London 
City of London
WINTER BREAK 2020 – 2021
Here’s a list of fun activities to enjoy as a family during the winter break from December 18, 2020 – January 3, 2021.
More Fun Things to Do During Winter Break
See Christmas Lights
1. Every night until January 4, 100’s of customized LED light displays light up Amherstburg. Featuring whimsical playful displays at the Toddy Jones Park and the more traditional light displays at the King’s Navy Yard Park, the Amherstburg River Lights is an annual holiday tradition that is enjoyed by many.
2. See downtown Stratford transformed with luminous art and interactive light installations of the Lights On Stratford festival. The Lights will be on to enjoy until February 14, 2021.
3. St. Mary’s Winter Lights is a spectacular display of festive light display that can be enjoyed from the comfort of your vehicle or on foot.
4. Set foot in a wonderland of twinkling lights and experience the charm of the original light festival in Ontario during the annual Simcoe Christmas Panorama.
5. Head to 220 Songbird Lane in Ilderton to enjoy fabulous Christmas Lights.
6. From December 3, Victoria Park turns into a Winter Wonderland with festive lights and displays. The lights will be on until January 3rd.
Skating
This winter, you can enjoy skating at two outdoor skating rinks – Storybook Gardens and the Rotary Rink at Covent Garden Market, weather permitting. Registration for the skate trail sessions is required. Registration can be completed online or by calling 519-661-5575 up to seven days in advance of the session start date. Do note that Victoria Park outdoor skating will be closed.
- Storybook Gardens
- Opens December 18
- Limited to 25 people at a time;
- Standard admission fee of $3.00 per person
- Rotary Rink at Covent Garden Market on Saturday, December 12
- Monday to Saturday 10 AM to 7 PM; Sunday 11 AM – 4 PM (pending weather conditions )
- Free skating; Registrations required
- Limited to 25 people at a time
Enjoy Free public skating programs at Argyle Arena, Bostwick Arena, Carling Arena, Earl Nichols Arena, Kinsmen Arena, Lambeth Arena, Medway Arena, and Stronach Arena. Registration and skating schedules will be available online. Before planning, do check the cancellations page to make sure the ice pads are operating as usual.
Note: All recreational activities are subject to emerging Covid-19 restrictions. Do check before starting.
Tobogganing
Everyone enjoys sliding downhill. Not only is it great fun, but also an excellent way to bond as a family. The hills at Doidge Park and Basil Grover Park are great places to spend your time tobogganing.
Skiing
Skiing is a quintessential winter activity enjoyed by all. Take in the winter scenery while cross-country skiing onvarious trails.
Snowshoeing
For easy fun winter sports try snowshoeing. This is an excellent way to exercise in winter and a great way to enjoy the trails!
Boler Mountains
A hub for winter sports, Boler Mountain has many activities that can be enjoyed including snowboarding, skiing, tubing, and more. New to these activities? Get beginner lessons at the Snow School’s Ski and Snowboarding lessons. With the holiday program, certain lessons and programs continue over Christmas holidays! Winter Brochure (PDF link)
Circle R Ranch
Has it been snowing? If there is abundant snowfall take advantage of the winter snowfall at the Circle R Ranch. With 13 km of groomed trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, the Circle R Ranch is a popular destination during the winter months. Do contact the Ranch before you start.
Geocaching
Visit Provincial Parks /National Parks
Our Provincial Parks and National Parks offer many outdoor activities. Even if you have visited in spring or summer, winter presents entirely different experiences. You can enjoy a whole lot of activities from skating, snowshoeing, skiing, camping, and more. How about spending a night in the cozy comfort of a yurt? Winter camping is available in select provincial parks!
Winter Walk
The beauty of winter can best be enjoyed by a walk. Whether you take a brisk walk or a relaxed one, what is certain is that you will have a wonderful time enjoying the open air and crisp winter beauty.
You can also enjoy an invigorating walk along the many pathways in London. Pack a picnic and plan to spend an afternoon outside playing games with your loved ones. The Thames Valley Parkway is an all-season recreation pathway.
Children’s Activities
Keep your child engaged at home with these fun activities.
Visit Attractions
The following attractions are currently open (at the time of publishing). Do keep in mind that these centres may close subject to evolving Covid-19 restrictions. Currently, these attractions are keeping reduced hours and walk-ins are not allowed. Please pre-book your visit.
- Mustang Drive-in Drive-in Theatre
- Eldon House
- Stratford Perth Museum
- Museum of Ontario Archaeology
- Museum London
- Exodus London Escape Room
- The Secrets of Radar Museum
- Junction Climbing Centre
Winter Break Camps
This winter break will be different. And so will be the winter break camps.
Arctic Adaptations
December 27 – 30, 2020 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM & 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
London Children’s Museum, 21 Wharncliffe Road S, London
Included with general admission; Register in Advance
Drive-in Movies
Enjoy a movie in the comfort of your vehicle!
Christmas Bird Count
The 112th consecutive Christmas Bird Count for London will be held on Saturday, December 19th. Christmas Counts are an all-day bird survey of a set area. Details
Saturday, December 19, 2020
London Area
Sign up required
Taking the Long View
Museum London is happy to present a large, permanent art exhibition comprised of well-loved treasures from the vaults; intriguing, though lesser-known gems; and recent acquisitions of modern and contemporary art.
Taking the Long View demonstrates the ways in which a public art collection can record and reflect a community. This selection gives precedence to the accomplishments of London and area artists from the mid-1800s through the 2000s. Details
January 26 to December 31, 2020
Open Thursday to Sunday
Museum London, 421 Ridout Street North, London
Admission by donation; Register your visit
Greetings from the Past: Greeting Cards and Postcards from the Collection
Museum London has hundreds of greeting cards and postcards. This exhibition consists of 100 reproductions, drawn from the permanent collection.
These cards date from the late 1870s through to the late 1930s, with the majority published in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They mark occasions that run the entire calendar year: New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, Hallowe’en, and Christmas. Still others acknowledge births and birthdays, as well as illness and deaths. Details
August 13, 2020 to February 14, 2021
Open Thursday to Sunday
Museum London, 421 Ridout Street North, London
Admission by donation; Register your visit
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
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.
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. On December 21 Jupiter and Saturn will only be 0.1 degrees apart. 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. Details
Online Concerts/Theatres
Enjoy online concerts and theatres during winter break.
Explore Canada or the World From Home
Enjoy Online Events
Online
December 13, 2020 To January 31, 2021
Pay-What-You-Can
The daring, 70-minute performance of Messiah/Complex, filmed against iconic Canadian landscapes, will showcase multilingual translations, and feature a diverse cast of soloists and choirs representing every ... »
Online
January 1, 2021 To January 31, 2021
Free
AGH at Home is designed to deliver engaging exhibition and collection content for visitors to enjoy from the comfort of their own homes! »
Online
January 4, 2021 To January 24, 2021
Free admission
Watch world-famous operas from the comfort of your home! Monday, Jan. 4 Cilea’s Adriana Lecouvreur (From January 12, 2019) Tuesday, Jan. 5 Rossini’s La Donna del Lago (From March 14, 2015) ... »
Online
January 8, 2021 To April 25, 2021
Free
Watch live FREE music all year round in the US and Canada. Chip Breaux & the Jazz Katz | Fridays, January 8, 22, February 12, 26 & March 12 & 26 | 3:00 PM EST The ... »
Online
January 8, 2021 To February 4, 2021
Free
Over the last 12 years, the AGH Film Festival has grown to become one of the largest and most well respected film festivals in the region. Join thousands ... »
Online
January 9, 2021 To March 20, 2021
series cost $50 + HST
Join Jan and Dan for a fun filled adventure where we feature Canadian performers and shine a light on music, dance, stories, and more. The Digital Concerts ... »
Online
January 9, 2021 To January 30, 2021
$35 USD
Improv legends and Whose Line is it Anyway? Veterans Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood unleash a wild, comedic ride with Stream of Consciousness, an all-new LIVE improv ... »
Online
January 10, 2021 To March 30, 2021
16048139020
$0-400
Scriptwriting Intensives 2021 Film, television, play, and web series writers join us for our Scriptwriting Intensives 2021 with Facilitator Liesl Lafferty. Wet Ink Collective is a writer-driven initiative aimed ... »
Online
January 11, 2021 To January 22, 2021
6479841157
Free
This masterclass series was developed expressly for today’s digital content creators who are actively seeking new ways to successfully understand, reach, and engage with their audiences ... »
Online
January 21, 2021 To January 30, 2021
Free
In this workshop, you will learn to make a hoop using simple materials, then Allex Wells (Sisqua7) will teach traditional hoop dance steps using single hoop. Allex ... »
Online
January 22, 2021
Pay What You Can
Join Black Sheep Comedy for some hilarious live stand up comedy right from the comfort of your couch with the hilarious Nikki Payne and special guests Kyle ... »
Online
January 22, 2021 To February 12, 2021
Free Admission
After 42 years of entertaining guests, the Guinness World Records Museum closed on September 7, 2020 and an auction is being held for the displays. The auction runs from January 22 ... »
Online
January 23, 2021
$10
Best of the Sultans Edition. Let’s super-spread some good live-streaming vibes and keep connected. Isolating doesn’t have to be lonely! Featured on the NY TIMES ... »
Online
January 24, 2021 To February 21, 2021
$57.87
Hansel and Gretel at the Opera workshops. This workshop is the first in a series of four musical creation workshops in a virtual format that prepare audiences ... »
Online
January 28, 2021 To February 6, 2021
Free
Join us on Thursday, January 28 at 12:00pm EST for Powwow Workout Class, led by Allex Wells! In this Powwow Workout, Allex Wells (Sisqua7) will teach traditional hoop ... »
Online
January 29, 2021 To February 15, 2021
info@hamiltonwinterfest.ca
Free
Winterfest is a flurry of activities all around us from January 29th to February 15th Be swept away by the wonders of Winter with over 50 events happening ... »
Online
February 2, 2021
$10 - $25
Home Routes Presents → The Stay-at-Home Troubadour Revue: with Scott Cook, Corin Raymond and Jonathan Byrd. Join us for an evening with three great songwriters who’ve worked ... »
Online
February 2, 2021
Free
In this webinar, you will learn: How to exercise in self-isolation, with little-to-no equipment Why too much cardio can actually make you put on body fat The ... »
Online
February 4, 2021 To February 13, 2021
Free
Join us on Thursday February 4 at 12:00pm EST for Powwow Workout Class, led by Steevi King! This high-intensity workout will introduce traditional powwow dancing by incorporating moves ... »
Online
February 4, 2021
$12.50
Raise Your Voice Concert Series – Paris, Ontario Presented by Noisemaker Presents & National Arts Centre Wes Williams (aka Maestro Fresh Wes) has recently become the first rap ... »
Online
February 5, 2021
$20
Join Singer-songwriter and chamber folk artist Raine Hamilton as she shares a sneak peek of her upcoming full-length album, Brave Land, online on February 5, 2021. Broadcasting live from ... »
Online
February 6, 2021 To February 27, 2021
Varies
Wavelength Winter Festival 2021 will take the form of four weekly digital shows held on Saturday nights – all FREE and ALL AGES. »
Online
February 6, 2021
Free - $10 (plus donations accepted for Mental Health)
Your favourite Canadian team is playing – Join us in the virtual FAN HOUZE arena for a pregame warm-up and interactive game day experience! Choose your game and ... »
Online
February 9, 2021 To February 18, 2021
Free
Are you looking to meet with leading business schools? We will be bringing universities from around the world to your home in February! Here is what you ... »
Online
February 11, 2021 To February 20, 2021
Free
Join us on Thursday February 11 at 12:00pm EST for Powwow Workout Class, led by Josée Bourgeois! Josée Bourgeois is a professional dance artist who specializes ... »
Online
February 11, 2021
$12.50
Raise Your Voice Concert Series – Paris, Ontario Presented by Noisemaker Presents & National Arts Centre Crown Lands’ self-titled debut album—produced by six-time Grammy winner Dave Cobb—... »
Online
February 12, 2021
$10-$50
Because Beer Craft Beer Festival announces the return of Because Brrr in a virtual edition for 2021, when we’ll gather to celebrate great local craft beer & ... »
Online
February 12, 2021 To March 4, 2021
Chamber music formed the soundtrack to most social occasions in Vienna at the turn of the 19th century. By virtue of their size, small ensembles could perform ... »
Online
February 13, 2021 To March 27, 2021
(416) 602-8184
$360 for a four-week package.
Story Planet is proud to announce our first-ever creative writing program for grown-ups featuring seven of the most inspiring fiction writers in Canada! Each week, a different ... »
Online
February 18, 2021 To February 19, 2021
$30 - $60
Join us on February 18 and 19, 2021 for Momentum: The Power of Collective Resilience, a virtual, interactive thought leader event. We will hear speakers from around the world and ... »
Online
February 18, 2021
$12.50
Raise Your Voice Concert Series – Paris, Ontario Presented by Noisemaker Presents & National Arts Centre Once in a red moon, an artist emerges on the scene as ... »
Online
February 20, 2021
$27
Gemma New, Conductor Lance Ouellette, Violin Bethany Bergman, Violin Stravinsky: Danses Concertantes Juliet Palmer: fire break Vivaldi: The Four Seasons Experience Vivaldi’s timeless masterpiece. Associate Concertmaster ... »
Online
February 25, 2021
$12.50
Raise Your Voice Concert Series – Paris, Ontario Presented by Noisemaker Presents & National Arts Centre Nuela Charles is an Edmonton, Canada-based alternative soul singer-songwriter renowned for her ... »
Online
February 28, 2021 To March 3, 2021
1-800-387-5649
$40-$80
Canada’s leading foodservice and hospitality event is back – RC Show 2021 goes ONLINE LIVE for four action-packed days of empowering thought leadership, research, trends and insights, showcasing ... »
Online
February 28, 2021
$17.44
This delectable introduction to opera and lyrical singing is a treat for the eyes and ears! Once upon a time – so ti do mi fa! – there were ... »
Online
March 12, 2021 To April 1, 2021
$20
Year after year, season after season, the music of Vivaldi blooms in perennial splendour. Concertmaster Jonathan Crow performs as soloist and leads his TSO colleagues in Vivaldi’... »
Online
March 20, 2021
$27
Stephen Sitarski, Conductor Jessie Brooks, Horn Bruckner: Three Pieces for Orchestra Andrew Balfour: Kiwetin-acahcos (North Star) R. Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 1 Beethoven: Symphony No. 8 Concertmaster Stephen Sitarski ... »
Online
April 24, 2021
$27
Gemma New, Conductor Stephen Sitarski, Violin Milhaud: Le Boeuf sur la toit Piazzolla (arr. Desyatnikov): The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires HPO 20-21 Composer Fellow: New Work ... »
Online
June 5, 2021
$27
Gemma New, Conductor Dominic Desautels, Clarinet HPO 20-21 Composer Fellow: New work Mozart: Clarinet Concerto R. Strauss: Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme Principal Clarinet Dominic Desautels makes his debut ... »
Online
June 29, 2021
$27
Gemma New, Conductor Roydon Tse: Down the Rabbit Hole + Jeffrey Ryan: Earthshine + Andrew Clark: Heliacal Rising* + James O’Callaghan: The Earth, Split Open + Jessie Montgomery: Starburst Norbert ... »