Kensington Holiday Craft Fair

The Kensington Holiday Craft Fair is a Christmas-themed artisan market. It takes place at the Kensington Community Centre in Vancouver in December.

In 2022 the free event happened on December 3rd.

Craft Fair at Kensington Community Centre

The Kensington Community Centre’s is in Kensington Park at 5175 Dumfries Street. It’s not far from the corner of Knight Street and 33rd Avenue in the City of Vancouver. The venue has a dance studio, seniors’ centre, skateboard park, swimming pool and fitness centre. It also has a preschool and pottery studio. In addition to its recreational facilities, the facility hosts events and programs throughout the year including a holiday craft fair in early December.

In 2022 the Kensington Holiday Craft Fair happened on Saturday, December 3rd. It ran between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm in the community centre’s gymnasium. Admission to the event is free.

At the craft fair there is a wide range of handmade products for sale including jewelry, ceramics, Christmas ornaments and baked goods. In 2022 there were also knitted toques and scarves, greeting cards, health & beauty products and art. Other great gift ideas were handmade stockings, gnomes, Santas and snowmen, as well as keychains, magnets, bookmarks, bracelets, crocheted animal plushies, body care creams, bath salts, soaps, and household items including aprons and dishcloths.

At the Kensington Holiday Craft Fair there are also drinks and a few snacks for sale. Run by the Kensington Youth Council, the concession stand is a fundraiser where proceeds benefit the Vancouver Food Bank.

In 2022 there were 39 vendors and everything was set up in the gymnasium. The previous year, because of COVID, there was a maximum of just 30 vendors. In normal years, when there is no pandemic, there are up to 60 vendors spread out between two rooms.

Kensington Holiday Craft Fair

Tips And Advice

Below are some suggestions and extra information to help you make the most out of your experience at the craft fair.

TIP #1: Admission to the event is free and so is the parking.

TIP #2: Combine your visit to the craft fair with a swim in the pool or a workout in the gym. Queen Elizabeth Park and Deer Lake Park are also just a 5 or 8-minute drive away in different directions.

TIP #3: BC Buy Local Week is a campaign that reminds people about the importance of buying local and supporting local. In 2022 the campaign ran from November 28th until December 4th. Buying your Christmas gifts for friends and family from local artisans is an awesome way to support local businesses and keep your dollars in the community, and shopping at the Kensington Holiday Craft Fair is a great way to do that.