An annual winter tradition, the award-winning Niagara Falls WINTER FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS, Canada’s largest and longest running FREE outdoor light Festival celebrates a milestone 40th Anniversary with a new Hot Chocolate Trail kicking off 101 Twinkling Nights on Saturday, November 12, 2022 and throughout the Festival.
Hot chocolate lovers will be able to warm up with a hot beverage while exploring the Niagara Falls WINTER FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS.
This new self-guided trail leads you to all the delicious chocolatey concoctions created by chocolatiers, chefs and mixologists at some of the excellent restaurants and bake shops across Niagara Falls.
20+ Unique Flavors On The Hot Chocolate Trail
From classic combinations with mint, orange and s’mores to inventive cocktails like a Velvet Kiss or a Dirty Snowman featuring unique homemade ingredients like flavored marshmallows and even eyeball gummies – this year’s Hot Chocolate Trail has 17 stops with 23 unique flavors to sip and savor (both non-alcoholic and alcoholic options):
Signature Rich and Creamy with Marshmallows*
BeaverTails (Clifton Hill)
Christmas Chocolate Holly***
Nonalcoholic: Whipped Cream, Sprinkles, Candy Cane
Alcoholic: Whipped Cream, Nutmeg Sprinkled, Cherry and mystery spice alcohol.
Coco’s Terrace Steak House
Dulce de Leche with Mini Churros*: Dulce De Leche Hot Chocolate & Mini Churros. Dulce de Leche and cinnamon flavoured hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and caramel drizzle. Served with a bag of cinnamon sugar mini churros
District 11 (Hilton Hotel & Suites)
Cocoa Buie**: Drambuie, hot milk, hot cocoa mix, cinnamon, whipped cream
The Screw-dolph**: Screwball Peanut Butter Whiskey, Peppermint Schnapps, hot chocolate, topped with whipped cream
Doc Magilligan’s Irish Pub
Bulleit Bourbon Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate**
Great Room (Marriott on the Falls)
Candy Cane Hot Chocolate*: Candy Cane hot chocolate with crushed candy cane and a candy cane flavoured Hershey’s Kiss on top of whipped Cream
Hershey’s Chocolate World
Amarula Cream Hot Chocolate**: Amarula Cream, Hot Chocolate topped with whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon
Jamesons Pub & Cocktail Bar
Oreo Mint**: Hot chocolate with crème de menthe and Kettle One vodka
Lobby Bar (Marriott Fallsview)
Peppermint Hot Chocolate*
Whiskey Hot Chocolate**: Black Cherry Bourbon Whiskey, topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Our version of a Black Forest Cake hand crafted beverage!
Moose & Squirrel (DoubleTree Fallsview)
S’mores Hot Chocolate***
Clifton Family Restaurant
Mint Hot Chocolate***: Rum and mint liqueur garnished with candy cane crumble
Christmas Chocolate Orange***: Chocolate liqueur, orange extract and rum, garnished with an orange peel
Niagara Distillery
Chocolate Orange*: Chocolate Orange with real whipped cream garnished with candied orange
Niagara Vines Lobby Bar (Sheraton Fallsview)
Hot Berry Blast*: Strawberry syrup I White Hot Chocolate made with 10% Cream Topped with Whipped Cream I Grenadine drizzle Crowned Sweetish Berry
Velvet Kiss**: Chambord Raspberry Liquor I Bailey’s Almond Cream I White Hot Chocolate made with 10% Cream I Finished with Whipped Cream Grenadine drizzle I Raspberry Dust Crowned with a Hershey Kiss +
Old Stone Inn Boutique Hotel
Roasted Marshmallow*: Homemade roasted marshmallow hot chocolate
Irish Cream*: Hazelnut hot chocolate and lavender hot chocolate
Red Ganache Bake Shop
Ripley’s Hot Shock-o-late*: Hot cocoa, whipped cream, candy eyeballs and marshmallows, pop rocks, chocolate “Shock” rocks, and an eyeball gummy on a stick
Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
Salted Caramel*: A salted caramel flavoured hot chocolate, topped with whipped cream, drizzled with caramel sauce and finished with a dash of Kosher salt
Dirty Snowman**: Baileys, Creme De Cacao and Vodka mixed with hot chocolate, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and finished with a sprinkle of hot chocolate powder
Ruby Tuesday
Spiked Hot Chocolate**: Wayne Gretzky Cream Liqueur, Kahlua Hot Chocolate Topped with whipped cream
Table Rock House Restaurant
A full menu of items can be found at wfol.com
*Nonalcoholic options average $3 and up to $9 each
**Alcoholic hot chocolate creations average $9 and up to $16 each
***Available in both alcoholic and nonalcoholic versions
Niagara Falls Tourism
Niagara Falls Ontario Winter Festival of Lights Details
DATES: November 12, 2022 – February 20, 2023
While sipping your way around the Hot Chocolate Trail be sure to enjoy the 3+ million lights and 75+ spectacular displays the transform Niagara Falls into an incredible winter wonderland.
Drive or bundle up and walk through NEW displays and themed illumination areas, including the Royal Promenade, Frosted Falls, Enchanted Forest, and Great Canadian North with downloadable maps for planning.
Niagara Falls Tourism
40 nights of FREE indoor family entertainment featuring top children’s performers on weekends and throughout the December holiday period. From magicians and musicians to juggler and face painters, the Festival’s indoor entertainment kicks off on November 12th. Visit the Crowne Plaza Fallsview Hotel for a full schedule of live performers and head to the Americana Waterpark Resort & Spa for face painters, balloon twisters, glitter tattoos and more.
40 nights of breathtaking fireworks celebrating 40 Years of the Festival
Niagara Falls Tourism
NEW Falls Illumination program celebrating four decades of Winter Sparkling Lights featured each night of the Festival
Plus two new experiences in 2022: A special Voyage to the Falls Niagara City Cruises – New Holiday Season Cruise AND The first Niagara Helicopters Winter Nights and Lights Experience.
There is so much to enjoy during the festival that you’re going to want to stay a night or two. Find hotel details here.
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