Published 2 November 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
My top five holiday picks in North York for 2026–27 are the Toronto Botanical Garden Holiday EcoMarket (20–22 Nov and 18–20 Dec, free), the We Love Willowdale Christmas Market at Mel Lastman Square (28 Nov), The Village at Black Creek’s market and Festive Nights, Yorkgate Mall’s free Santa’s Mini Market (12 Dec) and the Aga Khan Museum’s holiday activities.
This guide is for North York residents, and for anyone thinking of buying or renting there, who wants the best Christmas market in North York without heading downtown. You will get five picks with their 2026–27 dates, costs and practical notes, plus what each one tells you about the neighbourhood around it.
How did I choose North York’s best holiday markets?
I checked each organizer’s or venue’s page on 10 November 2026 and kept only events with a confirmed 2026 date. I wanted a spread across North York, from Don Mills and Willowdale in the east and centre to the Jane and Finch area in the northwest, and a mix of big free markets, a paid evening event and quieter family options.
For housing numbers, North York in this post means TRREB districts C06, C07, C13, C14, C15 and W05. The order of the five is my own judgement, not an official ranking.
1. Toronto Botanical Garden Holiday EcoMarket
What it offers
The Toronto Botanical Garden’s Holiday EcoMarket is the biggest market on this list. It runs over two weekends: Friday to Sunday, 20 to 22 November 2026, and Friday to Sunday, 18 to 20 December 2026. Admission is free.
The garden lists more than 100 local, planet-friendly vendors across the two weekends, with new vendors each weekend. Expect nature-inspired gifts, home décor, art, fresh seasonal greens and paperwhite and amaryllis bulbs. There is a second-floor food court, an outdoor bonfire with free marshmallows from the Children’s Centre, and free drop-in winter crafts for kids on the weekends.
Practical notes
- Address: 777 Lawrence Ave. E.
- Cost: free admission.
- Members: garden members get early access on the Friday from noon to 2 p.m.
- Partner: the market is run with For the Love of Markets.
What it means for buyers and renters
The garden sits in Banbury-Don Mills, part of district C13. Buyers often focus on schools and the commute there, but a free public garden with year-round programs is a daily amenity too. If Don Mills is on your list, see my guide to choosing a realtor in Don Mills for what to ask about that market.
2. We Love Willowdale Christmas Market at Mel Lastman Square
What it offers
The City of Toronto’s events list for Mel Lastman Square shows the We Love Willowdale Christmas Market on 28 November 2026, organized by NeighbourLink. It is a one-day community market on the square at 5100 Yonge St.
The 2026 details were not posted when I checked, so here is last year’s version as a guide. On 29 November 2025 it ran from 2 to 8 p.m. with more than 50 local artisans and food vendors and a suggested $5 donation. The Yonge North York BIA held a tree lighting at 6:30 p.m., lighting a 25-foot tree with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
What it means for buyers and renters
Mel Lastman Square is the civic heart of Willowdale East (C14), surrounded by condo towers along Yonge Street. A community market here is the kind of thing that makes a high-rise area feel like a neighbourhood. For more on buying in this area, read my guide to picking a realtor in Willowdale.
Also at the square
The City’s list also shows a public menorah lighting at Mel Lastman Square on 7 December 2026, organized by the Jewish Russian Community Centre.
3. The Village at Black Creek: holiday market and Festive Nights
The holiday market
The Village at Black Creek, the historic village museum at 1000 Murray Ross Pkwy., hosts a themed indoor holiday market on Saturday, 21 November 2026, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The organizer, Alchemy and Harmony Events, lists 40 vendors, tarot readings, festive drinks and treats, free workshops and a holiday photo wall. The first 30 guests get a free swag bag, and there is a drop-off point for the North York Harvest Food Bank.
Parking costs $9.30 plus HST. Admission to the historic village itself is sold separately on site.
Festive Nights
For an evening outing, the village runs Festive Nights on Saturday, 12 December and Saturday, 19 December 2026. The village glows with traditional lights, and there are lantern-lit buildings, seasonal treats, live music, storytelling and a stop at Santa’s Cottage. Adult tickets were listed at $37.20 for 12 December and $39.95 for 19 December, plus HST, with lower youth prices.
What it means for buyers and renters
The village sits in York University Heights, part of district W05, which has some of North York’s lowest home prices. For students and young renters near York University, a historic site like this is an underrated local perk. My guide to condo buildings to rent near York University covers the rental side.
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4. Santa’s Mini Market and Comicon at Yorkgate Mall
What it offers
This one is small and specific. Yorkgate Mall, at 1 York Gate Blvd. near Jane and Finch, hosts its annual Comicon with a Santa’s Mini Market on Saturday, 12 December 2026, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
The organizer, Pop Culture Canada, lists vendors from across Ontario selling comic books, toys, anime and trading cards, plus a buying table if you want to sell comics. If you have a teenager or a collector on your list, this is a far better bet than a general craft fair.
What it means for buyers and renters
Yorkgate sits in Glenfield-Jane Heights, also in W05. Free, local events at a neighbourhood mall are part of what makes this one of the more affordable corners of North York to live in, especially for families who do not drive.
5. Winter Holiday Activities at the Aga Khan Museum
What it offers
The Aga Khan Museum at 77 Wynford Dr. is not a market, but it is my pick for the quiet week between Christmas and New Year. Its Winter Holiday Activities run from 27 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.
Free drop-in arts and crafts for all ages run in the atrium from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 30 December to 3 January. Paid holiday workshops from 27 to 30 December include mosaic, calligraphy, clay tiles and tote bag decorating. The museum is closed on 25 December and closes early, at 4 p.m., on 24 and 31 December.
What it means for buyers and renters
The museum is a short drive from the Don Mills and Eglinton area, where Line 5 Eglinton now runs. A cultural institution with family programs adds to the case for the condo and townhouse stock nearby, especially for households who want something to do with kids on a cold holiday week.
North York’s holiday picks at a glance
| Pick | Where | 2026–27 dates | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBG Holiday EcoMarket | 777 Lawrence Ave. E. | 20–22 Nov and 18–20 Dec | Free |
| We Love Willowdale Christmas Market | Mel Lastman Square, 5100 Yonge St. | 28 Nov | Suggested donation in 2025 |
| Holiday market at The Village at Black Creek | 1000 Murray Ross Pkwy. | 21 Nov, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Parking $9.30 + HST |
| Festive Nights at The Village at Black Creek | 1000 Murray Ross Pkwy. | 12 and 19 Dec | Adults $37.20–$39.95 + HST |
| Yorkgate Comicon and Santa’s Mini Market | 1 York Gate Blvd. | 12 Dec, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Free |
| Aga Khan Museum holiday activities | 77 Wynford Dr. | 27 Dec to 3 Jan | Crafts free; workshops paid |
Source: Toronto Botanical Garden, City of Toronto, The Village at Black Creek, Aga Khan Museum and organizer listings, checked 10 November 2026. Confirm hours before you go.
What do homes cost near North York’s holiday markets?
Prices vary a lot across North York, from the York University area to Don Mills and Willowdale. These are district-wide medians for the year so far, not prices for any one street.
| District | Example communities | Detached median | Condo apartment median |
|---|---|---|---|
| C06 | Bathurst Manor, Clanton Park | $1,295,444 (−13.6%) | $491,000 (−10.7%) |
| C07 | Willowdale West, Newtonbrook West | $1,445,000 (−6.8%) | $578,000 (−8.7%) |
| C13 | Banbury-Don Mills, Parkwoods-Donalda | $1,515,000 (−2.6%) | $560,000 (−9.5%) |
| C14 | Willowdale East, Newtonbrook East | $1,691,900 (−6.0%) | $568,500 (−9.0%) |
| C15 | Bayview Village, Don Valley Village | $1,411,000 (−4.0%) | $526,750 (−6.8%) |
| W05 | York University Heights, Glenfield-Jane Heights | $971,250 (−7.5%) | $450,000 (−10.0%) |
Source: TRREB MLS data via REALM, January–October 2026 vs the same period of 2025. Median sold prices; change vs 2025 in brackets.
Every North York district saw lower detached and condo apartment medians than a year ago. C14 has the highest detached median of the six, and W05 the lowest, by a wide margin. For more detail, read my North York housing market outlook for 2027.
North York’s holiday calendar tracks its housing map. Willowdale’s market sits among condo towers, the botanical garden among Don Mills family homes, and the Black Creek and Yorkgate events in the area with the lowest prices. If you are choosing between those areas, go to the event closest to the home you like and walk the streets afterwards. A free Saturday afternoon tells you more about a neighbourhood than any listing description.
Some holiday events here are posted on ticketing sites by outside organizers, not by the venue. Buy only from the link on the official organizer or venue page, and remember that parking at The Village at Black Creek is a separate charge.
What to do next
- Pick a weekend: the TBG EcoMarket and Black Creek market are both in late November, so you could do both on 21 November.
- Book Festive Nights early if you want 12 December, since it is the cheaper date.
- Check the City’s Mel Lastman Square page in mid-November for the Willowdale market’s 2026 hours.
- If you own in North York and are thinking of selling in 2027, see how much your North York house is worth.
Need help with this? Talk to me.
I’m Jatin Dua, Broker of Record at RE/MAX Quantum Realty, and I’m the best agent to do this kind of work for you in Toronto and across the GTA. Over $100 million in GTA sales and 100+ families helped sell. Feel free to contact me any time: call or text 833-330-1925 or email [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Christmas market in North York in 2026?
Yes. The Toronto Botanical Garden Holiday EcoMarket runs on 20 to 22 November and 18 to 20 December 2026 at 777 Lawrence Ave. E., with free admission and more than 100 vendors. The We Love Willowdale Christmas Market is at Mel Lastman Square on 28 November 2026, according to the City of Toronto’s events list.
When is the Toronto Botanical Garden holiday market 2026?
The Toronto Botanical Garden Holiday EcoMarket runs over two weekends in 2026: Friday to Sunday, 20 to 22 November, and Friday to Sunday, 18 to 20 December. Admission is free, and garden members get early access on the Friday from noon to 2 p.m. The garden lists more than 100 local, planet-friendly vendors.
When is the Willowdale Christmas market at Mel Lastman Square?
The We Love Willowdale Christmas Market is listed for 28 November 2026 at Mel Lastman Square, 5100 Yonge St., North York, organized by NeighbourLink. Hours were not posted when I checked. In 2025 it ran from 2 to 8 p.m. with more than 50 vendors, a suggested $5 donation and a tree lighting at 6:30 p.m.
What is happening at Black Creek for Christmas 2026?
The Village at Black Creek in North York has a themed indoor holiday market on Saturday, 21 November 2026 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with 40 vendors. Its Festive Nights evenings, with traditional lights, music, storytelling and Santa’s Cottage, run on 12 and 19 December 2026. Adult Festive Nights tickets were listed at $37.20 and $39.95 plus HST.
What are free Christmas things to do in North York?
Free Christmas things to do in North York in 2026 include the Toronto Botanical Garden Holiday EcoMarket (20 to 22 November and 18 to 20 December), the Yorkgate Mall Comicon and Santa’s Mini Market on 12 December, and free drop-in crafts at the Aga Khan Museum from 30 December to 3 January 2027.
What can families do in North York over the holidays?
Families in North York can visit Festive Nights at The Village at Black Creek on 12 or 19 December 2026, enjoy the bonfire and kids’ crafts at the Toronto Botanical Garden’s December market weekend, or try the Aga Khan Museum’s holiday workshops and free crafts between 27 December 2026 and 3 January 2027.
Is the Aga Khan Museum open over Christmas 2026?
Mostly, yes. The Aga Khan Museum is closed on 25 December 2026 and closes early at 4 p.m. on 24 and 31 December. It is open 26 to 30 December and 1 to 3 January 2027, when it runs Winter Holiday Activities, including free atrium crafts from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. between 30 December and 3 January.
Which part of North York has the cheapest homes in 2026?
District W05, which includes York University Heights and Glenfield-Jane Heights, had North York’s lowest medians from January to October 2026: $971,250 for detached homes and $450,000 for condo apartments, according to TRREB MLS data via REALM. C14, around Willowdale East, had the highest detached median at $1,691,900.
Sources
- Toronto Botanical Garden: Holiday EcoMarket 2026
- City of Toronto: Mel Lastman Square upcoming events
- Curiocity: We Love Willowdale Christmas Market 2025 details
- Eventbrite: Nightmare Before Christmas Market at The Village at Black Creek
- The Village at Black Creek: Festive Nights
- Eventbrite: Yorkgate Mall Comicon and Santa’s Mini Market
- Aga Khan Museum: Winter Holiday Activities
Related reading
- Top 5 Best Neighbourhoods to Live in Mississauga in 2027
- Top 5 Best Neighbourhoods to Live in Brampton in 2027
- Top 5 Best Neighbourhoods to Live in Markham in 2027
- Top 5 Best Neighbourhoods to Live in Oakville in 2027
About the author — Jatin Dua, Toronto and GTA real estate broker
I am Jatin Dua, Broker of Record and co-founder of RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage, Unit 101, 799 The Queensway, Toronto. I work with buyers and sellers across Toronto and the GTA and have helped more than 100 families sell. Four-plus years of active GTA transactions and over $100 million in sales volume.
Reach me at [email protected] or 833-330-1925, or book a call.