Residents in Newmarket, Ontario, are preparing for the Coldest Night of the Year community walk on Saturday, February 28, 2026, to support people experiencing homelessness. The annual event raises money for Inn From The Cold, the region’s primary emergency shelter and support-service provider.
Participants can choose 2-kilometre or 5-kilometre routes, with activities traditionally centred around Riverwalk Commons and Fairy Lake Park. Check-in/registration opens at 4:00 p.m., opening ceremonies and the walk begin at 5:00 p.m., and light refreshments are typically served to walkers afterward.
Funds raised help support Inn From The Cold’s expansion into a new 44-bed transitional and emergency housing facility. The organization’s locations are listed at 510 Penrose St., and reporting around the project notes major funding commitments for the new 44‑bed facility; please confirm the current operational status and exact address before referencing the facility as fully open.
Inn From The Cold organizes the Newmarket walk in partnership with the national Coldest Night of the Year program (hosted online by the Blue Sea Foundation/CNOY platform). The Newmarket walk has been a top performer nationally in recent years — in 2024 the community raised approximately $171,846 — making it one of the stronger local CNOY fundraisers in Canada.
Executive Director Ann Watson has said the number of people experiencing homelessness in York Region has risen sharply. Watson has emphasized that the walk is about more than fundraising: it is a community demonstration that residents see and care about neighbours who are struggling.
Those who want to join a team or donate can sign up on the Coldest Night of the Year Newmarket page. Fundraisers who reach the established thresholds ($150 for adults, $75 for youth) earn the event’s special winter toque.
