Winter Festival of Lights

Experience the most enchanting Niagara Falls attraction during the most wonderful time of the year - the 40th annual Winter Festival of Lights. You will be filled with holiday cheer as you witness Canada’s largest free outdoor light festival, located throughout the Niagara Parkway and Dufferin Islands. The displays consist of Christmas trees, giant ornaments, polar bears, moose, and more, made from twinkling lights that will dazzle your senses and spread holiday cheer.

Come down to the Niagara Falls Winter Festival of Lights and see the whole area transform into a winter wonderland during this holiday season! Drive along the festival route of Niagara Parkway and through Dufferin Islands into the tourist precincts of Fallsview Boulevard, Lundy’s Lane, and Downtown Niagara Falls to be dazzled by 101 nights of twinkling lights and much more. The best way to see the various points of interest is by a guided tour. So don't forget to book one to be enchanted by the beautiful festival of lights!

What to Know

The Niagara Falls Winter Festival of Lights is an annual outdoor light festival held in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, running from November 12, 2022, to February 20, 2023. The sparkling extravaganza features millions of sparkling lights and spectacular displays of colorful light shows. Visitors can stroll along the Niagara Parkway and take in the festive atmosphere of the winter season, or take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the illuminated Dufferin Islands. The festival also includes a variety of performances, such as live music and dance, as well as food and drink vendors offering warm treats and beverages. The Winter Festival of Lights is a popular destination for families, couples, and groups of friends looking to experience the magic of the holiday season in a unique and beautiful setting!

History

Niagara Falls has always been a center of tourism in Canada due to its scenic views and several sites of attractions nearby. But the tourists always flocked to this spot only during summer. To solve this issue, the Winter Festival of Lights was founded in 1982 to expand the tourism season to winter. For its premiere season, the winter carnival hosted light shows and illuminating displays that were not too extravagant. It still managed to attract about 250,000 sightseers who came to see the festival in the spirit of the holidays! From that point onwards, the festival went on to grow each year displaying more and more lavish lighting displays, drawing more and more visitors towards the extravaganza until everybody started to see an annual visit here as a mandatory winter tradition. 

The coalition between the Niagara Falls Canada Visitor and Convention Bureau (now referred to as Niagara Falls Tourism), the City of Niagara Falls, the Niagara Parks Commission, and several private tourist enterprises, forged over forty years ago bore fruit and today this festival is Canada’s biggest illumination extravaganza and the very first in North America, enticing more than 1 million sightseers each year to behold the sparkling displays of lights in the holiday season! The fact that this festival did so in just 40 years is nothing short of a wonder.

How to Get There 

You can drive or walk through the 8 km festival route of Niagara Parkway, and navigate your way into Queen Victoria Park, Dufferin Islands, and the tourist destinations of Fallsview Boulevard, Clifton Hill, Lundy's Lane, and Downtown Niagara Falls. You can drive your car to park at the various points of interest along the parkway to get a better view of the gorgeous illuminations. If you want to explore each destination thoroughly, consider booking a walking tour with us! 

Best Time to Visit

This year's enchanting Winter Festival of Lights runs from November 12th to February 20th next year. The festival's million lights sparkle from 5:00 p.m. to midnight, so you should definitely visit the festival during this time to bask in the holiday glow of winter!

Highlights 

This year's festival features a delicious Hot Chocolate Trail to keep you warm as you walk down the winter trail to be dazzled by the holiday lights. Try out new and classic confections, sip on a warm beverage, and have family fun while exploring the trail! Watch a gorgeous display of natural beauty in Sparkling Winter Lights Falls Illumination! This light show is a part of the regular Falls illumination!

Features 

Along the festival route, you'll be wonderstruck by brilliant displays of lights and larger-than-life sparkling exhibits that will surely take your breath away! This year's festival features a new light show "Sparkling Winter Lights - Falls Illumination" to mark the 40th anniversary. Come down here and see the hypnotizing illuminations ranging from aurora borealis and soft snowfalls to frosted falls and harsh blizzards! 

You'll have a chance to see the breathtaking beauty of American and Canadian Horseshoe Falls as they rejuvenate every night with this nature-themed light show. This show is an element of the dazzling illumination of the Falls which takes place every night. So come and bask in the holiday glow of the Winter Festival of Lights!

There's a new Hot Chocolate Trail adored by kids and adults alike. Have family fun and explore the many stops of chocolatey concoctions created by chocolatiers! Try out delicious desserts, truffles, and bonbons at some of the trail's excellent restaurants and bake shops across Niagara Falls! Sip on a hot beverage while exploring the dazzling festival's route!