TORONTO, Nov. 16, 2023 /CNW/ – Tonight at The Distillery Historic District in Toronto, more than 3,000 gathered as Santa led the countdown to ceremonially light the 56-foot-tall silver fir holiday tree, designed by Christian Dior Parfums, and declared the 2023 Distillery Winter Village officially open.
The towering tree stands proudly as the centerpiece of The Distillery Winter Village in Trinity Square – the tallest tree the event has ever showcased.
Evoking the Christian Dior Parfums holiday campaign starring Anya Taylor-Joy by Benoît Delhomme and the golden holiday motif created for Dior by Italian artist Pietro Ruffo, the Dior Holiday Tree transports onlookers to a fantastical journey inspired by the iconic Tuileries Gardens in Paris. The base of the tree features decorative Christian Dior Parfums fragrance bottles on golden poles intermixed between Dior stars and snowflakes. The tree itself is embellished with 1,200 dazzling white and gold decorative ornaments, radiant golden butterflies, and the renowned Dior star charms. It is estimated that more than 4,000 hours of dedicated craftsmanship went into designing the tree.
“For the second year, The Distillery Historic District wants to thank Christian Dior Parfums for artfully designing another breathtaking tree, serving as the picture-perfect focal point of our holiday market,” says Rik Ocvirk, Vice President of The Distillery Restaurants Corp. and Director of Experiences and Events. “When visitors step into The Distillery Winter Village and set their eyes on this incredible tree, they will immediately feel the romance and nostalgia of the holidays.”
The Distillery Winter Village runs now until January 7, 2024, and is widely regarded as Canada’s premier holiday market, drawing more than 750,000 visitors from around the world.
The Distillery Winter Village offers a memorable outdoor holiday market experience with no shortage of magical moments to capture, shopping for everyone on your list, delicious market fare, outdoor patios and cozy fire pits, Santa and his cheerful Elves, daily caroler sing-a-longs, and a New Year’s Eve celebration culminating with fireworks above Trinity Square.
Visitors are encouraged to take public transit, a rideshare service or bike/walk to The Distillery Winter Village as parking is extremely limited due to construction and development in the area. For details, see here.
New this year, The Distillery Winter Village is pleased to launch four tiers of ticketing:
General Admission ticket: $15 (HST included*)
- Non-refundable
- Non-exchangeable
Flex Ticket: $18 (HST included*)
- Non-refundable
- Allows you to change your ticket to a future date for no additional fee, up to two times
- Ticket changes must be made by 11:59 p.m. the day before your scheduled visit
- Ticket changes are subject to the availability of the date and time slot you choose
Express Gate Entry: $30 (HST included*)
- Non-refundable
- Skip the line and enter via Express Entry sign at all gates
- Allows you to make unlimited changes to your ticket for no additional fee
- Ticket changes can be made up to the entry time of your planned visit
- Access guaranteed even if your new desired day/time is sold out
Combo Ticket: $45 (HST included*)
- One (1) ticket to Illuminarium Experience
- One (1) same-day access to The Distillery Winter Village
- Photo opportunities with Santa or Mrs. Klaus, free hot cocoa and more!
- Skip the line and enter via Express Entry sign at all gates
- Non-refundable, non-exchangeable
- A savings of over $20 per person
- Suitable for guests aged 10+. Kids 9 and under get into The Distillery Winter Village for free. For kids 9 and under, please visit the Illuminarium website to purchase tickets directly.
Kids 9 years old and under enter for free.
*ticket processing fee not included
Tickets will only be required Fridays to Sundays starting at 4:00 p.m. and from December 18 – 31 after 4 pm, with some exceptions.
See the ticketing page to learn more about the ticketing tiers, when you require a ticket (and when you don’t), and hours of operation at www.TheDistilleryWinterVillage.com.
Charity Partners
This year, The Distillery Winter Village is pleased to partner with three local charities: The Anishnawbe Health Foundation, The Toronto Star Santa Claus Fund and Fred Victor. Profits from opening night ticket sales benefit these three charities.
Be sure to follow The Distillery District on social media for live updates:
@distilleryTO, #DistilleryWinterVillage.
For full event details and to purchase tickets, go to TheDistilleryWinterVillage.com.
Holiday Shopping
Holiday shoppers can find the perfect gift for everyone on their list: stylish fashions for men, women and kids, home décor, hand-made accessories and jewelry, gourmet food gifts, one-of-a-kind art, relaxing self-care products and services, and more.
In addition to the year round 85+ local merchants, restaurants and cafés, expect to find an additional seven seasonal vendor cabins offering unique gift items.
Food and Dining
The Distillery Historic District has always been a dining destination for foodies and The Distillery Winter Village will not disappoint. In addition to the 16 permanent restaurants (some with heated patios), six cafés and specialty shops, there are 23 outdoor seasonal food cabins and 11 outdoor bar experiences. NEW this year, a Feliz Navidad bar on the Archeo patio will serve up traditional Mexican tacos and churros from Pancho’s Bakery.
Some food you can expect at this year’s Distillery Winter Village includes: donuts, churros, tacos, empanadas, jerk chicken, pierogies, poutine, Pastel de Nata, pretzels, mini pancakes, cotton candy, grilled cheese, raclette, mac ‘n cheese, BBQ, frites, crèpes and more!
Holiday Photo Opportunities
The Distillery Winter Village is a dream come true for those looking to light up their social feeds. This year, the site will be glimmering with white and gold wreaths, ribbons and lights. Can’t miss photo opps include:
- the 56-foot-tall Christmas tree in Trinity Square (the tallest tree ever at The Distillery Winter Village)
- NEW – Santa’s Tower of Toys on the Pure Spirits Patio
- NEW – a Candy Cane Forest on Gristmill Lane
- NEW – two specially created photo opps for you and your dog
- NEW – 3-D, life-sized, holiday greeting cards scattered throughout
- NEW – a vintage Christmas card photo wall on Case Goods Lane
- The iconic “Heart of Christmas” lit up for the holiday season (at Parliament Street entrance)
- The famous “Countdown to Christmas” sign (above Yummi Candles)
- 7′ tall snowpeople
Christmas Carol Sing-a-long
The Candy Cane Carolers are back this year spreading holiday joy. Join us daily for live sing-a-longs to holiday classics. Don’t know the words? Don’t worry! The lyrics are projected onto the wall of the Spirit of York building – one of Toronto’s most architecturally iconic buildings.
Performances at:
Weekdays (Monday – Friday)
6:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m. (on the Pure Spirits stage)
8:30 p.m.
Weekends (Saturdays and Sundays)
2:30 p.m.
4:30 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m. (on the Pure Spirits stage)
8:30 p.m.
Meet Santa
Tell Ol’ Saint Nick what you want for Christmas and grab a photo. Santa will be here on weekdays from 4:30 pm. – 8:30 p.m. and weekends from 12:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Plus, you can visit him on stage at the Pure Spirits Courtyard every day (Monday – Sunday) at 5:30 p.m., and at 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., and 5:30 p.m. on weekends.
And, don’t miss the roaming jolly Elves spreading holiday cheer.
The Countdown to Christmas Sign
Countdown the days until Christmas with us, and grab a photo of the large, red countdown clock, located above Yummi Candles on Trinity Street.
New Year’s Eve
Join us on December 31st to ring in 2024! Live entertainment culminating with a fireworks display at midnight over Trinity Square.
This will be a ticketed event. Event details to follow.
The Distillery Winter Village Shopping Week: January 1 – 7, 2024
Tickets not required.
Santa and his elves had to return to the North Pole, but we’re continuing the festive fun into the New Year with The Distillery Winter Village Shopping Week.
This will be your last chance to take in the 56-foot-tall Christmas Tree, and walk the beautifully decorated cobblestone streets under the canopy lights.
Be sure to check out our extended Boxing Week sales at our 85+ year-round retailers, while also shopping the seasonal vendor cabins, open at noon daily.
Come hungry, because we’re still serving up your favourite Distillery Winter Village food – from our 16 permanent restaurants, six cafés and specialty shops; seasonal food cabins; and, 11 outdoor bar experiences.
Whether you’re looking for an outing to keep the kids busy before they head back to school, or want to check out our many art galleries and catch a live show at one of our theatres, we’ve got you covered.
Shopping Hours:
(Note: Distillery Winter Village seasonal vendor cabins will be open at 12:00 p.m. daily until close. Closed New Year’s Day.)
Monday, January 1: 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, January 2 – Thursday, January 4: 10:00 a.m – 9:00 p.m.
Friday, January 5 and Saturday, January 6: 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 7: 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
SOURCE The Distillery Historic District
Featured image: ©