Canada's tallest indoor Christmas tree lights up Toronto, with snow shows and free events through January

TORONTO — Toronto is welcoming the Christmas season with the lighting of Canada's tallest indoor Christmas tree on Thursday evening at the popular Eaton Centre shopping mall. The event features light shows, snow effects and free activities aimed at families and visitors.

The centre is hosting the 10th annual lighting of the giant tree, which stands 114 feet, or about 35 metres, tall. It is one of the main events marking the start of the holiday season in downtown Toronto.

The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. local time. Visitors to the centre will be able to watch festive performances across several floors before the tree is officially lit.

A giant tree with more than 160,000 lights

The Eaton Centre tree has a large design that stretches across the open space between the mall's floors, making it visible from several levels.

The tree was designed by Montreal-based Studio Artefact. It has more than 160,000 lights and a programmable lighting system that can display changing colours and patterns.

The tree is one of the best-known landmarks of Toronto's holiday season and draws visitors each year who want to take photos and enjoy the festive atmosphere.

This year's celebration carries special significance, as it marks ten years since the tradition began at the mall.

Snow shows and lights every hour

The celebrations are not limited to the night of the tree lighting. Mall management has announced that light shows with artificial snowfall will continue until Jan. 3, 2027.

The shows will run every hour from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Saturday.

On Sundays, the shows will run from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., giving visitors several opportunities to enjoy them throughout the holiday season.

The shows use an advanced lighting system that changes the colours of the tree and coordinates them with visual effects to create a wintry atmosphere inside the centre.

The events are expected to be a popular destination for families looking for festive activities in November and December.

A new experience lets visitors change the tree's colours

This year's program includes a new interactive feature called CF Tree Designer, which lets visitors take part in designing the light shows.

The control station is on the third floor of the centre, in front of Sephora. Participants can choose the tree's colours, lighting patterns and visual movements.

Once a preferred design is selected, the show can be started using a dedicated control lever, and the chosen colours appear on the giant tree.

The experience will be available daily from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. from Nov. 12 to Jan. 3, 2027.

The initiative aims to turn viewing the tree from a traditional activity into an interactive one, allowing visitors to add their own touches to the shows.

More celebrations at Toronto's winter village

At the same time as the Eaton Centre celebrations, Christmas tree lighting events begin Thursday evening in the historic Distillery District.

The area is transformed into a winter village with food and drink stalls, shops run by local artisans, musical performances and characters associated with the holiday season.

The lighting ceremony begins at 6 p.m., and the winter village events continue until Jan. 3, 2027.

Unlike the free Eaton Centre ceremony, some winter village events require admission tickets, with free entry before 4 p.m. under the announced conditions.

How to visit the Christmas tree in Toronto

The Eaton Centre is located at 220 Yonge St. in downtown Toronto. It can be reached by subway on Line 1, getting off at Queen or TMU station.

Families are advised to plan their visit in advance, particularly on weekends, because of possible crowding.

An accessible viewing area has also been set aside on the third floor, in front of Indigo.

The organizers say admission to the tree lighting ceremony is free, but visitors may be asked to return later if the space reaches capacity.