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Christmas markets · Kitchener

Christmas markets in Kitchener

Kitchener — Berlin, Ontario until 1916 — keeps its German Christmas market at City Hall, two weekends in December.

3 markets · checked September 2026

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    German market

    • Carl Zehr Square and the skating rink at the Christkindl Market, KitchenerConfectionery stall inside Kitchener City Hall during the Christkindl Market

      📷 Julius177 · CC BY-SA 4.0

      German market · Kitchener

      Christkindl Market

      Kitchener's German Christmas market, modelled on the medieval markets of Germany, at City Hall — a nod to the city's German roots (it was called Berlin until 1916).

      🧒 With kids✨ Date night🎉 With friends

      What's there

      • Outdoor huts plus a heated main tent and the City Hall Rotunda
      • Mulled wine and German food
      • Skating rink, ice sculptures and a petting zoo with miniature horses
      • Kidskindl programme with Santa
      • Blacksmith demonstrations and live music

      What visitors say

      Locals call it one of Kitchener's best events and like that it's completely free; their main advice is to take the ION rather than fight for downtown parking.

      Ontario's most authentic German Christmas market and free — worth a trip from Toronto. In 2026 it doubles to two weekends for its 30th anniversary; Saturday night (open until 11 pm) has the best atmosphere.

      2026
      December 3–6 and 10–13, 2026
      Last season
      December 4–7, 2025
      Cost
      Free

      Getting there and parking

      • ION light rail to Kitchener City Hall or Victoria Park station; Central Station is a short walk; GRT routes 7, 8, 20 and iXpress 204
      • Free parking after 5 pm Thursday–Friday in city surface lots and all weekend in the City Hall garage; otherwise city garages at hourly rates
      • Secure bike parking in the City Hall garage

      Worth knowing

      • 2026 hours: Thursday 4–9 pm, Friday 10 am–9 pm, Saturday 10 am–11 pm, Sunday 10 am–4 pm
      • Public washrooms inside City Hall, in Carl Zehr Square and on Young Street
      • Check road closures downtown before driving

    Holiday market

    • Cambridge Holiday Market, CambridgeIllustration

      Holiday market · Cambridge

      Cambridge Holiday Market

      🎉 With friends🧒 With kids

      What's there

      • More than 100 artisans
      • At Cambridge City Hall on the Grand River
      • Friday evening opening

      A good-sized free market — pair it with Galt's riverside downtown or Christkindl in Kitchener the next weekend.

      2026
      November 27–29, 2026
      Cost
      Free

      Getting there and parking

      • Cambridge City Hall, 50 Dickson Street, downtown Galt — GRT buses to the Ainslie Street terminal
      • City lots on Westminster Alley and Church Street South

      Worth knowing

      • 2026: November 27–29; Friday 5:30–9:30 pm
    • Elora Christmas Market, EloraIllustration

      Holiday market · Elora

      Elora Christmas Market

      ✨ Date night🧒 With kids

      What's there

      • 150 trees and 88,000 lights through the village
      • Fire tables
      • Local shops along the streets

      What visitors sayGoogle 4.1 ★ · 48 reviews

      Most find it magical — a whole village dressed up — but very crowded on weekends with hard parking; a few say there's little traditional market food.

      Go for the lights and the village on a weekday evening; eat at a restaurant in town.

      2026
      November and December 2026 (dates to come)
      Cost
      Free to walk around; food and shops at their own prices

      Getting there and parking

      • By car — Elora is about 25 minutes north of Guelph; there is no practical transit
      • Parking fills on weekends — expect to circle or park on the edge of the village

      Worth knowing

      • Open Wednesday to Sunday until Christmas, 12–8 pm (2025)

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