Toronto Distillery district Winter Village
The Distillery District Winter Market
Every year a great tradition happens at the Toronto Distillery District. It’s a Christmas market and so much more! It’s called the Distillery District Winter Village.
Here I am going to share everything that you need to know about the Toronto Distillery District Winter Village.
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Table of Contents
Where is the Distillery District Winter Village located?
The Distillery District is a whole area of Toronto, so I am going to share the streets surrounding the area.
It is surrounded by the following streets: Parliament Street, Cherry Street, Mill Street, and Distillery Lane.
There are some small streets/walkways that run through the Distillery District called Pure Spirits Mews, Tank House Lane, Rack House Mews, and Case Goods Lane.
Cars don’t drive on these streets, they are walkways for people visiting the district.
In the google maps screenshot, the light orange shape shows the the Distillery District area.
When is the Distillery District Winter Village open?
This Distillery District Winter Village opens mid November until January 7th (1st Sunday) every year.
It is closed on Christmas day and New Years day though.
The hours on Sundays to Thursdays are from 10:00am to 9:00pm.
On Fridays and Saturdays the Winter Village is opened from 10:00am to 10:00pm.
Do you need tickets to go to the Distillery District Winter Village?
Yes… and no.
Let me explain. There are times when you don’t need a ticket and times when you do.
For example, after January 1st until January 7th you don’t need a ticket at all. It’s free!
Every Monday to Thursday you can enjoy the Distillery District for free all day long from 10:00am until 9:00pm.
On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays there is free entry to attend the Distillery District Winter Village from 10:00am until 4:00pm.
So, the only times that you have to pay for tickets is at night on the weekends.
If you want to go to the Winter Village after 4:00pm on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, you will need to buy a ticket.
The tickets range from $15.00 Canadian dollars to a combo ticket to see Illuminarium for $45.00.
I just got the basic one because we were headed there that day.
The other prices offer rescheduling or refunding your ticket and the combo offer.
I recommend buying your tickets in advance. If you don’t buy your tickets in advance, they you will be stuck buying tickets on your phone in the moment and waiting in line to enter.
You can order your tickets in advance here.
The tickets are digital with a QR code as shown above. They are emailed to you and show up on your phone after you complete your purchase on the same screen too.
TIP: Arrive about 30 minutes before your entry time if you bought an evening weekend ticket. This way you will either get in a bit early or you will get through the line up and get in on time.
What happens at the Distillery District Winter Village?
The Distillery District is full of fun!
You can eat, drink, shop, mingle, walk, chill, be entertained, and more while strolling through the Winter Village.
There are carolers called the Candy Cane Carolers mingling throughout the Distillery District throughout the evenings.
Sometimes elves that mingle through the the Winter Village will join the carollers and dance beside them too.
There is a lot of shopping opportunities within the Distillery District too.
You can wander between indoor shops, outdoor kiosks and outdoor cabins for all of your shopping fun!
If you’re cold you can buy hats, mittens, scarfs and more at the many indoor and outdoor shops.
Also, you can get Christmas ornaments and decorations, gifts and art.
There are lots of opportunities to enjoy checking out different types of products like: art galleries, bees wax products, crystals, wellness shop items, and skin care products too!
Even more, there are shops for food like chocolates, hot sauces, candies, tarts, cotton candy, pies… I could go on…
Outdoor dining at the Distillery District Winter Village
When you come to the Distillery District, I recommend coming hungry!
There are so many options for eating at the Distillery District Winter Village.
You can choose from many different outdoor dining options where you can order lots of feel-good hot comfort foods!
Some examples are:
- grilled cheese sandwiches
- macaroni and cheese
- panini
- chicken fingers
- soup
- pizza
- crepes
- donuts
Also, they have cotton candy, but not just normal cotton candy, it’s cotton candy formed into characters with faces. They’re super cute! You can check out some of the process in my YouTube video below.
You can also enjoy some coffee, hot chocolate and hot apple cider from various vendors throughout the outdoor and indoor shops in the Village.
If you’re looking for something more interesting, there are some booths that sell hot drinks spiked with different alcohol as well.
Some of the hot drinks with alcohol are only sold at the outdoor booths, but not at the inside restaurants or bars.
Here are some examples of the different types of drinks you can order.
Indoor Dining at the Distillery District Winter Village
You have a variety of choices for indoor dining if it’s very cold or you just want to warm up and take off your coat for a bit.
With so many places to see and explore it can get confusing, so I’m sharing this map of the Distillery District so you can see where every thing is to help plan out some places that you may want to visit.
Some of your options include pub food, Mexican, pizza, Tapas, oysters and desserts; you can find them all as you wander throughout the Distillery District!
Keeping warm at the Outdoor Distillery District Winter Village
Maybe you’re worried about not enjoying the Winter Village because of the cold winter weather.
Well, I have some good news for you! There are several options for you to keep warm and still enjoy all of the Distillery District Winter Village.
There are a lot of outdoor heaters on poles and on ceilings that can really help to keep you toasty.
Also, there are some outdoor seating areas with outdoor fire pits in the middle.
At some of them vendors with gas fire pits, you can even roast marshmallows as you sip on your hot apple cider. How nice!
Of course, the hot drinks can help to warm you up and hot comfort foods too.
Besides the outdoor heating stations, you can also go indoors!
You can duck into one of the many indoor shops as you wander around the Winter Village for warmth.
Needless to say, you can buy any warmer clothes that you may not have packed too.
Obviously, there are all of the indoor restaurants that you can eat in or grab a drink to warm up to.
If you’re looking for an in between, there are some outdoor patios with walls around them and heating lamps, so it’s warmer, but not like ‘take off your coat inside’ warmness.
So many photo opportunities!
Get your smile ready!
There are a lot of places all throughout the Distillery District to take photos.
The Winter Village is sponsored by Dior, and they have placed a 56-foot tall Christmas tree covered in gold lights and ornaments!! It’s beautiful and very picture worthy!
There is a Santa Claus with a beautiful lit up background that you can line up and take photos with.
There are different doorways and entrances that are lined with lights, garland, and signs to stand in for photos too.
Of course, the iconic countdown to Christmas sign is a must when it comes to pictures at the Distillery District Winter Village.
The possibilities of great photos are endless throughout the Distillery District Winter Village, so take your time to mingle through the different roads as each one is unique and interesting!
Look all around and you will notice a lot of backdrops, 3D photo spots and more.
You will come across these large lit up signs with red lights spread throughout the District. You can find words like:
- family
- joy
- love
- and more
to take photos with.
There are some backdrops and sets of Christmas trees to pose with and so much more!
There are even those board with holes for you to put your head through and pose. Surprisingly, there are some photo boards to pose with your dog for a photo!
Even more, there are light displays and Christmas decor all around for beautiful scenery for your photos!
Make sure you visit Candy Cane Forest! It’s heated with lots of lamps and they have vendors there selling some hot chocolate and other items.
Have you ever wanted to be in a greeting card? No…lol! Well, here is your chance anyways!
There are huge 3D greeting cards that you can pose in, then you can send the pictures to your friends and family!
Tips for enjoying the Distillery District Winter Village
Although it’s nice to go during the day when the sun is keeping you warmer, I really recommend going after sunset.
Seeing the Distillery District Winter Village lit up is magical!
Another suggestion is to check the forecast for that particular day or night.
If it’s windy and cold you may want an extra layer; if there’s snow and ice you may want non-slip boots for your feet.
If you want cash, I recommend getting it before you arrive at the Winter Village. Even though there are ATM machines there, it’s cheaper to get your cash before outside of the village. Plus, you don’t have to waste time waiting in line to use the bank machine.
Use the map to find the indoor washrooms that you can use. No purchases necessary as there are several shops inside that area.
Order a warm drink to get in that festive mood and to warm up too!
What to bring to the Distillery District Winter Village
I recommend bringing:
- warm layers of clothing
- a warm coat
- a scarf
- a hat
- gloves
- comfortable and warm non-slip foot wear
- a camera or phone to take pictures
- money
- debit or credit card
- your smile for all those photos!
- a selfie stick to get great photos with that HUGE Christmas tree
- patience, there are line ups for many things
- your holiday spirit to enjoy the festivities!
Visit when you have time and you’re not rushed; there’s so much to see and do.
Every time I visit, I always forget how big the Distillery District really . So take time to enjoy the views, the carolers, the food, and the vibes of Winter and Christmas at the Distillery District Winter Village.
When will you visit the Distillery District Winter Village?
So, the next question is when are you going to check it out?
I hope this travel blog has helped you plan and prepare for your fun day in the Distillery District Winter Village.
If you’re looking for other fun Canadian or Christmas activities check out:
Winter Festival of Lights in Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls- Clifton Hill Attractions
16 Epic Things To Do in Niagara Falls
The Best Natural Attractions in Ontario
If you would like to travel to Niagara Falls after your time at the Distillery District Winter Village, here is your guide on How to Get to Niagara Falls from Toronto.
Have fun, happy holidays and Merry Christmas!
Tours in & around Toronto
Are you looking to book some tours for you trip to Toronto. You can check out your options, and even book, right here with Viator.
Where to Stay
Check out nearby hotels using this interactive map, then book right here.
There are many different unique and interesting hotels in Toronto. Check some out here!
You can check out booking.com to check out hotels in the area or different areas of Toronto.
I always check the reviews and ammenities on booking.com before I decide on the hotel that I will stay in.
Getting to the Distillery District
If you can, it’s a great idea to take the TTC, which is the local subway, buses and street car to get to the Distillery District.
The King St streetcar is a convenient option to get there.
If you would like detailed instructed for taking the TTC, the Toronto public transportation, check out the Directions.
If you drive, there are parking lots 1 block or more away that you can park in and walk over.
You can check out where there are some parking lots close by here.
Besides being a travel blogger, I am also a travel writer, Amazon author and an English teacher. Check out my services here!
