One of Norfolk County’s most beloved holiday traditions has returned as the Simcoe Christmas Panorama officially opens for the season on Saturday, November 29th at 6:00 p.m. The Opening Ceremonies will begin promptly at 6:00 p.m., hosted by Robynn Beazley, and will feature the much-anticipated arrival of Santa Claus on the iconic Bickle Firetruck. Santa will help kick off the festivities by turning on the thousands of sparkling lights that transform downtown Simcoe into a dazzling winter wonderland.
If you can’t make it to the Opening Ceremonies in person on November 29th, you’ll be able to enjoy a FREE LIVE STREAM of the evening from Dan Wiest Around The Community at the following link:
https://www.facebook.com/DanWiestAroundTheCommunity
Jeni Lambert-Bowyer will be returning behind the LIVE STREAM camera to cover the start of the ceremonies, the arrival of Santa, and then she’ll take you on a walk-through of over a Half Million lights and 60 displays.
Dan Wiest will also be there with his camera on Opening Night to greet Santa and all of the lucky children riding with him, who were social media contest winners. He’ll then be walking the park to capture the displays. Have your best smile ready 😊
SUGGESTION: click on the dates you might be interested in attending in this Facebook Event – select either “Interested” or “Going” on the possible dates. This way, you’ll receive an automatic reminder – so you don’t forget.
This FREE community festival will run nightly from November 29, 2025, through January 1, 2026, with the lights glowing from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. across the three downtown parks: Wellington Park, Grant Anderson Park, and Clifton Park. Visitors can stroll through a magical landscape where lights illuminate the trees and pathways, and more than 40 handmade holiday displays bring classic Christmas stories and whimsical winter scenes to life. Fan favourites include the penguins skating and playing in Penguin Park, Santa’s workshop where the elves are working hard making toys, Scrooge brooding by the fire from A Christmas Carol, and the traditional Nativity scene.
Festival Highlights:
Free Photos with Santa Families can enjoy complimentary photos with Santa on weekends leading up to Christmas —perfect for capturing cherished holiday memories.
Horse-Drawn Trolley Rides Experience the magic of the season with horse-drawn trolley rides, offered from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on December 12, 13, 19, and 20. Visitors can take in the lights from a cozy trolley pulled by beautiful heavy horses. Rides are $4 per person and all sales go back to the Panorama to support future festivals.
Delicious Treats in the Park A variety of festive food options will be available for visitors to enjoy as they wander under the twinkling lights:
• The Hot Chocolate Hut —Operated by Abel Enterprises’ dedicated volunteer committee offering hot chocolate, cookies, and assorted goodies to raise funds for their Member outings, activities, and experiences, as well as program needs
• Hot Apple Cider and Donuts - Tumaini Children’s Foundation will be serving hot apple cider and their very popular apple cider donuts.
• Dolly’s Sandwiches Food Truck — Featuring hot sandwiches, fries, and poutine on select days.
Behind the scenes, Panorama’s dedicated volunteers have been hard at work all year, repairing, repainting, and rebuilding displays to ensure they shine brighter than ever. Long-time favourites like the holiday train and the three little pigs have been carefully refreshed, while older displays—some not seen in years—have been restored to join the festivities once again. After five years of steady work, only a handful of Panorama’s traditional and iconic displays remain to be refurbished and brought back to the parks.
Daniel G. Wiest, Owner & Publisher
Dan Wiest Around The Community
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