Every December, a stretch of 148th Street in Edmonton's Crestwood neighbourhood turns into one of Canada's most enduring Christmas spectacles. Candy Cane Lane, running since the late 1960s, lights up again from Friday, Dec. 11 through Saturday, Jan. 2, with houses and yards along the block dressed in elaborate displays from dusk until 11 p.m. each night.
The event is free to wander, and that's the core of its appeal: locals have been decorating this section of street — between 92nd and 99th Avenues — for over five decades, and the Crestwood Community League still frames it as a nod to the original 1968 edition. Expect a family-heavy, walkable atmosphere where the show is the neighbours' handiwork rather than a staged festival.
The headline addition this year is the return of horse-drawn sleigh rides. Tickets cost $30.06 per person online, and each ride runs roughly 45 to 60 minutes. They only operate on selected dates: Dec. 11 to 13, Dec. 18 to 23, and Dec. 27 — so if a sleigh ride is the whole point of your visit, book ahead and match your dates carefully.
Two evenings work a little differently. On Open Street Nights, Dec. 12 and 13, cars are kept out and the street belongs to pedestrians, cyclists, sleds and even skis. If you want photos without traffic and a more carnival-like mood, those are the nights to aim for. Every other evening, you can drive through if walking in the cold isn't your thing — a common way locals do the Lane, headlights off, heaters on.
For travellers, this is an easy, low-cost festive evening to fold into an Edmonton winter trip. Pair it with the city's downtown holiday events or a trip to the river valley, and bring layers: it's Edmonton in December, so expect genuinely cold nights and dress for standing around outdoors. Hot drinks from nearby shops help, and arriving earlier in the evening beats the post-dinner rush.
Who it suits best: families with young kids, anyone chasing a nostalgic North American Christmas tradition, and travellers already in Alberta over the holidays who want a memorable night that costs nothing unless you opt for the sleigh.
