Christmas in Vancouver heats up with Yuletide markets, festivals
Vancouver Christmas Market opens for 6th season as new huge indoor festival launches
Christmas in Vancouver is getting crowded as multiple events — including a new one billed as Canada's largest indoor Christmas festival — now compete for visitors, and often their Christmas budgets, to celebrate the yuletide.
For the sixth year in a row the Vancouver Christmas Market will open on Nov. 21 on the plaza at Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
"It's hard to believe, but we have become a tradition in Vancouver," said president Malte Kluetz, who had the idea to replicate the iconic Christmas markets of his home country of Germany in Vancouver.
In its opening year, the market got 120,000 visitors. This year Kluetz expects more than 180,000, as the market now has 57 vendors which sell everything from pork knuckles to nativity scenes made in Bethlehem.
A costly Christmas?
While the market continues to grow — Kluetz says he is in talks with a new venue to expand even more — a common complaint since its inception is the $8 cost of entry, just to spend more money on food, merchandise and carousel rides.
Went to the Vancouver Christmas Market. It was kinda interesting, but seemed way too expensive and huts were too close together.
—@infil00pVancouver Christmas Market - super cute but crazy expensive. Smells amazing and cute decorations!
—@KateSearleNZ"It's not a unique concept, I mean there are other events you have to pay for to get in and then what you can do there is shop. We actually give you way more than just the opportunity to shop," said Kluetz about the music and atmosphere once past the gate.
The market is a for-profit corporation, although it does partner with sponsors and their charities.
"In the big picture in Vancouver, it's still one of the most affordable Christmas things you can do," said Kluetz.
More Christmas cheer
There are cheaper options such as Port Metro Vancouver's free Christmas at Canada Place, now in its 28th year.
But it could be overshadowed by a massive new Vancouver Winter Wonderland coming to the PNE Forum a day before the Canada Place event begins on the Dec. 12.
"The Christmas season is about celebrating with family and friends, and we wanted to bring that spirit of the season to an indoor event in the community," says Wilson Lee, one of the Wonderland organizers, in a statement.
Vancouver Winter Wonderland will put 100 vendors in 45,000 square feet of indoor space, alongside a three-storey Christmas snow globe and other attractions.
But, like the Vancouver Christmas Market, the Wonderland is not free, with tickets ranging between $5 and $8.
VanDusen Botanical Garden's Festival of Lights has grown too, adding two new hectares to what is billed as "Vancouver's premier holiday event" — which of course also comes at a cost.
Meanwhile Kluetz is not worried about the competition for a Vancouver Christmas experience.
"I think it's pretty exciting," he said. "I think we got the ball rolling and Vancouver is becoming more and more of a Christmas destination, at least we see that from our visitors and the U.S. dollar bills we have in our cash. It's good for everyone."