The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir opens the month with Festival of Carols on December 1, 2 and 3. It is at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge Street. Jean-Sébastien Vallée conducts. The programme mixes traditional carols and festive works with a new commission, and the concert invites you to sing along to cherished carols.
Culture DeskList
Christmas Concerts in Toronto: A Dated List of Ensembles
Eleven December 2026 concerts from Toronto's orchestras, choirs and cathedrals, in date order, each linked to its own page, plus one free noon-hour treat.
December in Toronto sounds like brass, voices and a very full coat check.
The city’s music calendar fills up fast once the first carol is sung, so we sorted it for you. Think of this page as a month of musical plans you can mark on the fridge calendar and revisit as the dates get closer.
This list sticks to the city’s orchestras, choirs and cathedrals, and every date comes from the ensemble’s own 2026 page. It runs in date order, so you can plan a month of music. Showtimes and ticket details live on each page, so click through before you book. Looking for more of the season? Start with our Christmas in Toronto guide.
Which Christmas concerts are on in Toronto in December 2026?
Eleven, from December 1 to December 20. Here they are in order.
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra presents Elf in Concert from December 3 to December 6. It plays at Roy Thomson Hall. The TSO sets up the story this way: Buddy was accidentally transported to the North Pole as a toddler and raised among Santa’s elves. Our pick for a first concert with younger family members.
On Sunday, December 6, the Toronto Choral Society performs Haydn’s St. Nicholas Day, Bach’s Advent Cantata BWV 140, and a selection of contemporary carols and singalongs. The venue is Koerner Hall. A good fit if you like your Christmas music with some Baroque polish.
The TSO’s holiday announcement, dated August 27, 2026, lists TSO Holiday Pops: A Celtic Celebration at Roy Thomson Hall on Wednesday, December 9 and Thursday, December 10. That announcement is the link above, so check the TSO site for the latest on this one.
The Elmer Iseler Singers perform Handel’s Messiah on Friday, December 11, at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. They are joined by the Amadeus Choir and VIVA Singers Toronto, with Lydia Adams conducting.
On Saturday, December 12, St. James Cathedral presents Messiah. The Choirs of St. James Cathedral and Trinity College, U of T perform with the Orchestra of St. James, and Thomas Bell conducts. The cathedral is at 106 King Street East.
The Toronto Children’s Chorus holds Songs of the Season: Peace & Joy on December 13 at Roy Thomson Hall. Young voices, big hall: we think it is the gentlest start to the season on this list.
The TSO’s newsroom lists Messiah at Roy Thomson Hall from Tuesday, December 15 to Sunday, December 20. The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir sings, and Ivor Bolton conducts. The TSO calls it Toronto’s grand holiday tradition, filled with soaring choruses and seasonal joy.
Tafelmusik performs Handel Messiah at Koerner Hall on December 17, 18 and 19, directed by Ivars Taurins. Tafelmusik says it would not be the holiday season without its Messiah.
The free one. Roy Thomson Hall offers a free noon-hour choir and organ series, and on Friday, December 18 the Elmer Iseler Singers perform with organist Shawn Grenke. Guests are asked to reserve tickets through the venue’s event page. The programme features the hall’s Gabriel Kney pipe organ, and the hall is at 60 Simcoe Street. If you want Christmas music on a lunch break, this is it.
Tafelmusik closes the list on December 20 with its Sing-Along Messiah at Massey Hall. The invitation is open to avid singers, occasional crooners and anyone who would rather listen along.
Which Christmas concerts suit families?
Two stand out for younger listeners. Elf in Concert is billed by the TSO as a film with live orchestra, with the full film on the big screen. It is built around a story kids may already know, and it runs December 3 to 6. The Toronto Children’s Chorus fills Roy Thomson Hall with young voices on December 13. Everything else on the list is a choral or orchestral concert that works best for older children who can sit through a longer programme, which is a decision only you can make for your own family.
Which Christmas concert is free?
One on this list is free: the noon-hour choir and organ concert at Roy Thomson Hall on December 18. Free here means no ticket price, not no planning, because guests are asked to reserve a place through the venue. Reserve early, then treat it as a lunch-break outing. We would pair it with a walk to the nearby waterfront afterwards.
How do I plan a month of concerts?
Our advice, as opinion rather than rule: pick one big night, one small one and one sing-along. The big night might be a Messiah in a concert hall. The small one could be a carol concert in a church, where the sound carries differently. The sing-along is the one where you stop being an audience member and join in. Book the big night first, and leave the free noon-hour concert for a weekday when you can slip away. Share the plan with whoever is coming, and put the dates in your calendar today.
How do I choose?
Match the mood. Want to sing? Pick the Sing-Along Messiah or the carol concert. Want a film night with a live orchestra? Elf in Concert. Want the full oratorio? Five Messiah concerts sit between December 11 and December 20, so you can compare casts and venues. Travelling with children? Our kids’ Christmas events list has more, and the free holiday events roundup covers the budget-friendly end. Prefer ballet to choirs? Try The Nutcracker.
Send this to the friend you would bring, then pick the Messiah that fits your calendar.
Sources (11)
- Elf in Concert, Toronto Symphony Orchestra
- Put a Little Music Under the Tree with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra
- Messiah, Toronto Symphony Orchestra
- Festival of Carols, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir
- 2026-2027 Concerts, Toronto Choral Society
- Handel's Messiah 2026, Elmer Iseler Singers
- Roy Thomson Hall Choir and Organ Concert, Elmer Iseler Singers
- Messiah 2026, St. James Cathedral
- Songs of the Season: Peace & Joy, Toronto Children's Chorus
- Handel Messiah, Tafelmusik
- Sing-Along Messiah, Tafelmusik
Spotted something out of date? Let us know.
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“Saving this for December: Toronto's Christmas concerts in date order, from carols to Messiah, with the free one flagged.”
