Five Things to Do This Thanksgiving Weekend in Hamilton, Burlington and Oakville
Written by Daniel Zareh, REALTOR® — licensed since 2006, serving Hamilton, Stoney Creek, Grimsby, Burlington and Oakville.
Last reviewed October 9, 2026. Every date, time and price below was checked against the venue's own website on October 9. Things change — confirm before you drive.
Thanksgiving weekend is Saturday October 10 through Monday October 12.
There's no shortage of lists telling you to go pick a pumpkin. Fine, but the pumpkin patch is open all month. What follows is different — these are five things that are only on this weekend. Miss them and you wait a year.
One of them closes Saturday night for good. One's a brand new hockey team. I'll give you the times and the prices where the venue publishes them, and I'll tell you where they don't.
1. Rockton World's Fair — ends Monday, and it's the only one all weekend that runs all three days
October 8 to 12, 812 Old Highway 8 in Rockton. That's Flamborough, roughly twenty-five minutes from downtown Hamilton. It's been a Thanksgiving-weekend fair for generations and then it's gone until next October.
Hours from the fair's own site: Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Monday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Rides and midway open at 11 a.m. all three days.
At the gate: $18 adults, $15 seniors 65+, $10 kids 6 to 15, free under five. Sunday family pass is $45 for up to two adults and four kids. Parking's included — they point you to the Kernighan lot off 5th Concession Road West.
Rides, fair food, livestock shows, craft sales and a demolition derby.
2. The Hamilton Hammers are at home Sunday — and this is their first season
Sunday October 11, 3:00 p.m. puck drop, doors at 2:00. TD Coliseum, 101 York Boulevard. Hammers vs the Toronto Marlies, AHL.
If you haven't been following it: professional hockey is back downtown, and this is the opening weekend of the franchise's first season. Their home opener was Friday night. Sunday afternoon is the one that fits a long weekend with family in town — a 3 p.m. start means you're home for dinner.
Tickets are through Ticketmaster and the venue doesn't publish a starting price. One honest flag: the arena's own event page lists the Marlies in the title but its page data mentions a different opponent, so if you're buying specifically to see the Marlies, double-check at checkout.
3. The Last Waltz 50th anniversary in Ancaster — one night
Saturday October 10, 7:30 p.m. Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre, 357 Wilson Street East.
A full nine-piece cast playing The Band's final concert, fifty years on, under musical director Lance Anderson. It's a touring production and Saturday is the Ancaster date — the venue has nothing else on all weekend.
The venue's listing doesn't publish a ticket price, so check the box office. If you've got anyone in the family who grew up on The Weight, this is the easy win of the weekend.
4. ICEMEN closes Saturday at Theatre Burlington — last two performances, full stop
This is the one with a real deadline. Saturday October 10 is the final day: a 2:00 p.m. matinee and a 7:30 p.m. evening show. After that it's done.
Icemen by Vern Thiessen is a Depression-era thriller. A wealthy businessman wakes up tied up in a utility shed, kidnapped by two of his own employees — brothers who harvest ice for a living and are watching refrigeration end their trade while it makes their boss rich. It's the opener of Theatre Burlington's 2026/27 season.
$33 adults, $28 seniors 60+. The Drama Centre, 2311 New Street in Central Park, Burlington. Box office 905-639-7700.
5. Oakville and the Underground Railroad — a walking tour running Saturday and Sunday only
The Oakville Museum is running its Oakville and the Underground Railroad walking tour on Saturday October 10 and Sunday October 11, two sessions each day: 1:00 to 2:30 p.m., or 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. It starts at the museum, 8 Navy Street, down in Old Oakville by the harbour.
Oakville was a terminus on the Underground Railroad and most people who live twenty minutes away have no idea. Ninety minutes on foot through the old town, which is worth walking in October anyway.
The listing doesn't publish a price, and these tours cap out, so book rather than show up.
What about Stoney Creek and Grimsby? I'll be straight with you.
Neither has a one-off event this weekend. I'd rather say that than pad the list.
The nearest thing for Stoney Creek is the Hamilton Fire Department's Thanksgiving Monday open house and food drive — station tours and fire safety, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., free, at participating stations including Stoney Creek. They ran it last Thanksgiving. But I could only find this year's version in a local listings magazine, not on the City's own site, so call your closest station before you take the kids. Bring a non-perishable donation if you go.
Grimsby has nothing until GrimsBOO! on Main Street, October 24. What Grimsby does have this weekend is a downtown that's finally walkable — per the Town's own update, paving on Main Street East and Elm Street is done and Elm is fully open again after a summer of watermain work. Go eat on Main Street while it's easy.
Three more, if none of those fit
These came from a local listings magazine rather than the venues directly, so treat the details as softer:
- Pints and Pages fall book market — Sunday October 11, 12 to 4 p.m., Grain & Grit Beer Co., 11 Ewen Road, Hamilton. Book vendors plus a free book swap.
- Good Shepherd Thanksgiving dinner — Monday October 12, 3:00 to 4:30 p.m., 135 Mary Street, Hamilton. A free holiday meal, open to anyone in the community. Worth knowing about, and worth passing on to someone who needs it.
- Theatre Aquarius Open Studio — Monday October 12, 1 to 3 p.m., free drop-in arts workshops in the lobby at 190 King William Street.
One thing I'd mention, since you're driving around anyway
Long weekends are when people look. You've got family in the car, you're driving through a neighbourhood you don't normally drive through, somebody says "what do houses go for around here?"
If that's you this weekend, send me the street and I'll tell you what's actually sold there lately. Not a city average — the street.
And the flip side, for anyone weighing a listing: the long weekend itself is one of the quietest stretches of the fall for showings. That's worth knowing if you're deciding between listing this week or waiting until after.
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Quick answers
What's actually on Thanksgiving Monday?
Rockton World's Fair, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Good Shepherd community dinner, 3 to 4:30. Theatre Aquarius Open Studio, 1 to 3. And the fire station open houses, if this year's is confirmed.
What closes after this weekend?
ICEMEN at Theatre Burlington ends Saturday night, and Rockton World's Fair ends Monday. The Last Waltz in Ancaster and the Hammers game are single dates.
Anything free?
The Good Shepherd dinner, Theatre Aquarius Open Studio, the fire station open houses, and the book swap at Pints and Pages.
What if I just want a walk?
Albion Falls and Felker's Falls on the Stoney Creek side, or the Devil's Punchbowl lookout. Worth knowing that Dundas Peak, Tew's Falls, Webster Falls and the Spencer Gorge hike all need a reservation right now through the Hamilton Conservation Authority — that runs September 26 to November 8, so you can't just show up.
Thinking about a move, or just curious what your place is worth?
Send me your address and I'll come back with three things. What's sold on or near your street in the last ninety days. What your place would realistically list for, as a range. And what you'd net after costs.
If the answer is that this isn't your year to move, I'll say that too. A long weekend is a good time to think about it and a bad time to rush it.
Call or text 416-276-0052 Email: daniel@zarehhomes.com
Or send me your address in the form below and I'll put it together.
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- Homes for sale in Burlington — pocket by pocket
Daniel Zareh is a licensed REALTOR® with over 20 years of experience serving Hamilton, Stoney Creek, Grimsby, Burlington, Oakville and Mississauga. Event dates, times and prices are the venues' and change without notice — confirm with the venue before you travel. Nothing on this list is sponsored and I have no affiliation with any of it.
Curious what your street's actually doing?
Send me your address and I'll come back with what's sold on or near your street in the last ninety days, what your place would realistically list for as a range, and what you'd net after costs. If this isn't your year to move, I'll say that too.