As November rolls in, Toronto officially gets into holiday mode. Lights go up, Christmas music follows you everywhere, and festive markets begin popping up across the city. One of the most anticipated? The Distillery Winter Village. The Distillery District is always lively this time of year, but during the Winter Village, it becomes something truly magical. If you’re planning a visit, here’s everything you need to know before stepping into this twinkling holiday wonderland.
Canada’s most photographed Christmas tree
The star of the night, and the whole season, is the Winter Village’s iconic tree. This year’s silver fir stands an impressive 16.7 metres (55 feet) tall and is considered Canada’s most photographed Christmas tree.
The lighting of the 2025 Christmas Tree took place on November 13, when hundreds of visitors came to see the magical moment. With Santa leading the countdown, the ceremony officially kicked off The Distillery Winter Village, presented by L’Oréal Paris, marking the beginning of Toronto’s holiday season.
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The tree is decorated with:
- 80,000+ lights
- 750 ornaments (15–50 cm in size)
- Gold starburst accents
- Winter Village snowflakes and red finial ornaments
The base is just as enchanting. A custom circular platform surrounds the tree, complete with a 12-foot performance stage and whimsical, hand-painted 3D vignettes inspired by nostalgic holiday window displays. Think moving trains circling the tree, festive scenes, and Canadian wildlife—from moose to caribou—tucked into the décor. Lanterns designed to mirror those found throughout the historic district cast a warm glow over the installation.
In total, more than 1,000 hours went into designing, crafting, and decorating this year’s tree—making it not just a holiday centrepiece, but a true work of art.
Attractions
Here are the attractions you can enjoy this year at the Winter Village:
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- Dozens of holiday photo ops (Santa’s sleigh, Candy Cane Wreath, Snowpeople, Countdown Clock, Naughty or Nice Bar, etc.)
- 47 vendor cabins and nine outdoor holiday bars
- The L’Oréal Paris Cabin, where you can write greeting cards, sample products, and enter giveaways
- Chef’s Lane, featuring holiday creations from top Canadian chefs
- A Stranger Things 5 Immersive Experience
- The Pura Vida Chocolate Experience presented by Visit Costa Rica
- A brand-new Narnia-themed Santa’s Village, created with Soulpepper and OCAD students
- 40 food cabins — with new favourites like Rick’s Good Eats, Santa Spuds, Dubai Chocolates, Robata skewers, and a Craig’s Cookies pop-up
- New festive bars: The Ugly Sweater Patio Bar and Peppermint Patio Bar
- Performances from The McGregor Carollers, Mirvish Productions, the Canadian Opera Company, and more
- Daily family-friendly programming, including Storytime with the Elves
Dining
If you get hungry, you won’t have to look far. The Distillery District has plenty of great restaurants, and this year’s Winter Village features 40 food cabins, including new favourites like Rick’s Good Eats, Santa Spuds, Dubai Chocolates, Robata skewers, and even a Craig’s Cookies pop-up.
If you prefer dining somewhere outside of the crazy busy Distillery restaurants during peak times, local restaurants like Reyna on King (literally around the corner) and Gusto 501 both take walk-ins and also accept reservations. They also have Roselle Bakery right around the corner, where you can treat yourself to something sweet.
Here are all the coffee shops, restaurants, and dessert spots you can find in the area:
- Pure Spirits Oyster House
- Spirit of York Distillery Co.
- Spirithouse Toronto
- Madrina Bar Y Tapas
- Arena Coffee Bar
- Arvo Coffee
- Balzac’s Coffee Roasters
- Boku Japenese
- Brick Street Bakery
- Cluny Bistro and Boulangerie
- El Catrin Distilleria
- The Sweet Escape Patisserie
- Soma Chocolate Maker
- Scooped by Demetres
- Demetre’s
- Mill Street Pub
These are the must-try foods at the Distillery Winter Village
Spicy Mala Poutine
If you’re a poutine lover, you have to try the Mala Poutine from Chef Eric Chong. It’s made with pork and cabbage dumplings, mozzarella, fries, and a bold Szechuan gravy. It’s rich, flavour-packed, and incredibly filling.
Jingle Bao
WubaEats has a cabin in the Distillery District right by the heart structure, and their Winter Village exclusive is the Jingle Bao. It’s filled with roasted turkey, arugula, cranberry aioli, torched brie, and served with gravy on the side—and honestly, it was the most delicious festive bao.
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Butter Chicken Birria Roti Tacos
We also tried the Butter Chicken Birria Roti Tacos from Rick’s Good Eats—and wow. They take their in-house roti tacos, stuff them with signature butter chicken, then baste everything in a rich butter chicken consommé that ties it all together. And yes, they come with extra consommé on the side for dipping, dunking, and doing things properly.
They were so good—comfort food at its absolute best.
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Cluny’s Bistro Hot Chocolate
Cluny is offering three flavours of their famous hot chocolate, and we tried the Nutella version. It was, of course, delicious—but definitely on the sweeter side. The top layer is made with Nutella, torched marshmallow, and whipped cream, which brings most of the sweetness, and it’s perfectly balanced by the rich, dark hot chocolate underneath. We’d recommend sharing one—it’s indulgent in the best way.
Demetres Monkey Pudding and Dubai Hot Chocolate
Demetres’ Monkey Pudding was absolutely divine. Made with pillowy soft cinnamon dough balls, baked apples, brown butter caramel, streusel, and whipped cream, it genuinely melted in your mouth with every bite.
Their Dubai Hot Chocolate was equally impressive—rich and comforting without being overly sweet. It’s made with decadent hot chocolate and topped with vanilla whipped cream, chocolate sauce, crushed pistachios, and kataifi (shredded phyllo dough) for a fun, unexpected crunch. You can find it at their Winter Village cabin, and it’s a must-try.
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Opening hours
The Winter Village runs from November 13, 2025, to January 4, 2026.
- Sunday–Thursday: 10 a.m.–9 p.m.
- Friday–Saturday: 10 a.m.–10 p.m.
It’s ticketed on:
- Thursdays – Sundays in December, after 4:00 p.m.
- Daily from December 11 – 31 after 4:00 p.m.
- Closed Christmas Day
- (it’s free January 1 – 4, 2026)
Ticket prices
Let’s address the big question — tickets!
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- General Admission: $15
- Flex Tickets: $18
- Kids 9 and under: Free
All tickets must be purchased online in advance.
How to get the Distillery Winter Village
Getting to the Distillery Winter Village is easy, but parking can be limited — especially on busy evenings. While paid parking is available along Distillery Lane and in the underground lot, spots fill up fast. To skip the stress, consider taking the TTC, GO Transit, or renting a bike through Bike Share Toronto.
From Union Station
By GO Transit:
Arrive at Union Station, then take the TTC or enjoy a scenic 25-minute walk along Front St. or The Esplanade (Google Maps will guide you).
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By TTC:
Take Line 1 to King Station. Exit at Yonge & King (SE corner) and catch an eastbound 504A King streetcar to Distillery Loop, or take the 121 Esplanade–River bus from Front & Bay, and get off at Mill St. & Trinity St. Extra service runs Fridays (4 p.m.–12 a.m.) and weekends (11 a.m.–12 a.m.).
From King Street West
Hop on an eastbound 504A King streetcar and ride directly to Distillery Loop.
From Queen Street East
Take a 503 Kingston Road streetcar to King & Sumach, then transfer to an eastbound 504A to Distillery Loop or from King & Sumach, walk 5 minutes south to reach the Distillery District.
You can also take the 72A Pape bus to Parliament & Front, then walk 5 minutes south.
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From Broadview Station
Take the 504/504A King/Dundas to King & Sumach, then transfer to an eastbound 504A and get off at Distillery Loop. You can also walk 5 minutes south from King & Sumach.
From Castle Frank Station
Take the 65 Parliament bus directly to Mill Street. Extra service runs Fridays (4 p.m.–12 a.m.) and weekends (11 a.m.–12 a.m.). Note that Castle Frank Station is not accessible..
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With files by Revathy. Feature image courtesy of Distillery District
