School Calendar 2026–2027: Important Dates for Families
School Calendar 2026–2027: Important Dates for Families
Planning around school holidays, PA days and school breaks can make a big difference when you’re juggling work, childcare, family trips and everything else that comes with the school year.
If your family lives in Guelph, this guide brings together the important dates for the 2026–2027 school year in one easy place, including school start and end dates, holidays, Christmas and March Break, and Professional Activity (PA) Days.
The Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) and Wellington Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) both serve families throughout Guelph and surrounding communities. While many major holidays and breaks are the same, some PA days and secondary-school dates can differ between boards.
Use the date guide below to quickly find the dates you need and plan ahead.
Click here to Download the 2026–2027 School Calendar to save or print for easy reference throughout the school year.
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Ask longtime residents what they love most about Guelph and green space almost always comes up early in the conversation. Between the rivers that wind through the city, the extensive trail network, and easy access to conservation areas just outside town, Guelph has built a reputation as one of the more outdoor friendly small cities in Ontario. Here is a closer look at what makes the city's parks and trails such a big part of everyday life here. The Speed and Eramosa Rivers Two rivers run through Guelph, the Speed and the Eramosa, and they shape a huge part of the city's outdoor identity. Trails follow both waterways, connecting neighbourhoods in a way that makes it possible to walk or cycle across large stretches of the city without ever touching a major road. In summer, these trails fill with joggers, cyclists, and families out for an evening stroll. In fall, they become one of the best free activities in the city as the tree canopy turns. Riverside Park One of Guelph's most established parks, Riverside Park sits along the Speed River and has long been a favourite for family outings. Between playgrounds, open green space, and river access, it consistently ranks as one of the most desirable areas of the city to live near, which says a lot about how much residents value having this kind of space within walking distance. The University of Guelph Arboretum Spanning more than 400 acres, the Arboretum is one of the city's true treasures. Free and open to the public year round, it offers gardens, forests, and quiet walking trails that feel a world away from city life despite being just minutes from downtown. It is a popular spot for everything from casual weekend walks to more serious birdwatching and nature photography. Guelph Lake Conservation Area Just outside the city, Guelph Lake offers swimming, camping, paddling, and some of the best sunset views in the region. It is also home to Hillside Festival, which draws music lovers from across the country every summer. For anyone who wants a proper day trip without leaving the immediate area, Guelph Lake delivers on almost every front. Neighbourhood Parks Worth Knowing Beyond the big name spots, Guelph's neighbourhood parks are where a lot of daily life actually happens. Baxter Trail and Pinch Park serve the growing Westminster Woods community in the south end, while Mollison Park and the Hazelwood Trail give Kortright West residents easy access to green space close to home. Exhibition Park, in the historic north end, doubles as both a beautiful heritage space and a genuine community gathering point, hosting everything from casual pickup games to seasonal events. Winter Doesn't Slow Things Down Guelph does not exactly hibernate once the snow falls. Sections of the trail network get used for winter walking and cross country skiing, outdoor skating rinks pop up around the city, and nearby ski hills give residents an easy escape for a day on the slopes without a long drive. Holiday markets downtown add a festive layer to the season, making winter in Guelph feel active rather than like something to simply wait out. Why This Matters When Choosing Where to Live Proximity to parks and trails is one of those details that quietly shapes quality of life far more than people expect going in. A neighbourhood five minutes from a good trail system tends to feel noticeably different day to day than one that requires a drive to reach any real green space. For families with kids, access to a solid neighbourhood park can be the difference between spontaneous after dinner outings and outings that need to be planned around a car trip. If outdoor access is high on your list when it comes to choosing a Guelph neighbourhood, it is worth walking a few candidate areas in person rather than relying on a map alone. Trail connections, park quality, and even something as simple as tree cover can vary more than expected block to block, and that kind of detail is often easiest to catch by seeing a neighbourhood firsthand. A City Built Around Being Outside Whether it is a Saturday morning trail run, a summer afternoon at Guelph Lake, or a quiet winter walk through the Arboretum, Guelph has built its identity around making the outdoors accessible year round. It is one of those qualities that is easy to take for granted until you compare it to a city without the same commitment to green space, and it remains one of the most consistent reasons people give for choosing to put down roots here.
There is something about a Saturday morning at the Guelph Farmers' Market that captures exactly what this city is about. You have got fresh produce stacked high, the smell of baked goods drifting between stalls, familiar faces catching up over coffee, and a genuine sense that this is not just a place to shop, it is a place people show up for. Founded in the 1800s, the Guelph Farmers' Market is one of the oldest continuously operating markets in Canada, and it remains one of the clearest windows into what makes this community tick. More Than Just Groceries Sure, you can pick up vegetables and fresh bread, but the market has grown into something bigger than a weekly grocery run. Local flowers, honey, handmade crafts, and small batch goods from vendors across Wellington County fill the stalls, and many families treat the visit as a weekly ritual rather than an errand. It runs Saturdays year round, giving locals a reliable rhythm to build their week around. Supporting the People Who Build Community What sets a market like this apart from a grocery store trip is the relationship it builds between residents and the people actually growing and making the products they buy. Vendors are neighbours, not distant suppliers, and that connection tends to ripple outward. People who support the farmers market often extend that same mindset to shopping at other locally owned businesses around the city, which helps keep Guelph's downtown core as vibrant as it is. A Downtown Built Around Independent Business Guelph's downtown has managed to hold onto something a lot of Ontario cities have lost, a core built primarily around independently owned shops and restaurants rather than national chains. Spots like Lady Glaze Donuts have become local legends for their gourmet creations, while Red Brick Café has built a loyal following as a cozy gathering spot for coffee. Bon Gusto and Eat Thai round out a restaurant scene that consistently gets mentioned by locals as one of the underrated perks of living here. Add in Guelph's growing craft beverage scene, with names like Royal City Brewing and Spring Mill Distillery joining longtime staple Sleeman Brewery, and you start to see a downtown that has built its identity around supporting local makers rather than relying on big box appeal. Why This Matters Beyond Saturday Mornings There is a reason so many people who are exploring a move to Guelph mention the farmers market and downtown business scene as part of what drew them in. A strong local business community says something about a city. It reflects a population that values connection over convenience, and it tends to correlate with the kind of walkable, engaged neighbourhoods that make a place feel like home rather than just a place to sleep. For families considering different parts of the city, proximity to this kind of local business ecosystem is worth factoring in alongside more obvious things like schools and commute times. Living within walking distance of the farmers market and downtown core is a genuinely different day to day experience than living in a more suburban pocket of the city, and neither is better, they are just different lifestyles worth thinking through. Getting Involved If you have not made it to the Guelph Farmers' Market yet, there is no better time to start than now. Show up early for the best selection, bring cash for some of the smaller vendors, and give yourself time to wander rather than rush. It is one of those Guelph experiences that tends to turn newcomers into regulars faster than almost anything else the city has to offer. Whether you have called Guelph home for decades or you are just starting to explore what the city has to offer, the farmers market remains one of the clearest expressions of what this community values. It is a small, weekly reminder that in Guelph, the local stuff still matters.
