The Best Christmas and Holiday Happenings in Halton Hills

Halton Hills has so many wonderful things to do in every season. No matter what time of year it is, there's no shortage of small town charm here.

This becomes particularly evident during the holidays when Halton Hills looks straight out of a Hallmark movie. We love spending Christmas in Halton Hills and we're excited to showcase the top holiday events and activities.

Participate in this list of fun holiday events or combine them with some of our other suggestions for a Halton Hills day trip or a wellness day in Halton Hills. Be sure to visit the amazing small businesses here. In this Christmas in Halton Hills itinerary, we'll divide our time between Georgetown and Glen Williams.

Glen Williams is a sweet hamlet with total Stars Hollow vibes and Georgetown is the quaint town that Justin and I call home. Both are among the best Christmas towns in Ontario. As they're both part of Halton Hills and less than a 5 minute drive from one to the next, it's easy to visit both places in the same day.

Glen Williams is such a hidden gem in southern Ontario. Immediately after you visit, I'm sure you'll be thinking about when you'll be able to return. There's one annual holiday event each year in Glen Williams called Christmas in the Glen. If you're unable to visit during the Christmas in the Glen event, there are other places around town that continue to feel festive throughout December.

Christmas in the Glen

Christmas in the Glen is an enchanting holiday market that takes place on Glen William's Main Street. The street is shut down to traffic and 120+ local vendors line the streets. There are additional small indoor markets: the Kind Vibe Kids Children's Market (featuring all young entrepreneurs) and more vendors inside the historic Glen Williams Town Hall.

There are beautiful holiday decorations all over town, including displays for photos, Christmas trees and elaborate balloon arches. There's a fire pit by Williams Mill where you can warm up, and a few food trucks with food and sweet treats on either side of the market.

This Glen Williams Christmas market takes place on the first Sunday of December from 12pm to 4pm with the hamlet's tree lighting ceremony happening in the Keller Williams courtyard at 3:30pm. At night, there are more Christmas lights and the official tree lighting ceremony in the Shelagh Law Parkette for Light up the Hills.

We recommend participating in the Christmas in the Glen VIP Experience. The VIP Experience costs $40 (for a family of four) and the proceeds support the charitable organization, Food 4 Kids Halton. Each participant receives early entry into the market, a goodie bag of items from local small businesses, a digital family photo and a tasty treat from Kit's Little Kitchen.

In 2024, Christmas in the Glen raised over $1000 for Food 4 Kids Halton with this initiative. Justin and I have attended Christmas in the Glen for the past two years and I am sure that this will be our holiday tradition for many years to come. The next Christmas in the Glen will take place on Sunday, December 7th, 2025.

Williams Mill Creative Arts Studio

Williams Mill Creative Arts Studio has an annual Christmas market that takes place during the same weekend as Christmas in the Glen. It actually happens all weekend long on both the Saturday and the Sunday. Williams Mill Creative Arts Studio is a working art studio and art gallery all in one.

Williams Mill is divided across several heritage buildings where each artist has their own booth and workspace. There's a glass blowing workshop, a stone cutters studio, and art studios for painters, jewellers, textile artists, ceramics and so many more.

During the Christmas market, there are additional guest vendors indoors and live entertainment. There are also a few Christmas trees and holiday greenery for sale outside of their lot. If you happen to miss their holiday market, don't fret. It's possible to go shopping at the booths for the resident 22 artisans any other day of the week!

Main Street Market

Main Street Market is a wonderful place to do your holiday shopping. First, stop by their cafe for a delicious warm beverage, and then shop their curated collection of fabulous gifts. This is a great way to support Canadian makers and local small businesses alike.

On Sunday, December 1st and Sunday, December 7th between 11:00am and 4:00pm, Santa will be at Main Street Market! Their property is decorated so beautifully, and Santa will be ready to hear your Christmas lists and take some photos on his sleigh. Main Street Market will be collecting donations for Food4Kids Halton and the Georgetown Bread Basket.

Christmas in Halton Hills: Georgetown

Georgetown tops my list of the best small towns in Ontario. I might be a bit biased because I live here, but I'm continually discovering new things to see and do despite living here for a few years now.

Even though it's a little town, there are numerous community events throughout the seasons, new trails to explore and an expanding scene of cozy cafes and new restaurants. We love spending Christmas in Halton Hills and specifically, our hometown of Georgetown.

Georgetown Holiday Market

Head to downtown Georgetown for the annual Georgetown Holiday Market. While the local farmers market takes place on Saturday mornings from June through to Thanksgiving, Main Street closes down for one final time in the year for this special event.

There are so many wonderful reasons to visit the Georgetown Holiday Market. Shop local from 70+ vendors at the outdoor market and the indoor portion inside the Knox Presbyterian Church. Santa will be in attendance, and kids can ride the trackless train. Anna & Elsa from Frozen also make special appearances, and Holiday Carolers will put you right in the Christmas spirit.

Did you miss the holiday market? No worries, there's still plenty of fabulous shopping to tackle in downtown Georgetown. There are great gift shops, cafes and restaurants where it's easy to spend an entire afternoon here. Between Georgetown and Glen Williams, you'll certainly be able to take care of the holiday shopping for everyone on your list.

Christmas in Halton Hills: Light up the Hills

Light up the Hills is a festive lights display that's always free to visit throughout the holiday season. Halton Hills becomes illuminated from the beginning of December right through until January 12th. The main lights display is located at Dominion Gardens Park in Georgetown, and there's a smaller collection of lights at Shelagh Law Parkette in Glen Williams.

Go for a stroll through Dominion Gardens Park nightly to see the twinkling lights all around. The main event is Ignition Night, the opening ceremony for the lights. There's complimentary hot chocolate and treats, a raffle, and the countdown to the lighting of the lights.

You can purchase Memory Balls to be hung on the Memory Tree in honour of your loved ones. It's a special dedication and way to remember those you have cherished the most.

Light up the Hills is a grand celebration with over 100,000 lights. It's entirely run by volunteers in the community and funded by community donations. This event is always free for everyone to enjoy throughout the holidays.

Holiday Pottery Painting at Glazed Expressions

Back in downtown Georgetown, we tried our hand at pottery painting at Glazed Expressions. While there are so many designs to choose from, we each opted to paint a Santa as they have quite a few holiday pieces. You don't need to make an appointment or have any sort of artistic background. Simply show up and the staff members will explain everything.

For some smaller and more detailed works like our Santas, expect to spend a couple of hours painting them. You'll need to put a few coats of paint on them so the colours are their most vibrant. This was a pretty relaxing way to spend the afternoon. It's a great activity for couples, for groups of friends and for families with kids.

Once you've painted your pottery, the folks at Glazed Expressions will fire it up. You can pick up your work of art 8 days after you painted it. Also, there are a number of other workshops at Glazed Expressions like pottery workshops, glass fusing and more. You can visit on multiple occasions for new experiences each time.

Warm Up at Black Creek Coffee

Black Creek Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster located inside the Georgetown Market Place. They source their beans ethically from farms around the world, developing their own specialty blends and single origin coffee. While you can order their coffee beans online a bag at a time or by subscription, be sure to stop by their espresso bar for a handcrafted beverage.

Try one of their pour over coffees, which are so tasty that you won't need to add any sugar or milk. If you prefer espresso beverages, they have a full menu of lattes, cappuccinos, etc. Try a peppermint latte if you're in the mood for a seasonal beverage. And another reason why Black Creek Coffee is amazing? 20% of their profits go towards dog rescues. I love that!

While you're over at the Georgetown Market Place, why not visit Santa? Santa Claus makes daily appearances from November 27th to December 24th. Capture the holiday magic and make memories with your family.