Hanukkah 2026 in York Region
First candle: Friday, December 4, 2026, before sundown
Public menorah lightings, latkes and dreidel games in Vaughan, Thornhill, Richmond Hill and Markham over the eight nights.
Last reviewed October 26, 2026 by the York Happening editorial team.
The first candle is lit before sundown on Friday, December 4, 2026, and the eighth night falls on Friday, December 11. In past years, the City of Vaughan has held a public menorah lighting at City Hall with Rabbi Mendel Kaplan of Chabad Flamingo. Each lighting goes on this page once its host confirms the 2026 date. Below that, find Chanukah programs from our York calendar.
Browse events by city: Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, King Township, Markham, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Stouffville, Vaughan.
Menorah Lightings Confirmed in York Region
No York Region host had posted a public 2026 menorah lighting when we last checked. We add each one here once the organizer confirms it.
Chanukah Programs in Our York Calendar
From the York Happening events calendar, updated daily.
Hanukkah Storytime (All Ages) Free, Drop-in
Whitchurch-Stouffville Public Library · 10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
Hanukkah in York Region: Questions and Answers
When is Hanukkah in 2026?
Hanukkah begins at sundown on Friday, December 4, 2026 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12. Because the first night is a Friday, the first candle is lit before sundown, ahead of Shabbat.
How is the menorah lit?
One candle is lit on the first night, and one more is added on each night after it, so all eight burn on the last night. Families also say special prayers when they light it.
What foods and games go with Hanukkah?
Fried foods are traditional, above all latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (doughnuts). Playing dreidel is part of the holiday too.
Is Hanukkah a statutory holiday in Ontario?
No. Hanukkah is not one of the nine public holidays under Ontario's Employment Standards Act, so employers do not have to give time off for it.
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