Happy November, everyone! I hope you all had a frightfully fun Halloweekend. I got to experience Halloween on Church for the first time ever, and I honestly don’t know what took me so long! Check out my Instagram to see me and my friend Jeremie’s ridiculous “couples’ costume”… let’s just say we hope it met expectations.
Speaking of Instagram: if you follow me there, you may have seen that I recently reached 10,000 followers, which was such an exciting milestone to celebrate! I am SO grateful for everyone who follows along with my adventures – whether on Instagram, the blog or both. Thank you so much for being here; I truly appreciate each and every one of you! Another person I appreciate? Munim of Munim’s Cakes, an Oakville-based baker who designs THE most exquisite cakes. I just knew I wanted something as pink and sparkly as possible to celebrate 10k, and she delivered big time. Thank you so much, Munim!
But back to Halloween… if you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know I’m a big holidays person. And while I love Halloween, there’s no holiday I love more than Christmas! Every year around this time, I start planning all the fun local Christmas events and activities I want to experience in November and December. And there’s one that I’m especially excited to check out this year: A Merry & Bright Christmas at the McArthur Estate.
If you’ve never been to Niagara-on-the-Lake in December, you need to add it to your list – it’s definitely one of Ontario’s cutest Christmas towns. From their annual Christmas parade to the magical Candlelight Stroll, there’s tons of fun festive events in NOTL every year – but the annual Holiday House Tour and McArthur Estate Tour are two of the most anticipated.
Hosted by the Niagara-on-the-Lake Rotary, the annual Holiday House Tour includes admission to six beautiful homes, all decorated in full festive splendour. All profits go to charity, and tickets include complimentary tastings at three local wineries, special lunch and dinner offerings, and free admission to local historic and cultural sites. Here’s a peek at the homes included on this year’s tour:
If you’re looking for a grand estate experience (which, have you met me?) the Rotary hosts a separate event: A Merry & Bright Christmas at the McArthur Estate. This is the event I’ll be attending in December and I cannot tell you how excited I am! Originally built in 1829, the historic McArthur Estate is a classic brick Georgian home, surrounded by ten acres of beautifully landscaped Victorian gardens. (Fun fact: the estate is the former home of iconic Niagara artist Trisha Romance.) Every year, the McArthur family transforms their property into a true winter wonderland with magnificent light displays, angels, reindeer, a nativity scene, and much more.
With multiple Christmas trees, festive greenery, dazzling decorations and life-sized nutcrackers, the interior is just as spectacular as the outside.
For two nights only – Friday December 4th and Saturday December 5th – the McArthur family is opening up their home to visitors who love Christmas as much as they do. Guests will enjoy live music from Yellow Door Theatre carollers, pianist Eddie Pizzo, and chamber music trio The Soenen Sisters; all while enjoying Peller Estates sparkling wine, hot apple cider and fresh gingerbread cookies around the fire.
Children will receive special holiday gift bags and get to meet various holiday characters, from Santa to the Snow Queen to the ever-relatable Grinch.
Volunteers from The Friends of Fort George will be onsite, dressed in period costume, to guide guests and talk about the history of this stunning property.
New this year, the McArthur Estate Tour also features a Christmas market, filled with beautiful holiday decorations hand-picked by Brenda McArthur and her team. The perfect place to pick up a unique holiday gift for someone special!
You can get your Holiday House Tour tickets here. This self-guided tour runs from 9:30 am – 4:30 pm on Friday December 4th and Saturday December 5th. Tickets cost $54, and children 12 and under are free. Your ticket is valid on both Friday and Saturday, so if you can’t get enough, you can always go twice!
You can get McArthur Estate Tour tickets here. This timed-entry event runs in 1-hour sessions on Friday December 4th and Saturday December 5th. You can choose an entry time of 4:30, 5:30, 6:30 or 7:30. (The time slot system is in place to reduce lineups, so don’t worry about feeling rushed! You’re more than welcome to linger on the grounds.) Tickets cost $65 and children 12 and under are free.
An important note: the Holiday House Tour and McArthur Estate Tour are separate events and require separate tickets. Want to experience both tours? Purchase a combined tour ticket for $104 and get a $15 discount! All the details are on the Eventbrite page.
I can’t tell you how excited I am for A Merry & Bright Christmas at the McArthur Estate, and I hope I’ll see some of you there! In the meantime, wishing you all a wonderful rest of your weekend.
Our experience at the McArthur Estate is generously hosted by the Niagara-on-the-Lake Rotary. As always, all opinions and thoughts are entirely my own. All photos in this post – with the exception of the 10k celebration/cake photos – are property of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Rotary.
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