What’s open and closed Easter weekend in Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Welland

What’s open and closed this Easter weekend in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland and Niagara Region?

The 2026 Easter weekend comes early, Good Friday is April 3, Easter Sunday is April 5 and Easter Monday is April 6.

The reason Easter weekend changes every year, swinging back and forth between March and April, is that the dates are based on the moon and not on religion-specific dates.

According to a fourth-century ruling, the date of Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring. March 22 is the earliest Easter can occur in any given year, and April 25 is the latest. If the first spring full Moon happens to fall on a Sunday, Easter Sunday will be observed on the following Sunday.

Almost everything that is closed on Friday is also closed on Sunday.

Many malls in Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake remain open because both cities are designated tourist areas, whereas other municipalities in the region are not.

While some businesses are posting hours, others add “hours may differ” because it’s a holiday. The best bet? Call ahead.

Open Good Friday and Easter Sunday:

(For every business below, phone ahead as most are posting “hours may differ”)

• Canada One in Niagara Falls (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
• Outlet Collection at Niagara in Niagara-on-the-Lake (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
• Some smaller grocery stores, such as Rabba grocery stores.
• There are more than 60 Niagara-region wineries/vineyards, and most will be open. Phone your favourite for their hours.
• Most breweries will be open, including Niagara Brewing Company, Counterpart Brewing and Blackburn Brew House.
• Most bars and restaurants, but call ahead to be sure.
• Shoppers Drug Mart locations
• Movie theatres
• Most Niagara Falls family-oriented tourist attractions, including Niagara Speedway, Dinosaur Adventure Golf, Niagara SkyWheel, Niagara Zipline, Movieland Wax Museum, Fallsview Indoor Waterpark, Ripley’s Museum, Oakes Garden, Bird Kingdom and more.

Closed Good Friday and Easter Sunday:

• All city and town halls
• Most Niagara Region offices and facilities are closed on Friday, April 3 and Monday, April 6, including: Administrative offices, child care centres, public health, sexual health clinics and the Provincial Offences Court.
• All non-emergency federal, provincial, regional and municipal government offices.
• Most major grocery stores
• The Pen Centre in St. Catharines
• Fairview Mall in St. Catharines
• Pendale Plaza in St. Catharines
• Seaway Mall in Welland
• Libraries
• Arenas
• Some recreation centres (call ahead)
• Banks
• Canada Post (no mail pickup or delivery)
• All LCBOs
• All Beer Stores

Transit

• GO Transit will operate on a Saturday schedule on Friday.
• Niagara Transit says there will be no service on regional bus routes on Good Friday.

Garbage:

• There will be no changes to waste collection

What’s open and closed on Easter Monday (April 6)

Closed:

• Canada Post (no mail collection or delivery)
• Non-emergency municipal facilities
• Other government offices
• Schools

Open:

• Banks
• The Beer Store
• LCBO
• Grocery stores
• Malls
• Most restaurants
• Transit services will run as usual, but check ahead.
• Garbage pickup will run as normal.

Lead photo: RDNE Stock project