From 14 November 2026 to 10 January 2027 the Winter Festival of Lights runs nightly and free, with fireworks on set nights. New Year’s Eve has a concert in Queen Victoria Park and two free fireworks shows, at 8 pm and midnight.
Last verified: November 3, 2026. Every date below is read from the organiser’s own page, linked on each entry. Anything the organisers have not announced is in its own section at the end, not in the calendar.
Confirmed events, month by month
November 2026
Chrysanthemum Show
Continues from an earlier month.
- Dates
- 24 October 2026 to 15 November 2026
- Times
- 10 am to 5 pm
- Cost
- Ticketed
- Where
- Floral Showhouse
- Organiser
- Niagara Parks
- Source
- Official page (opens in a new tab)
Winter Festival of Lights (44th year)
- Dates
- 14 November 2026 to 10 January 2027
- Times
- 5 pm to midnight nightly
- Cost
- Free
- Where
- Niagara Parkway, Dufferin Islands, Fallsview, Lundy’s Lane
- Organiser
- Niagara Falls Tourism / Niagara Parks
- Source
- Official page (opens in a new tab)
Winter Festival of Lights fireworks
- Dates
- 14 November 2026 to 9 January 2027
- Times
- 8 pm, about 5 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Where
- Over the falls
- Organiser
- Niagara Falls Tourism
- Source
- Official page (opens in a new tab)
Niagara Falls Santa Claus Parade
- Dates
- 14 November 2026
- Times
- 4 pm to 5:30 pm
- Cost
- Not stated
- Where
- Victoria Avenue to Queen Street, ending at City Hall
- Organiser
- City of Niagara Falls
- Source
- Official page (opens in a new tab)
December 2026
Winter Festival of Lights (44th year)
Continues from an earlier month.
- Dates
- 14 November 2026 to 10 January 2027
- Times
- 5 pm to midnight nightly
- Cost
- Free
- Where
- Niagara Parkway, Dufferin Islands, Fallsview, Lundy’s Lane
- Organiser
- Niagara Falls Tourism / Niagara Parks
- Source
- Official page (opens in a new tab)
Winter Festival of Lights fireworks
Continues from an earlier month.
- Dates
- 14 November 2026 to 9 January 2027
- Times
- 8 pm, about 5 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Where
- Over the falls
- Organiser
- Niagara Falls Tourism
- Source
- Official page (opens in a new tab)
Niagara-on-the-Lake Christmas Parade
- Dates
- 12 December 2026
- Times
- 11 am to 1 pm
- Cost
- Not stated
- Where
- Old Town, King Street and Centre Street
- Organiser
- Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake
- Source
- Official page (opens in a new tab)
New Year’s Eve concert with Riley Green
- Dates
- 31 December 2026
- Times
- Not yet announced
- Cost
- Not stated
- Where
- Queen Victoria Park
- Organiser
- CCMA, Niagara Parks and the City of Niagara Falls
- Source
- Official page (opens in a new tab)
New Year’s Eve fireworks
- Dates
- 31 December 2026
- Times
- 8 pm and midnight (the midnight show is 9 minutes)
- Cost
- Free
- Where
- Over the falls
- Organiser
- Niagara Falls Tourism
- Source
- Official page (opens in a new tab)
January 2027
Winter Festival of Lights (44th year)
Continues from an earlier month.
- Dates
- 14 November 2026 to 10 January 2027
- Times
- 5 pm to midnight nightly
- Cost
- Free
- Where
- Niagara Parkway, Dufferin Islands, Fallsview, Lundy’s Lane
- Organiser
- Niagara Falls Tourism / Niagara Parks
- Source
- Official page (opens in a new tab)
Winter Festival of Lights fireworks
Continues from an earlier month.
- Dates
- 14 November 2026 to 9 January 2027
- Times
- 8 pm, about 5 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Where
- Over the falls
- Organiser
- Niagara Falls Tourism
- Source
- Official page (opens in a new tab)
February 2027
No dated events confirmed yet. The falls are still lit every night; hours are in the illumination table below.
March 2027
No dated events confirmed yet. The falls are still lit every night; hours are in the illumination table below.
Festival of Lights fireworks schedule
Fireworks start at 8 pm and last about five minutes. They are free to watch. They do not run every night, so check the date before you plan an evening around them.
- 14 November to 12 December: Fridays and Saturdays, 8 pm.
- 18 December to 2 January: Every night, 8 pm.
- 8 January to 9 January: Friday and Saturday, 8 pm.
- 13 December to 17 December: no fireworks.
- 31 December: 8 pm, and a second show at midnight that lasts about nine minutes. Both are free to watch.
Source: Niagara Falls Tourism, Winter Festival of Lights (opens in a new tab). Checked November 3, 2026.
When the falls are lit, by month
The coloured lighting runs every night, with no ticket. The start time moves with the season. Niagara Parks calls these times approximate.
| Dates | Lit |
|---|---|
| 1 November to 31 December | 4:30 pm to 2 am |
| 1 to 31 January | 5 pm to 1 am |
| 1 February to 11 March | 5:30 pm to 1 am |
| 12 to 31 March | 7:30 pm to 2 am |
Source: Niagara Parks, Falls Illumination (opens in a new tab). Checked November 3, 2026.
New Year’s Eve at the falls
Two things are confirmed. A concert headlined by Riley Green in Queen Victoria Park, organised by the CCMA, Niagara Parks and the City of Niagara Falls, and fireworks over the falls at 8 pm and midnight. The line-up also includes The Reklaws, Tenille Townes and Sacha. The fireworks are free to watch.
The concert’s times are not yet announced, and the organisers have not said whether admission is free or ticketed. Do not plan around a free concert until they do. Sources: Niagara Parks announcement (opens in a new tab) and Niagara Falls Tourism (opens in a new tab). What the night is like, and how to get home, is in our New Year’s Eve guide.
Not announced yet
These usually happen in winter, but this year’s dates are not published. Anything labelled “last year” is from the previous season and is not a date you can plan around.
Poinsettia Show: this year’s dates not yet announced
Last year it ran 15 November 2025 to 4 January 2026. This year’s dates are not published.
Niagara Icewine Festival 2027: this year’s dates not yet announced
Not announced. In 2026 it ran from mid-January to early February.
Hot Chocolate Trail: this year’s dates not yet announced
One listing had last year’s trail running from about 28 November 2025 to 1 February 2026. Nothing is published for this winter.
Niagara-on-the-Lake Candlelight Stroll: this year’s dates not yet announced
Not confirmed for this year. It is usually the first Friday of December.
Check: Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce (opens in a new tab)
Family Day weekend: this year’s dates not yet announced
Holiday date: Family Day is Monday 15 February 2027, so the long weekend is 13 to 15 February. No Niagara Falls programming has been published for it.
Lunar New Year: this year’s dates not yet announced
Holiday date: Lunar New Year falls on 6 February 2027. No local events have been published. Last year a Fallsview promotion ran from 2 February to 15 March 2026.
See the lights without the drive
We run a private winter evening trip from Toronto: pickup at your door, the lit falls and the Festival of Lights, and a warm car between stops. On fireworks nights, we time it for the 8 pm show.
See the winter evening tripPlan your Niagara day in ChatGPT (opens in a new tab). It knows what is open the month you visit and shows our live availability.
Plan around the dates
- Winter Festival of Lights 2026–27Route, parking and the quietest nights
- New Year’s Eve at Niagara FallsWhere to stand, the cold, and getting home
- Niagara Falls in winterWhat is open and what is shut
- Niagara Falls in NovemberBefore the festival crowds
- Niagara Falls in DecemberLights, closures and the best dates
- Does Niagara Falls freeze?What the ice actually does
- Is Niagara Falls worth visiting in winter?The honest answer
Frequently asked questions
When are the fireworks during the Winter Festival of Lights?
At 8 pm, for about five minutes, on Fridays and Saturdays from 14 November to 12 December, every night from 18 December to 2 January, and 8 and 9 January. There are no fireworks from 13 December to 17 December. On 31 December there is a show at 8 pm and a second, nine-minute show at midnight. We last checked this against the organiser’s page on November 3, 2026.
Is the Winter Festival of Lights free?
Yes. The festival runs 14 November 2026 to 10 January 2027, lit 5 pm to midnight nightly, and admission is free. The fireworks are free to watch too. Parking, food and any paid attraction are extra.
What’s on at Niagara Falls on New Year’s Eve 2026?
A concert with Riley Green in Queen Victoria Park, and fireworks over the falls at 8 pm and at midnight. The concert’s start time is not yet announced. The fireworks are free to watch. The Festival of Lights is also lit that night, from 5 pm to midnight.
Is the New Year’s Eve concert at Niagara Falls free?
The organisers have not said. The event is confirmed, and the line-up has been announced, but admission and ticket details are listed as to be announced. Only the fireworks are confirmed free. We will update this page when the organisers publish the details.
What time are the falls lit up in winter?
Niagara Parks lights the falls every night. From 1 November to 31 December the lighting starts at about 4:30 pm, in January about 5 pm, from 1 February to 11 March about 5:30 pm, and from 12 March about 7:30 pm. Niagara Parks calls these times approximate.
What’s on at Niagara Falls in February?
The falls are lit every night, and that is the only thing confirmed so far. The Festival of Lights is over by then, and no dated February events have been announced. The holiday dates are Family Day on Monday 15 February and Lunar New Year on 6 February, but no local programming has been published for either. We will add events here when the organisers confirm them.