Holiday hours and closures

The City of St. Catharines wishes the community a safe and happy holiday season. While you're enjoying some of the City’s festive family-favourite activities remember that City Hall, most City of St. Catharines facilities and some programs will be operating on modified holiday hours. Keep an eye on this page holiday updates.

Festive things to do over the holidays

Let It Glow – A Celebration of Light

Explore more than 50 dazzling light installations at Rennie Park and St. Catharines City Hall, from glowing tunnels to interactive light sculptures, as part of Let It Glow – A Celebration of Light.

The outdoor lights festival continues to illuminate Port Dalhousie and Downtown St. Catharines until Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026.

St. Catharines Farmers Market

Festive Fun at the Farmers Market

Visit the St. Catharines Farmers Market on Saturday, Dec. 20 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and enjoy free hot apple cider with cookies, a children’s crafting station and giveaways and more.

Presented with support from LoveSTC - Tourism St. Catharines, Saturday’s farmers market also features festive songs and traditional carols performed by Rod Joanisse from 11 a.m. to noon.

Located at Market Square, 91 King St. in Downtown St. Catharines, the Saturday farmers market runs from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. year-round and includes more than 40 vendors.

Free parking is available on site.

Skating, swimming and more

Keep everyone moving over the holidays with fun family activities at City arenas and community centres. Enjoy skating programs, Leisure Swims, drop-in swimming lessons, family board games, painting, crafts and more. Pre-registration is required.

There are also limited spaces remaining for some special holiday activities with Creative Bug planned for youth ages five to 14, including:

Monday, Dec. 22: Reindeer Fun, 10 a.m.; Snow Day, 1 p.m.
Monday Dec. 29: K-Pop Paint and Decorate, 10 a.m. and Labubu Paint and Decorate, 1 p.m.

Visit ActiveSTC for more details on aquatics and recreation programming, including admission requirements and supervision information.

New Year’s Eve Family Skate

Let it Glow New Year’s Eve Family Skate

Ring in the New Year on Dec. 31 with a free public skate from 9:30 a.m. to noon at the Seymour-Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre. All four pads will be open for skating, with one pad hosting a glow-in-the-dark experience with glow sticks. The family skate also features character visits, a free photo booth and more. A limited number of free skate and helmet rentals will be available for those who do not have the equipment.

Pre-registration is required. Registration for the New Year’s Eve Family Skate opens at 8 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 29 at stcatharines.ca/2026nyeskate.

St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre

The Mitten Tree campaign continues until Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, with new and used winter clothing donations accepted in support of Community Care of St. Catharines and Thorold and Start Me Up Niagara. Bring mittens, gloves, toques, and scarves and other winter clothing donations to the museum during regular business hours.

There’s much to explore at the St. Catharines Museum, open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre

Get into the holiday spirit with festive performances at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre. Enjoy family fun for all ages with two screenings of A Christmas Story Sunday, Dec. 21 and Tuesday, Dec. 23, an interactive screening of The Sound of Music Saturday, Dec. 27, New Year’s Eve with Jim Witter Wednesday, Dec, 31, and more.

New Year’s Levee

Start 2026 off with a bang at the annual New Year’s Day Levee. Everyone is invited to join Mayor Siscoe and members of St. Catharines City Council Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, at the Lake Street Armoury from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for this annual tradition co-hosted by The Lincoln and Welland Regiment and the 10th Battery, RCA.

The event is open to all residents and free to attend. The armoury is located 81 Lake St.