Christmas Events for Kids in Kingston, Ontario (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

3 min read

For 2026, we confirmed 4 Christmas events for kids in Kingston, Ontario. The season opens on November 21 with Kingston Christmas Harbour Show and runs until December 19 with Santa Saturdays. One of these is free. Every listing links straight to the host. This page is part of our guide to Christmas events for kids in Canada.

The short version

  • Kids’ Christmas events confirmed for 2026 in Kingston: 4
  • First: Kingston Christmas Harbour Show, Kingston, November 21
  • Free events: Santa Saturdays

Below is every event we could confirm, grouped by town, with the date, time, cost and the small things parents ask about (registration, ages, what is included).

At a glance: Christmas events for kids in Kingston, Ontario

Kids’ Christmas events
4 confirmed for 2026
Cities and towns
Kingston
Season
November 21 to December 19
Free events
1
Last checked

Christmas events for kids in Kingston

Listed soonest first: 4 confirmed events in Kingston.

Visit with Santa

Kingston Christmas Harbour Show

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Visit Kingston lists the Christmas Harbour Show on November 21 from 9am to 4pm at 4 Cataraqui St. It describes over 60 exhibitors and visits from Santa.

No admission price or ages are given on the tourism page. It falls on the same day as the evening Santa parade, so it fits a daytime stop before the 5pm start.

Parent tip: Admission is not listed, so confirm before you go.

Host
Visit Kingston (opens in a new tab)
Where
4 Cataraqui St, Kingston (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Visit Kingston (opens in a new tab)

New events in Kingston, Ontario every week

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Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 3 more Kingston, Ontario events researched for you.

  • New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Kingston, Ontario.
  • Exclusive access to free events Be first to hear about new free events in Kingston, Ontario.
  • Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
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Coming up on this page

  • 3 Santa
  • 1 Lights
  • 1 Parades
  • 1 Shows
  • 1 Free

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Santa Claus parade

Santa Parade & Tree Lighting

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The parade begins at 5pm and follows Princess Street from Bath Road to Ontario Street. The BIA calls it the moment Santa arrives to start the holiday season downtown.

The evening finishes at Springer Market Square, where Santa lights the tree at roughly 7pm. The host page does not list a price or an age range, so check the downtown Kingston site for route or road closure updates before you head out.

Parent tip: Parade starts at 5pm and the tree lighting is around 7pm, so plan for a long evening outdoors with little ones.

Host
Downtown Kingston BIA (opens in a new tab)
Where
Princess Street to Springer Market Square, 1 Market St, Kingston (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Downtown Kingston BIA (opens in a new tab)

New events in Kingston, Ontario every week

Rally looks for new Christmas events in Kingston, Ontario every day and adds them to this page. Enter your email for one weekly update with the latest finds.

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Visit with SantaFree

Santa Saturdays

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Santa sits at the Star Bench in Springer Market Square from 11am to 1pm on December 5, 12 and 19. Children can share their wish list, and an elf takes the photo using your own phone or camera.

Horse-drawn wagon rides run a little longer, from 11am to 2pm. Visits, photos and rides are all free. Well-behaved dogs are welcome, public washrooms are under City Hall, and the events go ahead in bad weather.

Parent tip: Bring your own phone for the photo. Day-of updates are posted on the BIA Instagram and Facebook pages.

Host
Downtown Kingston BIA (opens in a new tab)
Where
Springer Market Square (Star Bench), 1 Market St, Kingston (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Downtown Kingston BIA (opens in a new tab)

New events in Kingston, Ontario every week

Rally looks for new Christmas events in Kingston, Ontario every day and adds them to this page. Enter your email for one weekly update with the latest finds.

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Christmas show

Holiday Family Sing-a-long

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The Cantabile Choirs and friends host a festive sing-along in Springer Market Square on the evening of December 6. It starts at 6:30pm.

The host page does not list a price or ages. It is an outdoor evening event, so dress for the weather.

Parent tip: Dress warmly, since it is outdoors.

Host
Downtown Kingston BIA (opens in a new tab)
Where
Springer Market Square, 1 Market St, Kingston (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Downtown Kingston BIA (opens in a new tab)

New events in Kingston, Ontario every week

Rally looks for new Christmas events in Kingston, Ontario every day and adds them to this page. Enter your email for one weekly update with the latest finds.

Free. Unsubscribe at any time. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

More Christmas events for kids in Canada

A story for the trip home

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Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolour corgi peeking from a red train

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Christmas events for kids in Kingston, Ontario: questions parents ask

What are the 2026 Christmas events for kids in Kingston, Ontario?

For 2026, we confirmed 4 Christmas events for kids in Kingston, Ontario, each on its host’s own page: Santa Saturdays (Kingston), Santa Parade & Tree Lighting (Kingston), Kingston Christmas Harbour Show (Kingston) and 1 more. Each one is listed above with times, cost and a link to the host.

Are there free Christmas events for kids in Kingston, Ontario?

Yes. One of the 4 events here is free: Santa Saturdays (Kingston). Check the listing in case you need to book or register.

Where can kids see Santa this year in Kingston, Ontario?

Where to see Santa: Santa Saturdays (Kingston), Santa Parade & Tree Lighting (Kingston) and Kingston Christmas Harbour Show (Kingston). Check the listings above for times and booking.

How do you confirm these events?

We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city, library or tourism calendar. We last checked every listing on November 5, 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.

Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.

Christmas events for 2026 are coming in late November

More Christmas events arrive in late November. We add them here as soon as we confirm them.

The story of Christmas in Kingston, Ontario

A snowy photo from 1949 shows Santa's parade on Princess Street, and the route is still close to the one used today. Each November it ends at Springer Market Square, where a tree is lit.

A wet, snowy night on Princess Street in 1949

A photo from the George Lilley collection at Queen's University Archives shows Kingston's Santa Claus Parade moving down Princess Street on a wet, snowy November night in 1949. Ontario's parade tradition goes back to Toronto in 1905. By 2013 the Kingston parade started at 5pm on Bath Road and ended with a tree lighting in the square at 7:30pm. Today the Downtown Kingston BIA runs it as the Nighttime Santa Parade, and the 2024 edition was its 20th anniversary.

100 groups, a food drive and a free bus day in 2025

The 21st Nighttime Santa Parade left Innovation Park at 5pm on Saturday, November 22, 2025, and ran down Princess Street to Ontario Street. More than 100 organizations took part, many for the first time. Santa then lit the holiday tree in Springer Market Square. Partners in Mission Foodbank collected non-perishables along the route, MBC Media and the Salvation Army gathered new toys, and Canada Post collected letters to Santa. Kingston Transit was free all day. Santa Saturdays that year fell on December 13 and 20.

Wagon rides, a giant calendar and the Star Bench

Springer Market Square is where the downtown season lands. In 2026 Santa sits at the Star Bench on December 5, 12 and 19, and an elf takes the photo on your own phone. A giant Holiday Advent Calendar runs there from December 1 to 24: scan it to enter a draw with prizes from over 30 local shops, restaurants, spas and hotels. A Holiday Family Sing-a-long with the Cantabile Choirs follows on December 6. In 2021, the BIA's winter program also included a Santa's Village and an ice rink in the square.

Traditions today

  • Santa Parade & Tree Lighting: The parade starts at 5pm on Saturday, November 21, 2026, on Princess Street, and Santa lights the tree at Springer Market Square around 7pm.
  • Santa Saturdays: Free Santa visits, elf-taken photos and horse-drawn wagon rides at Springer Market Square on December 5, 12 and 19, 2026.
  • Holiday Advent Calendar: A giant calendar in the Square, December 1 to 24, 2026. Scan it to enter a draw with prizes from over 30 local businesses.
  • Holiday Family Sing-a-long: The Cantabile Choirs and friends lead carols and favourites at Springer Market Square on December 6, 2026, at 6:30pm.
  • Food and toy collections: In 2025, the parade route collected food for Partners in Mission Foodbank, toys for Toy Mountain and letters to Santa for Canada Post.
  • Holiday Market: Local artisans sell handmade gifts at 261 Princess St and 181 Sydenham St on six days, November 13 to 22, 2026.

A fact for kids

Kingston's Santa parade has a photo from 1949 showing it rolling down Princess Street on a wet, snowy night. In 2025 more than 100 groups joined it.

Questions about Christmas in Kingston, Ontario

Which Kingston tradition did a 1949 photo capture?

The Kingston Santa Claus Parade. A photo in the George Lilley collection at Queen's University Archives shows it on Princess Street on a wet, snowy night in 1949. Today the Downtown Kingston BIA still holds a Santa parade on Princess Street each November, now in the early evening.

When did Kingston's Santa parade start in the evening?

The start date for the evening format is not known. A 2013 account has the parade beginning at 5pm on Bath Road with a tree lighting at 7:30pm, and the 2024 parade was called the 20th anniversary of the Nighttime Santa Parade. The BIA's 2026 schedule keeps the 5pm start.

When is the Kingston Santa parade and tree lighting in 2026?

The Downtown Kingston BIA lists the Santa Parade and Tree Lighting for Saturday, November 21, 2026. The parade starts at 5pm on Princess Street and the tree lighting at Springer Market Square is around 7pm. The BIA page does not state a price.

What route does Kingston's Santa parade take?

The parade runs down Princess Street from Bath Road to Ontario Street, according to the Downtown Kingston BIA's 2026 schedule. It ends at Springer Market Square, where Santa switches on the tree. In 2025 the parade left from Innovation Park at 5pm.

How big was the Kingston Santa parade in 2025?

More than 100 organizations took part in the 21st Nighttime Santa Parade on November 22, 2025, and many were first-timers. It followed Princess Street to Ontario Street. Kingstonist did not report a float count or crowd size, so those numbers are not known.

Was the Kingston Santa parade free to watch in 2025?

The University Hospitals Kingston Foundation's page for the November 22, 2025 parade listed it as free to attend. Kingston Transit was also free all day that Saturday, November 22. The BIA page for the 2026 parade does not state a price, so confirm before you go.

How can families give back at the Kingston Santa parade?

In 2025, Partners in Mission Foodbank collected non-perishable food along the route, MBC Media and the Salvation Army collected new, unwrapped toys for Toy Mountain, and Canada Post collected letters to Santa. The 2026 collection details had not been posted when this was written.

Does Santa light the Kingston tree after the parade?

Yes. After the parade, Santa lights the holiday tree in Springer Market Square. That happened after the 2024 and 2025 parades, and the BIA's 2026 schedule gives the tree lighting as about 7pm on November 21, following the 5pm parade.

When can kids see Santa in downtown Kingston in 2026?

Santa Saturdays run on December 5, 12 and 19, 2026, from 11am to 1pm at Springer Market Square. Visits and photos are free. Santa's main arrival is the parade and tree lighting on Saturday, November 21, 2026, starting at 5pm.

Do the Santa Saturdays in Kingston cost anything?

No. The Downtown Kingston BIA says the 2026 visits, photos and horse-drawn wagon rides are free. Santa is there from 11am to 1pm and the wagon rides run from 11am to 2pm on December 5, 12 and 19. An elf takes the photo with your own phone or camera.

Where do you find Santa at Springer Market Square?

Look for the Star Bench at Springer Market Square, 1 Market Street. Public washrooms are under City Hall. Dogs are welcome if they are well behaved, and Santa Saturdays go ahead in bad weather, with same-day updates on the BIA's Instagram and Facebook pages.

What dates were Santa Saturdays in Kingston in 2025?

Visit Kingston's 2025 holiday guide gave Santa Saturdays as December 13 and 20, noon to 2pm, at Santa's Village outside City Hall. The 2026 dates are different: December 5, 12 and 19, from 11am to 1pm at Springer Market Square.

Is there a holiday sing-along for families in Kingston?

Yes. The Downtown Kingston BIA lists a Holiday Family Sing-a-long at Springer Market Square on Sunday, December 6, 2026, at 6:30pm. The Cantabile Choirs and friends lead the singing in the square, and the BIA invites everyone to join in. The BIA page does not list a price or an age range.

What is the giant advent calendar in downtown Kingston?

It is a big calendar in Springer Market Square, open December 1 to 24, 2026. People scan it to enter a draw for gifts and prizes from over 30 local shops, restaurants, spas and hotels. The BIA says it is returning this year.

Besides the parade, what can Kingston families do on November 21, 2026?

The same day, Visit Kingston lists the Christmas Harbour Show from 9am to 4pm at 4 Cataraqui St, with over 60 exhibitors and visits from Santa. The downtown holiday market also runs that day, 10am to 5pm, at 261 Princess St and 181 Sydenham St.

Where is the Kingston Holiday Market in 2026?

The Downtown Kingston BIA says the Holiday Market is at 261 Princess St and 181 Sydenham St, run by the team behind Artfest. It opens evenings on November 13 and 20 (6 to 9pm) and daytime on November 14, 15, 21 and 22 (10am to 5pm).

Is there a Christmas museum program for kids in Kingston?

In the 2025 season the Great Lakes Museum, 55 Ontario St, ran Festive Family Fun with holiday games and crafts from December 20 to January 4. Admission was $6 to $11, and children 4 and under were free. No 2026 dates had been posted when this was written.

Does the Kingston library have a Christmas storytime?

In 2025 the Kingston Frontenac Public Library held a Storytime at Cataraqui Centre on Monday, December 1, from 10:30 to 11am for children of all ages, with no registration. The library's 2026 holiday program had not been posted when this was written.

Where can kids spend Christmas Day in Kingston?

No Christmas Day children's events are listed in Kingston. The 2026 downtown schedule ends with the Advent Calendar on December 24 and Santa Saturdays on December 19. Any later additions will show up in Rally Takes the Train's Kingston guide.

Which Kingston outing should come first for a family with young kids?

Start with the Santa Parade and Tree Lighting on Saturday, November 21, 2026, then Santa Saturdays in Springer Market Square on December 5, 12 and 19. Dates, addresses and any prices the hosts give are collected in Rally Takes the Train's Kingston Christmas events guide.

Sources

  1. Downtown Kingston BIA: Embrace the Season, Downtown Kingston BIA
  2. Santa Saturdays 2026, Downtown Kingston BIA
  3. Kick off the season with Kingston's 21st Annual Nighttime Santa Parade, Kingstonist
  4. Downtown Kingston BIA announces 2024 Nighttime Santa Parade, Kingstonist
  5. Kingston's Santa Claus Parade, 1949, Kingstonist
  6. 12+ holiday markets to visit in Kingston, Visit Kingston
  7. Kingston Nighttime Santa Parade 2025, University Hospitals Kingston Foundation
  8. 25 things to do in Kingston during the holidays, Visit Kingston
  9. Festive Family Fun at the Museum, Visit Kingston
  10. Storytime at Cataraqui Centre, Kingston Frontenac Public Library
  11. Kingston BIA winter programme, Nov 2021, Global News
Kelsey Cecil
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