Vancouver Christmas Market kicks off the holiday season on Saturday
Posted November 11, 2022 3:38 pm.
Last Updated November 11, 2022 3:46 pm.
Locals can grab a warm drink, shop in the market, and gather in front of a twinkling Christmas tree — as a Vancouver tradition kicks off the holiday season.
The Vancouver Christmas Market returns to the Jack Poole Plaza in downtown Vancouver on Saturday.
Running for the next six weeks, the ticketed event ends on Christmas Eve.
Outside of Vancouver Christmas Market. (Photo courtesy of Lindsay Elliot)
Over a decade later, the German-inspired market says it is “one of the largest Christmas Markets in Vancouver.”
Guests can try out authentic German drinks, try festive sweets, and take free trips around a carousel.
“Market visitors wander through the Tannenbaum Terrace to try German and European tasty eats and treats, sit together in the Alpen Haus, shop for hand-crafted gifts in the Kaufmannsgasse (Merchant Alley), or grab a drink with friends at the Christmas Pyramid,” according to the market website.
The walk-in Christmas tree at the Vancouver Christmas Market. (Photo courtesy of Lindsay Elliot)
“This year, we offer delicious and flavourful European holiday favourites like Austrian Gulasch, Dutch Poffertjes, Swiss Cheese Raclette and German Schnitzel and obviously the traditional Bratwurst,” explained Denise Wegener, president of the market.
In addition to 24 new vendors, the market says it will be brighter than ever, as over 22,000 lights adorn the area in a “Sky Curtain of Lights.”
People walking through the Vancouver Christmas Market. (Photo courtesy of KyraCreative022)
“We’re delivering a festive feeling in a big way, with more lights, new vendors offering savoury and sweet treats, and lots of holiday activities for all ages. Last year, we saw families, friends, and people of all ages travel across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley to create new holiday traditions,” said Malte Kluetz, CEO and founder of the event.
Visitors can also snap photos at the schwibbogen display, which is a traditional decorative candle holder that the market says was famously displayed at the Striezelmarkt Dresden — the first Christmas market. Locals can also step inside the classic walk-in Christmas tree, glowing with 36,000 lights.
The pyramid at the Vancouver Christmas Market. (Photo courtesy of Lindsay Elliot)
Shoppers can also prepare for stuffing stockings and handing out gifts, as local vendors display colourful hand-made items.
With files from John Ackermann
