St. John's 
Credit: Bowring Park Foundation Inc.
Even though it may be cold outside, the weather does not have to stop you from having a lot of winter fun around St. John’s. So, bundle up and enjoy the winter holidays with your friends and family while checking out the list below of 15 things to do during the Christmas and Winter Holidays in St. John’s.
5 Winter Getaways in Newfoundland
Magical Christmas Light Displays
The holiday season has come to Newfoundland and homes across this beautiful province are being lit up with dozens to thousands of lights. From musical masterpieces to brightly lit-up houses, go on a Christmas light tour of the best light displays that you can visit in and around St. John’s.
Christmas Dinner Take-Out
This holiday season, take some time to relax when you skip cooking and support local eateries. Your will definitely enjoy the great offerings from local restaurants and caterers in St. John’s.
Merry Makers Market
Saturday, December 19, 2020 from 10 am to 4 pm
Quidi Vidi Village Plantation, 10 Maple View Road, St. John’s
Penning the Carol
Written and performed by Aiden Flynn, Penning the Carol is in its 18th year of production and is a solo retelling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The play supposes that Scrooge and the accompanying cast of characters are created in a session of intense writing and storytelling on Christmas Eve, 1843. Penning the Carol is directed by Courtney Brown and designed by Brian Kenny. Details
December 20 – 23, 2020 | 8:00 PM
LSPU Hall, 3 Victoria Street, St. John’s
$40
Holiday Camp
Allow your kids to work off all the extra energy they have from all the sweets and being home from school at Cygnus Gymnastics. Kids get to enjoy a day packed with gymnastics, crafts, games, and outdoor fun, weather permitting.
Details
Day Time Camp | December 21-23, 28-30, 2020
Night Time Camp | December 12 & 19, 2020
Cygnus Gymnastics, 20 Lake Ave, St. John’s
Day Time Camp $45; Night Time Camp $35
Celtic Christmas
December 22 – 23, 2020 | 8:00 PM
Art and Culture Centre, 95 Allandale Road, St. John’s
$35
Young Scientist: Snow
Snow: Winter is almost here! We’re all hoping for a bit of snow to brighten up the dark nights! Snowflakes are tiny crystals of ice that form high up in the clouds. Let’s learn all about crystals and the other amazing things that happen up in the clouds.
Young Scientist is a program for children aged 5-8 and their caregivers to learn about science through crafts, games and hands-on activities. Children and their caregivers will be seated as a bubble at their own table and given their own supplies for each activity. Then, take a walk outdoors to deepen your understanding! Details
Saturday, December 19, 2020 | 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Manuels River Hibernia Interpretation Centre, 7 Conception Bay Highway
The Once Christmas
Celebrate the holidays with Newfoundland’s The Once, playing a collection of seasonal favourites! With their folk roots still firmly in hand, Phil Churchill, Geraldine Hollett, and Andrew Dale have spread their distinctly-modern sound around the world receiving JUNO Award nominations, Canadian Folk Music Awards, East Coast Music Awards, and being recognized by their province as the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council’s Artist of the Year. Details
December 17 – 20, 2020
Arts & Culture Centre, 95 Allandale Road, St. John’s
$40
Pictures With Santa
Santa Claus will be at Manuels River for two days to meet and take pictures with the girls and boys who have been good all year. Book a 10-minute appointment and take as many photos as you want in our socially-distanced set. Details
December 19 – 20, 2020 | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Manuels River, 7 Conception Bay Hwy, Conception Bay South
$10
Best Little Covid Christmas Pageant Ever, Dinner and Show
Laughs abound in the bestselling Christmas classic The Best Little Christmas Pageant Ever. This year things will be different as we reflect the pandemic and make this “The Best Little COVID Christmas Pageant Ever”. Details
November 19 – December 30, 2020
Spirit of Newfoundland, 6 Cathedral Street, St. John’s
$97.75 plus HST
The 15th Annual Holiday Wassail
Welcome to the 15th Annual Holiday Wassail! For this year, we’ve moved our annual fundraiser online and put together a lineup of live performances and pre-recorded video clips from some of our favourite artists who often perform at our usual full house at George Street United! Details
December 21, 2020 | 8:00 PM – 9:15 PM
Online
Free; Donations encouraged
Eat, Drink & Be Merry!
Get into the holiday spirit with a visit to The Rooms. We have fabulous exhibitions and lots of room to appreciate them. It’s the prettiest time of year to visit. We’re all lit up for the season – why not meet a friend and spend the evening enjoying our holiday bundle. Details
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
The Rooms, 9 Bonaventure Avenue St. John’s
$18+ HST per person ($12+ HST for members)
A Grand Affair: New Year’s Eve Celebration
Join us for a prohibition inspired ritzy evening, themed cocktails, a decadent menu, and jazzy music by The Dana PA Grand Affairarsons Trio. Party with the classiest of revelers who will swing into the New Year. It will feel like the 1920’s in 2020….! Details
Thursday, December 31, 2020 | 8:30 PM
Manuels River, 7 Conception Bay Highway
Table of 8: $1,000+gratuity+tax
Resolution Run
Come on out to our annual 5k Walk/Run and say goodbye to 2020 alongside your running buddies!! Details
December 28, 2020 – January 3, 2021
Wherever you are in Canada
$10 – $35
Winter Fun at Piggy Park
Details
Piggy Park
Go Skating at The Loop
Grab your skates and helmet and head to Bannerman Park to go skating on the Loop. The skating trail is open daily as long as the temperatures are low enough to make and maintain the ice surface.
Details
Bannerman Park
Go Sliding At Bowring Park
Details
305 Waterford Bridge Road, St. John’s
Watch The Great Conjunction
Get ready to watch an extraordinary event this holiday season. From December 12 to 28, giant planets Jupiter and Saturn will be in close proximity after centuries. They will be the closest on December 21st. This year’s event will be the closest since 1623 and the closest observable since 1226! Don’t miss the Great Conjunction of planets Jupiter and Saturn.
Children’s Activities
Keep your child engaged at home with these fun activities.
Go Bird Watching
Birding is a fun activity to do in winter. What are the popular winter birds that you can spot? Can you notice any winter adaptation changes in them? Grab a pair of binoculars, download a bird ID app, and try to name all the birds that you can spot. Do a Christmas Bird Count. If you don’t want to venture outside do an unofficial count of the birds that visit your bird feeder.
Online Concerts/Theatres
Enjoy online concerts and theatres during winter break.
Explore Canada or the World From Home
Explore Canada’s arctic, Winnipeg, National Parks, and many more places from Home. Travel to international or outer space destinations like the international space station, discover Egypt’s Heritage Sites from tombs to monasteries, or take a trip on scenic trains in Europe virtually.
Christmas and Winter Holiday Getaways in Newfoundland and Labrador
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