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Winter Wonders

Celebrate the Magic of the Season

November 27 to January 4 (Thursdays to Sundays)*
In Hendrie Park (680 Plains Rd. W. Burlington ON)
5:30 to 10 p.m. (time-ticketed)

Experience the magic of the season at Royal Botanical Gardens’ Winter Wonders! Hendrie Park transforms into a winter wonderland, featuring dazzling lights, festive installations, and enchanting displays. Stroll the scenic pathways to the soundtrack of festive music while savouring warm holiday treats.

New this year, enjoy interactive installations by Canadian artists that invite you to touch, explore, and play, adding a hands-on element where you create the magic! Browse an expanded selection of craft vendors offering unique, handmade gifts perfect for the season.

Indoors, discover seasonal décor and vibrant plant displays in the Mediterranean Garden and Breezeway, enjoy the whimsical Botanical Train Display, and browse unique treasures in the Gift Shop. Winter Wonders offers a full celebration of the sights, sounds, and spirit of the season!

Timed-tickets required. *Date exceptions apply. This is a time-ticketed experience. Upon registration you will be required to select an entry time.

Video from the 2024 event. Exact offerings will differ in 2025.

Generously Supported By:

TD logo
The Hamilton Spectator
stoneridge insurance brokers
King Paving and Construction

Looking to gift this experience?

Give the gift of Winter Wonders by purchasing a gift certificate!

Winter Wonders Tickets

Tickets coming soon: October 21, 11 a.m.

Timed-ticket entry required. Food and drink available for purchase throughout the experience.

Visitor Ticket Price (per person)
Adult $25 (+HST & $1 Service Fee)
Child (age 3 to 12) $21 (+HST & $1 Service Fee)
Infant / Toddler (age 0-2) FREE
RBG Members* $15 (+HST & $1 Service Fee)

*See your membership type for the number of guests eligible to purchase member tickets

*Accessing your Member Tickets

To access your member tickets, simply log in to your RBG online account using the email address associated with your membership. Once logged in, visit the registration page and your member tickets will be available.

Do NOT make a new account; any new account created will not have access to your member benefits, including your member tickets.

Unsure which email is associated with your membership? Get in touch with the membership team.

Not yet a member? To access member tickets on a brand new membership, simply purchase the membership in its own order, log out, log back in, and your member tickets will be available!

Selecting an Appropriate Number of Membership Tickets

Members are eligible for a number of reduced priced tickets according to your membership type (see below). To find your membership type, check your membership card or log in to your account.

  • Single: 1
  • Single Plus: up to 2
  • Family: up to 2 adults and 6 children
  • Family Plus: up to 4 adults and 6 children

Should your order go through with an inappropriate number of tickets, RBG guest services will be in touch to make the appropriate adjustments.

How To Activate Your Account

  1. Visit secure.rbg.ca/account/login
  2. Enter your email address and “submit” (NOTE: RBG members must use the email associated with their current membership)
  3. Check your email for a link to reset your password
  4. Log in with your new credentials and check your account information. Ensure your updated membership is showing.

Virtual Waiting Room

Our major events are incredibly popular and registration can feel competitive. To help manage site activity and make registration as fair as possible, RBG has implemented an online waiting room system.

The waiting room will open 1 hour prior to sale time. There is no benefit to joining the waiting room at 10 a.m. When the sale begins at 11 a.m., you will be randomly placed in an online queue, with a limited number of registrants let into the site at a time. Complete your purchase, and close the browser tab when complete.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the popularity of this event and large number of individuals hoping to secure tickets, the waiting room time will likely be significant. Please factor a long wait into your planning.

Why use a virtual waiting room? A virtual queue allows a limited (and randomly selected) number of individuals into the ticket site at once. This practice:

  • prevents “cart-jacking” (a reduced number of individuals competing to add the same tickets to their carts at the same time)
  • ensures the ticketing site can operate without being overwhelmed by web traffic
  • accommodates those working with slower internet connections without fear of competing
  • creates a fairer system overall by randomly assigning places in the virtual line

Ticketing Details & Terms

  • Tickets are non-refundable and final sale. After a purchase is complete, the tickets are the property of the ticket-holder, and RBG will be unable to accommodate any date or time changes. See F.A.Q.s for weather policy.
  • Garden admission discounts and coupons are not applicable to this ticketed event. 
  • Everyone attending the event must have a ticket. You will not be admitted into the event without a ticket. Tickets will be scanned upon arrival.
  • Pre-registration is highly encouraged for this ticketed event. Visitor Experience may be able to accommodate walk ups if there are spaces available. 
  • Tickets provide access to RBG Centre and Hendrie Park during this event. Separate Garden Admission would be required for those wishing to visit any RBG garden areas during regular admission hours. 
  • Weather Policy: This even runs rain or shine. RBG reserves the right to cancel the event due to extreme inclement weather with little to no notice (ticket purchasers will be contacted by email). If the event is cancelled, you will receive a credit on your account that is equal to the amount of the original purchase. The credit can be applied towards a future Winter Wonders date of your choosing.

Thank You for Supporting RBG!

Royal Botanical Gardens is a registered charitable organization dedicated to connecting people, plants and place. By attending this event, you’re supporting our efforts in areas like plant science, conservation, horticulture and education.

2025 Operational Dates

  • November 27 to 30 (Thurs-Sun)
  • December 4 to 7 (Thurs-Sun)
  • December 11 to 14 (Thurs-Sun)
  • December 18 to 23 (Thurs-Wed)
  • December 27 to 30 (Sat-Tues)
  • January 2 to 4 (Fri-Sun)

This activity is NOT available: December 24, 25, 26, 31, January 1.

Tips for Visiting:

  • Upon registering you will be required to select an entry timeslot. You may arrive any time within this 1/2 hour entry window and stay as long as you’d like.
  • Hendrie Park will close at 4:30pm as our teams prepare for Winter Wonders.
  • Expect to spent approximately 1-2 hours at this experience.
  • Please leave your pets at home for this experience, pets are not permitted (service dogs excluded).
  • Outside food and beverage will not be permitted.
  • Please be aware that some areas of the garden contain fast moving, bright lights.

See our Frequently Asked Questions for more details to help you plan!

Get There with GO

Enjoy a Hassle-Free Visit to RBG’s Winter Wonders with GO Transit!

Skip the stress of driving and parking, travel with GO Transit for just $10 per adult with the One-Day Weekend Day Pass, and kids 12 and under ride for free on GO Transit.

GO Train

2 options available depending on your preference for the number of transfers:

GO Bus

Depending on the starting location, multiple GO bus routes are available, with transfers to Burlington Transit at the Burlington Train station (Burlington Transit Route 1 Plains to Hamilton), or various transfer points in Hamilton. Please see the GO Transit trip planner for assistance.

Please Note

There are are no direct buses that run from Aldershot GO to RBG at this time. Options for travelling from Aldershot GO include:

It is possible to walk or bike 1.2 km from the Aldershot station to Plains Road to catch the Burlington Transit Route 1 bus from there. Please see the Burlington Transit Trip Planner for details. Travelers arriving at Aldershot GO may also consider taking a cab or ride share to the Gardens (4 km distance).

  • Children and parent watching a model Thomas the Tank engine moving through the botanical train display
  • A performer dressed as a jack frost character on stilts, wearing a sparkling white cape and icy crown, interacts with a guest walking by
  • Child standing under the floating lanterns at Winter Wonders
  • white poinsettia in the foreground as part of the Breezeway display. Pink and red poinsettia are planted in the background.

What to Expect

Explore the wonders of Hendrie Park before warming up indoors with lots of seasonal fun!

Outdoors

Indoors

  • Botanical Train Display
  • Atrium Bar
  • Holiday Botanical Displays
    • Throughout RBG Centre
    • In the Mediterranean Garden (greenhouse)
  • Greenhouse Café
  • Garden Shop
  • and more!
Tree Love by ZemVision, children hugging a tree, causing it to light up with holiday lights.

Interactive Displays

New this year, enjoy interactive installations by Canadian artists that invite you to touch, explore, and play, adding a hands-on element where you create the magic!

Luminous Crossings - Asli Alin

Asli Alin – Toronto, Ontario

Luminous Crossings is a site-specific series of sculptural installations created for the Royal Botanical Gardens. Attached directly to the two gazebos in the Rose Garden, each piece takes the form of a refined geometric structure—faceted and subtly mirrored—illuminated from within by vibrant LED light that shifts slowly in colour.

Artist Asli Alin sitting in front of a wall-mounted sculpture made of geometric shapes lit from within

Tree Love - ZEM

ZEM – Kitchener, Ontario

Tree Love is an interactive light installation that visualizes the connection between humans and the natural world. Three living trees are entwined with a light display- inviting the audience to come embrace them. The trees respond to human hugs by illuminating joyfully- symbolizing nature’s emotional reaction to human touch. By merging technology with the organic, the installation transforms these living trees into a canvas of emotions. This fusion of technology and nature highlights the delicate balance we need to preserve.

ZEM - two person artist duo posing for a selfie in partial shadow

Switchgrass - Treehouse Collective

Treehouse Collective – Waterloo, Toronto, Montreal

Switchgrass is an Ontario native species of plant that plays an essential role in ecosystems during the winter, as they provide food and shelter for small animals. To activate this piece, viewers are invited to touch special controller reeds that will switch on special effects across fields of grass shaped lights. The participatory interaction mirrors the role that humans play in the stewardship of native plant life. Just as the installation depends on touch to come alive, ecosystems like those sustained by switchgrass rely on human action and care to thrive-it is a piece that is about ecological reciprocity.

Treehouse Collective - grid of 5 artists and a logo of a treehouse and tree inside a light bulb

Instrumental Gardens - Douglas Tewksbury

Douglas Tewksbury – Hamilton, Ontario

Instrumental Gardens is an audio-visual sculptural work that turns the RBG’s Global Garden into a playable, interactive music and light instrument. Using a series of touchable sculptures spread across the width of the circular garden, visitors will create arrays of sound and light, but also connection with both the natural world and other patrons, as multiple people can create together across the span of the garden. Community gets built in many ways, and here, through the intersection of nature and technology and art, visitors will together foster a sense of joy, wonder, and togetherness in nature.

Headshot of Douglas Tewksbury

  • Collection of handmade, colourful glass containers
  • wooded serving boards with fractal buring
  • Hands holding small pot shaped like a frog
  • display of earings featuring pressed florals
  • Ceramic mug featuring dragonflies

Artisan Market

Shop local artisans and makers! Swipe through the images below to see who will be available the date of your visit.

Winter Wonders FAQ

Have a question about Winter Wonders? Click the topics below for more information. If you have a question that is not answered, give us a call at 905-527-1158 or send us a message.

Tickets

Pre-purchased tickets are required for this special event. Upon purchasing, you will be required to select an entry time. Tickets are final sale. When purchasing your tickets, please ensure you select the appropriate date/time, as switching your tickets after purchase will not be possible. Tickets are required for all in your party attending the event.

Access2 Cardholders: purchase ticket(s) for the cardholder online. For a complimentary ticket for your support person, either display your Access2Card upon arrival, OR get in touch prior to the event (via email or at 905-527-1158) and our Guest Services Centre can add an additional ticket to your order free of charge.

Accessing Member Tickets

To access your reduced-rate member tickets, simply log in to your RBG online account using the email address associated with your membership. Once logged in, visit the registration page and your member tickets will be available.

Do NOT make a new account; any new account created will not have access to your member benefits, including your member tickets.

Unsure which email is associated with your membership? Get in touch with the membership team.

Not yet a member? To access member tickets on a brand new membership, simply purchase the membership in its own order, log out, log back in, and your member tickets will be available!

Selecting an Appropriate Number of Membership Tickets

Members are eligible for a number of reduced priced tickets according to your membership type (see below). To check your membership type, check your membership card or log in to your account.

  • Single: 1
  • Single Plus: up to 2
  • Family: up to 2 adults and 6 children
  • Family Plus: up to 4 adults and 6 children

Should your order go through with an inappropriate number of tickets, RBG guest services will be in touch to make the appropriate adjustments.

How To Activate Your Account

  1. Visit secure.rbg.ca/account/login
  2. Enter your email address and “submit” (NOTE: RBG members must use the email associated with their current membership)
  3. Check your email for a link to reset your password
  4. Log in with your new credentials and check your account information. Ensure your updated membership is showing.

Gifting Winter Wonders Tickets

Looking to give an experience at Winter Wonders as a gift? You have 2 options available:

  1. Purchase tickets on their behalf for a specific date / time and forward the pdf tickets emailed at the time of purchase
  2. Purchase a digital gift certificate they can use to redeem for tickets on a day and time that works for them!

Note: gift certificates are not redeemable for food and beverage offerings at the event.

What's Included?

Your special event ticket to Winter Wonders gives you access to RBG Centre and Hendrie Park after 5:30p.m. on the dates available. Access to the indoor Mediterranean Garden, the botanical train exhibit and seasonal displays are also included.

Food, drink, and purchases at Shop at the Gardens are available for additional costs.

Arrival and Entry Time

This event is time-ticketed. Please arrive at your scheduled time. You can expect to spend approximately 1 – 2 hours at this experience. When you arrive at RBG Centre (680 Plains Road W., Burlington) for your start time you will be greeted by our staff team who will check you in and direct you to the outdoor experience.

Your tickets will be emailed to you as a pdf attachment shortly after online payment. You will be required to present these tickets upon arrival, either printed out or digitally on your personal device.

The event concludes at 10 p.m.

Parking & Transit

This event is held in Hendrie Park – please enter through RBG Centre at 680 Plains Road W. Burlington Ontario. Parking is included, available in the large lot at RBG Centre. Additional parking is available in the small Cherry Hill parking lot (across the street), though this will require crossing the street and a short walk to RBG Centre for entry.

This garden is located along bus routes for Burlington Transit, with stops a short distance from the entrance. See rbg.ca/directions for more details.

Food & Drink

Festive snacks will be available for purchase. Our outdoor food and beverage locations are cashless and accept card payments, including credit, debit, and mobile payment options like Apple Pay or Google Pay.

This is a licensed event; alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase for those age 19+. A valid I.D. is required for beverage purchase.

Outside food and alcohol will not be permitted.

Washrooms

While enjoying the outdoor light display, washroom facilities are available in the Atrium at RBG Centre (lower level), at the Turner Pavilion Teahouse, and close to the Container.

Indoors, additional washrooms are available across from the Greenhouse Café (near the Botanical Train).

Weather Policy

Winter Wonders is held rain or shine. The majority of Winter Wonders is held outdoors, so come prepared for the weather!

RBG reserves the right to cancel the event due to extreme inclement weather with little to no notice (ticket purchasers will be contacted by email). If the event is cancelled, you will receive a credit on your account that is equal to the amount of the original purchase. The credit can be applied towards a future Winter Wonders date of your choosing.

Lighting

Pathways will be lit however there may be some darker patches. Please take your time and be mindful of your step. Appropriate footwear for walking on gravel pathways and turf are recommended, especially in snowy, wet conditions.

Pets & Service Animals

With the exception of service animals, personal dogs/cats/animals are not permitted during the evening portion of Winter Wonders.

Pets are welcome in RBG’s outdoor spaces between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. so long as they remain leashed. Please be responsible and clean up after your pets.

Accessibility

The experience takes visitors along wide, paved or gravel pathways. For those attending with a wheelchair, walker, or stroller, an outdoor model is recommended. Some benches will be available for those who need them. Accessible parking spaces are available outside RBG Centre. Visitors access the garden through RBG Centre, descending through the Atrium via stairs or an elevator. If you have any further questions about accessibility at this event please contact us by phone (905-527-1158) or use the form at rbg.ca/contact-events.

Terms & Conditions

  • Tickets purchased to RBG special events are final sale and non-refundable. Tickets for this experience can be transferred to someone else if you can no longer attend the experience. Please keep your tickets and confirmation: it is proof of your purchase and allows entry into the experience.
  • Liability: RBG assumes no responsibility for loss or damage to property, or for personal injury or mishap; all activities are at the risk of the participant.
  • Filming/Photography Release: Please be advised that all photos, audio-video, and static images taken at this experience may be used for exhibit, reproduction, and/or distribution for RBG related promotional use, including all forms of print, television advertisement, social media and /or website display. In consideration of your participation as a guest or attendee of this experience, you authorize Royal Botanical Gardens, its legal representatives, suppliers, invited media and assigns unrestricted right and permission to copyright and use such photos and images under their sole discretion. Royal Botanical Gardens, its legal representatives, suppliers, invited media and assigns are released without limitation of any claims for libel or invasion of privacy.
  • By purchasing tickets and participating in this experience on RBG properties, you are agreeing to the above release for yourself, and on behalf of your guests.
  • RBG reserves the right to cancel the event due to inclement weather with little to no notice. If the event is cancelled, you will receive a credit on your account that is equal to the amount of the original purchase. The credit can be applied towards a future Winter Wonders date of your choosing.