The Shipyards Christmas Market is a new European-themed winter holiday market. It takes place over the Christmas season in North Vancouver’s Shipyards District.

One of the Lower Mainland’s newest Christmas events features festive decorations as well as close to 70 vendor booths. The inaugural edition of the market ran from November 29th to December 24th last year.

This article contains information about the Shipyards Christmas Market. As you’ll see, the article includes some tips about the event as well as information about other markets you might want to know about too. The other markets are the Vancouver Christmas Market (which is just a short SeaBus ride away in downtown Vancouver) and both the Made in the 604 Holiday Market and Shipyards Artisan Market (which are artisan markets that happen on specific dates at the same times and place as the Shipyards Christmas Market.

Continue reading to learn about the Shipyards Christmas Market. Or, to learn about the Vancouver Christmas Market at Jack Poole Plaza in downtown Vancouver, see the vancouverchristmasmarket.com website.

The Shipyards Christmas Market

The Shipyards Christmas Market is an outdoor holiday market with a European theme. It features lots of vendors and light displays plus ice skating, live music and other activities.

The first annual Shipyards Christmas Market opened on Friday, November 29th, last year. It’s final day of the season was Tuesday, December 24th.

As the name of the market suggests, the event takes place at the Shipyards in North Vancouver. Located at 125 Victory Ship Way, the venue offers beautiful waterfront views. The Shipyards is also just a five-minute walk away from Lonsdale Quay and the SeaBus Terminal, making it very transit-friendly.

What to Expect

The Shipyards Christmas Market promises to be a very popular event. Who can say no to Christmas activities, artisan vendors, live music and free admission? Expect to see people of all ages getting into the Christmas spirit at the Shipyards!

Similar to the Vancouver Christmas Market in downtown Vancouver, at the new event there are dozens of wooden stalls with vendors selling artisanal products. A big difference with this market, however, is that admission is free. Whether you’re looking to do some Christmas shopping, or to just enjoy comfort food, drinks and the holiday spirit, the Shipyards Christmas Market is a fun place to visit.

In addition to food and market vendors, the event also features live performances by choirs and roaming entertainers. The city’s main Christmas tree is in the area to admire, as are various light displays that make for great photo opportunities. People are welcome to ice skate at the Shipyards Skate Plaza as well. Kids can even meet Santa Claus at certain times at the market!

When is the Shipyards Christmas Market

The Shipyards Christmas Market usually takes place on select dates between end of November and Christmas Eve. On its opening day last year the market operated from 5:00 pm until 10:00 pm. After that and until December 22nd, it was open Mondays to Thursdays between 11:00 am and 10:00 pm. It was also open between 11:00 am and 10:00 pm on Fridays to Sundays as well as on December 23rd. On the final day of the season, on December 24th, the hours of operation were from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm.

North Vancouver Shipyards in Snow — The Shipyards in Snow

Christmas on Vancouver’s North Shore

The North Shore is home to a number of great Christmas-themed attractions and events. There’s Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge, the Peak of Christmas at Grouse Mountain, Dundarave Festival of Lights in West Vancouver, and Holiday Hi-Light Festival at Park & Tilford.

There are also holiday artisan markets like the Made in the 604 Holiday Market and Shipyards Artisan Market. In early December there is also the Shipyards Christmas Festival (which takes place at the same place as the new Christmas market).

The new Shipyards Christmas Market is a fabulous addition to the region and makes North Vancouver an even more popular destination for Christmas cheer and holiday shopping!

Christmas Market Tips

Below are some tips about the Shipyards Christmas Market and other similar events.

Shipyards vs. Vancouver Christmas Markets

The new Shipyards Christmas Market is a great event, but so is the well-known Vancouver Christmas Market. Both end on December 24th. If you can only go to one, and you’ve never been to it before and you don’t mind paying for admission, we highly recommend the market in Vancouver. The Shipyards Christmas Market is also really nice, though, and has the added benefit of free admission. If you have time and like shopping and Christmas, then we recommend you check out both events.

For tickets to the Vancouver Christmas Market at Jack Poole Plaza in downtown Vancouver, see the vancouverchristmasmarket.com website. For details about the Shipyards Christmas Market in North Vancouver, continue reading.

Tip About When to Go

With the Shipyards Christmas Market, the absolute best times to have visited last year were on the weekends of December 6th to 8th and December 14th and 15th. That’s because the Made in the 604 Holiday Market and Shipyards Artisan Market were also happening in the Pipe Shop at the Shipyards at the same time. Both of these other markets are exceptional markets for high quality, handmade products made by local artists. On these two weekends, between these two artisan markets and the Shipyards Christmas Market, the Shipyards District is one of the best places to do your holiday shopping in Western Canada!

Tips About Food & Restaurants & Where to Stay

If you go the Shipyards Christmas Market next season and you get hungry, there are food trucks at the market, but there are some really nice restaurants in the area too. At one end of the Shipyards Christmas Market there is Pier 7 which is a fabulous place right on the water. During last year’s Christmas season, the restaurant had festive drink and food menus that changed weekly. As of mid-December, Pier 7 also had a deal on gift cards. For a limited time you could get an extra $10 when you bought a $75 gift card or a $20 bonus on $100 gifts cards.

Another great restaurant is The Lobby. It’s at the other end of the Shipyards Christmas Market inside the beautiful Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier. Last year, The Lobby had special three-course lunch and dinner options up until December 23rd. The restaurant also offered wonderful Christmas dinner menus on both December 24th and 25th as well as a Christmas Eve Dinner Buffet and a Christmas Day Brunch Buffet.

If you want to make a night out of your visit to the Shipyards Christmas Market, the Pinnacle Hotel is a great place to stay.

Tips About Other Things to do in the Area

Unless you live on the North Shore or happen to be in the area anyway, don’t just go to the Shipyards Christmas Market and then head straight home again right after. Either before or after your trip to the market, explore the area.

While in the neighbourhood, see if anything is showing at nearby Presentation House Theatre in the evening, go for a walk along the Burrard Drydock/Shipbuilders Pier, or have a look inside the Lonsdale Quay Public Market. MONOVA: The Museum of North Vancouver is a really good museum and it’s just a couple of blocks away. There is also free Ice Skating at the Shipyards.

Do you like hiking and nature? There are also fabulous parks to explore on the North Shore including Rice Lake, Lynn Canyon, Lynn Headwaters and Capilano River Regional Park in North Vancouver. There is, of course, also Capilano Suspension Bridge which has its amazing Canyon Lights Christmas attraction happening over the holidays up until mid to late January.

Other Information

For more information about the event, visit the Shipyards Christmas Market website.

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(Note: The video in this article shows scenes from last year’s market when it opened at the end of November. The music in the video is Winter and Christmas Music – Pop Orchestra and Piano by Julius H. from Pixabay.)