Sixteen Seasons On, Vancouver’s Original German Christmas Market Has Grown Into a European Village

Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.HomeGlobeNewswireThis section is The content in this section is supplied by GlobeNewswire for the purposes of distributing press releases on behalf of its clients. Postmedia has not reviewed the content. by GlobeNewswire Sixteen Seasons On, Vancouver's Original German Christmas Market Has Grown Into a European VillageAuthor of the article:The Vancouver Christmas Market: A European Village returns to Jack Poole Plaza November 16 – December 24, with five new experiences and the most significant expansion in its historyTHIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountVANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — When Malte Kluetz opened the first Vancouver Christmas Market in 2010, he was trying to recreate something specific: the German Weihnachtsmärkte he grew up with, where a Christmas market is not a place to shop but a village where people gather to eat, drink and mark the season together.Sixteen seasons later, that market has grown into a European Village.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againThe Vancouver Christmas Market: A European Village returns to Jack Poole Plaza from November 16 to December 24, 2026 — 39 days, more than 90 authentic wooden huts, and 65,000 square feet of downtown waterfront transformed into the largest and longest-running Christmas market in Vancouver. The 2026 season brings five new experiences and new German Village facades at the entrance, the most significant expansion in the Market’s history.Built to a German standardThe Market’s architecture is something to celebrate. Its huts are timber-framed and crafted in the European market tradition. Its alleys are named the way a village’s are — the Marktplatz, the Gourmetstrasse, the Kaufmanngasse. At its centre stands a three-storey glowing Pyramid, a scaled version of the Weihnachtspyramide that has been a centrepiece of German Christmas markets for centuries, with a Glühwein bar on the ground floor and live music on top.The Glühwein and Bavarian bratwurst are made to traditional German recipes, the same familiar flavours guests have come to expect every season. Elsewhere in the village, a 35-foot Christmas tree is built to be walked through and snow falls across the market every 30 minutes. Santa holds court throughout the season, with the Grinch making his own appearances around the village, alongside roaming characters like Elsa and Jack Frost, and live music running through the market every night, including DJ sets.“There’s something about a Christmas market that stays with you,” said Malte Kluetz, founder of the Vancouver Christmas Market: A European Village. “I felt it as a kid in Germany, and it’s what I wanted to give Vancouver when we started this sixteen seasons ago. Every year, we add a little more to the village, a new corner to discover, a new reason to come back. Watching people find them for the first time never gets old.”The 2026 season introduces five additions, and one of them changes the arrival entirely:New German Village facades at the market entrance — new architecture that reframes the moment guests walk in, and the most visible physical change since the Market’s foundingThe Wishing Forest — an interactive woodland in the alley in front of the Alpen Haus, where guests write a wish on a wooden ornament and leave it behind for the seasonThe Secret Wall Cocktail Hut — ring a bell in the Pyramid area and Santa, or the Grinch, hands your drink through a hidden windowThe Fire Pit Lounge — warmth and gathering space around standing fire pits, designed for lingering, conversation, and slowing downThe Collectable Mug 2026 — this year’s limited-edition keepsake, marking the Market’s new eraThis advertisement has not loaded yet.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.They join the traditions guests return for: Santa’s Workshop, the Carousel at the entrance, Lovers’ Lane, the Hans the Elf scavenger hunt that runs the length of the village, and the Pyramid Light Sync, along with the Alley Press photo booth, now running full-time after a limited debut last year.Tickets and Season PassesPre-Sale Season Passes launch today for $30.99, and a Pre-Sale Family Pass (covering two adults and two youth) is on sale for $69.99. Both include unlimited visits across all 39 days of the season.General admission pre-sale opens October 2 and closes November 15, with tickets from $7.99. Entry is date and time specific; once inside, guests may stay as long as they like. Children six and under are always free.Tickets and passes are available at vancouverchristmasmarket.com.Charity Mondays: the Market opens early for the cityOn Monday, November 23 and Monday, November 30, the Market will open early for Charity Mondays, pairing its culinary vendors with local causes over the lunch hour. Additional details on charity partners will be announced closer to the event.Krampus Night — one night only, Saturday, November 21, included with admissionBreakfast with Santa — Saturday, December 5, ticketedBreakfast with the Grinch — Saturday, December 12, ticketedAprès-Ski Night — every Saturday at Market Square, included with admissionDate Nights — every Tuesday, a combo package for two, including admission, two drinks, a Love Lock experience, and a photo keepsakeExtended hours — December 19 to 23, the Market runs 10:00am to 10:00pm dailyChristmas Eve — Thursday, December 24, the final day, closing at 6:00pmTo learn more about Vancouver Christmas Market’s 2026 season and to purchase tickets, visit vancouverchristmasmarket.com and follow @vanchristmas.About Vancouver Christmas Market: A European VillageThe Vancouver Christmas Market: A European Village is Vancouver’s original authentic European Christmas market, returning for its 16th season at Jack Poole Plaza, November 16 – December 24, 2026. Founded in 2010 by German-born Malte Kluetz, the Market transforms downtown Vancouver into an immersive European village of more than 90 artisan huts, premium food and drink, festive entertainment, and new experiences each season. Tickets and season passes are available at vancouverchristmasmarket.com. Kids 6 and under are always free.Media Contact: Ruby Gillett Talk Shop ruby.gillett@talkshopmedia.comDates: November 16 – December 24, 2026 (39 market days)Location: Jack Poole Plaza, 1055 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC — a short walk from Waterfront StationSeason: 16th annual season; founded 2010 by German-born Malte KluetzScale: More than 90 authentic wooden huts across 65,000 square feetHours: Nov 16 – Dec 3, Mon–Fri 4:00pm–9:30pm, Sat–Sun 11:30am–9:30pm · Dec 4–18, Sun–Thu 11:30am–9:30pm, Fri–Sat 11:30am–10:00pm · Dec 19–23, 10:00am–10:00pm daily · Dec 24, 11:30am–6:00 pmTickets: Season Passes on sale September 21 from $30.99 and Family Season Pass from $69.99; general admission pre-sale opens October 2 from $7.99 and closes November 15; children six and under always freeNew for 2026: German Village facades, the Wishing Forest, the Secret Wall Cocktail Hut, the Fire Pit Lounge, and the 2026 Collectable MugDaily: Snow showers every 30 minutes · Pyramid Light Sync throughout the dayNotice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.