We all know that the holiday season doesn’t kick off until the Christmas Queen herself, Mariah Carrey, says so. Well, baby, it’s here, and holiday festivities in the Quinte area are kicking off this weekend in full force. There are many locations in the Quinte area to check out glistening Christmas lights, admire seasonal decorations and enjoy the festive winter holiday season. Below are some of the top places in the area (in our opinion) to get right into the festive spirit.
Santa Claus Parades
Trenton | November 27th starts at 4:30 pm
Frankford | November 26th starts at 2:00 pm
Belleville | November 20th starts at 4:30 pm
Picton | November 27th starts at 1:00 pm
Brighton | November 18th starts at 7:00 pm
Canada Post Holiday Train
The CP Holiday Train will be making three stops in the Quinte area on the morning of November 29th. The CP holiday train treks east to west across Canada to raise awareness for food insecurity and will be accepting donations to support food banks and food shelves across the country. Enjoy a FREE concert with indigenous singer-songwriter Aysnabee and Canadian country music singer Tenille Townes.
The CP Holiday Train will arrive West of the CP storage facility on Keegan Way adjacent to CP tracks in Belleville at 9:15 am and will depart to Trenton at 10:00 am. The train will arrive in Trenton at 10:45 am and depart for Brighton at 11:15 am. You can find the Trenton stop at R.C.A.F road and County Road 21. The final stop in the Quinte area will be East of CP railway crossing on Prince Edward Street in Brighton. The train will arrive at 11:30 am and depart at 12:15 pm.
Enchanted Holiday Market
From November 17th – December 18th the Enchanted Holiday Market is bringing holiday cheer to the Belleville Downtown District. The market will be running Thursdays/ Fridays from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm and Saturday/ Sundays from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. Find Ice Skating, Horse and Carriage rides, shopping from amazing local vendors, dining and pictures with Santa! Take a drive downtown to witness the magic.
Festival Of Lights
The Festival of Lights will kick off in Belleville on November 18th at West Zwicks Park. The event is an evening fully loaded with fun for the whole family. There will be food trucks and DJ in the West Zwicks Lions Pavilion commencing at 4:30 pm. An appearance from Santa and Mrs Claus, Sparky and The Grinch with Cindy Lou Who from 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm and Fireworks (weather permitting) at 7:15 pm from West Zwicks Park.
Quinte West Holiday Home Tour
CONTEST ALERT! The Quinte West Holiday Home Tour is a self-guided tour around town. There are three categories for entries: Winter Wonderland Home, Happy Holidays Home, and Let it GLOW Home. Participants can then vote for their favourite in each category. This contest runs from December 16th-25th.