Thousands of visitors gathered in Toronto's historic Distillery District on November 13, 2025, to witness the spectacular lighting of Canada's most iconic Christmas tree, marking the official opening of The Distillery Winter Village presented by L'Oréal Paris.
A Dazzling Holiday Tradition Returns
The 55-foot silver fir, celebrated as Canada's most photographed Christmas tree, captivated onlookers with its stunning display of 80,000 twinkling lights and 750 elaborate ornaments. The magnificent tree serves as the centerpiece for one of Toronto's most beloved holiday attractions, which anticipates welcoming approximately one million visitors during its 2025 season.
Spectacular Design and Sustainable Future
This year's tree features an impressive collection of decorations ranging from six to twenty inches in size, including elegant gold starbursts and Winter Village snowflakes adorned with red finial ornaments. The tree's new custom-built circular platform includes a 12-foot performance stage and enchanting vignettes depicting nostalgic Christmas scenes.
Visitors can enjoy watching a whimsical red and green Bachmann Big Haulers G Scale train circling the tree's base, accompanied by Canadian wildlife figures including caribou, fawn, moose, and bears. The entire installation required more than 1,000 hours of fabrication, detailing, and decoration by dedicated craftspeople.
Following the holiday season, the tree will be donated to Habitat for Humanity GTA, where it will be repurposed as mulch and reclaimed wood for building 60 new homes in 2026.
Expanded Winter Wonderland Experience
The Distillery Winter Village transforms Toronto's 13-acre pedestrian-only heritage district into a glowing winter wonderland from November 13, 2025, through January 4, 2026. This marks the 16th season of the popular attraction, formerly known as the Toronto Christmas Market.
Visitors can explore 47 vendor cabins and nine outdoor holiday bars - the most ever offered - featuring sweet and savory food options from around the world, warm drinks, and handmade creations from local artisans.
Rik Ocvirk, Vice President of The Distillery Restaurants Corp., emphasized that "Our goal is to create moments that become memories - whether it's a first date under the canopy lights, a family tradition by the tree, or a hot chocolate shared with friends."
The opening night celebration included a special performance by international award-winning vocal group The Tenors, and profits from ticket sales supported local charitable partners including Anishnawbe Health Foundation, Soulpepper Theatre, Crow's Theatre, and The Toronto Star Santa Claus Fund.
