Enjoy Canada’s foremost illumination festival in Niagara Falls as we capture the magic of the holiday season!
Welcome to the grandeur of the Winter Festival of Lights, Canada’s most extensive FREE outdoor light extravaganza. This awe-inspiring spectacle reigns supreme among Niagara Falls’ attractions. It unfolds with dazzling displays boasting millions of radiant lights and larger-than-life creations across the tourism districts. This annual celebration, the Winter Festival of Lights, is a testament to the enchanting beauty that emerges when art, nature, and the magic of the season unite. In this article, we’ll delve into this popular festival, where the ordinary transforms into the extraordinary beneath the radiant Canadian skies.
Celebrating Over 40 Years! November 18, 2023 to January 7, 2024
The Niagara Winter Festival of Lights returns this year with animated light installations and amazing projections – all of which will leave you spellbound! The festival literally shines up the entire Niagara Falls destination with its brilliance and dazzles people with its luminous joy.
Prepare to be entranced by the “Sparkling Winter Lights” Falls Illumination, an enchanting celebration of the season’s splendor and the renowned Niagara Falls Winter Festival of Lights. Crafted by the Niagara Falls Illumination Board for Niagara Falls Tourism, this mesmerizing light show showcases the graceful yet at times rugged dance of northern winter. Witness everything from delicate snowfalls to the ethereal aurora borealis gracing the snow-covered tundra, as well as the drama of blizzards and the frost-kissed falls themselves. It’s a breathtaking testament to the exhilarating and mystical allure of winter’s spectacle in this remarkable region.
The Niagara Winter Festival of Lights is FREE and open to everyone! It takes place November 18th 2023 to January 7th, 2024 along 8 km of the Niagara Parkway and within Queen Victoria Park, Dufferin Islands, and various tourist areas throughout Niagara Falls including: Clifton Hill, the Victoria Centre, Fallsview Boulevard, and Lundy’s Lane. Visitors should come out early and often to catch all the lighting arrangements throughout the festival.
The Niagara Falls Winter Festival of Lights has evolved in recent years with new lights, displays, entertainment, and signature events. Feel comfortable visiting the 41st annual event with wide-open outdoor spaces ideal for physical distancing measures. Take a walk through the parks, drive along the festival routes, and view the spectacular lights from the local restaurants and hotels.
FIREWORKS SCHEDULE
The WFOL Fireworks series kicks off on November 18th, with shows every Friday and Saturday evening at 8:00 pm. During the holiday season, you can catch nightly displays from December 22 to the grand finale on January 7, 2024. There are numerous chances to witness the breathtaking fireworks and the magnificent Falls this winter.
November: 18, 24-25 at 8:00 pm
December: 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-31 at 8:00 pm
December 31 * NYE at 12:00 am
January: 1-7 at 8:00 pm
“SPARKLING WINTER LIGHTS” FALLS ILLUMINATION
To embrace the enchanting winter season and celebrate the Niagara Falls Winter Festival of Lights, a stunning illumination display named “Sparkling Winter Lights” has been created by the Niagara Falls Illumination Board for Niagara Falls Tourism. This exhibit artfully captures the subtle yet dramatic aspects of the northern winter. It showcases the delicate beauty of snowfall, the ethereal dance of the aurora borealis over snowy landscapes, the fierce intensity of blizzards, and the frosty charm of the falls, culminating in an exhilarating and magical winter spectacle.
Every evening, the powerful American and Canadian Horseshoe Falls awaken in a stunning homage to the boundless natural beauty that envelops them. As a part of the nightly illumination ritual, this five-minute spectacle graces the Falls on the hour, lighting up the night at 6:00 pm, 7:00 pm, and 8:00 pm from November 18, 2023, through January 7, 2024. It’s a captivating display that enhances the already awe-inspiring experience of these iconic cascades.
2023 DISPLAY ROUTE
Watch this page for more info, coming soon!
FESTIVAL MAP
The 2023-2024 Winter Festival of Lights is illuminating Niagara Falls for 51 nights from November 18, 2023 to January 7, 2024.
CLIFTON HILL
Clifton Hill is generally lit up year round, but will be boosted by additional light displays during the festival. Warm white lighting with strands hanging down will adorn many trees in this area, making it look like Spanish Moss. Located at the bottom of Clifton Hill in Oakes Garden Theatre will be a grouping of beautifully lit spiral trees and bright accent lighting. Best of all, Clifton Hill is also home to numerous year-round attractions such as the Niagara SkyWheel and the Wizards Golf.
At the corner of Victoria Ave. and Clifton Hill, travelers will discover many light displays! Additionally there are a pair of arches above the Clifton Hill district entrance at both Ferry St. and Victoria Ave.
Clifton Hill Favorites
Catch other “must see” Festival favourites including displays like the: The Passage, Zimmerman Fountain, Oakes Garden Theatre, SkyWheel Post Mounted Displays, Noah’s Ark, the 2 storey tall Canada/US flag, the Royal Canadian Mounties, 3-D wildlife presentations, the Skylon Tower illumination, Parks Floral Showhouse and Queen Victoria Park’s Path of Trees.
EVENTS
Family-friendly entertainment events
Since it began 41 years ago, the Winter Festival of Lights at Niagara Falls has become a beloved winter vacation destination for friends and family. The Festival has grown throughout the years by adding additional light shows and programs. With so much to see and do, there’s always a good incentive to visit again and take in the Festival throughout the course of the 51 nights!
The 41st year promises even more fun for guests! Keep checking for all the information
- Throughout the month of December, multiple nights of FREE indoor family entertainment will be offered at a variety of host sites on weekends and at night.
- Every evening, the Falls are specially illuminated.
- Free photographs with Santa at the Niagara Falls Hot Chocolate Trail in December, sponsored by Ontario Power Generation
- Misty Kids Coloring Contest
HOT CHOCOLATE TRAIL
Embark on the Niagara Falls Winter Festival of Lights Hot Chocolate Trail and warm up your winter. This self-guided journey will take you to delectable stops with delightful chocolatey creations crafted by talented chocolatiers, chefs, and mixologists at various local restaurants and bakeries. With 17 stops and 23 unique flavors, the trail offers classic favorites like mint, orange, and s’mores, as well as inventive concoctions including Dulce De Leche and Naughty But Nice Hot Chocolate with homemade elements like flavored marshmallows and even eyeball gummies. Choose from non-alcoholic and alcoholic options to sip and savor the season’s sweetness.
SANTA MEET & GREET WITH A FREE PHOTO
In December, Santa Claus makes a special appearance at the Festival on select nights for photos at Queen Victoria Place in Niagara Parks.
You’re cordially invited to pay a visit and meet Santa Claus, where you’ll receive a complimentary digital photo to capture this cherished holiday tradition.
Location: TBD
Dates: December 8, 9, 15, 16, 22
Time: 6pm-8pm
WINTER FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS RADIO
In December, Santa Claus makes a special appearance at the Festival on select nights for photos at Queen Victoria Place in Niagara Parks.
You’re cordially invited to pay a visit and meet Santa Claus, where you’ll receive a complimentary digital photo to capture this cherished holiday tradition.
FESTIVAL PARKING
There is plenty of parking just off of Clifton Hill that extends to the Skylon Tower. Easily accessible to all attractions and viewing the incredible light displays.
For directions to this parking lot, click the image below:
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Enjoy the most popular Illumination Festival in Canada in Niagara Falls as we capture the winter’s magic.
In 1982, the Niagara Falls Winter Festival of Lights was established. With over 1 million annual visitors, we are today delighted to be the largest lighting festival in Canada and the most prestigious in all of North America.
RECOGNTION
The Winter Festival of Lights has grown into one of North America’s largest and most recognized holiday light shows, attracting millions of visitors annually and hundreds of motor coach tours each year.
Numerous honours from the event and tourist industries have been given to the Festival, including the prestigious Events of Distinction Award from Festivals and Events Ontario, Best Volunteer Program, Top Festival/Event in Ontario, and Most Innovative Partnership (FEO). Additionally, the Winter Festival of Lights has long been acknowledged by the American Bus Association (ABA) as one of its Top 100 Internationally Recognized Events.
Each year the festival is committed to keeping the Niagara Winter Festival of Lights: family friendly, free to attend and open to everyone. So bundle up and celebrate the power of light and community!
HISTORY
The Niagara Falls Canada Visitor and Convention Bureau, now known as Niagara Falls Tourism, the City of Niagara Falls, the Niagara Parks Commission, and a number of private businesses in the Niagara Falls tourism industry joined forces to create the Winter Festival of Lights in 1982.
The Festival was started as an effort to lengthen Niagara Falls’ summer-only tourist season, which had existed for more than a century. The Festival’s initial season featured a modest assortment of lights displays close to the Falls that attracted a respectable 250,000 visitors. A trip to Niagara Falls became rapidly a yearly winter tradition for family and friends as the Festival displays evolved and audience sizes increased each year.
For the “Enchantment of Disney” event, which featured over 20 animated displays of Disney Classics across Queen Victoria Park and an opening ceremony featuring Disney characters, the Winter Festival of Lights teamed up with Disney in 1992. Sadly, the Disney exhibits were taken down in 2013 since Disney chose to restrict character appearances to their theme parks.
The Festival started a nightly parade of lights with illuminated floats from 1998 to 2006.
The Festival adopted new themes following the Disney era, such as a Korean Lantern display, art installations, and interactive light shows. The Winter Festival of Lights nearly increased in size in 2021 from an average of 54 nights to 101 nights, more than doubling its collection of lights in 2020.
CURRENT
From mid-November through Family Day in February, Niagara Falls is transformed into a kaleidoscope of dazzling colour by the Winter Festival of Lights. Along the Niagara Parkway’s journey through the Dufferin Islands and into the tourist areas of Fallsview Boulevard, Lundy’s Lane, and other areas, millions of glittering lights, captivating displays, and interactive experiences continue to enhance the yearly winter tradition.
The Festival continues to develop its themed display sections such the Royal Promenade, Frosted Falls, Enchanted Forest, and Great Canadian North with a focus on offering fun for all ages with family-friendly exhibits and entertainment. More than 50 larger-than-life illuminations, including Canadian wildlife displays, the two-story Zimmerman Fountain, a gingerbread home, a 60-foot light tunnel, a castle, and more, may be seen along the Niagara Parkway.
Niagara Falls Tourism, together with the Tourism Partnership of Niagara, the Niagara Parks Commission, and the local Business Improvement Areas, presents the Winter Festival of Lights.
*For more information on the Ontario Power Generation Winter Festival of Lights please visit www.wfol.com*