Penticton sits on a narrow strip of land between two lakes, Okanagan Lake to the north and Skaha Lake to the south. Once the summer beach crowds leave, the waterfront turns calm and the town settles into gallery shows, community theatre and a big holiday parade. These Penticton date ideas focus on art, history, trails and festive nights from November into the new year.
Small Squares and Big Views at the Lakeside Gallery
Penticton Art Gallery: Right on the shore at 199 Marina Way, the gallery is hosting Square One until December 17, 2026, a show and sale of 12 by 12 inch works, each under $500. Wander the wall of little squares together and each pick a piece the other would never expect. Briar Craig's Conversations runs in the Creekside Gallery until January 15, 2027. Hours are Tuesday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and adult admission is $10, with seniors and students paying $5.
A Sternwheeler Story on Two Sites
Penticton Museum and Archives: The city museum at 785 Main Street began in 1954 aboard a retired sternwheeler before moving to its current home beside the library in 1965. Its founding collection came from Reg Atkinson, a First World War veteran who had gathered antiques and artefacts since the early 1920s and became the museum's first curator. Today it opens Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed on statutory holidays, and asks only a small suggested donation of $2 per adult. It is a relaxed rainy-day stop that costs almost nothing.
S.S. Sicamous: The restored sternwheeler that once held that first museum still sits on the waterfront. Its posted fall hours end on October 31 and no winter schedule is up yet, so plan to admire it from the lakeshore path and look at the hours page before counting on a tour. When it does reopen, look for the huge scale model of the Kettle Valley Railway on the cargo deck.
Off-Season Miles Toward Naramata
Kettle Valley Rail Trail: This old rail bed climbs gently above Okanagan Lake toward Naramata. Start at the end of the Vancouver Place cul-de-sac, off Vancouver Avenue, and walk as far as feels right before turning back; the full route to Naramata is 20.6 km. Cyclists can ride the whole round trip in about four hours, so a pair of bikes turns it into a half-day adventure. The views over the water reward even a short stretch, and the steady grade leaves plenty of breath for conversation.
Holiday Mayhem at Many Hats
Every Christmas Story Ever Told (and Then Some!): Many Hats Theatre's holiday comedy follows three actors who refuse to do A Christmas Carol one more time and instead race through every Christmas tale they can remember, from the Grinch to Frosty. Expect wild costumes and quick-fire sketches. The theatre has not posted performance dates on its own page yet, so check there before you plan the night.
Floats, Lights and a Tunnel of Glow
Magic on Main Street: On Sunday, November 29, 2026, dozens of floats roll down Main Street in the Santa Claus Parade from 4:30 p.m., ending at Gyro Park. The official light-up follows there at 6 p.m., with a 180-foot light tunnel and a giant light brite display to explore. Walking through the tunnel hand in hand is the moment to save for a photo. This season the City is also installing a 40-foot light tree in Rotary Park, with sites around it for winter-themed displays by local businesses, which gives you a second glowing stop for a later walk. Main Street closes to traffic from 3 p.m., so take the free shuttle from Cherry Lane Shopping Centre, which loops every 15 minutes from 4 to 7:20 p.m.
Sample Date Itineraries
1. Lakeshore Saturday: Square One at the art gallery from 10:30 a.m. → a stroll along the water past the S.S. Sicamous → the museum on Main Street before it closes at 5 p.m.
2. Trail morning and town afternoon: An out-and-back on the Kettle Valley Rail Trail from Vancouver Place → lunch downtown → a gallery visit before 4:30 p.m. on a weekday.
3. Parade Sunday on November 29: The shuttle from Cherry Lane around 4 p.m. → the Santa Claus Parade on Main Street at 4:30 p.m. → the light-up and light tunnel at Gyro Park at 6 p.m.
Pro Tips for Memorable Dates
The art gallery is closed Sundays, Mondays, November 11 and from December 24 to January 4.
Move your car off downtown Main Street by 2:30 p.m. on parade day.
The museum asks only a $2 suggested donation per adult, which makes it an easy add-on.
Pack water and layers for the rail trail, and turn back well before you tire.
Square One works sell through December 17, so a small square can double as a holiday gift.
Penticton slows down in the cooler months, and that is the charm. Pick a lakeside gallery, a quiet trail or a parade full of lights, and enjoy the town at an easier pace.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Photo credits: S.S. Sicamous, Penticton by Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Okanagan Lake from Penticton by Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Skaha Lake and Penticton by Kiwibirdman, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.