This Ontario Small Town Is A Christmas Dream With Trolley Rides & A Kaleidoscope Of Lights

You can wander through endless holiday magic.

Simcoe Christmas Panorama.

Simcoe Christmas Panorama.

Simcoe Christmas Panorama, Courtesy of Simcoe Christmas Panorama.
Lead Writer, Travel

You can step into a wonderland of colourful lights and holiday magic at this small town in Ontario. Simcoe is once more hosting The Simcoe Christmas Panorama and it's full of festive splendour.

The annual event has been running for over 60 years and features endless lights and glowing displays. This year, the attraction is taking place from December 2 to December 31, 2023.

Lights at the park.Courtesy of Simcoe Christmas Panorama.

You can see 500,000 lights twinkling from the trees and displays as well as over 30 installations including animatronic displays of penguins, elves and Santa.

The holiday magic spans three parks and you can check out several new displays this year.

The fun doesn't end with the light displays. There are some festive events happening throughout the season as well, including horse-drawn trolley rides around the park for $3 per person.

You can meet some adorable critters including llamas, alpacas and goats all wearing lighted blankets on select dates.

Glowing lighthouse and Christmas lights.Glowing lighthouse and Christmas lights.Courtesy of Simcoe Christmas Panorama.

On Saturday and Sunday evenings, Santa will be visiting the park so you can say "hello" to St. Nick himself.

There will be hot chocolate and warm cider available to purchase for some extra coziness. You can also grab some sweet treats like cookies and apple cider donuts from a charming log cabin.

The event is free to attend, however, it is completely run by volunteers and relies on donations from visitors to continue the festive magic each year.

This enchanting Christmas extravaganza will light up your holiday season.

Simcoe Christmas Panorama

\u200bLights at the park.

Lights at the park.

Courtesy of Simcoe Christmas Panorama.

Price: Free, donations appreciated

When: December 2 to 31, 2023

Address: 50 Bonnie Dr., Simcoe, ON

Why You Need To Go: This dazzling event features endless lights and magical holiday experiences.

Simcoe Christmas Panorama website

Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.

  • Lead Writer

    Madeline Forsyth is a Toronto-based Lead Writer for Narcity Media. After earning her B.A. (Hons) at Queen's University, she spent a year travelling much of the world as a flight attendant. Now, she uses her experience in the travel industry and passion for writing to share stories about buzzworthy events and adventures across Canada and the globe. Madeline has been published in PopSugar and has interviewed sports and entertainment personalities for Narcity. She has covered and photographed restaurant openings as well as event launches such as the world premiere of the Dr. Seuss Experience. Some of her favourite things to write about include charming small towns and anything to do with Harry Potter.

19 products at Costco that are worth buying even if you live alone

Both name-brand and Kirkland Signature items get you a lot of bang for your buck. 🛒

You're not a true Ontarian unless you've been to at least 5 of these 12 natural wonders

How many of these have you crossed off your Ontario bucket list?