Vancouver, BC – written November 23, 2023 – For thirteen years, the Vancouver Christmas Market has spread the German brand of happiness and Christmas joy in downtown Vancouver. In 2010, they started with a bang, literally, when one of the propane tanks exploded. November 24, 2023 will be the 13-year Anniversary of this momentous occasion!
The picture above was taken in 2010 when the Vancouver Alpen Club was one of the vendors at the festival at the first year.
Just 12 minutes before it was slated to open for the holiday season, a propane tank explosion sparked a large fire at a Christmas market in downtown Vancouver Wednesday morning in the Queen Elizabeth Plaza, on Nov. 24, 2010.” (CTV News)
According to “How to Germany” German-style Christmas markets are resonating outside Germany. They are being held in the USA in Denver, Chicago, Baltimore, New York, Cincinnati, Philadelphia and several other cities big and small, but most importantly in the Jack Poole Plaza in downtown Vancouver!
The market began as the “ultimate European style holiday shopping experience set with rows of small wooden huts decorated in white lights and pine branches” but now has evolved to more than 90 artisan huts, offering handcrafted gifts, festive food, lively holiday entertainment, an Aeroplan sponsored Christmas Carousel, hundreds of Herrnhuter stars and market mascots “Holly and Jolly.”
Activities in 2023 include Christmas karaoke, Christmas Trivia Night, Artisan shops, \”Gourmetstrasse\”, eats and treats, a sky curtain of lights, daily live entertainment, a walk-in Christmas tree, Holly and Jolly, Lovers Lane, Love Lock Installations, scavenger hunts, pictures with St. Nikolaus, Alpen Haus, Schwibbogen, augmented reality, a winterdeck with a great photo opportunity and a sold out Lantern Festival on November 29th!
As for vendors, they have the Herrnhuter Stars booth, the Beer Haus, the Bratwurst Haus, das Apfel Haus (with amazing Okanagon Cider), das Kartoffelhaus, das Schnitzelhaus and das Strudel Haus. Are you getting hungry yet? They also have a Schnapslplatz with Crescent Hill Winery, Howling Moon Craft Cider and Wayward Distillery. I also enjoyed the pancake and waffle house, and the new Haus entirely dedicated to Spaetzle! Yum.
Entertainment off and on the Flying Stage includes the Gingerbread Men, karaoke nights, Musicial Breeze, Ajay Friese (Ajay Parikh-Friese) and the Rheinlander Band, among many others.
About The Author
