Vancouver Christmas Market

The Vancouver Christmas Market at Jack Poole Plaza in downtown Vancouver is a great place to shop and get into the festive spirit with friends in December.

In 2023 the attraction is open between November 16th and December 24th.

For the attraction’s official website, visit vancouverchristmasmarket.com.

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Click on any of the following topics to jump to specific information, or continue reading for full details about the Vancouver Christmas Market.

Christmas Market at Jack Poole Plaza

The Vancouver Christmas Market is a fun outdoor European-style market. It’s great for holiday window shopping and festive things to eat. It’s also the best place to Christmas shop while sipping mulled wine!

Where and When

The Vancouver Christmas Market is located at Jack Poole Plaza outside the Vancouver Convention Centre by the Olympic Cauldron at 1055 Canada Place. The plaza is on the far side of the Convention Centre from Canada Place.

In 2022 the market celebrated its 12th year. It has been running since 1990. 2020 was the only year it didn’t happen due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

The 2022 market was open to the public from November 12th until December 24th (which was about the same as in 2021 but a week longer than a few years ago). The market was open between 4:00 pm and 9:30 pm every day between November 12th and November 25th. After that, until December 23rd, it was open between 11:30 am and 9:30 pm. On its last day of the season, Christmas Eve, its hours were from 11:30 am until 6:00 pm.

Here again were the market’s hours in 2022:

November 12th to 25th: 4:00 pm to 9:30 pm
November 26th to December 23rd: 11:30 am to 9:30 pm
December 24th: 11:30 am to 6:00 pm

For tickets and more information see the Vancouver Christmas Market website.

Christmas Market at Jack Poole Plaza — Jack Poole Plaza at Christmas

Admission to the Christmas Market

Tickets usually cost slightly more if you buy them in-person at the gate. If you purchase them online they cost slightly less. If you plan to go more than a couple of times, we recommend you get a season’s pass.

In 2022, tickets purchased online in advance cost the following:

Adults (ages 18 to 64) – $17.99
Seniors (ages 65 and above) – $14.99
Youth (ages 7 to 17) – $9.99
Children (ages 6 and under) – Free

If you buy your tickets on the day at the gate they’ll likely cost a bit more. In 2022 if tickets were purchased online by October 10th and the promo code VCM2022 was used, visitors to the market could save $4. Another promo code was SPOOKY, which also meant $4 off until the end of October.

A season pass in 2022 cost $35.99 and included unlimited entry throughout the season. The same as in 2021, tickets in 2022 were non-refundable. The cost in 2023 is likely to be same.

Note: As of the second weekend in November, 2022, season’s passes were already over 70% sold out so it’s best to buy ahead of time if you plan to attend the Christmas market in 2023.

For tickets see the official Vancouver Christmas Market website.

Christmas Market Video

To give you an idea of what to expect at the Vancouver Christmas Market, check out the video below. It includes scenes of the market from both 2018 and 2019. Singing in the background during the second half of the video are the Gingerbread Men who frequently perform at the event.

For tickets and full details about the event see the Vancouver Christmas Market website.

What to Expect at the Market

If you are looking for an outdoor market to do your Christmas shopping, or just want to see all kinds of interesting quality gift ideas and tasty things to eat, then the Vancouver Christmas Market is definitely worth visiting. It’s a very popular attraction!

At the market you’ll find a wide selection of vendors selling food and Christmas-y souvenirs of all kinds. There is also a carnival carousel for the kids, hot non-alcoholic apple cider and mulled wine (for those ages 19+).

The Vancouver Christmas Market is arguably the Lower Mainland’s best outdoor market anywhere this time of year. There are other good ones including Vancouver’s regular weekly Winter Farmers Markets which feature local produce and artisan products. The Vancouver Christmas Market, however, is in a league of its own!

Open from mid-November until Christmas Eve, the Vancouver Christmas Market has a German theme. Numerous European-style stalls sell everything from German beer steins to specialty soaps, chocolates, handicrafts and craft-distilled spirits. There are also hundreds of Christmas-y stocking-stuffer kinds of gifts. The quality of goods tends to be very high.

In addition to all the retail stalls, food for sale most years includes glühwein drinks, pretzels, schnitzels and all sorts of pastries. There is also beer and a range of other festive beverages.

Regular features every year include things like the mulled wine and entertainment. New since 2017 is a 30-foot walk-in Christmas tree with thousands of lights. New for 2021, carousel rides were free (although donations to the Make A Wish charity were greatly appreciated). The carousel was free again in 2022.

Vancouver Christmas Market Shoppers — Christmas Market Shoppers

Christmas Market Zones

In recent years the Vancouver Christmas Market has been divided up into four or so main sections to make it easier to find different things. When the attraction first started up years ago there were just two dozen or so vendors. Now there are over 90!

Typical zones at the Vancouver Christmas Market include the Christmas Tree Terrace, Artisan Market, Merchant Alley, Marktplatz and Alpine Haus.

In 2022 there was the Marktplatz (with artisan vendors), Gourmetstrasse (with gourmet food-product vendors) and Tannenbaum Terrace (where there were food and drinks for sale). There was also Schnapslplatz that had a couple of wine and spirits vendors, and the Winterdeck which was a small open area with views of the water and North Shore.

Also back for another year in 2022, Lovers’ Lane was a light tunnel, and Kaufmannsasse (or “Merchant Alley”) was an area with additional vendor stalls. The Christmas Carousel was in the Marktplatz area and rides were free in 2022.

Walk-In Christmas Tree

In the middle of the venue, near the Olympic Cauldron, there’s the Tannenbaum Terrace. That’s where you’ll find the giant Christmas tree you can walk inside and take photos in.

For tickets and full details about the event click vancouverchristmasmarket.com.

Artisan Market

Along the western edge of the Vancouver Christmas Market a couple of years ago, along the Cactus Club restaurant side, there was the Handwerkgasse, or Artisan Market. It featured about 16 or so vendors selling everything from craft distilled liqueurs to handmade chocolates to handcrafted wood and glasswork.

In 2022 the Marktplatz with its vendors was near the entrance to the market. That’s where the carousel was too.

Merchant Alley

Along the eastern edge of the venue, on the side closest to the Vancouver Convention Centre, there is the Kaufmannsgasse or Merchant Alley. That’s where the market has another two dozen or so vendors selling things like imported beer steins, exotic clothing and natural handmade goods.

Marktplatz Eats & Treats

It’s usually in the central area of the Marktplatz that you’ll find the attraction’s 20 or so food and drink vendors. There are other food vendors nearby though in the Tannenbaum Terrace area too.

Menu items at the market typically include things like cheese and potato raclette and bratwurst sausages.

Dessert items in the Marktplatz typically include things like waffles, German donuts, Belgian chocolates and chimney cakes. In 2021 there were also shish kabob-style chocolate-covered marshmallows. Beverages included everything from craft beers to German beers, glühwein, schnapps and hot apple cider. 2022 options were similar.

Alpen Haus

At the north end of the Marktplatz, at the edge of Burrard Inlet, there is a large area with places to relax and socialize. In 2022 the area had a ski-theme and was called Alpen Haus.

Christmas Market Map

For a map of the Vancouver Christmas Market in 2022, click Market Venue Map. The layout is likely to be the same in 2023.

For tickets and more information see the Vancouver Christmas Market website.

Market Entertainment

Most days at the Vancouver Christmas Market there is live music. Most of it happens on weekdays in the evenings, or on weekends throughout the afternoon and evening.

In 2022 the live entertainment took place from up high on the stage on the second floor of the Christmas Pyramid. Performances happened on weekdays at various times between 4:30 pm and 9:30 pm and on weekends between noon and 9:30 pm.

To see the full entertainment lineup and schedule for 2022 visit the Vancouver Christmas Market website or see our article about 2022 Entertainment.

Gingerbread Men at Jack Poole Plaza — Gingerbread Men at the Christmas Market

Market Tips and Advice

Below are some suggestions and information to help you make the most of your visit to the Vancouver Christmas Market.

TIP #1: Best times to go are when it’s not raining (unless you want to avoid the crowds) and during live music scheduled times. It’s an interesting place to visit though at pretty much any time.

TIP #2: If it has been raining a lot (which it often does this time of year), wear boots or other good waterproof footwear. After a few days of exceptionally heavy rain, puddles can form at Jack Poole Plaza.

TIP #3: Unless the place is really busy, chat with the vendors. They have interesting stories about their products and can be fun to talk with.

TIP #4: While in the area, and if the weather is good, then go for a stroll around nearby Canada Place either before or after your trip to the market. Christmas at Canada Place isn’t a huge attraction, but it is free, and it does have nice lights and decorations in December. FlyOver Canada also has Christmas-themed shows, and its theatre is just a short stroll away.

For tickets and more information see the Vancouver Christmas Market website.