MORRISBURG – Celebrating its 25th season in 2025, the Alight at Night Festival opens this weekend at Upper Canada Village.
Lit with over one million lights, the 1860s era historic village attraction will be open on select evenings for a longer season – from November 28 to January 15, 2026.
The family-friendly event near Morrisburg attracts thousands of visitors each holiday season. Started in 2001, the event that first year expected 5,000 people to pass through the village – which was then decorated with just 100,000 lights. Over five times that number—26,000—attended, requiring additional nights to be added to the schedule.
Over the years, the attraction kept growing in number of lights, and activities on sight. By its fifth season, the miniature railway opened, offering a toy train ride experience for visitors. Attendance neared the 50,000 visitor mark by the late 2010s, with access to the village resulting in traffic delays on some nights. In 2023, over 40,000 visitors took part in the holiday festivities at UCV, and Alight at Night marked its 750,000 guest since opening. Attendance numbers for 2024 were not available from the St. Lawrence Parks Commission, operator of UCV and Alight at Night.
What’s new for Alight at Night in its 25th year? UCV’s Family Activity Centre has been transformed into a Toy Factory, overseen by the man himself, Saint Nick. The Toybox Café will have hot drinks, toys, gifts, and souvenirs for all. And Saint Nick will be there for a photo or two.
Several food options are available this year including Willard’s Hotel, the Harvest Barn, the Village Café, BeaverTails, and the village’s snack hut. Reservations are required for some dining locations.
This year also sees an additional night added for the village’s popular accessibility nights. Visitors with mobility or sensory needs can visit from the comfort of their vehicles on December 3, 10, and 17.
Returning for another year are the Pommier Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides. Carriage rides are a separate fee and must also be booked in advance.
Alight at Night is open Thursdays to Sundays from November 28 to December 14. The attraction is open nightly from December 18 to 23, and December 26 to January 15, 2026. Opening times vary depending on the date.
Tickets for adults 25-64 are $18 each, seniors $17, and young adults (18-24) $9 thanks to the Canada Strong Pass. Youth 17 and younger are free, again due to the Canada Strong Pass. Rides on the Miniature Toy Train are $8 per person for ages 5 and older. Tickets must be purchased online in advance via the SLPC website.
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