Beavertails were born in the Ottawa Valley, and they taste best standing in the snow with a cup of hot cider. The Ottawa Christmas Market leans on what’s made nearby, from orchard cider to a vodka distilled from milk. Save room for maple taffy, poured hot onto snow and rolled up on a stick.
Ottawa Christmas Market 2026
Dates
Status: Confirmed
Ottawa dates: 20th November to 31st December 2026
Last checked: October 2026
Update: Dates were announced in May. Sign up for our newsletter to be notified of changes.
Source: Verified by Ultimate Christmas Markets via Ottawa Tourism.
Plan Your Visit
Location and Times
Location: Aberdeen Plaza at Lansdowne
Opening times:
Friday: 5pm to 10pm
Saturday: 10am to 10pm
Sunday: 10am to 8p
Christmas Day: Closed
New Year’s Eve: 6pm to 1am
New Year’s Day: Closed
Travel and Accommodation
Recommended tour: ByWard Market food tour.
Public transport: OC Transpo routes 6 and 7 stop at Lansdowne on Bank Street.
Parking: Please take public transport to help limit congestion. Parking is available at Lansdowne Parking and TD Place.
Where to stay: The Metcalfe is a highly-rated hotel in Downtown Ottawa.
Amenities and Attractions
Admission: Free
Lights: No switch on date
Santa: Santa visits on select dates, and crafts for kids are free at Santa’s Workshop.
Ice skating: Yes, on the outdoor rink beside the market, with DJ skate nights.
Reason to visit: European-inspired chalets and one of the biggest markets in Ontario, with skating next door.
Dietary Options
Vegetarian: Yes, plenty of options.
Vegan: Yes, plenty of options.
Gluten-free: Limited. Ask individual vendors, but beware of cross-contamination.
Christmas cocktails: At Santa’s Workshop.
Food specialities: Beavertails, poutine, tourtière, butter tarts and maple taffy.
Accessibility
Accessible: Yes.
Pet-friendly: Yes, but not recommended during busy periods.
Convenient Hotels
The market’s in the Glebe, a short bus ride south of downtown. I recommend staying downtown or in the busy ByWard Market neighbourhood, where you’re closer to the restaurants and sights. The Metcalfe Hotel is an excellent option in this area and is one of the most popular hotels in Downtown Ottawa.
Recommended Tours
You could take a regular city tour, but I think this ByWard Market food tour is a more interesting option, as you get to see some of the sights in between 6 stops that include both savoury and sweet dishes, plus drinks.
For more places to visit this year, read my guide to the Canadian Christmas Markets.
Visitor Feedback
What Visitors Loved
- The look of the place wins people over, with the lit chalets, a tunnel of lights and the giant tree making it feel close to a market in Germany.
- Locals treat it as a regular December outing, and repeat visitors enjoy seeing the same makers back at their chalets each year.
- There’s nearly always something on a stage, so families and groups of friends tend to stay for the whole evening rather than a quick browse.
- Hot drinks get a mention in almost every account, and the hot chocolate stalls are a particular favourite with kids.
Common Complaints
- Opening night and weekend evenings get packed. Early on a Friday evening is the quietest time to go.
- Driving is the biggest frustration, with Bank Street clogged on market nights and slow exits from the underground car park. Locals suggest the bus, or parking a few streets away and walking in.
- The most popular food and drink stalls have long queues at peak times, which is hard going on a freezing night, so dress far warmer than you think you need.
Location
What to Expect
The city’s Christmas market also goes by its French name, Marché de Noël, and it’s styled on the markets of Germany and Austria. More than 50 local vendors trade from wooden chalets strung with lights. Towering over them is a huge tree in front of the Aberdeen Pavilion, the Victorian exhibition hall that locals call the Cattle Castle.
Once the sun goes down, which is before 4.30pm in December, the place fills up. Skaters circle the outdoor rink next door while bands and dance groups take the stages. The bar in the middle of the market does a steady trade in hot cider and cocktails.
It’s free to enter, always family-friendly, and the season wraps up with a New Year’s Eve party.
Regional Specialties
- Beavertails: Fried, stretched dough shaped like a beaver’s tail, and an Ottawa Valley invention. Toppings run from cinnamon sugar to chocolate and plenty more.
- Maple taffy: Hot maple syrup poured onto clean snow and rolled onto a stick as it sets. You can watch vendors make it right at the market.
- Tourtière: A spiced pork and beef pie that’s a Christmas Eve tradition in French-Canadian homes, and Quebec is just across the river.
- Butter tarts: Ontario’s favourite pastry, a small tart with a gooey butter and sugar filling, sometimes with raisins or nuts.
- Poutine: Fries, squeaky cheese curds and gravy, which is exactly what you want on a frozen evening.
- Cider: Hot or cold, from orchards around Ottawa, with local cideries such as Saunders Farm pouring at the market.
Gifts and Stocking Fillers
- Maple syrup: The classic Canadian gift. Look for syrup from the sugar bushes of Lanark County, just west of the city.
- Alpaca wear: Socks, mittens and hats in alpaca wool have been a fixture at the chalets for years, and they’re warm enough for an Ottawa night.
- Glass and ceramics: Handmade ornaments, glass art and pottery from local studios make light, packable presents.
Sustainability Tips
- Walk over the Flora Footbridge: This bridge over the Rideau Canal links Old Ottawa East with the Glebe, about 10 minutes on foot from the market, and it’s a far calmer way in than Bank Street on a busy night.
- Try the milk vodka: Dairy Distillery in nearby Almonte makes Vodkow from milk permeate, the watery leftover from dairy processing that would otherwise go to waste, and it’s been on the drinks list at the market.
- Shop with Indigenous makers: Mādahòkì Farm, an Indigenous-run farm on the edge of the city, holds a winter market with beadwork, moccasins and a trail of lights that’s well worth adding to an Ottawa trip.
Comment below if you want to leave a Xmas review, have any questions or would like to report any inaccuracies.
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Recommendations are independently chosen based on personal travel experiences and extensive research. While we make every effort to provide accurate information, the dates and details listed here should not be relied upon as definitive. Please consult the official website before booking your trip or planning a visit.
I am trying to get information to which parking would be best for handicapped and elderly parking closest to the Christmas Farmers Market. Your site does not provide me with this info.
Unable to get maps, and very confusing. Wish we would not be forgotten.
Murielle
It is a bit difficult to find unfortunately. It would be best if you contact the organiser or the local council, as they would have up-to-date information.