in Kitchener.
Donations of toys and letters to Santa will be collected along the route.

11. 9. Flight of White: Cambridge Butterfly
Conservatory
Starting December 6, the conservatory creates its own version of a 'White
Christmas' with its Flight of White Exhibit. Stroll with white rice paper
butterflies that flutter like snowflakes around you.

12. 10. Castle Kilbride
If you want a more traditional contrast to Christmas JOY, Castle Kilbride is for you.
The Castle, located in Baden (15 minute drive from Waterloo) was built in 1877 and
has two events to show off the holiday decor in the house. Both day and night
displays are available for you to enjoy.

13. 11.Kids in the Kitchen at the
Kitchener Market
Join the people at the Kitchener Market for two free kids’ cooking classes
leading up to Christmas. On December 13th, Santa comes by to help make
gingerbread while on December 20th come cook up reindeer treats.

14. 12. Kitchener Rangers 20th annual Teddy Bear
Join the Kitchener Rangers as they take on the Erie Otters on their Teddy Bear
Toss night. Fans can either buy or donate new or gently used teddy bears at
Canadian Tire locations.