Help Explore 613 Light Up Ottawa and beyond: Add Your Display to the 2024 Holiday Lights Map!

Looking for Christmas Light Shows and the Best Christmas Decorations? You found the 2024 Holiday Map that will guide you to them all over Ottawa, The Valley, the entire 613 and 819!

The holidays are all about community, joy, and the magic of twinkling lights! Since 2019, here at Explore 613, I’ve had a very festive tradition of making the Holiday Lights Map. This interactive 2024 Christmas Light & Festive Activity guide highlights the best holiday displays across the entire 613, from classic decorations to dazzling light shows.

And here’s where you come in—your home could be part of this much-loved tradition! Whether you’re known for your candy-cane walkway, glittering trees, or stunning rooftop reindeer, sharing your display is easy. Simply visit this link to add your location and details by clicking “add point” directly on the 2024 LIGHTS MAP! Yes, that is correct, the form is NO MORE!

This is an interactive, collaborative map - you need to add your address and display photos, as I simply cannot find all the lights alone!

• I kindly ask that you stick to adding your OWN addresses, as I cannot verify every house that is added, or if the owner wants their house to be on public display. If you know the neighbour - you can ask them or simply direct them to my website and tell them so many people would enjoy their efforts!

• However, if you DO find your house on this map and you DO NOT want it on the map, please send me an email immediately at wicked@explore613.ca and I will have it removed promptly.
  
  
  

Why Should You Participate?

1. Celebrate the Community: Join neighbours in creating an enchanting experience for everyone to enjoy.

2. Share the Holiday Spirit: Showcase your creativity and spread cheer across Ottawa!

3. Be a Destination: Tens of Thousands of residents and visitors use our map each year to plan their festive tours.

How to Add Your Display

1. Click here.

2. Click on “Add Point” on the Explore 613 Holiday Lights Map for 2024, and provide your location, a description of your display, and any unique features.

3. Upload photos to inspire visitors. You can also embed video links in the description.

4. Wait for me to approve it! (Please do not submit again and again, it sometimes takes me 24 hours to approve points!)

5. Check your email! You will receive an email immediately after submitting from my page at proxi (Jessi @ Explore 613 contact@proxi.co) with a LINK to edit or delete your submission. So you can make any edits or add more info/photos to your submission ANYTIME! Do not share this link ;)

6. If your submission isn’t appearing on the map within 24 hours, please send me an email at wicked@explore613.ca and I will look into it :)
   
   
   
   

We encourage all types of displays, from traditional light strings to elaborate themes. There’s room for everyone to shine! Don’t forget to share the map with friends and neighbours to make this year’s map even more vibrant.

On the Ottawa & Beyond 2024 Holiday Events & Christmas Lights Map

Here are the symbols and their meanings:

• * * * Listings with GLOWING RED CIRCLES * * * - each spot with a RED circle around it, is FUNDRAISING (most are donate if you can, not required)
  
  

• PURPLE GLOWING ORNAMENT: Details about Explore 613, including links to the website, contact info and my socials.

• CHRISTMAS TREE: Places to buy a real Christmas Tree: Christmas Tree Farms & Lots

• CANDY CANE: The Famous Taffy Lane of Orleans - read up some tips here before you go: Taffy Lane Feature

• LIGHT STRING: Christmas Lights Only - beautiful display of lights

• RED CHRISTMAS BULB: Elaborate Displays - full house & lawn completely decorated with lights and inflatables, full streets decorated and lit up, & themed over-the-top Christmas and Holiday displays aka “that house”

• STAR SYMBOL: Paid Holiday Event or Attraction (paid entry, tickets, or reservation required)

• SANTA: FREE Festivities! Places you may find Santa visits, Parades, Christmas Markets etc (these are mostly free to attend, but may have paid activities and goods at the event (Photo with Santa, Skating Rink, Sleigh Rides etc)

• GINGERBREAD COOKIE: Albertini’s CHEO Christmas Home of Lights in Rockland (previously of Elderberry Terrace in Orleans!)
  

If none of these categories suit your home, display, or event, and you would like your own dedicated symbol on the 2024 Holidays 613 Map, contact me (Jessi!) here: wicked@explore613.ca to discuss the options BEFORE adding your home, display, or event. :)

Also - if you are posting pics of your house, your event, or houses on the map while you tour around - PLEASE tag the Explore 613 socials - and I will gladly share them or repost them to all our #Holidays613 Map followers!

Socials are here:

Final Note from Jessi:

Explore613 is accepting all holiday houses & displays from anywhere with a 613 or 819 area code.

*IMPORTANT: We would love to see all lit up homes added to the map not just elaborate ones - pretty glistening lights in the dark of winter put just as many smiles on faces as huge displays. Upload a photo on the form and people can decide if they want to make it part of their tour. I add every single house that is submitted, not just the “most decorated in the neighbourhood” - that is why we have categories and photos ❤️

Explore 613 wants to see them all. Just like my 613 Halloween Map - if you submit your house, you are added to the map. If you added lights on a beautiful tree in your yard, or you are the only house on the block with lights, an extravagant radio light show synced to Christmas Tunes, inflatables are taking over your yard, the most magical themed Holiday Home, or just a simple classy Christmas Light set up - my Holidays 613 map wants them all. If you have decorations or lights up for anything you may celebrate this winter season - I’d love to see it. My page and map may be Christmas-forward, but I would be so happy to include and enjoy all holidays and celebrations.

This is a great opportunity to go explore your neighbourhood, or discover new ones. Load up the car with hot chocolate and holiday cookies, and take a drive with friends, loved ones, or the entire family to tour some of the most beautiful Christmas Displays and Holiday Homes in all of the 613.

We started these maps a few years ago and they have grown significantly, thanks to all of you. We are always trying to break the barrier that this isn’t only for Ottawa. It’s for anyone with a 613 or 819 Area Code: Aylmer, Gatineau, Quebec, Carleton Place, Almonte, Cornwall, Arnprior, Rockland, Pembroke, Perth, Lanark, Gananoque, Brockville, Osgoode, Carp, Smiths Falls, Kingston etc - submit it, we love the opportunity to explore beyond the Ottawa border and visit new areas, checking out local stores and cafes along the way. It’s all about supporting local. So adding and expanding this map is helping out your neighbours & their local businesses as well.

Happy EggNog Season (FarmBoy’s is the best BTW!)

Let’s light up Ottawa together and make this holiday season the most magical yet! ✨

Jessi 🖤

Head Elf at Explore 613

If you would like to support the map, or buy our family a hot chocolate for our tours: