Magic fills the air at Sun Peaks during the holiday season. From holiday lights twinkling through snow-laden trees to Christmas carols floating through the air, holiday traditions are created and enjoyed at Canada’s second-largest ski resort. Don’t miss these festive experiences at Sun Peaks this holiday season.

Holiday Kick-Off Weekend

Kick start your holidays with a trip to Sun Peaks from December 14–16, for the 2018 Holiday Kick-Off Weekend. The fun starts on Friday night at the family-friendly Village Tree Lighting and then keeps going late into the night at the adults-only Ugly Sweater Contest and Party at Morrisey’s Public House.

On Saturday, don’t miss the Holiday Artisan Market. “The Artisan Market is a must-do holiday event,” says Janice Hoppenrays, Manager of Events at Tourism Sun Peaks. “Every vendor makes, bakes, or grows the products they are selling at the market.”

Once you have your fill of handcrafted delights, check out the Association De Francophone’s free maple taffy station at Clock Tower Square. “The Association sets up a table and covers it in snow,” explains Hoppenrays. “They pour maple taffy onto the snow and then wrap the candy onto popsicle sticks. It is delicious.”

Other holiday festivities during the Holiday Kick-Off Weekend include outdoor photos with Santa for both children (on Saturday) and pets (on Sunday). A snowcat groomer will be on display all weekend, and a free ornament making station is hosted by the Girl Scouts of Canada. The Sun Peaks Stables will be offering sleigh rides, and don’t miss caroling with the Desert Sounds Harmony Chorus. If you're looking for an action-packed holiday weekend, this is it!

Activities With Santa

With Christmas just a few days away, Santa takes a break from his last-minute preparations to visit Sun Peaks. From December 22-24, 2018, Santa will be on the slopes, on the ice rink, and eating breakfast with families throughout the resort.

The fun begins on December 22 with Skating with Santa, an on-ice event featuring music, hot chocolate, and plenty of Santa’s helpers gliding on skates. On December 23, Santa will spend the morning skiing laps on 5 Mile Run and invites families to meet at the top of the Starburst chairlift to join him. That evening he’ll be settled into Sun Peaks Grand Hotel's Main Lobby at 7:30pm to read the classic story “The Night Before Christmas,” then eating breakfast on Christmas Eve morning at Masa’s Bar + Grill.

If you’re hitting the slopes and want to do as the locals do, take a break from skiing and line up at the newly renovated Starburst Bar + Eatery for a cinnamon roll fresh out of the oven. Located mid-mountain near the top of the Sunburst Express list, the Starburst Bar + Grill serves Sun Peaks’ world-famous cinnamon rolls, and they are sure to sell out. “They do go very quickly,” says Hoppenrays. “The locals know to line up to snatch one when they come out of the oven at 10:00am.”

New Year’s Eve

Once the excitement of Christmas has passed, the festivities continue at Sun Peaks. New Year’s Eve is the biggest night of the year at the resort, and celebrations abound for both families and adults.

After a day on the slopes, children will want to swing by Guest Services to register for the Glow Stick Parade, taking place on the Sunbeam Run at 7:45pm. Then, at 8:00pm, skiers and riders 14 years old and up can take part in a much-loved Sun Peaks tradition: the Torchlight Parade down the Sundance ski run. Registration is limited to 200 participants, and parental signatures are required for any skier or rider under 19. A fireworks extravaganza follows the Torchlight Parade. For the best place to watch the Glow Stick Parade, Torchlight Parade, and Fireworks show, head to the base of the Sundance Express Chairlift.

To celebrate until midnight, check out one of Sun Peaks’ plentiful New Year’s Eve parties. “Many different venues around Sun Peaks put on New Year’s Eve parties,” says Hoppenrays. “They are ticketed events, and most venues serve appetizers and have a champagne toast at midnight.”

From the plentiful powder coating the slopes to the warm scent of fresh baking, there is no better place to celebrate the joy of the holidays than the snowy wonderland of Sun Peaks. Come join in the excitement of the season, and make a new tradition that your family will enjoy year after year.