Dundas Christmas Festival!
A Dickens of a Christmas!
That is the name of the Dundas Christmas Festival.
It’s a cute town that has a feel-good Christmas vibe like one of those Hallmark movies!
Actually it really is! More on that later…
I am going to share all about the yearly tradition of the Dundas Dickens of A Christmas Festival.
Where is the Dundas Christmas Festival?
Dundas is a little town in Ontario, Canada.
It’s a great place to visit when you feel like you want to get out of the city and visit a quaint town.
All the store fronts are nicely decorated throughout the year, and Christmas is no exception!
Dundas is a part of the City of Hamilton.
It’s located in a valley at the bottom of the Niagara escarpment.
Dundas is on the west side of Hamilton and on the lower part of the Niagara escarpment.
The Dickens of a Christmas festival happens on the main street which is called King Street West between John Street and Cross Street.
When is the Dickens of a Christmas?
The Dundas Dickens of a Christmas festival happens yearly from the end of November until the weekend before Christmas.
On Saturdays and Sundays, the Dickens of a Christmas Festival is in full swing for the 4 weeks before Christmas every year.
The hours each Saturday are from 11:00am to 3:00pm and Sundays from 12;00pm to 3:00pm.
The festival is not too many hours during the day, so make sure you don’t arrive too late.
What happens at the Dickens of a Christmas in Dundas?
I would say that one of the highlights of the event is the horse and carriage rides through downtown Dundas.
The horse and carriage go through King Street West in the downtown area, then turn onto a side street, and end up back on the main road later.
Check out my YouTube video to get a glimpse of the horse and carriage ride, as well as downtown Dundas.
To ride the horse and carriage, you have to wait in line for your turn.
Even though you have to wait, there is good news!
You can get free hot apple cider and a cookie from the kiosk that is set up very close to the line up. The apple cider is locally-made too.
The line up is right along the side of the Collins Brewhouse at 33 King Street West. It’s on the north side of the road, and it’s a big white building with large pillars out front.
Sometimes while you’re waiting, there are carolers around the area serenading the crowd and passers by.
The carriage holds approximately 13 people, depending on how many children are on the ride.
You have to go up 3 steps to get onto the carriage, then there is bench seating that everyone gets to sit on.
The horse and carriage company is actually the same company that does the horse and carriage rides in Niagara-On-The-Lake.
If you don’t know where the Collins Brewhouse is or the line up, check out these pictures below.
You will see a pedestrian walkway with a signal that lights up and stops traffic so that you can cross. The Collins Brewhouse, is next to the crosswalk.
Tree Lighting Ceremony
To kick off the Dickens of a Christmas there is a tree lighting ceremony on the Friday of the 1st week of the festival.
I recommend arriving a little bit earlier to find parking so that you don’t miss the epic moment of turning on the Christmas lights!
DID YOU KNOW: This tree lighting ceremony is actually the oldest tree lighting ceremony in all of CANADA!
If you want to catch this historical tradition you can find the annual downtown Christmas tree at Memorial Square which is located at the corner of Sydenham Road and King Streets West.
Entertainment
What activities are there at the Dickens of a Christmas in Dundas?
You can have breakfast with Santa Claus on Sundays at different locations each week.
Santa goes to different restaurants in downtown Dundas on Sundays anywhere from 9:30am to 12:00pm approximately.
Sometimes reservations are needed, so check the website to make sure.
Also, check for the timing and location for the specific week that you’re visiting the Dickens of a Christmas.
Photo Spots!
There are quite a few fun and beautiful photo ops along King Street West.
Candy Cane Lane is just past the Christmas tree on the same side of the road. It is a little lane way that leads to the back parking lots. It’s filled with lit up candy cane lights.
Tips for Enjoying the Dundas Christmas Festival
I recommend wearing flat comfortable shoes and warm clothing.
Check the weather as this is a fully outdoor festival, aside from the breakfast with Santa.
Bring your camera and have it ready for all the fun and spontaneous photos ops with fun characters and beautiful scenery.
Go get some hot apple cider and cookies, they were perfect for us as we were waiting for our horse and carriage ride.
Make sure that you don’t go too late, this is a late morning/early afternoon event.
What can I do after the Dickens of a Christmas Festival in Dundas?
After the Festival ends all the shops and restaurants are still opened, so you can go shopping. You can get gifts, clothing, flights, a wedding dress if you’re so inclined, fashion accessories, kitchen stuff, boho clothing, shoes, camping supplies, and much more.
If you’ve worked up an appetite, there’s many restaurants to grab a bite to eat or have a drink at in downtown Dundas.
Some of the varieties of restaurant types are:
- Japanese
- Tex-Mex
- Indian
- Pub food
- British pub food
- Thai
- soup and sandwiches
- Vegan Asian cuisine
- Pizza
- Shawarma
- Samosa shop
- Chocolate Shop
- Fish market and restaurant
- Sweets Shop
- Asian Fusion
Some times at nights the Thirsty Cactus and the Winchester Arms have live music. The Collins Brewhouse is also another bar where you could enjoy some drinks too.
Actually, the Collins Brewhouse has a great side patio. They have these outdoor domes that you can sit in and the whole patio is decorated like a winter wonderland.
Here is a map of Dundas. I have marked the Collins Brewhouse; this is where you can get the horse and carriage rides.
You can check out the area and choose your hotel in the map too.
What's it like in Dundas, Ontario?
Dundas is a picturesque town with a cute and fun main street.
As you wander amongst the shops and restaurants you will notice lots of big trees and nature surrounding the downtown area.
As I was saying earlier Dundas, especially downtown Dundas, is a like a Hallmark movie.
Well, it literally is.
Several Hallmark movies have actually been filmed there! So, come and enjoy the Festival then continue the festive vibes with one of these movies that was filmed in the same location!
Some examples are ‘The Christmas Cure” “Home for the Holidays” “Six Degrees of Santa” and “Inn Love for Christmas”. Enjoy!
Where can I park?
Good news, there are municipal lots all around the downtown and all parking is free for all of December!
Parking is actually always free on Saturdays and Sundays in downtown Dundas.
There is also parking permitted on many side streets, just read the signs and make sure it’s not permit parking only.
Where to Stay
Although there are few places to stay in Dundas. There is more selection in Hamilton.
You can check them out and book your hotel using booking.com. Feel free to use this widget to book your hotel for Dundas, Hamilton, or any where else that your travels take you!
Looking for more holiday fun?
If you are looking to continue the Christmas festivities I’ve got you covered!
Next you can visit the Toronto Distillery District Winter Village.
Then, the Christmas vibes continue with the Winter Festival of Lights in Niagara Falls.
In case you need it, here is how to get to Niagara Falls from Toronto.
Looking for a different vibe? I’ve got you covered there too! Here are some other fun ideas of activities to do and places to visit in the Ontario!
I hope that you enjoy the Dickens of a Christmas Festival, and any other events or places that you head to.
Share what you think in the comments below! Did I miss somewhere fun? Let me know, so that I can write a travel blog on it! Thanks! 🙂
Besides being a travel blogger, I am also a travel writer, Amazon author and an English teacher. Check out my services here!
