Just outside Toronto, the small town of Uxbridge has a low-key holiday tradition worth pencilling in: its farmers' market trades Saturday stalls for a run of festive Sundays each winter. For 2026, the holiday edition kicks off on Nov. 1 and continues on select Sundays right through to Dec. 13.
Everything happens at the Uxbridge Arena on Brock Street West, which transforms from hockey rink to holiday market. Expect the usual local line-up — farmers, bakers and independent makers — which makes it a genuine alternative to big-box gift shopping. Stock up on preserves, baked treats and handmade goods, and you might tick off a few names on the Christmas list while you're at it.
The structure is simple. The first three dates (Nov. 1, 8 and 15) run both indoor and outdoor stalls, with roughly 40 to 45 vendors in total. As the weather bites, the final three dates (Nov. 22, Dec. 6 and 13) move entirely indoors with a slightly trimmed roster of 30 to 35 businesses. The full vendor list is published online, so you can scout who's coming before you drive out. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on each market day, and entry is free.
Uxbridge itself makes an easy day trip. The town sits about an hour northeast of Toronto, in a stretch of countryside known for its trails and heritage downtown, so pairing the market with a wander around town or lunch at a local café rounds out the outing nicely. Because it's free to enter and family-friendly, it also works as a budget-friendly weekend plan during a season when everything else seems to cost more.
If you like your Christmas markets small, local and unhurried — rather than the packed, mulled-wine-and-pretzel mega markets — this is the sort of community event that delivers. Go early on a November date for the biggest vendor selection, or time a December visit for last-minute gifts in a cosy indoor setting. Either way, check the dates before you set off: the market only runs on those six select Sundays.
