Christmas village coming to Canadian Museum of History next Christmas

Plans have been unveiled for a new Gatineau Christmas Village at the Canadian Museum of History. The $2 million attraction will open in December 2026.

A new Christmas attraction will be coming to the National Capital Region next year.

The Gatineau Christmas Village will be set up near the Canadian Museum of History in December 2026.

CinqDixQuinze and Orkestra, the group behind Festival Parasol, formerly the Gatineau beer festival Festibière, says the planned, $2-million attraction will include a 92-foot illuminated Christmas tree, an outdoor cinema, a miniature train that tours the museum grounds, a cookie factory, a hot chocolate station, and, of course, Santa Claus.

“With its first edition, scheduled for December 2026, the Christmas Village plans to welcome more than 40,000 visitors, generating significant benefits for the region’s economy and reputation. This regional commitment is part of a desire to position the National Capital Region as a must-visit winter destination in Canada,” a news release said.

The project is receiving funding from the Quebec and federal governments. The Quebec Ministry of Tourism is providing $650,000, while Canada Economic Development is investing $250,000.

“The concept behind the Christmas Village is to have a lot of activities, especially for young families,” said Alexandre Van Dieren, co-founder of CinqDixQuinze and Orkestra. “The masterpiece is an artificial 92-foot Christmas tree where you can go inside with a hot chocolate factory. Probably room for 50 to 70 people inside there.”

Canadian Museum of History President and CEO Caroline Dromaguet says it’s hard not to get excited about the idea.

“It will be an amazing opportunity for us to really, you know, take advantage of winter. I mean, there’s always a lot to do in this region outside in the summer, in the fall. But as we heard earlier this morning, it’s really also about enjoying our wonderful season, which is winter. And this is yet another way of doing that,” she said.

CinqDixQuinze expects to attract 40,000 people to visit the Christmas village in its inaugural year.

“Outaouais Tourism is really proud to support this event because that will give us a lot of economic impact in our city, in our region, for our local economy, our local businesses,” said Outaouais Tourism CEO Genevieve Latulippe.

Organizers say entry will be free for children. The price for adults hasn’t been set but will be less than $20, according to organizers. The Christmas village will run from Dec. 10, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Dave Charbonneau

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