THANK YOU, STRATFORD!! We hope you had as much over the weekend as we did. xo
Our Downtown Stratford Annual WINTER WANDER-LAND is BACK – BIGGER & BETTER!
We’re almost ready for a full weekend of festive fun as we kick off the holiday season with exciting new features and your all-time favourite traditions.
Join us Saturday, November 30th and Sunday, December 1st, from 11am-5pm.
Prepare for the NEW enchanting Polar Express Train around City Hall, NEW Snow Globe Selfie Photo Booth for magical holiday pics, NEW Yuletide Cabins and Festive Food Trucks at our charming Winter Food Market for hungry bellies, cozy Fire Pits for roasting Rice Krispie Treats, Santa Claus “coming to town”, Carollers and Live Choir Performances to fill the air with festive tunes, NEW Christmas Tree Market by B&C Custom Landscaping for the perfect tree to take home, ALL FREE for everyone! Come get into the festive spirit with family fun in Market Square. 🎅✨
Some highlights of the season
Polar Express Train Rides around City Hall
Cozy Fire Pits for roasting Rice Krispie Treats
Snow Globe Selfie Photo Booth
Santa Claus “is coming to town”
Carollers and Live Choir Performances
Yuletide Cabins and Festive Food Trucks at our charming Winter Food Market
Christmas Tree Market by B&C Custom Landscaping
Collect 8 validation stickers on your Shop & Dine Passport to enter to win Downtown Dollars
Ride the magical POLAR EXPRESS
Sponsored by ON STAGE DANCE (our main sponsor of the event)
ALL ABOARD!!! We are thrilled to be offering the ALL-NEW Polar Express trackless train into Market Square. This elegant Wattman train is battery operated (good for the environment) and trackless, with a locomotive and 4 cars which can seat up to 18 children!
This show stopper provides the best authentic steam train engine experience ever. A huge thank you to On Stage Dance for being the Train Sponsor of our event.
Delicious Treats at the FIRE PITS
FIRE PIT #1: Sponsored by MERCHANTS OF YORK STREET & ORR INSURANCE (York Street)
FIRE PIT #2: Sponsored by Shawn Malvern at WK FINANCIAL (Market Street)
Our two toasty fire pit areas are back. Get cozy around them and roast delicious rice krispie treats. Supervised by adult volunteers, come warm up our fingers and toes while they walk away with the tastiest of treats to fuel their train riding. (Pick up your treats at the Winter Wander-land Hut.)
Inflatable SNOW GLOBE Photo Booth
Sponsored by STRONG ROOTS
Step into our Inflatable Snow Globe, with realistic blowing snow to help you capture the perfect Wanderland selfie. Or bring your own photographer.
Strolling Holiday CAROLLERS
Sponsored by ALEXANDRA J. BIGNUCOLO LAW
We’re delighted to welcome the Victorian Christmas Carollers. Bringing their musical magic to the streets of downtown… gracing us with their enchanting melodies on our Winter Wander-land. Prepare to listen or sing along to some of the most cherished holiday classics as they weave through downtown.
CHRISTMAS TREE Market
THE PERFECT weekend to grab your Christmas Tree — giving you a FULL MONTH to deck it out with your favourite ornaments and some new treasured ornaments you purchase downtown after exploring and collecting stickers with the WW Passport Guide.
SANTA is coming (back) to town
Sponsored by SUTTON GROUP
Santa is coming. Santa is coming. Santa is setting up shop on his reindeer sleigh both Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 3pm — to welcome all the kiddos thoughout the Winter Wander-land weekend . Get your cameras ready as your children (or pets) let Santa know if they’ve been naughty or nice – and what they’re wishing for this year.
Visit Santa and take your photos (it’s free) in Market Square before he joins the SUNDAY Santa Claus Parade of Lights from 5-7pm.
Bring your Letters to Santa addressed to: Santa Claus, North Pole, H0H 0H0, Canada and his elves will make sure they get delivered to the North Pole for Santa to read when he gets home.
WINTER FOOD MARKET | Yuletide Cabins & Festive Food Trucks
We are so delighted to bring you even more reasons to hang out the square all weekend.
Our Yuletide Cabins and Festive Food Trucks will be sprinkled throughout the square offering delicious fare, warm drinks, and even some “adult” drinks through the al fresco program.
The following are confirmed Yuletide Cabin Dwellers so far:
- Curry Zone with their delicious Indian curries, samosas, masala tea
- Alley Cat Cafe with hot chocolate, maybe some kitties?
- Fawn Over You serving and selling tasty Great Wall Tea
- Brch & Wyn with fresh-roasted coffee beverages & baked goods
- El Cactus Taco Shop with Mexican hot chocolate, Buñuelos, & Sopa Azteca
- JENN & Larry’s Ice Cream with holiday peanut brittle & pretzels
- Black Creek Flower Farm with Seasonal urns, wreaths, garlands, centre pieces
And our Festive Food Trucks are:
- Bru Garden with smash burgers and fries, sausage on a bun, hot dogs, poutine, pulled pork
- Features serving their fall-apart smoky turkey legs, brisket burnt ends, candy-apple pork belly, loaded brisket poutine, smoked shotgun shells
Al Fresco Program
A delightful addition to our Winter Food Market includes the chance to drink take-out alcohol beverages (including wines, craft beers and drinks) along with your delicious Yuletide Cabin grub inside the Market Square area.
The Stratford Al Fresco outdoor dining experience has expanded again, so you can dine outdoors with delicious takeout and accompanying drinks from participating Stratford restaurants (see map for locations and window cling to look for below while in the city).
Winter Wander-land is NOT just for families. All ages can enjoy a break here as they head out on their holiday shopping adventure.
Shop, Dine & WIN with our WW PASSPORT
Sponsored by GOOD VIBRATIONS ROCK SHOP and RHEO THOMPSON CANDIES
WIN BIG: $250, $150, or $100 in Downtown Dollars!
One of the MOST EXCITING FEATURES of this year is our Winter Wander-land Passport – which starts November 22nd and runs until December 23rd. This features a whopping number of downtown businesses that offer a validation sticker when you shop or dine. Collect 8 stickers and enter to win one of 3 Downtown Dollar prizes! WOW!!!! You must purchase something from each location, but there is no minimum cost.
Drop passports off to 47 Downie Street by Monday, December 23rd at 5pm. Draw will occur on December 23rd at 6pm. Winners will contacted directly.
Gift Wrapping by donation
St. John’s Ambulance Huron-Perth is providing a gift wrapping service from Noon to 4:30pm at 47 Downie St. on the days of our event. This is run entirely by volunteers and they’re asking for a donation only. All proceeds will go to St. John’s Ambulance.
Suggested donations are as follows:
- Small box: $3
- Shoe box: $5
- Boot box: $10
- Extra large: $15
- Oversized: ask us
Grayson Mills Portraits
Grayson Mills is open for Family Photo Opportunities from 11-5 pm each day of our Festival.
Family Portraits, Pet-Friendly Portraits (so dogs and cats are welcome). Different holidays settings available to set the scene for your Christmas Cards.
Two Photographers Available:
Hannah Stewart, Sunday, 2-5pm — BOOK SESSION HERE
Leanne Murray, both days, 11am to 5pm — BOOK SESSIONS HERE
We are truly grateful to the sponsors of Winter Wander-land 2024!
