Holiday Light Shows in Ottawa, Ontario

November 27, 2020

Six festive light events to enjoy this holiday season.

Magic of Lights

Photo from @themagicoflights Instagram page

Magic of Lights is a nightly interactive, drive through light experience in the city of Ottawa. You’ll drive down candy cane lane, through reindeer crossing, the nativity section and other bright festive areas, before ending outside of the enchanted tunnel. A great way to experience the lights in the comfort of your own car.

Find the entrance at Wesley Clover Parks, on Corkstown road. Grab your tickets online ahead of time, or at the gate; one price per vehicle. You save if purchased online! Open every night until January 9, 2021. Weekend hours have been extended (Friday and Saturday) from 5pm until 11pm.

Christmas Lights Across Canada

The lighting route circles the heart of Ottawa, with thousands of lights brightening Confederation Boulevard. Enjoy multiple Christmas light sites, including the war memorial, the Garden of Provinces and Territories, and the view from Alexandria bridge. Every evening from 5:30pm to 1am.

Enjoy this experience from November 30, 2020 until January 7, 2021.

Typically the pièce de résistance is the multimedia projection show on Parliament Hill. It will not be presented this year due to public health guidelines. You guessed it; the light displays and events are going virtual with ‘IllumiNATION’. This virtual celebration is open across the country, kicking off on Thursday December 17 at 8:00pm following lights across Canada, including musical events. Follow along online with Capital Experience.

Enchanted Ottawa Holiday Drive

Photo from @enchantedottawa Instagram page

A new drive thru holiday light experience in Ottawa as of 2020! The team that brought you The Drive in Experience including movies and events, as well as Deadwood Haunted Drive this past October, bring you this December event.

Tickets are on sale now. I would hurry off and buy them if you’re interested, as the Halloween Deadwood experience sold out quickly, and these are also selling fast! See Santa as well as 8 immersive and festive scenes, filled with lights and displays as well as actors. The event takes place at Karters’ Korner on Fallowfield road.

Ian’s Christmas Adventure Park

Photo from @ianschristmaspark Instagram page

A local Christmas tree farm that has much more than trees! Some of the activities you can enjoy at their holiday adventure park are; Santa visits, an outdoor skating rink, hiking trails and hills for sledding.

Take an evening stroll down Candy Cane lane to view thousands of Christmas lights, with a free hot chocolate. Warm up afterwards by an open fire, or bring your gear to skate or sled! The skating rink and sledding hills are also lit up at night.

The entrance fee is $10, which is waived with the purchase of a Christmas tree (pre-cut or cut your own). New this year, they also have movie nights up on the big screen. Dress warm and an enjoy a holiday film under the stars.

Lights at Lansdowne

Visit the largest Christmas tree in Ottawa, among a canopy of lights in and surrounding the Casino Lac-Leamy Plaza. The light experience just opened November 27, 2020 and is said to include other festive instagrammable elements. (My mind goes to the ‘XMAS’ sign at last year’s Ottawa Christmas market!)

This event is free for all to enjoy. The Ottawa Christmas Market will return December 2021.

Alight at Night

Photo from @uppercanadavill Instagram page

Eastern Ontario’s largest outdoor light festival is back! Dress warm for this evening walk through Upper Canada Village, enjoying the small-town atmosphere lit up with over one million lights. This historic site is completely transformed into a bright winter wonderland.

New for 2020: Victorian Saint Nicolas will be in his workshop and greeting guests from afar. Note that some annual activities have been paused due to public health concerns, such as the carol singing in Christ Church. Old and new events will be taking their place.

The event kicks off November 27, yet the first couple weekends are already sold out! Buy your tickets online now.

Vintage Village of Lights

Photo from @cumberlandmuseum Instagram page

This year’s Vintage Village of Lights is a drive through edition, at the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum. Enjoy over 30,000 lights and festive décor as you step back in time. Christmas traditions from interwar years will be highlighted as you listen to an old-fashioned radio program. Each household also leaves with a goody bag.

Open Wednesday to Sunday, as of November 25 until December 23, 2020. Online registration is required, and the cost is per vehicle.

Taffy Lane

Photo from @ottawatourism Instagram page.

This neighbourhood street, located in Orléans, is appropriately known as Candy Cane Lane come the Christmas season. It has the best neighbourhood light display in the city without a doubt. The residents of the area fill their front lawns with festive lights, blow up Santas, reindeer displays, various snowmen and even a Grinch or two.

Taffy Lane has been attracting crowds for years, and since it is just a friendly neighbourhood street, it is free to visit. The tradition is to launch the ‘show’ at 5pm on December 1, but displays typically begin popping up in November. Consider driving by on a week night to avoid crowds.