Christmas Events for Kids in Port Hope (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

Updated 4 min read

Rally the corgi has sniffed out the Christmas events for kids in Port Hope for 2026, and all three are free. The 90th Santa Claus Parade rolls through downtown on Saturday, November 28, horse-drawn wagons loop Walton Street on three December Saturdays, and Santa drops into the public library for storytime on December 10. We check every date on the Municipality of Port Hope calendar and link straight there. For more across the country, see our Canada Christmas events for kids guide.

What Rally found in Port Hope

  • 3 free Christmas events for kids in Port Hope
  • Santa Claus Parade: Saturday, November 28, 1 pm, downtown
  • Wagon rides: December 5, 12 and 19, 11 am to 2 pm, Walton Street
  • Storytime with Santa: Thursday, December 10, 6:30 pm, library
  • Parade theme: Retro Rewind

Free Christmas events for kids in Port Hope

90th annual paradeFree

Port Hope Santa Claus Parade

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Port Hope’s 90th annual Santa Claus Parade steps off at 1 pm from Ridout and Bramley and winds 1.2 km through downtown on Ridout, Walton and Queen Streets, with marching bands and floats from local businesses, clubs and community groups. The 2026 theme is Retro Rewind.

It runs rain, snow or shine the day after the Candlelight Festival, and volunteers along the route collect letters to Santa plus food bank donations, so kids can hand theirs over as the floats pass.

Parent tip: Roads close at 11:30 am, so use the free downtown lots and walk in; spread out along the route rather than crowding Walton Street, and pack snacks and spare mittens.

Host
Municipality of Port Hope (opens in a new tab)
Address
Downtown Port Hope, along Ridout Street, Walton Street and Queen Street, Port Hope, ON (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Municipality of Port Hope (opens in a new tab)

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Horse-drawn wagonFree

Candlelight Festival Wagon Rides

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As part of the Candlelight Festival, Port Hope Tourism brings back free horse-drawn wagon rides with Top Notch Carriage Service on three December Saturdays. Each loop through the historic downtown takes about 15 minutes.

Rides leave from the north side of Walton Street outside Queenies Bake Shop, and the wagon has a roof, so a light snow will not stop it. There are a few steps up into the wagon, which is worth knowing with toddlers.

Parent tip: Dress everyone in layers since the wagon is open at the sides, and come near 11 am when the line is shortest.

Host
Municipality of Port Hope (opens in a new tab)
Address
Walton Street, north side, in front of Queenies Bake Shop, Port Hope, ON (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Municipality of Port Hope (opens in a new tab)

New Port Hope events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Port Hope daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Port Hope.

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Library storytimeFree

Storytime with Santa

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The Port Hope Public Library hosts an evening storytime with a couple of Christmas books and some holiday sing-alongs, loud enough, the library hopes, to bring Santa in to join them.

Once he arrives, Santa stays for photos, and every child goes home with a small gift, which makes it a gentle, indoor alternative to the busy parade crowds.

Parent tip: Bring a phone for photos with Santa and arrive a few minutes early to get a good spot on the storytime floor.

Host
Port Hope Public Library (opens in a new tab)
Address
Port Hope Public Library, 31 Queen St., Port Hope, ON (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Port Hope Public Library (opens in a new tab)

New Port Hope events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Port Hope daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Port Hope.

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

We check every event above on the host’s own page for the date, time and cost, plus the things parents ask about, like sign-ups and ages. Looking for a Santa train instead? Our Canada Christmas events for kids guide lists Santa trains and holiday rides across the country.

See every event on a December calendar

Plan your December

When each Port Hope Christmas event for kids happens

Open the season with the parade on November 28, then come back on a December Saturday for a free wagon ride and a treat on Walton Street; younger kids will love the cozy Storytime with Santa at the library on December 10.

Looking further afield? Our Canada Christmas events for kids guide lists every confirmed event in the country, and we have city guides for Peterborough, Oshawa, Whitby and Belleville. The national search sorts every event by distance from your town.

A story for the drive home

A morning with Santa or an evening of holiday stories tends to end the same way: tired kids, a long drive and one more book before bed. Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is painted by hand. If your family is spending December missing someone, it was written for that too. For the car, print our free corgi and train coloring pages.

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

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Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

The story of Christmas in Port Hope

Port Hope's Santa Claus Parade marks its 90th anniversary on November 28, 2026, which makes it one of the longest-running holiday parades in this part of Ontario. The night before, hundreds of townspeople carry candles and lanterns down Walton Street, singing carols on their way to light up Memorial Park.

A 90th parade on Walton Street and candles carried to Memorial Park

Christmas in Port Hope starts with two events on back-to-back days. On the Friday, the Candlelight Walk leaves Walton and Pine Streets at 6 pm. Walkers bring their own lantern, candle or flashlight, sing carols led by the young musicians of SONG (Sounds of the Next Generation), and finish at Memorial Park, where everyone counts down to switch on the park's holiday lights. Many carry a can of food for the Fare Share Food Bank.

The next afternoon, the Santa Claus Parade steps off at 1 pm. Floats, elves, carollers and marching bands from across the province travel about 1.2 km along Ridout, Walton and Queen Streets. In 2026 the parade marks its 90th anniversary with the theme Retro Rewind, and because of work on Victoria Street South it finishes at Town Hall.

November 2025: a street party for the end of three years of Walton Street work

The 2025 season was a celebration twice over. After three years of construction tearing up Walton Street, the town turned the Candlelight Festival on Friday, November 28, 2025, into a downtown street party from 4 to 9 pm. Parts of Walton, John, Ontario and Queen Streets were closed to cars, and families found fire pits, roaming buskers, projected animations, free hot chocolate and an augmented-reality scavenger hunt. An outdoor artisan market looped from Lent Lane through the Granary parking lot, and buses ran late until 9:30 pm.

The next day, Saturday, November 29, the parade rolled out at 1 pm under the theme Deck the Downtown. The town's event calendar called it the 89th annual parade. Spectators were asked to bring letters to Santa, food bank donations and unwrapped toys, all collected along the route. Horse-drawn carriage rides followed on three December Saturdays from beside the Walton Street Bridge.

"Miracle on Walton Street" in 2024 and hand-painted little buildings in the park

The construction years shaped Port Hope's Christmases. In 2024, the Candlelight Walk on November 29 marked the unofficial end of Phase 2 of the work, with walkers escorted by police down a street still lined with striped cones, and Critical Mass Art lit up buildings on John Street with projection art. The parade theme that year was Miracle on Walton Street, a nod to the street being ready just in time for the holidays.

Some of the town's holiday décor is homemade in spirit. The light display in Memorial and Rotary Parks includes hand-painted miniature historic buildings, a small Port Hope glowing in the dark from late November to early January. Shops along Walton Street, which TVOntario has called the best preserved main street in the province, dress their windows in wreaths and lights for the season. For 2026 the festival adds a curling sheet run by the West Northumberland Curling Club, a maple taffy station and ASL interpretation at the walk start and park lighting.

A 1930 atmospheric theatre and its Festival of Lights and Trees since 1997

Port Hope's other big Christmas tradition happens indoors, at the Capitol Theatre on Queen Street. The Capitol opened in 1930 as one of the last atmospheric theatres in North America, with a midnight-blue ceiling, castle walls and cloud projectors that made audiences feel they were sitting in an outdoor courtyard. It closed in 1987, was restored by the Capitol Theatre Foundation from 1993 and is now a National Historic Site.

Every holiday season since 1997 the theatre has filled with decorated, glowing trees for the Festival of Lights and Trees, a fundraiser that has become a family tradition in Northumberland County. 2026 is its 30th year, with a sneak peek during the Candlelight Festival on November 27. The theatre also stages a Christmas pantomime in two versions, naughty and nice. In 2025 it was Hansel and Gretel, and for 2026 it is Red! A Big Bad Wolf Panto, from November 20 to December 27. A short walk away, the Port Hope Public Library hosts Storytime with Santa on December 10.

Traditions today

  • The Candlelight Walk: A carol-singing procession with candles and lanterns down Walton Street to Memorial Park, ending with a countdown to the park lighting. In 2026 it starts at 6 pm on November 27.
  • The Santa Claus Parade: Marching bands, floats and Santa on the last Saturday of November, reaching its 90th anniversary in 2026 with the theme Retro Rewind.
  • Festival of Lights and Trees: Glowing decorated trees inside the 1930 Capitol Theatre, a holiday fundraiser held since 1997.
  • Panto at the Capitol: A family Christmas pantomime with a naughty show and a nice show, running from late November to just after Christmas.
  • Wagon rides downtown: Free horse-drawn rides around the historic downtown on December Saturdays, part of the Candlelight Festival season.

A fact for kids

Port Hope's Christmas light display has tiny hand-painted copies of the town's old buildings, so at night the park holds a little glowing Port Hope.

Questions about Christmas in Port Hope

How old is the Port Hope Santa Claus Parade?

The Municipality of Port Hope lists the 2026 parade on November 28 as its 90th anniversary, and its 2025 calendar called that year's parade the 89th annual. That makes it one of the oldest Santa Claus parades in the region. It has long been held on the last Saturday of November, the day after the Candlelight Festival.

What is the 2026 Port Hope Santa Claus Parade theme?

The theme for the 90th anniversary parade on November 28, 2026, is Retro Rewind. Recent themes were Deck the Downtown in 2025 and Miracle on Walton Street in 2024, both tied to the reconstruction of Walton Street. Floats from businesses, clubs and community groups usually build their decorations around the year's theme.

Why does the 2026 Port Hope parade finish at Town Hall?

Because of the reconstruction of Victoria Street South, the town adjusted the start and staging areas for 2026. The Santa Claus Parade still follows Ridout, Walton and Queen Streets but finishes at Town Hall on Queen Street. Road closures begin before the 1 pm start and reopen about 2:30 pm.

What can kids bring to the Port Hope Santa Claus Parade?

In recent years spectators could bring letters to Santa, non-perishable food and unwrapped toys, which were collected along the route. For 2026, Fare Share Food Bank and Canada Post collections take place along the route about 15 minutes before the parade starts. Snacks, water and extra mittens help with the wait.

What is the Port Hope Candlelight Walk?

The Candlelight Walk is a carol-singing procession that opens the Candlelight Festival. Walkers gather at Walton and Pine Streets, in the Our Lady of Mercy parking lot at 155 Walton Street, and carry candles, lanterns or flashlights to Memorial Park. The walk ends with hot chocolate, live music and a countdown to light up the park.

When is the Port Hope Candlelight Walk and holiday park lighting in 2026?

The Candlelight Walk is on Friday, November 27, 2026, at 6 pm, and the park lighting ceremony in Memorial Park follows at 6:30 pm. Some flame and battery candles are handed out at the start while supplies last, with Elexicon Energy sponsoring the 2026 candles. Bring a food donation for Fare Share.

What carols are sung on the Port Hope Candlelight Walk?

The Municipality posts the year's carol list on its Candlelight Song Sheet web page so families can practise before the walk. Young singers from SONG, Sounds of the Next Generation, lead the caroling along the route and encourage everyone to join in on the holiday favourites.

What happened at Port Hope's 2025 Candlelight Festival holiday kickoff?

On November 28, 2025, the festival became a downtown street party celebrating the end of three years of Walton Street reconstruction. From 4 to 9 pm there were fire pits, photo booths, projected animations, buskers, free hot chocolate and an augmented-reality scavenger hunt, plus Moonlight Madness late shopping hosted by the Port Hope HBIA.

What is Moonlight Madness at Christmas in Port Hope?

Moonlight Madness is the late-night shopping evening that the Port Hope HBIA runs during the Candlelight Festival, when participating shops and restaurants stay open late. It brings Black Friday energy to the holiday kickoff, and an outdoor artisan market on Lent Lane and John Street runs alongside it, from 4 to 9 pm on November 27, 2026.

How long are Port Hope's Christmas lights up?

The holiday light display in Memorial and Rotary Parks shines from the Candlelight Festival on November 27, 2026, until January 2, 2027. It includes illuminated trees and hand-painted miniature historic buildings, and it is free to stroll through any evening. The bandshell is lit as part of the opening ceremony.

What is the Festival of Lights and Trees at the Capitol Theatre?

It is an annual holiday fundraiser at the Capitol Theatre on Queen Street, where the historic auditorium fills with decorated, illuminated trees. It has been a community favourite since 1997 and reaches its 30th year in 2026. In 2025 it ran from November 21 to December 31, and there is a sneak peek on Candlelight Festival night.

Is there a Christmas panto in Port Hope?

Yes. The Capitol Theatre stages a holiday pantomime each year in naughty and nice versions. The 2025 show was Hansel and Gretel, and the 2026 show, Red! A Big Bad Wolf Panto, plays from November 20 to December 27, 2026. Pantos are slapstick family shows where the audience shouts and boos along.

How old is the Capitol Theatre where Port Hope's Christmas trees are shown?

The Capitol opened in 1930 and is one of the last atmospheric theatres in North America, built with a twilight-blue ceiling and castle walls. It closed in 1987, was restored after 1993 and was named a National Historic Site in 2016. Each December its auditorium hosts the Festival of Lights and Trees and the Christmas panto.

When are the free wagon rides in Port Hope in 2026?

The free wagon rides run on Saturdays, December 5, 12 and 19, 2026, from 11 am to 2 pm, plus an evening run from 5 to 8 pm on Candlelight Festival night, November 27. Each loop through the decorated historic downtown takes about 15 minutes.

Where did the Port Hope Christmas carriage rides leave from in 2025?

In 2025, Top Notch Carriage Service offered free horse-drawn rides on November 28 and on December 6, 13 and 20, picking up next to the Walton Street Bridge and looping through downtown. For 2026 the town lists the pickup on the north side of Walton Street, so check the schedule before you go.

Can you get gifts wrapped for free in Port Hope at Christmas?

Yes, on Candlelight Festival night. The Port Hope Chamber of Commerce runs a free Wrap It Up station for gifts bought from local shops. In 2026 it is at the Racine Law office, 50 Walton Street, on Friday, November 27, from 5 to 8 pm, while the downtown stays open late.

What is new at the 2026 Port Hope Candlelight Festival for the holidays?

For 2026 the town lists a curling sheet with the West Northumberland Curling Club, skee puck with the Port Hope Panthers, a maple taffy station, a 360 photo booth on Walton Street, animated projections on John Street and a WinterWanderland on John Street. The library stays open late, and ASL interpretation is offered at the walk start and park lighting.

Is there a warm place to go during Port Hope's Christmas Candlelight Festival?

Yes. The Knights of Columbus Hall opens as a warming room from 4 to 9 pm on Candlelight Festival night, with hot drinks and a break from the cold, and the Port Hope Rotary Club hosts the space. Fire pits are also set up downtown, and hot chocolate is served in Memorial Park after the walk.

Where can kids hear Christmas stories in Port Hope?

The Port Hope Public Library at 31 Queen Street hosts Storytime with Santa on Thursday, December 10, 2026, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm, with Christmas books, holiday sing-alongs and a visit from Santa. The library also stays open late, from 4 to 8 pm, on Candlelight Festival night.

What did Port Hope's 2024 Christmas season look like?

In 2024 the Candlelight Walk on November 29 marked the unofficial end of Phase 2 of the Walton Street reconstruction, with walkers escorted down a street still lined with safety cones. Critical Mass Art projected art onto John Street buildings, free transit ran until 11 pm, and the next day's parade theme was Miracle on Walton Street.

Sources

  1. 2025 Holiday Events, Municipality of Port Hope
  2. Candlelight Walk and Santa Claus Parade Updates and Reminders, Municipality of Port Hope
  3. Santa Claus Parade, Municipality of Port Hope
  4. Port Hope Santa Claus Parade, November 29, 2025, Municipality of Port Hope
  5. Candlelight Festival, Municipality of Port Hope
  6. Port Hope celebrates the holidays and the completion of Walton Street work, Northumberland 89.7 FM
  7. Capitol Theatre History, Capitol Theatre Port Hope
  8. History and heritage in Port Hope, Ontario, Visit Port Hope

Keep the Christmas magic going: track Rally the corgi on Christmas Eve, print free Christmas coloring pages, learn how to say Merry Christmas in 100+ languages, find train museums to visit with kids, or browse Christmas events in every Canada city.

Port Hope Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask

What are the best Christmas events for kids in Port Hope this year?

Rally Takes the Train has confirmed 3 free Christmas events for kids in Port Hope for 2026: the Santa Claus Parade on November 28, Candlelight Festival wagon rides on December 5, 12 and 19, and Storytime with Santa at the library on December 10.

When is the Port Hope Santa Claus Parade in 2026?

Saturday, November 28, 2026, at 1 pm. It is the 90th parade, the theme is Retro Rewind, and it follows Ridout, Walton and Queen Streets. It runs rain, snow or shine and is free.

Are the Port Hope wagon rides free?

Yes. Port Hope Tourism offers free horse-drawn wagon rides on Saturdays December 5, 12 and 19, 2026, from 11 am to 2 pm, leaving from the north side of Walton Street outside Queenies Bake Shop. Each ride lasts about 15 minutes.

Where can kids meet Santa in Port Hope?

At Storytime with Santa, Thursday, December 10, 2026, 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the Port Hope Public Library, 31 Queen St. Santa stays for photos and each child gets a small gift.

Who do I contact about Port Hope holiday events?

The Municipality of Port Hope events team at events@porthope.ca for the parade and wagon rides, and the Port Hope Public Library at support@phpl.ca for Storytime with Santa.

Are there more Christmas events near Port Hope?

Yes. Our Canada Christmas events for kids guide lists confirmed events across Canada, and the national search sorts events by distance from your town.

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 or tourism calendar. We last checked Port Hope on November 11, 2026. Rally is also contacting each organizer to confirm details like parking, restrooms and bad-weather plans.

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.

Kelsey Cecil
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