Quick Answer
- Longest season: Bryant Park in New York, 28 October 2026 to 3 January 2027, with the skating rink on to 28 February.
- Open on Christmas Day: Bryant Park, noon to 5pm. Most other markets in the table are closed on 25 December.
- Week after Christmas: Bryant Park, Toronto’s Mill Street village and Montreal to 3 January, Chicago’s Wrigleyville to 31 December, Boston and Philadelphia to 27 December.
- Weekend-only markets: St. Paul and Ottawa open Friday to Sunday only, Quebec City Thursday to Sunday plus 21 to 23 December.
- Ends early: Calgary’s Spruce Meadows market runs four weekends, 13 November to 6 December.
- Thanksgiving closures: Washington, Carmel, St. Paul and Boston’s Snowport are closed on 26 November.
Christmas markets in the US and Canada 2026: the short version
You can skip this page if your market is in Europe: our Christmas markets in Europe 2026 guide covers those dates. North America’s markets run on different rules.
The big differences are three. Several US markets close on Thanksgiving, Thursday 26 November. Many Canadian markets open only Thursday to Sunday. And Canada is where the entry tickets are.
VoyageHacks last verified every market date on this page against the market’s own, city or tourist-board website on 22 October 2026.
The 2026 Christmas market dates table
Every date below comes from the organiser, the city or the official tourist board, read on 22 October 2026. Where a market has not published its 2026 dates, the row says so. Rows run in order of opening date. Prices are in US dollars for US markets and Canadian dollars for Canadian ones.
| City | Market | 2026 dates | Open days and closures (as published) | Entry | Nearest airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | Winter Village at Bryant Park | 28 Oct to 3 Jan 2027 | Daily; 25 Dec noon to 5pm | Free | JFK, LGA, EWR |
| Boston | Snowport Holiday Market, Seaport | 6 Nov to 27 Dec, as reported by the Boston Globe | Closed 26 Nov and 25 Dec | Free | BOS |
| Toronto | Winter Village, 55 Mill Street | 12 Nov to 3 Jan 2027 | Daily; closed 25 Dec | Free by day; tickets from $16 plus HST after 4pm on busy days | YYZ |
| Washington, DC | DC Holiday Market, Dupont Circle | 12 Nov to 23 Dec | Closed 26 Nov and 30 Nov | Free | DCA, IAD |
| New York | Union Square Holiday Market | 12 Nov to 24 Dec, per a partner notice; Urbanspace’s own page has no 2026 dates yet | Not published | Free | JFK, LGA, EWR |
| Montreal | Grand Marché de Noël, Place des Festivals | 13 Nov to 3 Jan 2027 | Not published | Free | YUL |
| Calgary | Spruce Meadows International Christmas Market | 13 Nov to 6 Dec, four weekends | Friday to Sunday only | $20 adults, $12 children and seniors | YYC |
| Vancouver | Vancouver Christmas Market, Jack Poole Plaza | 16 Nov to 24 Dec | Daily; 24 Dec 10am to 6pm | Timed tickets, from $7.99 in pre-sale | YVR |
| Quebec City | German Christmas Market, Vieux-Québec | 19 Nov to 23 Dec | Thursday to Sunday, plus 21 to 23 Dec | Free | YQB |
| Chicago | Christkindlmarket, Daley Plaza | 20 Nov to 24 Dec | Daily; 26 Nov and 24 Dec 11am to 4pm | Free | ORD, MDW |
| Chicago | Christkindlmarket, Wrigleyville | 20 Nov to 31 Dec | Daily; closed 25 Dec | Free | ORD, MDW |
| Denver | Christkindlmarket, Tivoli Quad | 20 Nov to 23 Dec | Daily; 26 Nov 11am to 4pm | Free | DEN |
| St. Paul | European Christmas Market, Union Depot | 20 Nov to 20 Dec, weekends | Friday to Sunday only; closed 26 Nov | Free | MSP |
| Ottawa | Ottawa Christmas Market, Lansdowne | 20 Nov to 20 Dec, weekends, plus 31 Dec | Friday to Sunday only | Free | YOW |
| Philadelphia | Christmas Village, LOVE Park and City Hall | 21 Nov to 27 Dec | Closed 23 to 25 Nov and 25 Dec, as published | Free | PHL |
| Carmel, Indiana | Carmel Christkindlmarkt | 21 Nov to 24 Dec | Closed Mondays, Tuesdays, 26 Nov and 25 Dec | Free | IND |
| Leavenworth, Washington | Christmastown | 27 Nov to 24 Dec; lights on to end of February 2027 | Daily | Free; some shows ticketed | SEA |
| Edmonton | Edmonton Christmas Market, Fort Edmonton Park | 27 Nov to 20 Dec | Thursday to Sunday | $21.95 adults online | YEG |
| Halifax | Evergreen Festival market, waterfront | 27 Nov to 20 Dec | Thursday to Sunday | Free | YHZ |
| New York | Columbus Circle Holiday Market | Not published on 22 Oct 2026; 2025 ran 2 to 31 Dec | Not published | Free | JFK, LGA, EWR |
Niagara Falls is not in the table because its Winter Festival of Lights is a lights route, not a market. It runs nightly from 14 November 2026 to 10 January 2027, from 5pm to midnight and free, by Niagara Falls Tourism.
Which markets stay open after Christmas
This is the question that decides a holiday-week trip, and the list is short.
| Market | Last day | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Bryant Park, New York | 3 January 2027 | Rink to 28 February |
| Winter Village on Mill Street, Toronto | 3 January 2027 | Ticketed from 4pm daily to 31 December |
| Grand Marché de Noël, Montreal | 3 January 2027 | Free |
| Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville, Chicago | 31 December | 31 Dec 11am to 4pm |
| Ottawa Christmas Market | 31 December only | New Year’s Eve, 6pm to 1am |
| Snowport, Boston | 27 December | As reported by the Boston Globe |
| Christmas Village, Philadelphia | 27 December | Open 26 and 27 December |
Every other market in the table closes on or before 24 December. Chicago’s Daley Plaza, the city’s original site, closes on 24 December at 4pm. If your trip is the week of 28 December, New York, Toronto and Montreal are the three cities that still have a full market.
Which markets open on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
Thanksgiving falls on Thursday 26 November 2026, inside every US market’s season. The markets split cleanly:
- Open on 26 November: Chicago Daley Plaza and Wrigleyville (11am to 4pm), Bryant Park (11am to 8pm), Philadelphia (9am to 5pm) and Denver (11am to 4pm).
- Closed on 26 November: Washington’s DC Holiday Market, Carmel, St. Paul and Boston’s Snowport.
On Christmas Day, Bryant Park publishes noon to 5pm. Wrigleyville, Philadelphia, Carmel, Toronto’s Mill Street village and Boston’s Snowport are closed on 25 December, and Vancouver, Denver, Quebec City and Washington have already closed for the season.
Which markets charge for entry
In the US, none of the markets in our table charges admission. Bryant Park’s rink is free if you bring your own skates, but you need a free ticket released one week ahead, and rentals cost extra.
In Canada, four of the eight markets charge or ticket at busy times:
| Market | What it costs (CAD) | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Winter Village on Mill Street, Toronto | From $16 plus HST and a service charge | Needed from 4pm Friday to Sunday, on December Thursdays and daily 14 to 31 December; free all day Monday to Wednesday until 13 December; children 9 and under free |
| Vancouver Christmas Market | Single entry from $7.99 in pre-sale (to 15 November) | Timed tickets; children 6 and under free |
| Edmonton Christmas Market | $21.95 online, $25.95 at the door for adults | Timed 30-minute entry; children 0 to 5 free |
| Spruce Meadows, Calgary | $20 adults, $12 children 3 to 12 and seniors | Friday 6pm to 9pm is adults only |
The cheapest way into the Mill Street village is the simplest: go before 4pm, or on a Monday to Wednesday before 14 December. Its tickets are non-refundable but transferable, so buy them once your dates are fixed.
The best Christmas markets in the US and Canada, by what you want
There is no single best market. These are the picks by trip type, using only the dates above.
The classic German-style market: Chicago
Chicago’s Christkindlmarket is in its 30th season in 2026 and runs at two city sites. Daley Plaza, in the Loop, is open daily from 20 November to 24 December. Wrigleyville, at Gallagher Way beside Wrigley Field, runs to 31 December. The official site lists roasted nuts, fresh pretzels and bratwurst, and admission is free at every location.
The longest season: New York
Bryant Park’s Winter Village opens on 28 October and its holiday shops run to 3 January 2027, Monday to Friday 11am to 8pm and weekends 10am to 8pm. It is also the one market here with published Christmas Day hours. Union Square adds a second market from 12 November to 24 December, and Columbus Circle, by Central Park, had not published 2026 dates on 22 October.
The best of Canada: Toronto and Montreal
Toronto’s Winter Village on Mill Street runs 12 November to 3 January in a pedestrian quarter of Victorian brick lanes at 55 Mill Street. The official site names raclette, poutine and crêpes among its food. Montreal’s Grand Marché de Noël is free, runs 13 November to 3 January on Place des Festivals, and has around 60 artisan chalets.
The European feel: Quebec City
Quebec City’s German Christmas Market spreads across six sites in Vieux-Québec, from Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville to the courtyard of Holy Trinity Cathedral, by Destination Québec cité. It is free, but it opens Thursday to Sunday only from 19 November, plus 21 to 23 December. Plan a Thursday-to-Sunday trip.
The village: Leavenworth, Washington
Leavenworth is a Bavarian-style mountain village in Washington state rather than a single market. Christmastown festivities run 27 November to 24 December, and the half a million lights stay on from 6am to 11pm daily until the end of February 2027, by the Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce. A free Link bus runs from the park-and-ride.
How to avoid the weekend crowds
None of these markets publishes a crowd forecast. Their own opening patterns say a lot, though.
- Go Monday to Wednesday. Toronto’s Mill Street village is free all day on those days until 13 December, a clear sign they are its quiet days.
- Go early. Most markets open between 11am and noon; Vancouver opens at 4pm on weekdays until 4 December.
- Avoid 19 to 23 December. Vancouver extends its hours to 10am to 10pm on those days, and Chicago’s Wrigleyville opens all day on 21 to 23 December: both expect their biggest crowds.
- Book the opening weekends with care. Bryant Park, Toronto’s Winter Village and Chicago all hold opening events, so the first Friday and Saturday are busier than the week after.
Getting between markets
North American markets are too far apart to chain by train the way European ones are, with two exceptions.
- Montreal to Quebec City: VIA Rail puts the average train time at around 3 hours 17 minutes, so both markets fit one long weekend.
- New York to Philadelphia: under two hours by Amtrak, and Philadelphia runs to 27 December.
Everything else is a flight. Our when to book Christmas flights guide has the 2026 booking window.
What to eat, and what to drink without alcohol
Food is the reason most people stay longer than planned. The official sites name roasted nuts, pretzels and bratwurst in Chicago and Denver, Baumstriezel chimney cake, Kartoffelpuffer and Käsespätzle in Carmel, churros and s’mores at Bryant Park, raclette and poutine at Toronto’s Winter Village, and seafood chowder in Halifax.
For a hot drink, every market sells hot chocolate. Denver has a dedicated Hot Chocolate Hut, and Halifax runs a Cocoa Trail with Mexican, s’mores and gingerbread hot chocolates. You can do every market on this page and never need anything stronger.
What to pack for a cold market evening
Chicago, Ottawa, Quebec City and Edmonton in December are far colder than any market in Western Europe, and a market is an evening of standing still. Our Christmas market packing list covers the layers, footwear and hand warmers, and the printable checklist fits on one page. For the coldest cities, our heated vests, jackets and hand warmers guide covers the battery rules for flying with them.
Where a North American market trip goes wrong
You flew to Quebec City for a Tuesday in early December
The German Christmas Market opens Thursday to Sunday only until 20 December. Move the trip to the weekend, or use 21 to 23 December, when it opens every day.
You planned Toronto’s Winter Village for a Saturday evening without a ticket
From 4pm on Friday to Sunday, entry needs a timed ticket bought online. Go before 4pm, or buy the ticket in advance.
You booked Calgary for mid-December
Spruce Meadows’ market ends on 6 December. Edmonton runs to 20 December and is the Alberta alternative.
You planned Philadelphia for 24 November
The Christmas Village publishes a closure from 23 to 25 November, the days before Thanksgiving. It reopens on Thanksgiving Day itself, from 9am to 5pm.
You built a trip around Columbus Circle
Its 2026 dates were not published on 22 October. In 2025 it ran 2 to 31 December. Book refundable, or anchor the trip on Bryant Park, which is about a 30-minute walk away and has published dates.
Sources
VoyageHacks read every date on this page from the market organiser, the city or the official tourist board, on 22 October 2026. Where an official page did not show 2026 dates, the row says which source it comes from.
- Christkindlmarket Chicago, Daley Plaza and Wrigleyville location pages, https://www.christkindlmarket.com/daleyplaza/ and https://www.christkindlmarket.com/wrigleyville/, checked October 2026
- Bryant Park Corporation, Bank of America Winter Village, https://bryantpark.org/activities/bank-of-america-winter-village-at-bryant-park, checked October 2026
- Urbanspace, Union Square and Columbus Circle Holiday Markets, https://urbanspacemarkets.com/pages/union-square and https://urbanspacemarkets.com/pages/columbus-circle, and Made in NYC’s 2026 booth notice for the Union Square dates, checked October 2026
- Christmas Village in Philadelphia, https://www.philachristmas.com/, checked October 2026
- DC Holiday Market, https://dcholidaymarket.net/, checked October 2026
- Denver Christkindlmarket, https://www.christkindlmarketdenver.com/, checked October 2026
- Carmel Christkindlmarkt, https://www.carmelchristkindlmarkt.com/, checked October 2026
- Boston Seaport, Snowport, https://www.bostonseaport.xyz/snowport, with the 2026 dates as reported by the Boston Globe on 14 October 2026, checked October 2026
- Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce, Christmastown, https://leavenworth.org/christmastown/, checked October 2026
- St. Paul European Christmas Market, FAQs, https://stpaulchristmasmarket.org/faqs/, checked October 2026
- Toronto Winter Village, 55 Mill Street, FAQ, https://www.thedistillerywintervillage.com/faq, and its 28 September 2026 press release, checked October 2026
- Vancouver Christmas Market, Plan your visit, https://www.vancouverchristmasmarket.com/plan-your-visit/, checked October 2026
- Tourisme Montréal, Le Grand Marché de Noël, https://www.mtl.org/fr/quoi-faire/festivals-et-evenements/le-grand-marche-de-noel, checked October 2026
- Destination Québec cité, Marché de Noël allemand, https://www.quebec-cite.com/fr/quoi-faire/evenements/marche-de-noel-allemand/, checked October 2026
- Ottawa Christmas Market, https://ottawachristmasmarket.com/, and Ottawa Tourism, https://ottawatourism.ca/en/event-calendar/ottawa-christmas-market, checked October 2026
- Spruce Meadows, International Christmas Market, https://sprucemeadows.com/christmas-market/, checked October 2026
- Edmonton Christmas Market, https://yegxmasmarket.com/, checked October 2026
- Discover Halifax, Evergreen Festival, https://discoverhalifaxns.com/evergreen-festival/, checked October 2026
- Niagara Falls Tourism, Winter Festival of Lights, https://www.niagarafallstourism.com/WFOL/, checked October 2026
What changed
- 2026-10-22: first published. Columbus Circle’s 2026 dates, Montreal’s daily hours and Boston Snowport’s dates on its own site were not yet published; this page will be updated when they are.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do Christmas markets open in the US and Canada in 2026?
Between late October and late November. New York’s Winter Village at Bryant Park opens on 28 October, Boston’s Snowport on 6 November, Toronto’s Winter Village on Mill Street and Washington’s DC Holiday Market on 12 November, Montreal’s Grand Marché de Noël on 13 November, Vancouver on 16 November, Chicago and Denver on 20 November and Philadelphia on 21 November.
Which Christmas markets in North America are open after Christmas?
New York’s Bryant Park and Toronto’s Winter Village on Mill Street run to 3 January 2027, Montreal’s Grand Marché de Noël to 3 January, Chicago’s Wrigleyville market to 31 December, and Boston’s Snowport and Philadelphia’s Christmas Village to 27 December. Chicago’s Daley Plaza market closes on 24 December and Denver’s on 23 December.
Are any Christmas markets open on Christmas Day?
Bryant Park is the one large market in our table that publishes Christmas Day hours: noon to 5pm on 25 December 2026. Niagara Falls’ Winter Festival of Lights, which is a lights route rather than a market, also runs every night through the holidays. Chicago’s Wrigleyville market, Philadelphia’s Christmas Village and Toronto’s Winter Village on Mill Street are closed on 25 December.
Do you have to pay to enter a Christmas market in Canada?
Some Canadian markets charge, unlike most US ones. Vancouver uses timed tickets from 7.99 Canadian dollars in pre-sale, Edmonton charges 21.95 dollars online for adults, Calgary’s Spruce Meadows market 20 dollars, and Toronto’s Winter Village on Mill Street needs a ticket from 4pm on busy days. Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa and Halifax are free to enter.
What is the best Christmas market in the US?
For one trip, Chicago is VoyageHacks’ pick: the Christkindlmarket runs at Daley Plaza from 20 November to 24 December 2026 and at Wrigleyville until 31 December, with free admission at both. New York’s Bryant Park has the longest season, 28 October to 3 January, and the only published Christmas Day opening.
Ready to plan your market trip?
Pick by the calendar first. From 21 November to 20 December, every market in the table with published dates is open on at least some days. From 25 December, it is New York, Toronto, Montreal, Chicago’s Wrigleyville, Boston and Philadelphia.
Then pick the weekday, and check whether your market is a weekend-only one. For the European originals, see our Christmas markets in Europe 2026 guide, and for the rest of the season, where to go in December and our winter and Christmas travel tips.