What’s Closed & Open Thanksgiving 2024 in Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Niagara Region

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Published October 8, 2024 at 11:12 am

Niagara falls over

This year, Thanksgiving falls on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in Niagara Falls, St. Catharines and the rest of the Niagara Region.

While American Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November every year, in Canada we celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October. This is because the Canadian Thanksgiving is closely linked to the harvest festival that is more familiar in the UK.

However, historians actually have a more specific event in mind when it comes to Canadian Thanksgiving. As the story goes, in 1578, English explorer Martin Frobisher and his crew gave thanks, and communion was observed, either on land at Frobisher Bay in present-day Nunavut or onboard a ship anchored there.

The explorers dined on salt beef, biscuits, and mushy peas and gave thanks through Communion for their safe arrival in Newfoundland. This is now accepted as the first “Canadian” Thanksgiving, 43 years before the first “American” Thanksgiving.

Since they are designated tourist areas and exempt from holidays, nearly every major centre in Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake will likely be open.

What’s Open:

  • The Smart Centre in Niagara Falls and the Canada One Mall in Niagara Falls
  • The Outlet Collection in Niagara-on-the-Lake
  • Restaurants throughout Niagara, but call ahead to be sure (especially since many restaurants choose to close on Mondays as part of their regular hours)
  • Some smaller grocery stores, but call ahead
  • Movie theatres
  • Shopper’s Drug Mart stores, as well as convenience stores and gas stations
  • Craft breweries in the Niagara Region that are traditionally open on Mondays will be open on Thanksgiving. They include: Bench Brewing, 3991 King St, Beamsville; Lock Street Brewing, 15 Lock St, St. Catharines; Silversmith Brewing, 1523 Niagara Stone Rd, Virgil; Niagara Oast House Brewing, 2017 Niagara Stone Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake; The Exchange Brewery, 7 Queen St, Niagara-on-the-Lake; Niagara College Teaching Brewery, 135 Taylor Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake; Counterpart Brewing, 3659 Stanley Ave, Niagara Falls; Niagara Brewing, 4915-A Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls; Blackburn Brew House, 8001 Blackburn Pkwy, Niagara Falls; Gretzky Estate Beer/Wine, 1219 Niagara Stone Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake
  • Restaurant/brewery The Merchant Ale House, 98 St Paul S, in St. Catharines
  • Most of the 65-plus area wineries are expected to be open, but call ahead to be sure.
  • Niagara Falls tourist attractions such as Bird Kingdom, The Fun House, Niagara City Cruises, Clifton Hill Entertainment, Niagara Falls Fun Zone and Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
  • Wine Rack locations across the region

What’s Closed

  • The Pen Centre and Fairview Mall in St. Catharines. However, the Landmark Cinema at the Pen Centre is open
  • Non-emergency municipal services, including all town and city halls
  • Federal and provincial government offices
  • Canada Post (no mail pickup or delivery)
  • Most major grocery stores will be closed
  • LCBO and Beer Store locations will be closed

Transit

  • Niagara Falls Public Transit, Welland Public Transit and St. Catharine Public Transit will all be on holiday schedules
  • The Niagara Inter-Municipal Transit Service, which operates a region-wide transit system, with stops in St. Catharines, Welland, Niagara Falls, Port Colborne, Thorold and Fort Erie, will all be on holiday schedules
  • GO Transit will run on a Saturday schedule

Garbage

  • There will be no garbage pickup on Oct. 14. All pickups will be one day later.
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