The Shipyards Night Market takes place on Fridays at Shipbuilders’ Square at the bottom of Lonsdale Avenue in North Vancouver from May until September.
Market at Shipbuilders’ Square
In 2019 the Shipyards Night Market runs on Fridays between 5 and 10 pm from May 3rd to September 27th.
The market features a live music concert every evening, dozens of food vendors serving a wide variety of tasty foods, a beer garden with locally crafted brews and dozens of artisan stalls.
Thousands of people turn out for the Shipyards Night Market, and even up to 10,000 or so on busy days. It’s an impressive event and folk come from all over the Lower Mainland to see it.
What’s at the Night Market?
Lower Lonsdale’s Shipyards Night Market is a fairly upscale night market. Don’t expect to find ultra-cheap sunglasses or plastic trinkets here. For those kinds of things you’ll want to go to the Richmond Night Market, which is quite different, larger and great in its own way.
At the Night Market in Shipbuilders’ Square you’ll find handmade jewellery, artisan baked goods, gluten-free cookies, local art, homemade jams and jellies, handcrafted chocolates, fancy scarves and a small selection of organic produce.
The Night Market in North Vancouver is smaller than the main Richmond Night Market, but it’s still pretty big; on a sunny evening it attracts a lot of people. It’s a great place for people watching, and a wonderful place to enjoy the live outdoor music.
Where is the Night Market?
The Shipyards Night Market takes place in Shipbuilders’ Square, a five-minute stroll from the SeaBus terminal at Lonsdale Quay, which itself has its own public market open all day year-round, and in the summer until 7 pm.
Shipbuilders’ Square is at 138 Victory Ship Way, at the very bottom of Lonsdale Avenue, which is a long hilly San Francisco-style street with a number of great restaurants at the bottom, right across the street from the entrance to the market. Click North Vancouver Restaurants for ideas on where to eat in the area.
The Shipyards Night Market is also right by the Shipbuilders’ Pier which is a nice place for a stroll and views of downtown Vancouver across the water, especially on Canada Day when the fireworks take place in Burrard Inlet.
Years ago the area was home to a major Canadian shipbuilding industry, which still exists close by, but on a smaller scale than in generations past. Evidence of the area’s rich shipbuilding history includes a couple of restored buildings and a giant crane in the heart of the square.
Night Market Concerts
Free concerts take place at the Shipyards Night Market on Friday evenings from 5:00 to 10:00 pm. Sometimes there is just one band, but usually there are two.
Below you will find the May and June concert schedule for 2019. The July and August schedule is to be determined, please check back for updates.
Market Concerts in May
May 3rd, 2019
- Five Star Motel – a five-man group of Rock-and-Roll enthusiasts
- Adam Woodall – a well-known Vancouver-based musician with an extensive acoustic playlist
May 10th, 2019
- The Millennials – a Vancouver-based cover band, covering the best Pop, Rock and throwback hits
- Nicole Audrey – a singer-songwriter with a Pop Folk sound
May 17th, 2019
- The Shenanigans – a band playing the best of the 60s, 70s and 80s
- Wishbone – a Vancouver band specializing in classic Rock favourites
May 24th, 2019
- Person of Interest – a North Vancouver-based band that plays a variety of styles
- The New Rythmics
May 31st, 2019
- Krystle Dos Santos – an experienced performer, Krystle presents beautiful Motown and Soul classics
- Dino DiNicolo – an accomplished performer, Dino brings a mix of RnB, Soul and Funk music to every performance
Market Concerts in June
June 7th, 2019
- The Millennials – a Vancouver-based cover band that plays Pop, Rock and throwback hits
- The Gonch Messiah – a band that plays funky dance beats
June 14th, 2019
- The Millennials – a Vancouver-based cover band that plays Pop, Rock and throwback hits
- Redwoods – a 4-piece band that plays classic Rock hits and new alternative music
June 21st, 2019
- Mostly Marley – a duo reggae group
- Whelming (to be confirmed) – a Bohemian Rock musical group
June 28th, 2019
- The Millennials – a Vancouver-based cover band that plays Pop, Rock and throwback hits
- Scott Riddell – a five piece classic rock group
Market Concerts in July and August
The schedule and bands for July and August are to be announced, check back for updates.
Night Market Tips and Advice
Below is a list of suggestions to help you make the most out of your Shipyards Night Market experience.
TIP #1: If you can, try to take public transit, especially if coming from downtown Vancouver. The market is just a 5-minute walk to the Lonsdale Quay SeaBus terminal, which is just a 15-minute boat ride from Vancouver’s Waterfront Station. Lonsdale Quay is also home to North Vancouver’s main bus terminal with connections to all parts of the North Shore.
TIP #2: There is a fair bit of parking in the area, but if it’s a sunny day finding a spot can be challenging.
TIP #3: If you are driving, try to get there early, before all the free parking in the area gets filled up. Also, if you arrive after 6 pm, there is free parking in the ICBC parkade adjacent to the Lonsdale Quay Public Market by the corner of Carrie Cates Court and Rogers Avenue.
TIP #4: If you want to enjoy the beer garden, get there early before the line-up gets crazy. On a warm sunny day, the market is a popular place to be.
TIP #5: If you can, head to the Shipyards Night Market early. It’s pretty quiet at the start, but there is a lot to see in the Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood. Make a full evening out of your visit and explore the area. Check out the Lonsdale Quay Public Market (before its 7 pm closing time), enjoy dinner at one of the many local restaurants and go for a walk along the pier.
Other Information
For more information on the Shipyards Night Market, check out northshoregreenmarket.com.
If you like outdoor concerts and happen to be around Shipbuilders’ Square in the summer on a Saturday, then also check out the Shipyards Summer Sessions Concerts which take place at the same venue on Saturday evenings in July and August from 7 to 10 pm.
Click Free Summer Concerts for a list of other free music venues in July and August throughout the Lower Mainland.
For a list of regular farmers markets in Metro Vancouver, check out Lower Mainland Farmers Markets.
Also, check out Lower Mainland Night Markets for other summer markets on weekends in the evenings.
