Christmas Events for Kids in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

4 min read

For 2026, we confirmed 4 Christmas events for kids in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. The season opens on November 27 with Miracle on 34th Street (HHM Performing Arts Students) and runs until January 7 with Holiday Lights at Bowring Park. 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 St. John's: 4
  • First: Miracle on 34th Street (HHM Performing Arts Students), St. John's, November 27
  • Free events: None confirmed yet

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 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

Kids’ Christmas events
4 confirmed for 2026
Cities and towns
St. John's
Season
November 27 to January 7
Free events
None confirmed yet
Last checked

Christmas events for kids in St. John's

Listed soonest first: 4 confirmed events in St. John's.

Visit with Santa

Miracle on 34th Street (HHM Performing Arts Students)

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Holy Heart Theatre's season page lists HHM Performing Arts Students in Miracle on 34th Street, with public performances on November 27 and 28 at 7pm at 55 Bonaventure Avenue. The theatre describes a heartwarming story about romance, family, magic and finding the true spirit of the season.

School matinees are listed for November 26 and 27 at 9:30am, with student tickets at $10 and teacher supervisors free. VIP seats include a meet-and-greet with Santa. Public ticket prices are on the Showpass ticket link rather than the season page. The theatre's box office is open noon to 5pm Tuesday to Friday and one hour before showtime.

Parent tip: Check the Showpass ticket link for public prices. The box office phone number for school bookings and wheelchair seating is 709-579-4424.

Host
Holy Heart Theatre (opens in a new tab)
Where
Holy Heart Theatre, 55 Bonaventure Avenue, St. John's (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Holy Heart Theatre (opens in a new tab)

New events in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador every week

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Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 3 more St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador events researched for you.

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Coming up on this page

  • 2 Santa
  • 2 Shows
  • 1 Lights
  • 1 Parades

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Tree lighting

Holiday Lights at Bowring Park

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The City of St. John's lists the Holiday Lights lighting ceremony at the Bowring Park Duck Pond on Saturday, November 28, from 5 to 6pm, with Saturday, December 5 as the rain date. The display then runs nightly until Thursday, January 7, 2027.

The St. John's Lions Club serves free hot chocolate, so bring a reusable mug. The city page says the celebration includes local entertainment, and last year's page also asked visitors to bring non-perishable food for the Community Food Sharing Association. No admission price is listed. The 2025 city page described a wheelchair viewing area and noise-reducing headphones at the Bowring Park Lodge.

Parent tip: Bring a reusable mug for the hot chocolate. The park page gives no street address, so follow signs to the Duck Pond parking area.

Host
City of St. John's (opens in a new tab)
Where
Bowring Park Duck Pond, St. John's (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with City of St. John's (opens in a new tab)

New events in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador every week

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Santa Claus parade

Downtown St. John's Christmas Parade

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Downtown St. John's, the business improvement area association, lists its annual Christmas Parade for Sunday, November 29, 2026 at noon. If the weather is bad, the parade moves to Sunday, December 6. The page describes floats from local businesses and community groups, plus Santa.

Spectators are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item or a donation for the Community Food Sharing Association. The 2026 page does not give a route or a price. In 2025 the parade started at the Fort William Building on Factory Lane and ended at Springdale Street, and almost 55,000 people came.

Parent tip: Bring a non-perishable food item for the food drive and dress warmly for a noon start in late November. Watch the Downtown St. John's page for the 2026 route and street closures.

Host
Downtown St. John's (opens in a new tab)
Where
Downtown St. John's (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Downtown St. John's (opens in a new tab)

New events in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador every week

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Christmas show

Shallaway Youth Choir: Christmas Around the World, Play in the Light

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Holy Heart Theatre's season page lists the Shallaway Youth Choir in Christmas Around the World: Play in the Light on Monday, December 7 and Tuesday, December 8 at 7pm, at the Basilica on Military Road. The concert invites audiences to experience the beauty and wonder of the season, and the choir's singers are of all ages.

The page does not list prices, a street address or an audience age range. Tickets are sold through the Showpass link on the theatre's page.

Parent tip: Check the Showpass link for prices and seating. The evening start is 7pm, so plan for a later night for younger children.

Host
Shallaway Youth Choir (opens in a new tab)
Where
The Basilica, Military Road, St. John's (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Shallaway Youth Choir (opens in a new tab)

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More Christmas events for kids in Canada

A story for the trip home

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Christmas events for kids in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: questions parents ask

What are the 2026 Christmas events for kids in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador?

For 2026, we confirmed 4 Christmas events for kids in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, each on its host’s own page: Holiday Lights at Bowring Park (St. John's), Miracle on 34th Street (HHM Performing Arts Students) (St. John's), Downtown St. John's Christmas Parade (St. John's) and 1 more. Each one is listed above with times, cost and a link to the host.

Where can kids see Santa this year in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador?

Where to see Santa: Miracle on 34th Street (HHM Performing Arts Students) (St. John's) and Downtown St. John's Christmas Parade (St. John's). 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 8, 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 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

Mummering, where disguised neighbours knock and the host has to guess who is under the costume, is Newfoundland's best-known Christmas custom. St. John's adds a noon parade downtown and a pond ringed with lights.

Mummers at the door and the Old Twelfth

Newfoundland's best-known Christmas custom is mummering. Friends or family dress in disguises, visit homes during the twelve days of Christmas and perform songs, dances or jokes while the hosts try to guess who is under each costume.

Wikipedia traces the earliest Newfoundland record to 1819 and says the usual night is the Old Twelfth, January 17. The 1982 song Any Mummers Allowed In by Simani helped revive the custom. Since 2009 an annual Mummers Festival has ended with a parade in St. John's.

Almost 55,000 on Water Street and lights at the Duck Pond

The 2025 Downtown St. John's Christmas Parade stepped off at noon on Sunday, November 30, from Factory Lane, along Duckworth Street and then west on Water Street to Springdale Street. Almost 55,000 spectators came, and Santa's sleigh carried letters collected by Canada Post along the route.

Bowring Park's lights were switched on at the Duck Pond on Saturday, December 6, at 5pm, with free hot chocolate from the St. John's Lions Club. Commissariat House held Christmas at Commissariat on November 22 and 23.

An 1830s candlelit house and a skating trail

Christmas at Commissariat House recreates an 1830s Christmas in St. John's, and a 2022 edition offered hot cider by a fire, festive music, the scent of fir boughs and a candlelit walk through the house. Visitors pay with a non-perishable food donation for the Community Food Sharing Association.

On New Year's Eve 2025 the city ran a free family day with a skating party at The Loop in Bannerman Park and fireworks over Quidi Vidi Lake at 8pm.

Traditions today

  • Downtown Christmas Parade: The business improvement area's parade is set for noon on Sunday, November 29, 2026, with a rain date of December 6.
  • Holiday Lights at Bowring Park: The lighting ceremony is Saturday, November 28, 2026 from 5 to 6pm at the Duck Pond, and the lights stay up until January 7, 2027.
  • Mummering: Disguised visitors call at homes during the twelve days of Christmas, and the hosts guess who is under each costume.
  • Food drives: The parade and the Commissariat House Christmas both ask visitors for non-perishable food for the Community Food Sharing Association.
  • Santa at Avalon Mall: In 2025 the mall booked Santa photos online and ran Tuesday story times with Santa at 10:30am from November 25 to December 16.
  • The Loop: The free outdoor skating trail in Bannerman Park opens when the weather is cold enough to make ice and is open daily from 10am to 10pm.

A fact for kids

In Newfoundland, mummers hide their faces with scarves or pillowcases, and a mummer whose identity is never guessed does not have to unmask.

Questions about Christmas in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

When is the Downtown St. John's Christmas Parade in 2026?

Downtown St. John's lists the annual Christmas Parade for Sunday, November 29, 2026 at noon. If the weather is bad, the parade moves to Sunday, December 6. The page describes floats from local businesses and community groups, plus Santa, and a route for 2026 had not been posted.

What route did the St. John's Christmas Parade follow in 2025?

In 2025 the parade started at the Fort William Building on Factory Lane, followed Plymouth Road to Duckworth Street, went west to Prescott Street, then along Water Street to Springdale Street. It began at noon on Sunday, November 30. Check Downtown St. John's for the 2026 route.

How many people watch the St. John's Christmas Parade?

Almost 55,000 spectators attended the 2025 Downtown St. John's Christmas Parade, according to the organizers, who called it a perfect day under bluebird skies. Santa's sleigh was full of letters collected by Canada Post along the route, so expect a big crowd along Water Street.

What should we bring to the St. John's Christmas Parade?

Downtown St. John's asks spectators to bring a non-perishable food item or a donation for the Community Food Sharing Association. In 2025 Newfoundland Power employees collected food and cash and the company agreed to match funds collected at the parade up to $25,000. Dress warmly for a noon start.

Can kids give Santa a letter at the St. John's parade?

In 2025 Santa's sleigh carried a load of letters that Canada Post collected along the parade route. Whether letters are collected again in 2026 has not been announced. Check the Downtown St. John's page before the parade on Sunday, November 29, 2026, and write the letter ahead of time.

When do the Bowring Park holiday lights go on in 2026?

The City of St. John's lists the Holiday Lights lighting ceremony for Saturday, November 28, from 5 to 6pm at the Bowring Park Duck Pond. If the weather is bad, it moves to Saturday, December 5. The page prints no year, but the weekday matches 2026.

How long do the Bowring Park holiday lights stay up?

The City of St. John's says the display runs nightly until Thursday, January 7, 2027, after the lighting ceremony on Saturday, November 28. Last year's display ran until January 7, 2026, so the end date has stayed the same. The park page gives no nightly hours.

Is there free hot chocolate at the Bowring Park lights?

Yes. The St. John's Lions Club serves free hot chocolate at the lighting celebration, and visitors are asked to bring a reusable mug. The Community Food Sharing Association also collected non-perishable food at the 2025 event, so a can or two in your bag helps.

Is the Bowring Park holiday lights celebration accessible?

In 2025 the city provided a wheelchair-accessible viewing area, accessible parking near the Duck Pond, more spaces on Waterford Bridge Road, and noise-reducing headphones to borrow at the Bowring Park Lodge with photo ID. GoBus users book ahead for drop-off in the Duck Pond parking lot.

What is mummering in Newfoundland?

Mummering is a Christmas custom in which friends or family dress in disguise and visit homes during the twelve days of Christmas. They may sing, dance or tell jokes, and the hosts try to guess who is under each costume. It is also called mumming or janneying.

When does mummering happen?

Mummering takes place during the twelve days of Christmas, and Wikipedia says it is usually on the night of the Old Twelfth, January 17. The page describes the custom as informal and varying from community to community, so what a visit looks like depends on where it happens.

What is the Mummers Festival in St. John's?

Wikipedia says the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador's Intangible Cultural Heritage office created an annual Mummers Festival in 2009. It ends with a parade in St. John's and has helped renew interest in the tradition across the province. The page presents the festival as part of a revival that began in the 1980s.

Which song helped bring mummering back?

The 1982 song Any Mummers Allowed In by the duo Simani, commonly called the Mummer's Song, helped spark a revival in the 1980s, according to Wikipedia. The same page notes that the custom had faded in larger towns and cities before that revival.

What is Christmas at Commissariat House?

Christmas at Commissariat House brings an 1830s-style Christmas to St. John's, with period sights, sounds, tastes and traditions. The 2025 dates were November 22 and 23 at 11-13 King's Bridge Road, with admission by non-perishable food donation. Dates for 2026 had not been posted when this was written.

Does Santa visit Avalon Mall in St. John's?

In 2025 Avalon Mall at 48 Kenmount Road booked Santa photos online for Sundays and Mondays until December 24, with walk-ins from Tuesday to Saturday, 11am to 8pm. Packages started at $30. Check the mall's page for 2026 dates before you go.

Is there a story time with Santa in St. John's?

In 2025 Avalon Mall held Story Time with Santa on Tuesdays, November 25 to December 16, at 10:30am in the Marketplace. Children got a snack and a Christmas story read by Santa, and photos were not permitted during the event. A 2026 schedule had not been posted.

What Christmas shows are at Holy Heart Theatre in 2026?

Holy Heart Theatre, 55 Bonaventure Avenue, lists HHM Performing Arts Students in Miracle on 34th Street with public performances on November 27 and 28 at 7pm. The Shallaway Youth Choir's Christmas concert is at the Basilica on December 7 and 8 at 7pm.

Is there free skating in St. John's at Christmas?

The Loop in Bannerman Park is a free outdoor skating trail that opens when it is cold enough to make ice, daily from 10am to 10pm. Call 709-733-5667 to check if it is open. A skating party at The Loop ran from 5 to 7pm on New Year's Eve 2025.

Where do St. John's families drop off their Christmas trees?

The City of St. John's 2025 to 2026 guide said natural, undecorated, unbundled trees were accepted at the Quidi Vidi Lake parking lot, off The Boulevard, starting December 26, 2025. Check the city for the 2026 to 2027 dates.

Where can I find St. John's 2026 Christmas events for kids?

Rally Takes the Train's St. John's Christmas events guide collects the confirmed 2026 dates, including the Downtown Christmas Parade on November 29, the Bowring Park lights on November 28 and the Holy Heart Theatre shows. It covers only dates confirmed on official pages.

Sources

  1. Annual Downtown St. John's Christmas Parade, Downtown St. John's
  2. Holiday Lights at Bowring Park, City of St. John's
  3. Holiday Lights at Bowring Park (2025), City of St. John's
  4. Downtown St. John's 2025 Santa Claus Parade returns on Nov 30th, Todo Canada
  5. Santa's sleigh makes his way downtown, Downtown St. John's
  6. Mummering, Wikipedia
  7. Christmas Traditions, Memorial University Intangible Cultural Heritage
  8. Christmas at Commissariat: Festive Family Fun, Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism
  9. Christmas at Commissariat: Christmas by Candlelight, Destination St. John's
  10. Winter 2026 City Guide, City of St. John's
  11. The Loop, City of St. John's
  12. Santa Photo Booking, Avalon Mall
  13. Story Time with Santa, Avalon Mall
  14. Holy Heart Theatre, Holy Heart Theatre
Kelsey Cecil
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