Toronto Canada
Things to do in Toronto in December 2026
By Tripnostic Research · Updated June 3, 2026
For Toronto in December 2026, build the day around dated events, seasonal conditions, venue hours, and booking windows. Dated picks to verify first include Toronto Christmas Market 2026 and Toronto Light Festival 2026. Check the event list and public holidays below before assigning fixed dates.
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Toronto in December 2026
Weather
Temperature
35°F / 23°F
1.5°C / -5°C
Precipitation
10d
2.4in · 62mm
Daylight
8.8h
December is cold, with Distillery Winter Village, City Hall skating, holiday lights, and subway-linked museums carrying the trip.
Events & festivals
- Dec 1 – Dec 20
Toronto Christmas Market 2026
Annual festive market held in the Distillery Historic District featuring holiday shopping, food, and entertainment. — Free entry; some special events may require tickets.
Source: festival research
- Dec 1 – Dec 31
Toronto Light Festival 2026
An outdoor light art festival showcasing installations by local and international artists in the historic Distillery District. — Free to attend.
Source: festival research
- Dec 1 – Dec 31
Winterlicious 2026
Toronto's winter culinary festival offering prix-fixe menus at participating restaurants across the city. — Reservations recommended at participating restaurants.
Source: festival research
- Dec 2 – Dec 31
- Dec 2 – Dec 31
- Dec 4 – Dec 31
Show all 27 events for December
- Dec 4 – Dec 31
- Dec 5 – Dec 31
Cavalcade of Lights 2026
Toronto's official holiday lighting ceremony and winter festival at Nathan Phillips Square, featuring light displays, music, and skating. — Free public event.
Source: festival research
- Dec 5 – Dec 31
- Dec 5 – Dec 31
- Dec 5 – Dec 31
- Dec 5 – Dec 31
- Dec 5 – Dec 31
- Dec 6 – Dec 31
- Dec 8 – Dec 31
- Dec 10 – Dec 31
'Twas the Night Before... by Cirque du Soleil
Arts & Theatre · Circus & Specialty Acts
Source: Ticketmaster
- Dec 10 – Dec 31
- Dec 11 – Dec 31
- Dec 12 – Dec 31
- Dec 12 – Dec 31
- Dec 12 – Dec 31
- Dec 12 – Dec 31
- Dec 14 – Dec 31
- Dec 17 – Dec 31
- Dec 18 – Dec 31
- Dec 18 – Dec 31
Holiday Soul with Mississauga Symphony Orchestra
Arts & Theatre · Miscellaneous Theatre
Source: Ticketmaster
- Dec 19 – Dec 31
Public holidays
- Dec 25Christmas Day
Planning checklist
- 1Check the 27 dated Toronto events for anything that overlaps your exact December dates before assigning fixed sightseeing days.
- 2Hold flexible plans around the 1 public holiday in Canada; museums, markets, and government-run sights can switch hours.
- 3Group each Toronto day by nearby neighborhoods, then validate the saved places against your trip dates before exporting the checked route to Google Maps.
Build your Toronto plan for December
Start fresh — type or paste places you're considering — and Tripnostic checks every one against your December dates: opening hours, closures, what needs booking ahead, and which Toronto events overlap your trip. Already have a list from a friend or an AI itinerary? Paste it and we'll check that too.
Build my Toronto planAbout Toronto
City overview
Toronto sits on Lake Ontario, with Downtown, Kensington Market, The Annex, Distillery District, Leslieville, Yorkville, Queen West, and The Beaches linking towers, streetcars, islands, markets, museums, sports venues, and immigrant food corridors. The CN Tower, St Lawrence Market, Toronto Islands, Queen Street West, and University Avenue give the city a clear axis from waterfront to neighborhoods.
Food & drink
Toronto food is market-stall and diaspora-heavy: peameal bacon sandwiches stack cornmeal-crusted back bacon on a bun, Jamaican patties wrap spiced beef or vegetables in flaky yellow pastry, doubles use curried chickpeas between bara, and butter tarts are the sticky Canadian bakery stop. St Lawrence Market, Kensington Market, Chinatown, Koreatown, Little Italy, Greektown, Queen West, and Scarborough food courts add poutine, dim sum, Korean barbecue, Italian sandwiches, souvlaki, and late-night slices.
Top sights
Ranked for December suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- AToronto Islands
- BSt Lawrence Market
- CToronto City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square
- DRoyal Ontario Museum
- EArt Gallery of Ontario
- FHockey Hall of Fame
- GCN Tower
- HRipley's Aquarium of Canada
- ICasa Loma
- JDistillery District
1Toronto Islands
4.7★ · 2,019outdoorFerries from Jack Layton Ferry Terminal reach Ward's Island, Centre Island, beaches, bike paths, picnic areas, and skyline viewpoints. The car-free islands are the fastest escape from Downtown traffic.
Wikipedia
2St Lawrence Market
4.6★ · 42,216outdoorClosed MonThe market district dates to 19th-century Toronto, with the South Market holding butchers, bakeries, produce stalls, seafood, cheese, and peameal bacon sandwiches. It is east of the Financial District near Front Street.
Wikipedia
3Toronto City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square
4.6★ · 41,268outdoorOpen dailyViljo Revell designed the curved twin towers and council chamber, opened in 1965 beside the older City Hall. Nathan Phillips Square adds the Toronto sign, skating in winter, public events, and direct access to Queen station.
Show 7 more sights
- 4Royal Ontario Museum
- 5Art Gallery of Ontario
- 6Hockey Hall of Fame
- 7CN Tower
- 8Ripley's Aquarium of Canada
- 9Casa Loma
- 10Distillery District
Neighborhoods
1Downtown and Entertainment District
Downtown is vertical and event-heavy, with Union Station, CN Tower, Rogers Centre, Scotiabank Arena, theatres, hotels, and PATH corridors.
2Kensington Market and Chinatown
Kensington and Chinatown are dense and food-driven, with vintage shops, produce stands, dumpling houses, cafes, murals, and Spadina streetcars.
3The Annex and Yorkville
The Annex and Yorkville mix university blocks, bookstores, ROM, Bata Shoe Museum, Bloor shopping, Victorian houses, and restaurant patios.
4Distillery District and Corktown
Distillery and Corktown feel brick-and-arts focused, with galleries, theatres, cafes, market events, Canary District paths, and streetcar access.
5Queen West and Ossington
Queen West and Ossington are nightlife-and-design heavy, with Trinity Bellwoods, boutiques, music rooms, cocktail bars, bakeries, and galleries.
6Leslieville and The Beaches
Leslieville and The Beaches are east-end and local, with brunch streets, Queen Street East shops, boardwalks, parks, and lakefront routes.
Day trips
130km / about 90min by GO train and bus or 2h by car from Union Station
Niagara Falls
Horseshoe Falls, boat cruises, viewpoints, Clifton Hill, and Niagara Parks trails make the classic full day from Toronto.
150km / about 2h by VIA Rail or seasonal GO train from Union Station
Stratford Festival
Theatre venues, Avon River parks, restaurants, and Shakespeare-season programming make the strongest arts day west of the city.
70km / 1h by GO train from Union Station to West Harbour or Hamilton GO Centre
Hamilton and Dundas
Waterfront paths, Dundurn Castle, art galleries, and waterfall trails around the Niagara Escarpment create a compact city-and-nature day.
Getting around
TTC subway, streetcars, and buses use PRESTO and contactless payment, while GO Transit and UP Express link Union Station with suburbs, Niagara routing, and Pearson Airport. Use subway lines for north-south distance, streetcars for Queen and King corridors, ferries for the islands, and GO trains for day trips.
Common questions about Toronto in December
- Will the places on my list be open when I'm in Toronto in December?
- Not always. Opening days and hours vary by weekday, season, and holiday. Paste your Toronto list into Tripnostic and it checks every place against the exact dates you're there, flagging closures before the trip instead of at a locked door.
- How do I plan Toronto days without crossing the city twice?
- Tripnostic groups your places by neighborhood so each day stays in one or two areas instead of zig-zagging. It also flags what needs booking ahead, so timed tickets and reservations don't fall through.
- What to pack for Toronto in December
Pack for December's weather, not a generic Toronto checklist.
- A warm coat and insulating layers for average highs around 2°C / 35°F.
- A heavier evening layer because nights average -5°C / 23°F.
- Compact rain gear and shoes that handle wet pavement across about 10 rainy days.
- How many days do you need in Toronto
- 4 days covers the main Toronto highlights at a realistic pace. Add 3 extra days if you want the listed day trips.
- Is Toronto worth visiting in December
- Yes. Toronto in December: 1.5°C high, -5°C low, 62mm rain over 10 days, 8.8h daylight. Cold and clearer — short daylight but skies open.