Free ice skating takes place in North Vancouver’s Shipyards District in winter. In December there are also Christmas decorations and other activities.
The Shipyards District’s Skate Plaza usually opens for the season at the end of November and runs until around mid-March.
Also happening at the Shipyards in December is the Shipyards Christmas Market. The market took place for the first time in 2024 from November 29th to December 24th. It has a European theme, similar to the Vancouver Christmas Market in downtown Vancouver.
Other holiday markets happen in the Shipyards in December too. There’s a Made in the 604 pop-up market, for example, and Shipyards Christmas Artisan Market. Both of those events happen at the Pipe Shop.
Christmas and Ice Skating at the Shipyards
North Vancouver‘s Shipyards and Lower Lonsdale District is where you’ll find holiday lights and decorations during the Christmas season. It’s also where you can go ice skating for free at Shipyard Commons between December and February each year.
Shipyards Skate Plaza
The Shipyards is home to the biggest outdoor skating rink in the region. At around 12,000 square feet it’s twice the size of the Robson Square skating rink in downtown Vancouver. Both venues are free to enjoy for all. Skates, though, cost extra to rent.
The Skate Plaza is part of Shipyard Commons which is by the waterfront in the Lower Lonsdale District of North Vancouver. It opened to the public for the first time in the 2019/2020 winter season.
The Skate Plaza opened for the 2024/2025 season on Saturday, November 30th. The plaza typically remains open until mid to late March, weather permitting.
Admission is free for those who have their own skates. You can rent skates for a reasonable price; the cost is $7 for adults and $5 for children. The rink is open to the public from noon to 8:00 pm daily. The Plaza closes for about 30 minutes every day at 1:30 pm, 3:30 pm and again at 5:30 pm for cleaning.
The Shipyards Christmas Market
Part of the Lower Lonsdale district, the Shipyards is home to a number of events throughout the year. In December, it becomes a hub for the city of North Vancouver’s Christmas holiday celebrations.
New for 2024, there was the free Shipyards Christmas Market. It ran between November 29th and December 24th. The event has a European theme with plenty of vendors, food, live music and other things to do.
Spirit of the Season Celebration
Spirit of the Season usually serves as the opening to the City of North Vancouver’s holiday celebrations. It’s also free to attend. It usually happens at the end of November from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
The Spirit of the Season Celebration includes live music, dance and other entertainment. There are arts and crafts activities, carolling, food, drinks, and more. The mayor of North Vancouver normally teams up with Santa and Mrs. Claus to light the big Lonsdale Christmas tree.
While the festival is free, donations are encouraged with proceeds going to different local charities.
Spirit of the Season Video
Below you’ll find a video of the Shipyards area in December of 2020 (so in a year when there wasn’t a festival, but the place was still all lit up and looking festive). There were extra lights and decorations that year. The place is still pretty at night, but not to the same degree as it was during the height of the COVID era.
Pipe Shop Holiday Markets
The Pipe Shop is the site for a couple of different markets during the Christmas holiday season. The building is located near the bottom of Lonsdale Avenue at 115 Victory Ship Way in Shipbuilders’ Square.
The Shipyards Christmas Artisan Market ran on Saturday, December 14th, and Sunday, December 15th last year. Admission was free. It will likely happen around the same time again in 2025.
This market has dozens of local vendors who sell a variety of products like homemade liquors, preserves, toys, jewellery, Christmas cards, desserts and more.
There’s also a holiday pop-up market hosted by Made in the 604 the weekend before. The market usually features over 90 vendors with all sorts of unique and handcrafted items.
Other Holiday Events and Activities
There are other events to enjoy during the holiday season. In past years there was a Holiday Sip & Shop event in the Shipyards District. You could do your Christmas shopping in Lower Lonsdale while enjoying some nice wine and snacks.
A couple of years ago in December, Presentation House Theatre hosted nightly Holiday Singalongs. The carol-filled evenings took place at PHT’s home venue at 333 Chesterfield Avenue, about a 10-minute walk from the Shipyards.
Check out the Shipyards District website for the full list of events taking place in and around the Shipyards. Visit the City of North Vancouver website to see the complete entertainment schedule for the Spirit of the Season Festival.
As mentioned above there are holiday lights on display the entire month of December and into January. The place is well lit at night and is a good spot to walk around and enjoy.
Other Information
Visit the City of North Vancouver website for more information about the area in December. Click North Van Skating to learn more about ice skating activities.
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- Shipyards Christmas Festival
- The Shipyards Christmas Artisan Market
- Shipyards Christmas Market
- Best Vancouver Christmas Activities
- Vancouver Christmas Craft Fairs
