December, Perth, Ontario: lights on the Tay and a parade down the main street
Dusk comes early in December, and the trees along the Tay are already strung with light. The Festival of Lights switches on November 14, 2026, and the town gathers for the associated event on December 4. Walk the banks after dark, then follow the crowd toward the Santa Claus Parade on December 5 — a small-town procession of floats and bands that takes over the main streets for an evening. This is the reliable spine of a Perth Christmas: lights, a parade, a band concert, and a heritage house done up for the season.
Markets and seasonal shopping, from the Farmer's Christmas Market to the museum
The holiday season here starts well before December. The Farmer's Christmas Market opens the run on November 14, 2026 — the same day the lights go on — and is your best stop for seasonal food and gifts. Once Upon a Christmas follows on November 21, and the CPKC Holiday Train rolls through on November 28, bringing its own lights and music to town.
- Farmer's Christmas Market — November 14, 2026; seasonal food and gift stalls.
- Once Upon a Christmas — November 21, 2026.
- CPKC Holiday Train — November 28, 2026.
- Home for the Holidays at Perth Museum — date to be confirmed; check the town's Holiday Events page.
Concerts and Christmas at the Palace
The Perth Citizens' Band carries the season's soundtrack, with its Annual Christmas Concert (date to be confirmed). For something more theatrical, Christmas at the Palace falls on December 12, 2026. For the complete holiday listings — plays, shopping events, markets and the parade in one place — the town's festivals page points you to a separate Holiday Events page, and a downloadable 2026 Big Events Card is available to keep the dates in your pocket.
Carry the season into the new year: the Polar Bear Plunge and Frost & Fire
Perth doesn't pack the decorations away on Boxing Day. On January 1, 2026, the Polar Bear Plunge opens the year with a cold dip, and on February 14, 2026, the Frost & Fire Winter Festival keeps the winter programme going. If you're planning a stay that stretches past Christmas, these two give you a reason to keep the coat by the door.
Beyond December: a town that runs on markets and parades
Perth's calendar is built around gathering outdoors, and the Christmas season is one chapter of it. The Perth Farmers' Market opens May 9, 2026 and runs every Saturday until Thanksgiving, with a final day on October 10, and a Perth Farmers' Harvest Market on October 31 leads straight into the holiday markets. The Perth Night Market on September 12, the Pride Parade on June 6 and the Legion Parade on September 26 round out a year of street events, while the Perth Citizens' Band plays its Summer Pops Series on June 7, July 5, July 26, August 16, September 13 and October 4, 2026.
Start with the dates that matter most: the lights on November 14, the parade on December 5, and Christmas at the Palace on December 12. Check the town's Holiday Events page for the concerts and museum programme still to be confirmed, download the 2026 Big Events Card, and plan your December around a town that fills its streets with light, music and market stalls.