Silver Harbour Christmas Craft Market

The Silver Harbour Christmas Craft Market is an annual craft fair in November. It takes place at the Silver Harbour Seniors Centre in North Vancouver.

In 2021 the event happened on the weekend of November 26th and 27th. In 2022 the market takes place on November 26th from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm.

Other great holiday craft fairs taking place in North Vancouver in 2022 include the Made in the 604 Pop-up Market (on Dec. 3rd, 4th, 17th & 18th) and Shipyards Christmas Artisan Market (on Dec, 10th & 11th). Both of those are awesome, have free admission and take place at the Pipe Shop at the Shipyards (which is just a short walk from the SeaBus).

Christmas Craft Fair at the Silver Harbour Senior’s Centre

Many Christmas-themed craft markets take place in November and December in the Lower Mainland. A really good one happens at the Silver Harbour Seniors’ Activity Centre on or around the last weekend in November.

In a typical year, as many as 1000 people attend the market. In 2021 there were probably fewer people, and slightly fewer vendors. Also, to keep everyone safe, attendees had to wear face masks and bring proof of being fully vaccinated.

Where is the Market?

The venue’s address is 144 East 22nd Street. It’s in the Central Lonsdale region of North Vancouver next to the Harry Jerome Rec Centre. The recreation centre meanwhile is on Lonsdale Avenue just a block or two south of the Trans-Canada Highway.

Note: 22nd Street doesn’t intersect with Lonsdale Avenue. You have to access 22nd Street and the entrance to Silver Harbour via Eastern Avenue or St. Georges. If you park or get off the bus on Lonsdale Avenue, you can walk a couple of blocks and get there via Eastern or St. Georges Avenue, or you can just take the path straight through on the south side of the rec centre.

Silver Harbour Christmas Craft Market — The Market in 2021

Parking and Transit

There is a fair bit of free street parking in the area, both along Lonsdale Avenue and surrounding roads. The venue is also easy to get to via public transit. From Lonsdale Quay and the SeaBus terminal, take the #229 or #230 bus and it’ll take you almost right there.

When is the Market?

The Silver Harbour Christmas Craft Market happened on the weekend of November 26th and 27th in 2021. It ran on the Friday between 1:00 and 3:00 pm and on the Saturday from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm.

In 2022 the market takes place on just Saturday, November 26th, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

What to Expect

The event at the Silver Harbour Seniors’ Centre is a medium-sized craft fair. Admission is free, which is great, and funds raised benefit the organization and its programs. An interesting element of the craft fair is that the goods are made mostly (if not completely) by members of the organization. And they are really nice, high-quality products!

With most craft fairs, organizations rent space to artisans who rent tables to sell their goods. The venue earns revenue from the vendor fees and admission tickets, and the vendors earn money from their sales. In the case of the Silver Harbour event, the seniors make the products themselves, and in most cases in classes and workshops right at the seniors’ centre!

When we’ve been to the event in the past there have been a good number of “vendor” tables selling all kinds of crafts and artisan products. There are some really talented and crafty people at this place!

At the event there are wood products, stained glass pieces and handmade Christmas decorations. There are also lots of knitted goods, hand-stitched quilts and puzzles. There are even some garden-related products (like tulip bulbs) and a section with thrift store “treasures.” There are all kinds of interesting things to admire and buy.

In addition to crafts and artisan products, in past years the market has also had things to eat. There have been sandwiches for purchase as well as packages of homemade cookies and other freshly-baked goodies. In 2021, however, there were no food products for sale.

Craft Fair at Silver Harbour — Thrift Store “Treasures”

About the Silver Harbour Centre

The Silver Harbour Seniors’ Centre is a place for people ages 55 and older to take classes, learn things, join clubs and socialize.

The place hosts numerous organized events and offers about six dozen different services and programs. It’s a place where seniors can find arts programs and physical exercise activities. The Centre offers classes and clubs in things like meditation, language studies, ping pong, chess, computers, books and other topics.

Art classes and craft-related workshops are popular at the Centre. Evidence of this is in the quality of products for sale at the Christmas Craft Market. Seniors at the facility do woodworking, woodcarving, weaving, watercolour painting, silk painting, pottery, knitting and other craft activities.