Winter RMOW festivals, events & animation

Explore & Experience Whistler 

Look for lighting displays, educational animation and beautiful photo ops within Whistler Village, starting in December to the end of March.

Whistler Village Festive lighting

Stroll through Whistler Village to view the festive lighting. Between December and March there are up to 350,000 LED bulbs in total with approximately 6,500 strands of lights. The lights celebrate the short days of winter under Whistler’s dramatic dark skies. 

And if you are looking for something extra special, seek out the giant woodland creatures who made Rebagliati Park their home! And you find more of our forest friends nestled inside Florence Petersen Park until the end of March. 

Go Whistler Tours: Self-Guided Tours

Get more out of your Whistler vacation with Go Whistler Tours, brought to you by Tourism Whistler and the Resort Municipality of Whistler. These curated tours guide you to unique experiences and locations throughout our resort, from art galleries to nature walks, and help you adventure more deeply in Whistler. Among the many tours to choose from, the Festive Lights Displays tour is now in session. Access the tours here. 

Performer | Artist | Supplier applications
Local performers, artists, and entertainers wishing to be involved in the Explore & Experience program, please complete the following application: Performer | Artist | Supplier application and contact.

Afterglow

Dates: December 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30 

Time: 2 – 5 p.m.

Locations: Whistler Olympic Plaza, Whistler Town Plaza Gazebo

Cost: Free

Bundle up to celebrate the festive season with an unmissable outdoor experience filled with glowing lights, warm beverages, a creative zone to make your own ornament for adults & kids, live entertainment and so much more!

Whistler Olympic Plaza Snow Zone

The frosty fun will be back when the snow flies.

Wintersphere, A Whistler Winter Celebration

Dates: Saturday, December 17 - Saturday, December 31. (Closed December 25).

Hours of operation: 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. *December 31: Noon – 8 p.m.

Location: Whistler Conference Centre

Cost: Free!

The ultimate winter wonderland experience awaits you this holiday season. Wintersphere will once again celebrate this magical time of year with festive activities for the entire family! Join us in the heart of the mountains for visits with Santa, entertainers, a holiday café, kids' crafts, Wintersphere's signature holiday maze, and much more. This spectacular festive pop-up has become a true holiday favorite for many locals & visitors. We look forward to celebrating the coziest time of year with you in the heart of Whistler Village! 

Café:  11-3 p.m. daily

Celebrate New Year's Eve in Whistler Village

December 31

Ring in the New Year in Whistler Village at a free celebration of lights, sounds, and activities. 

The schedule of events is coming soon.

Previous initiatives by the Festivals, Events, and Animation Department.

Whistler's Moving Meadows - Planted Poetry and Art Display

Whistler artists, writers and residents came together to create Whistler’s Moving Meadow; an artistic and heartfelt tribute to the beauty of Whistler and the resilience of our community. The display showcases local art in the form of painted evergreen trees and planted poetry tributes that spring from the ground. 

You can download a colouring page and share on Instagram with the hashtag #mywhistler.

Whistler's Moving Meadows downloadables: Colour your own tree  and Colour your own flower.

Whistler Has Heart Auction

To thank our community and essential workers for their strength, support and kindness to one another; the Whistler Has Heart Project brought together local artists and residents to paint hearts as a show of love for our community. 

Featured works by: Andrea Mueller, Ben Poechman, Carly Blackburn, Cary Lopez, Chantelle Pellerin, Dave "Pepe" Petko, Helen Wojick, Kate Zessel, Kris Kups, Liz Thompson, Natasha Plumridge, Siobahn Joseph, Stan Matwychuck, Taka Sudo, Vanessa Stark, and more! 

All proceeds from the auction went towards supporting the Whistler Health Care Foundation and the work they do to keep our community safe and healthy. 

Experience Whistler at Home | Music & Art

When live art and music were not permitted, the RMOW supported local artists and musicians through the Experience Whistler at Home initiative. 

Local artists painted wooden trees from their home and created short videos to share their experience with the Whistler community. Local musicians also provided a small piece of original music for the social media videos. It was a perfect collaboration and provided a small work opportunity for artists and musicians that would normally be hired for our winter animation program. 

Please share the videos, if you can, to show your support for Whistler’s local artists and musicians. 

YouTube Playlist