Wondering which Christmas markets you should absolutely go to in Calgary?
The Calgary Farmers’ Market, Bowness Holiday Craft Fair, and Saskatoon Farm Christmas Market are the best Christmas markets in Calgary. This is all thanks to their welcoming atmosphere, range of product options, and unique Christmas items.
Let’s go over each one so you know what to expect!
Table of Contents
- 1. Spruce Meadows International Christmas Market
- 2. The Calgary Farmers’ Market
- 3. Inglewood Holiday Night Market
- 4. Bowness Holiday Craft Fair
- 5. The Saskatoon Farm Christmas Market
- 6. Calgary Expo Holiday Market
- 7. Art Market Christmas Craft Sale
- 8. Festival of Crafts
- 9. Little Modern Market: Holiday Market
- 10. Granary Road’s Christmas Market
- Shopping Tips: What to Buy at Calgary’s Christmas Markets
1. Spruce Meadows International Christmas Market
Since 2001, the Spruce Meadows International Christmas Market has been one of Calgary’s main Christmas shopping destinations with its enviable selection of exquisite gifts and treats for the entire family.
Over three weekends, the market will feature over 300 carefully selected local businesses displaying their goods. Let’s just say you won’t complain about lack of choices here!
The Market’s Specifics
What to do in Spruce Meadows International Market
Easily the most popular thing to do at Spruce Meadows International Chrismtas Market is shopping.
Explore the many booths with your loved ones to kick off the holiday season. It may also be an opportunity to purchase exquisite gifts and sample artisan foods.
And don’t miss their ‘Winter Wonderland’ if you have kids. It’s a family-friendly area with plenty of entertainment for kids of all ages.
2. The Calgary Farmers’ Market
Every year, the Calgary Farmers’ Market is transformed into a holiday wonderland known as the Calgary Christmas Market. They provide a venue where Calgary residents can get the best local food and products.
Not only is this a great place to get into the Christmas spirit, but it’s also a fantastic place to make new friends with local tomato farmers or jewelry makers.
The Market’s Specifics
What to do in the Calgary Farmers’ Market
Aside from shopping for handcrafted items from your favorite vendors, we suggest dining in the Food Hall at Calgary Farmers’ Market. Everyone can warm up next to a crackling fire while indulging their sweet tooth with a delicious treat or two.
They also have special events and costumed personalities. You won’t want to miss the chance to meet the Grinch, have breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and say hello to Santa’s reindeer.
3. Inglewood Holiday Night Market
The Inglewood Night Market presents an indoor holiday edition of their popular modern market, which they dubbed the Holiday Night Market. They feature a variety of vendors and entertainment on selected weekends.
The place is kid-friendly, so most parents bring their children for a night of music as well.
The Market’s Specifics
What to do in Inglewood Holiday Night Market
People can buy a variety of goods (from handmade crafts to vintage clothing, antiques, and collectibles) from handmade vendors or indulge in artisan eats at Inglewood Holiday Night Market.
If you find yourself getting tired of strolling around the place, you can also sit down for a bit and just enjoy the live music while drinking beer or wine. It’s a great way to warm up in the winter.
4. Bowness Holiday Craft Fair
The Bowness Holiday Craft Fair is an excellent place to start your holiday shopping. It is free to attend, and concessions and raffle tickets are available for purchase. It features many shops and local stalls selling their unique handcrafted items.
Doing your Christmas shopping here will not only provide you with a plethora of Christmas gift options but will also allow you to support local businesses.
The Market’s Specifics
What to do at Bowness Holiday Craft Fair
Aside from early Christmas shopping, attendees of Bowness Holiday Craft Fair always get very excited to get concessions and raffle tickets. Concessions include breakfast, lunch, and refreshments, meaning you won’t be hungry throughout your shopping experience.
After shopping at this fantastic holiday market fair, you can visit other nearby attractions, such as Bowness Park. It is one of Calgary’s most popular parks, ideal for ice skating in the winter.
5. The Saskatoon Farm Christmas Market
The Saskatoon Farm, located just south of Calgary in Alberta, hosts an annual Christmas market that takes place both indoors and outdoors. The place is yet another ideal location to enjoy holiday fun while you get some shopping done.
Every year, they feature over 400 local small businesses over three weekends, so everyone is bound to find anything they might possibly want.
But not all 400 will be present at the same time. Each weekend will feature a different selection of local makers and creators, making each weekend uniquely different.
The Market’s Specifics
What to do at the Saskatoon Farm Christmas Market
Family and friends can make holiday memories while warming up around a roaring fire at the Saskatoon Farm Christmas Market.
Everyone is welcome to take photos with Santa, but reservations are required. There are delicious treats and hot and cold beverages available, so you don’t need to bring your own.
People can expect to have fun with the farm pets and animals that reside there, which can be a one-of-a-kind experience for everyone, especially the kids.
6. Calgary Expo Holiday Market
The Calgary Expo occasionally hosts a holiday market, though it is not an annual event.
If you want to deck the halls with starship boughs or stroll through a nerdy wonderland, this is the place to start. In addition to your favorite action hero, Santa Claus will even make an appearance.
This one-day event is all about shopping and community spirit – this is the market for pop-culture-loving holiday shoppers
The Market’s Specifics
What to do at Calgary Expo Holiday Market
Everyone who has the opportunity to attend the Calgary Expo Holiday Market can get gifts for all of those super-geeks on their list.
And of course, taking pictures with Santa Claus is a must after you enjoy the fan-favorite, Walking in a Nerdy Wonderland.
7. Art Market Christmas Craft Sale
Calgary appreciates art. That is why Calgarians never miss the Art Market Christmas Craft Sale, a premier craft event during the holidays.
It’s one of the city’s best Christmas markets, bringing together a slew of local artists, including over 200 Canadian artisans in one location, for that one-of-a-kind gift for everyone on your list.
Every year, they host a four-day shopping extravaganza that includes some of Canada’s best art and craft, as well as live music, artist demonstrations, and giveaways.
The Market’s Specifics
What to do at the Art Market Christmas Craft Sale
Our favorite thing to do at the Art Market Christmas Craft Sale is to enjoy a glass of wine or beer as well as live music while shopping for Christmas gifts.
Choose from delicate pottery, vibrant jewelry, timeless home furnishings, seasonal decorations, and custom clothing. There’s always one thing available for anyone to enjoy.
After hours of shopping, you can visit the Calgary Tower, which is only a short distance away from the venue.
There’s also Wonderland Sculpture and the Telus Spark Science Centre, both of which are only a few minutes away. There really is a lot to do in and around the Art Market, as it is surrounded by various tourist attractions to see.
8. Festival of Crafts
The Signatures Festival of Crafts has been one of Calgary’s premier holiday shopping events since 1986.
It’s almost like an annual tradition that not only locals but also visitors from all over the world come to visit to meet passionate creatives in person, hear their stories, and experience their works firsthand.
If you enjoy art, this is the ideal place to spend your holiday season.
The Festival of Crafts runs for four days every year, providing an unforgettable opportunity to shop for handmade items that will last a lifetime.
The Market’s Specifics
What to do in Festival of Crafts
The Festival of Crafts has a wide variety of unique Christmas gifts for your loved ones, ranging from pottery and jewelry to children’s toys and more.
If you get tired and hungry while shopping at the market fair and want to try something new, there are plenty of restaurants nearby.
Finally, if you want to give the kids a treat after the festival, a short drive away from the market is the Calgary Zoo. Take them there for a peek at all the animals!
9. Little Modern Market: Holiday Market
The holiday edition of Little Modern Market is a higher-level version of the market that embraces the spirit of Christmas.
With lots of bright lights, decorations, and other incorporated holiday displays like Santa Claus and his elves and reindeer and gingerbreads on the side, the place transforms into a jolly experience.
Aside from its beautiful setting, locals and tourists can shop at over 100 local and small shops the market features – all of which have something for everyone on their list, whether they are naughty or nice.
The Market’s Specifics
What to do in Little Modern Market: Holiday Market
There is a lot to do in Little Modern Market, especially during its holiday edition, and the majority of it is free. The first 100 customers through the door will even receive a free market tote in which to store their purchases.
Your children will also receive free face painting and glitter tattoos. That’s something the little ones always enjoy.
They can also enjoy a free photo opportunity with the market’s holiday setting, which includes the most beautiful holiday gingerbread house. If the kids are lucky, they will also receive a free bag of cotton candy.
There are also numerous cafes within the market where the family can take a break from their extravagant shopping experience.
10. Granary Road’s Christmas Market
Get your chance to take a fun Christmas photo with alpacas at Granary Road’s Christmas Market. This holiday market lasts nearly a month and begins in late November.
It features spectacular permanent vendors that sell wonderful Christmas merchandise and gifts, perfect for the holiday season.
They have an overall 40 amazing and unique day small shops, so this means you won’t get short of buying different kinds of presents or decorations for your house.
With all of the carols, decorated trees, and lights, the entire place screams Christmas.
The Market’s Specifics
What to do in Granary Road’s Christmas Market
As mentioned, the best and most fun thing to do in Granary Road’s Christmas Market is to snap photos with their alpacas.
You can sit down on their alpaca-approved furniture, and bring the whole family wearing festive clothes for some unique and amazing photos.
Children would definitely enjoy visiting Santa’s workshop in the gift shop section of the market.
There, little ones will surely embark on a once-in-a-lifetime (or yearly) adventure with Mr. Claus, where they will bake gingerbread cookies, paint ornaments, and sip hot chocolate while riding a tractor.
Shopping Tips: What to Buy at Calgary’s Christmas Markets
Now that you know where to find the best Christmas markets in the city, it might be a little overwhelming to think about what things you need to buy.
To assist you, here are six of the best things to buy for your loved ones, your home, and, of course, for yourself—at Calgary’s Christmas markets.
Get out your list and jot down these fantastic ideas!
Christmas Decorations
Calgary’s Christmas markets are a treasure trove of holiday decorations. They have everything from Christmas trees and all of their ornaments, lights, poinsettias, or other Christmas plants,
You may even score some scented candles, figurines, wooden nutcrackers, and other seasonal decorations that might sit on a table.
Don’t forget to shop for your outdoor decorating essentials. Get a wreath for your front door (either a fresh evergreen wreath or a pretty artificial wreath), lawn figures (reindeer, angels, or whatever suits your theme), and extension cords for lights and light-up figures.
Handmade Crafts
It’s true that in every holiday market in the city, you will almost definitely see handmade and authentic crafts. This is because each of them features local artisans to support locally produced goods.
Tourists and even locals never leave Calgary’s Christmas market without buying handcrafted wooden toys, pottery, stained glass pieces, woodworking, apparel, jewelry, and even homemade baked goods.
Consider it meaningful shopping and spreading the Christmas spirit to deserving creative people.
Christmas Sweets
From classic eggnog cupcakes and chocolate peppermint to cranberry pear sorbet and sticky toffee pudding, Christmas markets are a great place to discover the authentic sweets of the city.
Stock up on classic Canadian treats like Nanaimo bars, sugar pies, and sweet bannock, as well as butter tarts. You’ll surely find these at almost every holiday market in town.
Classic sweets are in demand too. Snag a fresh loaf of sweet bread to enjoy at home with your family, sample the rum-based cupcake topped with eggnog buttercream icing, and purchase one or two gingerbread scones.
Sweets can also make an excellent Christmas present for some people, so don’t be alarmed if you think you’ve brought too many. Share and spread the sweetness instead!
Novelty Items
Christmas wouldn’t be complete without a cheery novelty gift. It is something to look at during the cold and hot days of the new year and remember with a warm glow inside the amazing time you had at a particular Calgary Christmas market.
It doesn’t have to be something expensive; for example, you could get a t-shirt or a mug with the name of your favorite Calgary Christmas market embroidered on it.
You can also do a simple Christmas bauble shaped like something famous in the city, cute little Santa bands, Christmas boots, or even reindeer-themed pens.
If you see something that you’re not familiar with and aren’t sure how to use but that appeals to your sense of humor, don’t overlook it. After all, ’tis the season to be merry and a bit silly.
Luxury Gifts
Christmas markets are also excellent places to purchase high-end gifts for family and friends. Although the majority of those shops in Calgary are run by local independent sellers, there are a few that sell luxurious items.
This includes items such as watches, delicate jewelry, kitchenware, and luxurious body oils and perfumes.
There is no harm in purchasing lavish presents for your loved ones, just as there is no harm in gifting a local or handmade one.
Artisan Food Items
Hand-picked food items make a wonderful Christmas present for workmates and friends.
Well, everyone enjoys being treated to nice, exclusive foods every now and then, especially during the holiday season. And Christmas markets are a great place to look for such small treats.
Strolling around city holiday markets will allow you to find artisanal foods such as special sauces, oils, or vinegar. Preserved fruits and cheeses, hand-churned condiments, or a jar of honey produced by local farms (Calgary has many farm markets) – you get the idea.
These handcrafted food items are made with love, and most people will appreciate them as a Christmas gift.
With all of the Calgary Christmas markets we’ve listed, we hope you’ll find one (or two) that will get you in the holiday spirit and, of course, get you ahead on your holiday shopping.
Don’t forget to tell us what you loved about them once you visit!
