One-Tank Trip for
Nov. 12-16
(c) By Jim Fox
Santa Claus is
coming to town, twinkling lights will shine brightly and Toronto’s Distillery District
will uncork the upcoming “festive” season.
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| Santa Parade route map |
The jolly gent in
the red suit makes a grand entrance at the 112th annual Toronto Santa Claus
Parade on Nov. 20.
The procession of some
25 themed animated floats leaves Christie Pits park at 750 Bloor St. W. at
12:30 p.m. led by 200 “Celebrity Clowns” and about 2,000 costumed participants
joining in.
It heads along Bloor
Street and makes a right onto Avenue Road, turns left onto Wellington/Front
streets and ends up at the St. Lawrence Market.
There’s quite a
history as Eaton’s in 1913 arranged for Santa to be pulled by live reindeer
brought in from Labrador, with singing and dancing children joining the march.
Children dropped
letters to Santa into baskets and each received a personal response. www.thesantaclausparade.com; (416)
249-7833
Lighten up
Cavalcade of Lights
is Toronto’s official kick-off for the holiday season.
This 50th annual celebration
happens Nov. 26 from 7 p.m. in Nathan Phillips Square outside city hall.
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| Toronto’s “official” Christmas tree in Nathan Phillips Square will light up on Nov. 26. (Barbara Fox photo) |
The holiday
tradition features the illumination of the city’s Christmas tree, fireworks
(at 8:40 p.m.), ice-skating party and performances by Canada’s “top musical
talent,” including Whitehorse. www1.toronto.ca;
(416) 338-0889
View the elaborate
holiday window displays at Hudson’s Bay Co. at Queen and Yonge and Holt Renfrew
at Bay and Bloor.
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| The holiday window displays at the Hudson’s Bay Co. in downtown Toronto attract crowds. (Jim Fox photo) |
Marking the
“celebration of the romance and magic of traditional Christmas” is the historic
Distillery District.
Its Christmas
Market captures the charm of an early European one, with a huge decorated tree
and an appearance by Santa.
From Nov. 18 to Dec.
22, the market on Mill Street is packed with handcrafted products along with 350
musical and stage performances, carollers and children’s choirs.
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| The Distillery District hosts the Toronto Christmas Market recreating the old European tradition. (Barbara Fox photo) |
There are numerous
cafes and bars as well as specialty beer and mulled wine gardens heated by
roaring wood fires in outside pits.
The market has
become so popular, there’s a $6 admission fee on weekends from 5 p.m. Friday,
while it is free on weekdays.
Fast Passes are
available for $20 allowing ticketholders to skip the lineups.
While the market is
closed Mondays, the district’s shops and restaurants are open.
torontochristmasmarket.com;
(416) 364-1177
Winter wonderlands
Illuminite kicks
off Nov. 19 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Yonge-Dundas Square.
There’s a holiday
lighting ceremony, transforming the neighbourhood into a “winter playground.”
Events include
KidzFest on Nov. 26 when children’s characters come to life and great photo ops
with the huge “sculptural light tree,” 3-D polar bears, sleigh and reindeer,
and displays above Yonge Street.
The square’s first Toronto Christmas Festival
from Dec. 9 to 18 has live music, shopping, sleigh ride with Santa and laser
light shows.
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| Skaters enjoy the ice rink in Nathan Phillips Square outside Toronto’s city hall. (Jim Fox photo) |
Bloor-Yorkville transforms
into a “magical holiday wonderland” Nov. 19 and through December at Holiday
Magic, including Shawn Desman performing.
bloor-yorkville.com/holiday_magic;
(416) 928-3533, ext. 24
Shop ‘til you drop
at the One of a Kind Show & Sale for all things homemade by Canadian artisans
and designers, Nov. 24 to Dec. 4 at the Enercare Centre. oneofakindshow.com/toronto;
(416) 263-3202
If you stay
There’s a “great festive season rate
offer” at the Sheraton Centre Toronto that includes a “giving back component,”
says Cynthia Bond of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Canada.
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| Sheraton Centre Toronto |
The hotel, across
from Nathan Phillips Square, recently completed a $120-million renovation and
is helping out the Daily Bread Food Bank.
From Dec. 2 to 30, a
donation of $20 will be given to the bank for every guestroom booked, with rates
from $149.
The package can
booked online at sheraton.com/tospecials;
1-866-716-8101.
The Westin Harbour
Castle has an exclusive package as the Christmas Market partner hotel from Nov.
18 to Dec. 22.
Rates from $249 a
night include deluxe accommodation and a choice of free valet parking or
breakfast for two in the Mizzen restaurant.
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| Westin Harbour Castle |
Along with two market
hot chocolate vouchers, guests staying on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday will get
two VIP Fast Passes. westinharbourcastletoronto.com/toronto-christmas-market;1-866-716-8101
Tourism Toronto: seetorontonow.com
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Jim Fox can be reached at onetanktrips@hotmail.com
For more One-Tank Trips: http://1tanktrips.blogspot.ca
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