Deck the Halls: Fun Holiday Activities for the Whole Family Across Waterloo Region
Deck the Halls: Fun Holiday Activities for the Whole Family Across Waterloo Region
Posted on November 27, 2015
It’s November 26th and it’s less than a month until Christmas. We’re starting to get very excited about the upcoming holiday season and we imagine you are too! Here in Waterloo Region, there are a ton of great activities you and the whole family can enjoy during the holiday season. Some of the most notable activities include The Christkindl Market in Kitchener, Wonders of Winter display in Waterloo, Winter Sleigh Rides in St. Jacob’s, and of course Drayton Entertainment's live rendition of the classic movie, White Christmas, in Cambridge. We’ve provided some information on each below, and hope you and your families get a chance to take in one or more of these magical holiday activities during the 2015 holiday season!
Christkindl Market
The Christkindl Market is Canada’s original Festival of German Christmas, taking place at Kitchener City Hall from December 3rd to the 6th. Since Medieval times, German towns and cities have come alive with Outdoor Markets during the Christmas season, featuring wooden stalls of traditional ornaments, figurines, and delicious German food, plus traditional music and dancing. At the Kitchener Christkindl Market, be welcomed by the largest German Community in the country, and experience the many sights, sounds and smells of a traditional German Christmas Market.
Above: A view of Kitchener's Christkindl Market from the rooftop of Kitchener City Hall (photo cred: Pirak.com)
Kitchener’s Christkindl Market will feature lots of entertainment, including 30 bands, choirs, and dance groups on the outdoor stage, plus blacksmiths and organ grinders on the Square. All live entertainment takes place outside so remember to dress warm! The event features over 70 vendor booths in total, between the outdoor wooden huts and the indoor vendor stalls. Wares sold by vendors include Christmas ornaments, nutcrackers, wooden carved toys, figurines, jewelry, clothing and delicious German food. This year, King St has also been closed to make room for more vendors. In partnership with the Kitchener BIA, the King Street Experience will include beautifully constructed huts featuring food and gift vendors.
For more information, check out the Christkindl website at http://www.christkindl.ca, follow them on twitter at @ChristkindlCA, or like them on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ChristkindlCanada
Wonders of Winter in Waterloo
The Wonders of Winter Festival, the City of Waterloo’s Festival of Lights was started in 1994 by Bill Weiler, using a loan from the City of Waterloo. Now 11 service clubs and a group of sponsors and volunteers finance and staff each year’s festival, which takes place in Waterloo Park. Approximately 60 corporations and businesses in the community sponsor displays. Today, over 80 displays (static and animated) use over 100, 000 lights to create scenes which include Santa Clause, nursery rhymes, animals and cartoon characters to name a few!
Above: Entrance to the Wonders of Winter display in Waterloo Park (photo credit: CBC.ca)
For those who want a different experience, free trolley rides are offered on Friday and Saturday nights in December, plus Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. The Trolley is operated by St. Jacob’s Horse Drawn Tours (more on them later) and the 10-15 minute rides are free, with donations accepted. On certain nights, the concession booths are open so that you can grab a coffee, hot chocolate, or apple cider to keep you warm as you walk around Waterloo Park.
For more information, or to check out the trolley ride and concession schedule, you can check out the Wonders of Winter website at http://www.wondersofwinter.ca.
St. Jacob’s Winter Sleigh Rides
“Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh.” We all know the song, and who doesn’t want to experience it?! St. Jacob’s Horse Drawn Tours will give you the opportunity to dash through the snow, on a two-horse sleigh, through open fields and tall sugar bush in St. Jacob’s. St. Jacob’s Horse Drawn Tours are fun for people of all ages, and are a great way to beat the winter blues and get you ready for the holidays. The sleighs are pulled by draft horses, the two main breeds being the Belgian and Perchon draft horses which pull in teams of two. To ride the sleigh, you do need to book a reservation (except Sundays, when no rides are offered).
Above: A happy group taking a sleigh ride with St. Jacob's Horse Drawn Tours (Photo Credit: Explore Waterloo Region)
For more information, or to book your reservation, check out St. Jacob’s Horse Drawn Tours online at http://stjacobshorsedrawntours.com/.
White Christmas at the Dunfield Theatre in Cambridge
“I’m dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know.” It’s been a fairly green winter so far, but we’re sure this great play will get you into the spirit of the season! Through to December 20th, Drayton Entertainment brings the beloved White Christmas film to life at the Dunfield Theatre in Cambridge. Based on the 1954 film, White Christmas is a classic musical that is sure to get you excited for Christmas, and maybe even hoping for a white Christmas.
Above: The cast of White Christmas performing at the Dunfield Theatre in Cambridge (Photo credit:Wellington Advertiser)
The story follows Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, World War 2 vets turned song-and-dance duo, who follow a sister act to a gig at a Vermont lodge. This lodge just so happens to be owned by their former army Commander, General Waverly. Due to exceptionally warm weather in the area, the lodge is struggling financially and so the boys decide to help out by trying out their new show at the lodge to bring in some customers. Many complications arise and a major misunderstanding almost ruins their plans to put on the show, but you'll be glad to know the ending is happy.
You can buy tickets online on Drayton Entertainment’s website, but hurry fast because there are only limited quantities available!