The Shipyards in December has three operators. A private company runs the Christmas market, the City runs the skating rink, and Lonsdale Quay runs the food hall next door. Each one sets its own hours, rules and update channels.
The Shipyards Christmas Market is organized and paid for by Parfait Productions Inc. and its sponsors. Its own FAQ states that it is not affiliated with, sponsored by, subsidized by or organized by the City of North Vancouver. The skating rink in the middle of it belongs to the City. The new food hall a few steps west sits inside Lonsdale Quay Market, which runs on its own schedule again. If you live within walking distance, you can treat these as three resources and use each one when it's at its best.
The 2026 market opens Friday, November 27, and runs to Christmas Eve at 125 Victory Ship Way.
Who runs what on the waterfront
Shipyards Christmas Market | Shipyards Skate Plaza | Lonsdale Quay Food Hall & Bar | |
|---|---|---|---|
Operator | Parfait Productions Inc. | City of North Vancouver | Lonsdale Quay Market |
Cost to enter | Free | Free with your own skates. Rentals are $8 for adults, $5.50 for kids | Free to walk in |
Season | Nov. 27 to Dec. 24, 2026 | Reopens in late November 2026 | Open since January 2026 |
Where to check updates | The market's newsletter and social channels | City social media and CityView eNews | The Quay's website |
The market's admission policy is unusual for a large holiday event in this region. It has no ticket, no timeslot and no entry fee, and the organizers say the model follows European Christmas markets. In their FAQ they say they are concerned about the rising number of paid events at a time when many people are struggling with rent, mortgages and basic necessities. Corporate sponsors cover that cost, which the organizers openly acknowledge. This is the market's third season. It started in 2024.
Free entry means you can stop by for 40 minutes on a Tuesday and come back on Saturday without spending anything to get in. That's what makes the timing details below worth knowing.
Market hours, rink hours and Santa hours all differ
The market's daily hours are simple enough:
- November 27 to December 17: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday
- December 18 to 23: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day
- December 24: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., then closed from Christmas Day onward
The other activities on site keep their own hours. The market lists skating at noon to 8 p.m., so on every night except Christmas Eve the ice closes an hour or two before the chalets do. The City's Skate Plaza page adds three daily closures for ice cleaning, at 1:30, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m., each lasting about 30 minutes. Rental skates stop going out at 7:30 p.m. Free photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus run 4:30 to 8 p.m. on weekdays, and noon to 3 p.m. plus 5 to 8 p.m. on weekends.
Put those together and a weeknight visit with kids works best in this order:
- Arrive around 4:30 p.m. Santa photos start then. The market's visitor guide describes weeknights after 4 p.m. as "the sweet spot," when the lights are on but the lanes haven't reached weekend crowds.
- Browse during the 5:30 ice cleaning. The rink is closed for about half an hour anyway.
- Skate from about 6 p.m. If you need rentals, get them well before the 7:30 cutoff. Sizes run from youth 4 to adult 13 at the Supply Shop. Helmets and skate aids are free, and helmets are required for kids 12 and under.
- Eat after the rink closes at 8. The market stays open until 9 on weeknights.
On weekends the order flips. The market says it's liveliest after 4 p.m. on weekends and during Christmas week, with lineups to match. The City lists evenings and weekends as peak skate times. A Saturday that starts at noon, with Santa's first session and the ice before the 1:30 cleaning, avoids the busiest hours entirely.
The rink also has some history worth sharing with visiting relatives. The City calls it the largest outdoor rink in the region, at 12,000 square feet under a roof, with a capacity of 300. The curved lines under the ice echo the ship hulls that were once cut on this site. Heat pulled from the CO2 ice plant feeds the Lonsdale Energy system and helps heat nearby buildings. The rink may close without notice for weather or maintenance, so check before promising anyone a skate. On its Skate Plaza page, the City gives the reopening as "late November" with no exact date yet. It will post the date on social media and in CityView eNews.
The Pipe Shop is the market's indoor wing
On a cold, wet December night, the most useful part of the market is indoors. The old Shipyards Pipe Shop becomes L'Orangerie Noël, a market hall with 12 artisans set up like a vintage department store. They sell loose-leaf German tea, olive oil and balsamic, handmade chocolates, homeware, handmade toys and stationery.
The hall also has a champagne bar pouring Veuve Clicquot, espresso martinis and Prosecco cocktails in crystal glasses, served with charcuterie. The market notes that seating is limited. A gallery shows curated art, and North Van Arts hosts an art auction there. On a weeknight you can grab a drink inside and still be close enough to see the rink.
Outside, the market's own figures are 120+ vendors in 90+ chalets. More than a hundred makers rotate through Makers' Lane over the season, and eight pop-up stalls change hands, so the lane won't look the same from one week to the next. Food runs to bratwurst, roasted pork hock, raclette, Christmas beer and mulled wine in a keepsake mug.
New for 2026 is a set of limited-edition keepsakes sold only at the info booth by the pavilion while supplies last. The set includes a Glühwein mug meant as a collect-one-every-year tradition, a teddy bear named Summit, a canvas tote and a mulled-wine character called Gluwi. Since these are first come, first served, early weekday visitors have a better chance at them.
Two things haven't been announced yet. The 2026 entertainment schedule for the two stages is still listed as coming soon. So are the dates for the $90 guided foodie tour, which covers 10 stalls with a Glühwein in hand and has only six dates with 12 spots each. With so few spots, the market newsletter is the place to watch for those dates.
When the lanes fill up, cross to the Quay
On a busy night, food lineups are the hardest part of the market. The easy fix is a short walk west. Lonsdale Quay's Food Hall & Bar at 123 Carrie Cates Court opened on January 24, 2026, as North Shore News reported at the time. Its opening lineup included Heritage Asian Eatery, Le Coq Frit and Butter Lane Bake Shop. This will be the hall's first December, so for many neighbors it's still a new option during market season. It also has walls and a roof, which the chalet lanes don't.
The Quay has added other spots this year too. Lonsdale Quay lists Brazil Gourmet, at unit 144 of 123 Carrie Cates Court, as now open. La Mano, an Italian pasta counter, was expected to open at the Quay in May, according to North Shore News. As of October 21, Vancouver Foodster's openings tracker lists it as open. In that same October 21 update, Crave Cheesesteaks and Disco Cheetah at the Quay are still listed with opening dates to be announced.
One block up the hill, Kozak Ukrainian Food at 3 Lonsdale Ave. planned to open by June 1, North Shore News reported in April. It's also listed as open on the Vancouver Foodster tracker. If you want a sit-down dinner away from the lanes, it's a few minutes' walk.
Getting there without the parkade
The market's own directions recommend not driving. The closest covered parking is the Lonsdale Quay parkade off Carrie Cates Court. Overflow lots are farther east on Esplanade, five to eight minutes away on foot, and nearby lots and street spots fill early on weekends. Accessible parking is on the parkade's ground level, closest to the market entrance, and the drop-off loop is on Carrie Cates Court rather than Esplanade.
If you live nearby, there are better options:
- On foot or by bike: The Spirit Trail runs right to the market. The market describes the waterfront route as flat, lit and separated from traffic. Bike racks are on Carrie Cates Court and bike-share docks are at the Quay. Walk your bike in the lanes.
- For guests from downtown: The SeaBus takes 12 minutes from Waterfront Station, and the market is a two-minute, step-free walk from the terminal.
Bring rain gear. The market stays open in all weather unless conditions become unsafe, and its packing list recommends a hood over an umbrella and boots for cobbles and a wet quay. Bring both cash and a tap card, because the market says small makers often don't take cards, and no vendor accepts AMEX. Dogs are welcome. The whole site, washrooms included, is wheelchair accessible, and the info booth hands out free ear plugs, child-sized headsets and sensory welcome packs. The lost and found is at that same booth, in front of Tap & Barrel. The market supports the Salvation Army and the BC Professional Firefighters' Burn Fund, so a donation stop fits naturally into a visit.
If friends or family come out for the market and start asking what it's like to live within walking distance of the rink, the Spirit Trail and the SeaBus, Patricia would be glad to talk it through with them. The team at Patricia Houlihan PREC knows the Lower Lonsdale waterfront well. Talk to Patricia.
