Online Christmas shopping isn’t nearly as much fun as browsing independent vendor stands––and enjoying the festive vibe––at a well-curated local holiday market. And they’re always a great way to find brilliantly original pressies for absolutely everyone on your gift list.

 

Researching the Vancouver Christmas Guide this year––we’re now in our ninth season––we discovered that Metro Vancouver is crammed like a bulging Yuletide stocking with a massive array of enticing festive fairs and markets.

 

Some are large and well known. Others are much smaller but just as rewarding. The trick is to know when and where they are, and to plan your shopping excursions accordingly. Luckily, we’ve made it easier for you with a handy round-up of some of our 2025 favourites.Check out our Events page for additional markets as well as late-breaking happenings––and keep an eye on this story, which we will update as more markets connect with us and announce their details for this year.

 

The Famous Ones

 

The wildly popular Vancouver Christmas Market at downtown’s Jack Poole Plaza isn't just about shopping. Running from November 13 to December 24, this twinkling annual attraction includes a carousel, selfie-ready illuminations and lots of tasty food stands. But we particularly love exploring the dozens of little wooden vendor huts––especially if we can find some traditional German Christmas ornaments.

 

Speaking of European-style holiday markets, North Vancouver's admission-free Shipyards Christmas Market is also back this season, after a successful launch last year. This time around, there'll be more than 100 vendor huts, live entertainment,  tasty cuisine and plenty of mulled wine––just steps from Lonsdale Quay's SeaBus terminal.

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And back for its 51st season in 2025, Hycroft for the Holidays once again transforms its Edwardian mansion home into a charming walk-through wonderland of artisanal vendors and beautifully festive decor. You'll also need to save plenty of perusing time for the gigantic Circle Craft Holiday Market at downtown's Convention Centre West, where more than 300 artisan vendors await.

 

In addition, the much-loved Dunbar Holiday Craft Fair returns for 2025, with a one-day-only event and more than 140 vendors on November 22. And don't miss the return of Yaletown’s Portobello West Holiday Market. It’s on November 15 and 16 this year, and you can expect a cleverly-curated array of dozens of regional artisans––with everything from jewellery to skincare to gourmet treats on the tables.

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Local Artisans

 

Metro Vancouverites are a highly crafty bunch, with countless artisan markets staged around the city throughout the year. But the holidays sees the highest concentration of market happenings––and they’re typically jam-packed  with a great array of unique pressie possibilities (including jam).

 

Consider Chilliwack's ginormous Christmas Gifts Expo––complete with 300+vendors––or the hugely popular Cloverdale Christmas Craft Fair, with its warm and friendly atmosphere. And we can't wait for the 2025 edition of the New Westminster Holiday Farmers Market, which always has a highly welcoming family-friendly vibe. The family-friendly atmosphere is also a major attraction at the Maple Ridge Christmas Craft Fair​ back for its 5th year in 2025. And if you're thinking of visiting Steveston Village during the holidays, time your trip for November 22. That's when the hugely popular Steveston Christmas Craft Fair returns for its annual appearance.

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And we certainly won't be missing this year's edition of the First Pick Handmade Holiday Pop Up Market at Heritage Hall on Main Street in Vancouver, complete with its super-cool array of design-forward items created by local and across-Canada artisans. The following week, the same venue hosts First Pick's sister event, Good Stuff Market, where smaller gifts and goodies priced at $50 or less is the focus. And don't miss the return of the ever-quirky Weirdos Holiday Market, back for its 9th year in 2025.

 

Also returning in 2025, Western Front's Toque Craft Fair (pictured above) is a great way to support local artists and visit a unique, century-old Vancouver heritage building at the same time. Supporting local creatives is also the focus at the annual Aberthau Potters' Club Winter Sale, which is filled to bursting with fantastic handmade creations from one of Vancouver's most-beloved artisan societies––as well as at the Deer Lake Winter Craft Festival and the Blackberry Winter Arts Market, both of which feature the work of dozens of local artists and artisans. And when it comes to authentic Indigenous creations, don't miss Surrey's Indigenous Christmas Market, complete with highly talented creatives, cultural performances and more.

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Hidden Gems

 

As ever, there are some intriguing under-the-radar events this year that are well-worth searching out. For unique handmade creations, check out the delightfully old-school Marpole Christmas Fair––a fundraiser for the area's Historical Society and a reminder of how yesteryear community festive fairs and events used to feel. And if you want to attend a market far from the madding crowds of some huge holiday events, consider South Vancouver’s charming Tugboat Landing Artisan Market on December 6 and 7.

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We’ll also be hopping on the SeaBus to the annual Polygon Gallery Holiday Market, complete with its scintillating array of art and artisan gift ideas. In addition, we'll be heading to the Pitt Meadows Art Gallery, where their cool Handcrafted Gifts exhibition showcases crafts, fine arts and one-of-a-kind present ideas from more than 50 local creatives. Local artisans are also the stars at the Port Moody Christmas Craft Fair, back for its 10th edition in 2025.

 

Need more? UBC has its own boutique Christmas market––aka the Wesbrook Village Holiday Market––running on successive Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from November 28 onwards. And the brand new Holiday Hive Market will be popping up outside Burnaby's Metropolis at Metrotown shopping centre this year––add it to your calendar for the weekend of December 6 and 7.

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For more information on festive events, attractions and shows in the city and beyond, visit the Vancouver Christmas Guide. Written by Lonely Planet travel writer John Lee, it’s the best online guide to the area’s 2025 holiday happenings. The site was co-created with Christmas Cat Max, who pens its gift reviews and often appears on its Instagram and Bluesky feeds.

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