After a five–year hiatus, Santa Fest made its long-awaited return to Vaughan this weekend as families lined the streets to welcome it back.
The parade is just one of many holiday festivities happening across the GTA this holiday season.
“The designer things, those things don’t matter to me,” one parade-goer said. “What matters is the goodness and joy that’s within the Santa Claus parade and for the whole entire Christmas season”
KISS 92.5’s Maurie Sherman caught up with Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca, who said the community was more than ready for the parade’s comeback.
“Everybody is smiling. Everyone out here, young, old, in between, everyone’s here to have fun and to enjoy this incredible parade,” Del Duca said.
Evergreen Brick Works in holiday mode
In Toronto, Evergreen Brick Works has transformed into a festive hub, with its winter market running every Sunday until Dec. 21 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“The idea is that we are bringing together food vendors, artisan vendors, vintage vendors. We will also have skating in future weeks once the weather is appropriate for it,” Sonya Reynolds, an organizer at Evergreen Brick Works said.
More than 60 vendors are offering clothing, jewelry, art, and body care products among other items.
Visitors can also experience live music, as well as a cozy winter garden and hands-on workshops.
Admission is pay-what-you-can, with a suggested donation of $5 to support Evergreen community programming.
Lights and Christmas markets across downtown
Meanwhile, Nathan Phillips Square lit up for the city’s annual Cavalcade of Lights, turning Toronto’s city hall into a shimmering winter spectacle.
The event runs until Jan. 7 and features luminous art installations and free public skating every Saturday in December through Jan. 3.
There are also free skate rentals from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
At the Distillery District, one of Toronto’s most iconic holiday destinations, the world-famous outdoor Christmas market is buzzing with crowds. With food, festive performances and shopping, the market runs until Jan. 4.
