What to Expect at Ottawa Christmas Market at Lansdowne This Year

It's tiiiiiimee! The holiday season is officially here, and there's nothing I love more than bundling up in cozy winter gear and heading out to soak in some Christmas spirit. The beloved annual Ottawa Christmas Market at Lansdowne is back, and we were there on opening night to check out the festivities.

Opening night at the Ottawa Christmas Market

Friday, November 21 marked the grand opening, complete with a gorgeous tree lightning ceremony. From now until January 1, 2026, you can visit Lansdowne to enjoy a massive outdoor market full of local, handcrafted goods, delicious food, and tons of festive photo spots.

If you're looking for holiday things to do in Ottawa, this event absolutely needs to be at the top of your list. Below are a few of our favourite stops 👇

The viral hot chocolate is back!

One of our longtime favourites here at Places To Go Ottawa, Le Cheesecake Bar, made its big return this year, and yes, the viral hot chocolate is back!

The original toasted marshmallow rimmed hot cocoa comes from Le Cheesecake Bar. (Miranda Caley/PTGO)

If you missed the buzz last year, this is not your regular hot chocolate. The rim of the cup is lined decadently with freshly handmade roasted marshmallow!

This year, they stepped it up a notch with new toppings and three brand new flavours  to fully customize your hot chocolate:

• Oreo Dream,

• Cinnabliss,

• and Candy Cane.

On top of all of that, Le Cheesecake Bar added cookie bowls to their menu, where you can pair your hot chocolate with two warm, gooey cookies topped with either S'mores or Skor.

I wanted to try their homemade whipped cream on its own, so I opted for the classic hot chocolate. It was amazing. The hot chocolate is rich, the toasted marshmallow is sweet and flavourful. The whipped topping is incredibly unique. It's very creamy and almost buttery, which pairs well with the chocolate.

Easily one of the best treats at the market.

If you want to skip the line, we tell you how with a little hack at the end of the blog.

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  The warm cookie bowls and new hot chocolate toppings make for delicious additions. (Liya Huang/PTGO)

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  The face behind the blog - hi! (Miranda Caley/PTGO)

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  Le Cheesecake Bar's classic Biscoff cheesecake on a stick. (Miranda Caley/PTGO)

A savoury treat

If sweets are not your thing, there are plenty of savoury food options at the Ottawa Christmas Market, too. One of last year's most popular stops was The Golden Potato, known for their giant warm loaded baked potatoes.

You can choose from five different loaded baked potatoes flavours, from the classic sour cream and chives to a whole poutine.

Pizza and Vegeto loaded potatoes

This year, they added two new flavours:

• Butter Chicken,

• and Pizza Potato

Pizza is my favourite dish, so I obviously had to try it. It was loaded with pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella, pizza spices, and, of course, pepperoni. My boyfriend opted for the Vegeto, which is a vegetable lovers dream. It came with green peppers, corn, chives, sour cream, and olives (though my partner asked for those to be removed).

Both were hot and fresh, which was a great way to combat the cold. The potatoes themselves are baked well and hold a lot of toppings. You get a massive serving with The Golden Potato and we both thoroughly enjoyed the flavours we chose.

Supporting local artisans

Beyond the food, the Ottawa Christmas Market is a great place to support local businesses and artisans.

We saw dozens of local vendors selling unique handmade goods, from stuffed ornaments to gorgeous glass art and artisanal applesauce.

This really is your one-stop-shop to buy one-of-a-kind, quality gifts.

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  artisanal apple sauces

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  stuffed handmade ornaments

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  gorgeous glass art

While the indoor farmer's market inside of the Aberdeen Pavilion is not open daily, it's worth checking out the market schedule if you prefer a warmer shopping experience.

Free to experience!

If you're trying to keep holiday spending low, I totally get it. Thankfully, here's some good news: the Ottawa Christmas Market is completely free to check out!

You can wander and check out the free photo opportunities, including:

• The massive gorgeous Christmas tree,

• Rows of twinkling lights for some Insta-worthy shots,

• The Santa Shop.

Not only that, but there's often also live bands playing for you to enjoy. There are also daily kids craft workshops which are completely free!

The Pedaler Express

Another market favourite returned this year, Thursty Pedaler's Carol-oke bike. This is a unique experience where you can bike while signing to your favourite holiday tunes on a group bike. It is as unique as it sounds.

Oh! This year, all riders on the Pedaler Express receive the viral hot chocolate from Le Cheesecake Bar (a hack to skip the line).

Places to go Ottawa followers get 15% OFF on their rides with code PTGO15.

The Ottawa Christmas Market is a classic holiday event that we highly recommend checking out!

Whether you're looking for some yummy food, a unique gift for a loved one, or maybe just a unique setting to bring a friend or partner on a date, it's really got it all.

The centre of the Ottawa Christmas Market on opening night. (Miranda Caley/PTGO)

Have you visited the Ottawa Christmas Market before? Let us know who your favourite vendor is below!