Niagara Digest — Early December 2025 Edition 🎄✨

Hey Niagara!

Bundle up, friends—winter's officially here and our region is absolutely glowing! ❄️✨ With 3 million lights twinkling across Niagara Falls, Santa suit runs in NOTL, and that cozy winter magic settling over all 12 of our municipalities, December is shaping up to be SPECTACULAR. Let's dive in! 🎅

Top News Stories in Niagara Right Now

🏥 Upper Canada Lodge Closes After Decades – Niagara Region's long-standing NOTL long-term care home officially closed December 19, with residents transitioning to modern Gilmore Lodge in Fort Erie and Linhaven in St. Catharines. Parks Canada now working with the town on future uses for this historic building (Niagara-on-the-Lake)

💡 Winter Festival of Lights in Full Swing – Canada's largest FREE outdoor festival runs through January 4, 2026, with 3 million lights illuminating 8km along the Niagara Parkway! Plus fireworks Fridays & Saturdays, NEW Laser Light Spectacular, and 25+ interactive displays (Niagara Falls)

💰 Region Approves 2025 Budget – Niagara Region passed its 2025 budget on December 13 with major infrastructure investments including bridge rehabs and road improvements across multiple municipalities (Region-wide)

🎭 Shaw Festival's Final Season at Royal George – A Christmas Carol runs through December 22 at the beloved theatre before major renovations. This is history, folks! (Niagara-on-the-Lake)

💝 Record-Breaking Community Giving – Niagara Community Foundation dispersed over $3.8 million to local charities in 2024, their largest annual grant total ever, with assets surpassing $92.5 million. This is OUR community taking care of each other! 🙌 (Region-wide)

Local Business & Food Scene Highlights

🍽️ Holiday Dining Extravaganza – Watermark Fallsview offering three-course gourmet dinner with sparkling wine toast for New Year's Eve with live music, plus special Christmas menus across the region. Skylon Tower also serving festive Falls-view feasts! (Niagara Falls)

🍫 Hot Chocolate Trail Returns – 25 stops featuring over 30 unique flavours from classic mint to Dulce de Leche, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. Your winter warm-up sorted! ☕ (Niagara Falls)

🍷 Winery Winter Experiences – Wineries across NOTL, Grimsby, and Lincoln serving holiday-inspired tastings, festive decorations, and seasonal food pairings. Reif Estate Winery hosted 50+ artisan vendors Dec 7-8 for their Holiday Market! (Multiple municipalities)

🎄 Holly Jolly Bar Pop-Up – Retro cocktail bar with festive treats open Wed-Sun through Christmas Eve at Niagara Pen Centre (St. Catharines)

Community & Feel-Good Stories ❤️

🏆 Colin Strickland's Incredible Impact – Port Colborne's own Colin Strickland won a 2024 Niagara Impact Award after raising $22K for Movember and founding The Corners Run Crew with 85+ members! His motto? "Moderate Pace, Positive Space." Now THAT'S community building! 💙 (Port Colborne)

🎄 Christmas for 600+ Families – FACS Niagara's Gift of Hope campaign is bringing holiday joy to families and 430+ children in care. Just $35 provides a warm dinner for a youth living independently. Every dollar counts! 🎁 (Niagara Falls)

👏 Kids Golfing for Kids Hits $300K – The Kristen French Child Advocacy Centre honoured John White, whose Kids Golfing for Kids raised over $300K in 16 years! Also celebrating Duliban Insurance for their incredible community support. These folks are LEGENDS! 🌟 (Thorold)

💚 Foundation Shatters Records – The Niagara Community Foundation didn't just break records in 2024—they DEMOLISHED them! $3.8 million dispersed to local charities, the largest grant total in their history. This is what happens when a community comes together! 🙌 (Region-wide)

Event Calendar – 60+ Ways to Fill Your Weekends (or Weeknights!)

🎄 This Week (Dec 3-8)

🎅 Wed, Dec 4 – Downtown St. Catharines Holiday Trail, 4:30 PM+ – festive fun downtown! 🎄 (St. Catharines)

🍷 Fri, Dec 6 – 13th Street Winery Holiday Open House, 1-4 PM – festive pairings, live music, seasonal deals! 🍇 (St. Catharines)

🍫 Fri, Dec 6 – Candles & Cocktails at Amalfis with RivR Candles, laid-back evening vibes ✨ (St. Catharines)

🏡 Fri-Sat, Dec 6-7 – Rotary Holiday House Tour, 9:30 AM-4:30 PM – tour 6 gorgeous homes + 3 wineries, all for charity! 🏠 (Niagara-on-the-Lake)

🎨 Fri-Sun, Dec 6-8 – Holiday Market at Niagara Pumphouse Arts Centre, 247 Ricardo St – 20+ talented artisans, free admission with food donation! 🎁 (Niagara-on-the-Lake)

🍷 Sat-Sun, Dec 7-8 – Reif Holiday Market, 11 AM-5 PM – 50+ local vendors throughout the winery! 🛍️ (Niagara Falls)

🎵 Sun, Dec 8 – A Charlie Brown Christmas Concert, 7:30 PM at FirstOntario PAC – Doug Mundy Jazz Trio, tickets from $33! 🎶 (St. Catharines)

🎁 Next Week (Dec 9-15)

🚜 Wed, Dec 11 – Virgil Christmas Tractor Parade, 6-8 PM – illuminated tractors & farm vehicles! This is SO Niagara! 🚜✨ (Niagara-on-the-Lake)

🎭 Thu, Dec 12 – Christmas Tractor Parade, evening – tractors with dazzling lights through Old Town! (Niagara-on-the-Lake)

🎅 Fri, Dec 13 – NOTL Christmas Parade, 11 AM – festive floats, marching bands & Santa through Old Town! 🎅 (Niagara-on-the-Lake)

🎄 Sat, Dec 14 – St. Catharines Christmas Fest at Club Roma, 125 Vansickle Rd, 11 AM-11 PM – food, fun, festive cheer! 🎉 (St. Catharines)

🛍️ Sun, Dec 15 – Market Square Artisan Market, 91 King St – 60+ local artisans! 🎁 (St. Catharines)

🎨 Sun, Dec 15 – Holiday Market at Niagara Pumphouse Arts Centre, final day! (Niagara-on-the-Lake)

🎭 Theatre & Shows Running Now

🎭 A Christmas Carol – Shaw Festival through Dec 22 at Royal George Theatre, a family-friendly version with puppetry suitable for ages 6+ (Niagara-on-the-Lake)

🎭 Irving Berlin's White Christmas – Shaw Festival holiday musical at Festival Theatre (Niagara-on-the-Lake)

🎪 Greg Frewin Magic Show – Evolution Magic Show ongoing at Greg Frewin Theatre, 5781 Ellen Ave (Niagara Falls)

💡 Winter Festival of Lights (Through Jan 4)

✨ Nightly Light Displays – 5 PM-midnight along 8km of Niagara Parkway, Dufferin Islands, Fallsview & Lundy's Lane (Niagara Falls)

🎆 Falls Illumination – "Sparkling Winter Lights" shows nightly at 6, 7, and 8 PM (Niagara Falls)

🎆 Fireworks – Fridays & Saturdays at 8 PM through Dec 20, then nightly Dec 25-Jan 4, plus midnight on NYE! (Niagara Falls)

🎅 Santa Photos – FREE at Skylon Tower arcade Dec 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, 6-8 PM (Niagara Falls)

💫 Laser Light Spectacular – Queen Victoria Park, Fridays & Saturdays through Dec 20, shows every half hour 6-9 PM, then nightly Dec 26-Jan 4! 🌈 (Niagara Falls)

🎨 Interactive Displays – Les Diamants, Musical Bikes, Entre les rangs, The TUNNEL, Impulse See-Saws, Aurora Moose (Niagara Falls)

🍫 Hot Chocolate Trail – 25 stops with 30+ flavours including Hershey's, Niagara Distillery, Lucky's, Marriott locations (Niagara Falls)

❄️ Let It Glow (Through Jan 5)

✨ Light Displays – Rennie Park & Downtown St. Catharines with interactive installations! (St. Catharines)

🎄 Holiday Markets & Shopping

🛍️ Downtown St. Catharines Market – Wednesdays in December, 4-8 PM at Market Square, 91 King St (St. Catharines)

🎄 Niagara Pen Centre Holiday Activities – Through Dec 24 at 221 Glendale Ave (St. Catharines)

🏠 Heritage & Museums

🏛️ Holidays @ the Homestead – Candlelit tours at Brown Homestead, 1317 Pelham Rd (St. Catharines)

🎄 Nelles Manor Christmas – Evening of holiday cheer at 126 Main St W (Grimsby)

🎄 Christmas Wonderland Garden – Pillar and Post with sparkling lights, ice rink, fire pits & holiday movies! (Niagara-on-the-Lake)

🎄 Coming Soon: Christmas & New Year's

🎄 Dec 19-22 – Final performances of Shaw's A Christmas Carol (Niagara-on-the-Lake)

⛸️ Dec 21 – Skate with Santa at Wayne Gretzky Estates (Niagara-on-the-Lake)

🎄 Dec 24 – Most Town facilities close early; check municipal websites for holiday hours (All municipalities)

🎆 Dec 25-Jan 4 – NIGHTLY fireworks & laser shows at Winter Festival! (Niagara Falls)

🍽️ Dec 31 (New Year's Eve) – Watermark Fallsview gourmet 3-course dinner with sparkling wine toast & live music! (Niagara Falls)

🏊 Dec 31 – FREE Leisure Swims at St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatics, 9 AM, 10 AM, 11 AM, 12 PM (St. Catharines)

⛸️ Dec 31 – FREE Public Skating at Seymour-Hannah Centre, 9:30 AM-12 PM, all 4 ice pads with glow sticks! (St. Catharines)

🎆 Dec 31 Midnight – EPIC fireworks show over the Falls to ring in 2025! 🎊 (Niagara Falls)

🍷 January 2025 Preview

🍷 Niagara Icewine Festival – Jan 10-26: Discovery Pass weekends, Cool As Ice Gala (Jan 18), NOTL Icewine Village (Jan 18-19, 25-26), IceHaus Cocktail Competition (Jan 25) (Multiple municipalities)

🎁 Ongoing Community Initiatives

🧣 Mitten Tree Campaign – Dec 2-Jan 6 – Donate winter clothing at St. Catharines Museum (St. Catharines)

🎄 Gift of Hope Campaign – FACS Niagara bringing Christmas to 600+ families (Niagara Falls)

📚 Book Sale for Youth Mental Health – Virgil Canada Post supporting youth mental health conversations (Niagara-on-the-Lake)

🏞️ All Year Long

🍷 Wine Route Adventures – Wineries open across Lincoln, Grimsby, NOTL & beyond with seasonal events (Multiple municipalities)

🚴 Welland Canal Trail – Bike or walk the scenic route (Welland/St. Catharines/Thorold)

🌊 Lakefront Exploration – Port Dalhousie, Port Colborne beaches, Crystal Beach (St. Catharines/Port Colborne/Fort Erie)

🏛️ Historic Sites – Fort George (NOTL), Fort Erie (Fort Erie), museums across all municipalities

🥾 Bruce Trail Hiking – Winter wonderland views along the Escarpment (Multiple municipalities)

That's a wrap for this edition!

Stay warm, shop local, and we'll see you sparkling under those festival lights! ✨ Whether you're warming up with hot chocolate on the trail, catching the tractor parade in Virgil, or marveling at 3 million twinkling bulbs across the Falls—this is YOUR Niagara winter wonderland.

Keep celebrating each other, supporting our local businesses, and making memories across all 12 of our amazing municipalities. From Grimsby to Fort Erie, Wainfleet to West Lincoln—we're all in this together! ❤️

The Niagara Digest Team

P.S. The Shaw's A Christmas Carol ends Dec 22—this is your LAST chance to see a show in the Royal George before major renovations! Also: restaurants are booking FAST for Christmas & NYE. Don't wait! 📞🎄