CandyTown in Yaletown

Candytown is a street festival in Vancouver along Yaletown’s Mainland Street. It features artisan, food and Christmas gift vendors in early December.

The event is normally a one-day affair in late November. In 2022, however, it took place on both the Saturday and Sunday of December 3rd and 4th.

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN VANCOUVER

If you’re looking for free things to do this time in early December, then check out our article about Free December Events. Some of Vancouver’s top free Christmas-themed events include the Shipyards Christmas Festival in North Vancouver, Bright Nights at Stanley Park, and Lights by the Lake in Harrison Hot Spring, among other venues.

Great places for shopping this time of year also include Granville Island and Lonsdale Quay. There are lots of Christmas lights and decorations in these neighbourhoods over the holiday season. The Vancouver Christmas Market is also one of the region’s most popular places to visit and shop at this time of year.

Other top Christmas attractions to check out include the PNE Winter Fair, Canyon Lights, VanDusen Garden, FlyOver Canada at Christmas and Christmas Glow. The Gulf of Georgia Cannery in Steveston Village is also nicely decorated this time of year, and both Fort Langley and Britannia Mine have special Christmas activities.

To learn about Yaletown, see our article about Vancouver’s Yaletown District. To learn about the Candytown event, continue reading.

Vancouver’s Candytown Festival

2022 marked the 10th year of the festival. Candytown ran on the Saturday and Sunday of December 3rd and 4th that year. Activities took place from 12:00 to 5:00 pm on both days.

Marking the start of the winter holidays and Christmas shopping season, the event is a free festival that features street performers, live music, and market stalls.

What Happens at Candytown?

In past years during Candytown the 1100 block of Mainland Street has been lined with vendors selling everything from knitted winter scarves and hats to holiday candies and hot foods for lunch. There are also ice carving demonstrations, live musicians, roaming characters, a candy station and an area for family photos. The event also features horse-drawn carriage rides where the cost is by donation.

As many as 20,000 people attend Candytown in busy years, so it has been a fairly good-sized street festival. It was a much smaller event though in 2022, or at least it was on the day we went.

Candytown in 2022

Candytown in 2022 appeared much smaller to us than it has in the past. The last time we went, prior to the era of COVID, the entire block of Mainland Street from Davie to at least Helmcken (and likely even further down) was full of people and market vendors. It was a big event. In 2022, however, there was just a small area on Mainland Street where people lined up for the horse-drawn carriage rides. There was also another small area, down the way, in the half block of Helmcken Street between Mainland and Hamilton, where there were vendors and live entertainment.

In 2022 there were only around 10 to 12 vendor stalls, and no food trucks. There was though a group of musicians entertaining the crowd when we were there. It was a fun event, but not as big, busy or elaborate as in past years. Whether it’s a tiny event again next year, or back to its usual larger size, is to be determined.

Past Candytown Events

In 2019 Candytown took place on Saturday, November 30th, in the 1100 block of Mainland Street in Yaletown. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, no Candytown event happened in 2020. Candytown returned on Saturday, November 27th, in 2021. That year it ran from 12:00 to 7:00 pm.

In 2022 Candytown took place on the Saturday and Sunday of December 3rd and 4th. It was the first time (at least to our knowledge) that it was a two-day event. Although it took place on two days instead of just one, the number of vendor stalls and things to see was much less than in years before COVID.

Advice & Suggestions

Here are some suggestions on how to make the most of your Candytown experience:

TIP #1: Free horse-carriage rides are usually available starting just a block away in front of 1200 Pacific Boulevard. They can be lots of fun, but be prepared to wait in line. Get there early if you can!

TIP #2: Combine your trip with other fun activities in the area. For example, if it’s a sunny day, then go for a stroll afterwards along the nearby False Creek Seawall.

TIP #3: There are lots of fabulous restaurants in the neighbourhood. For Italian, a great place is Tutto at 901 Homer Street. For a list of other top places for food and drinks, see our article about Yaletown.