Best Christmas markets in NYC

The sixth annual holiday market at the Brooklyn Navy Yard is officially happening the first weekend of December (December 2 and 3, between noon and 5pm) at Assembly Road and Gee Avenue.

This year’s happening is “Wallabout Wonderland” — a giant 100,000-square-foot event with more than 200 vendors selling locally made goods and products, from home goods to clothing and accessories, art, and wellness and skincare products and more.

Specifically, The Lay Out, a Brooklyn-based community organization, has curated 75 small Black-owned brands for this year’s holiday market with perennial favorites such as BrklynBarSoap and new brands such as Adanne, From The Arxhive’s and Deandra Craigman’s, whose beautiful candles can be customized with engraving on-site. The Lay Out is bringing a gift-wrapping and shipping center, directly within Wallabout Wonderland, in partnership with Clinton Hill Sandbox, that allows attendees to shop local and easily get gifts shipped out to loved ones around the world.

There will also be a Family Corner with fun and free activities for families with kids of all ages, such as cookie decorating, holiday card making, Lego building and a balloon house. For the adults: jewelry customizations, live music, and peppermint scrub hand massages. Guests can relax and unwind in the lounge while sipping on hot-coco and special holiday drinks from Kings County Distillery, Rooftop Reds, and Rustik Tavern, while listening to classic holiday hits.

The market itself is completely free to attend and open to the public but the organizers do encourage everyone to RSVP right here.

Now in its 25th year, this annual holiday artisan market, held at the palatial Cathedral of St. John the Divine December 1-3, provides a space for more than 85 crafters, including many who have exhibited in the Philadelphia and Smithsonian Museum Craft Shows, to sell their handmade wares. Look out for one-of-a-kind wearable art, pottery, leather, sculpture, jewelry, painting, metal, wood, mixed media art, and much more. The fine craft event is organized and managed by Richard and Joanna Rothbard, owners of An American Craftsman Galleries and producers of the Berkshires Arts Festivals, American Fine Craft Show Brooklyn Museum, Sarasota Art & Design Show & the Arts Festival at Rockefeller Center.

“At this show, visitors will enjoy cutting-edge work—whether classic or contemporary—executed by hand by the country’s best talent,” said director Richard Rothbard.

All admission proceeds go toward the Cathedral and its programs.

Bed Stuy is busy with holiday shopping this year as Black Girl Magic Street returns with three separate markets to hit up.

Starting November 24 and 25, the Black Friday Night Market (5-10pm) and Small Biz Saturday Marketplace (noon-6pm) will take over Tompkins Avenue (AKA Black Girl Magic Street) with local vendors and organizations for a one-stop-shop experience.

Then the Annual Winter Artisan Market, taking place on Tompkins Avenue December 2-3, 9-10, 16-17 and 23-24, will be on with a curated line-up of Black-owned brands, live music, art, DJ sets, workshops, gift-wrapping, festive photo ops and much more. It’ll transform Tompkins Ave. into a festive, indoor/outdoor “winter village.” 

Shop ‘til you drop at FAD Market, a curated fashion, art and design pop-up marketplace this holiday season. Expect to see your favorite makers plus brand new creatives to help you live smarter, gift better and support local businesses. Admission is free and dogs are welcome!

— Empire Stores in Dumbo: November 27-December 22
— The Invisible Dog Art Center in Boerum Hill: December 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, and 17

On two Sundays before Christmas (December 10 and 17), Queens’ classic Bohemian Hall beer garden transforms into an NYC-centric artisan market chock-full of handmade and vintage merchandise. Bohemian Hall will offer its “Grandma’s Kitchen” menu, which includes a variety of homemade soups, platters, and homemade apple strudel. There will also be eggnog, chestnuts, hot apple cider, and other holiday favorites to enjoy!

More than 60 small businesses will pop up at City Point this holiday season for The Maker’s Show. It takes place over four, three-day weekends, where you’ll find a showcase a unique mix of crafts and products from a roster of up-and-coming entrepreneurs, including Grateful GemHead (an immersion in gems, minerals and crystals), Love Set Match (a premium collection of tennis clothes for girls), Moonchild Slipper Socks from Anatolia, Cosmos Pottery’s playful handcrafted ceramics and much more.

The Queens Craft Brigade hosts an exceptional community of makers exclusively from the borough of Queens. The independent, queer-owned market at Katch Astoria brings together talented makers exclusively from around the borough and has created monthly curated events featuring artwork, jewelry, fashion, crafts, and more.

Here's the schedule for the rest of 2023:

— November 25: Small Business Saturday
— December 9: Holiday Market

Brooklyn Pop-up has a full line-up of great holiday markets this season!

Holiday Markets at the Brooklyn Museum (Indoor Market)
December 2-3, 9-10, 11am - 5:30pm

Inside the museum’s lobby, shop from 40 local vendors and makers who will sell handmade goods like handcrafted jewelry, contemporary and upcycled fashion, ceramics, boutique wellness and apothecary, homewares, pet treats and accessories, to packaged foods, artisanal distillers, and more. Carolers will be on-site!

Old Stone House Holiday Bazaar (Outdoor Market)
December 9, 10am - 4pm

Located along the cul de sac at 4th Street and Fifth Avenue in Park Slope, next to the Old Stone House in Washington Park, the Old Stone House Holiday Artisans Bazaar hosts over 40 local artisans, makers, and small businesses. Mulled wine and cider will be on hand.

The new Holiday Artisans Market at the Museum of the City of New York (Indoor Market)
December 16-17, 10am - 5pm

This new holiday market will take over the lobby inside the Museum of the City of New York with local maker-vendors with handmade jewelry, fashion, homewares, accessories, and gifts, emphasizing artisans based in Harlem and Upper Manhattan. 

This weekly Upper West Side marketplace, one of NYC’s oldest, goes all out every holiday season with holiday treats and special holiday vendors. From November 26 through December 23, drop by any Sunday to shop photographs, jewelry, furniture, beauty products, antiques and tasty eats from more than 350 local merchants selling across the holiday season—and feel really good doing it: the market supports local businesses by donating 100 percent of its profits to four of the neighborhood’s public schools.

On November 28, the Hester Street Fair is going indoors for the holiday season. It’ll still be located at The Seaport at 18 Fulton Street (formerly the Scotch and Soda store). Expect unique handcrafted gifts for sale (returning from last year's pop-up will be Eden's Harvest, Trop Flavor Co., Binata Millinery, and Little Paper Warriors), personalized gift-wrapping services, photo opportunities, live music, hot toddies, and a charming gingerbread village from abroad. It goes from 5 to 9:30pm with a break at 6pm to see the Seaport Tree lighting.

Bryant Park’s Winter Village by Bank of America is back in NYC with exciting holiday shops, food and activities from October 27 through March 3, 2024. Its 17,000-square-foot ice-skating rink that’s free to use (if you bring your own skates) is always the highlight, but its Winter Village in all its holiday spirit is a close second. This year, over 180 new and returning kiosks will be there for you to peruse through, including newcomers Truffleist, Pinky Pilots art and Soap & Paper Factory.

‘Tis the season in East Harlem, which will gather the best of its businesses the first three Saturdays in Harlem at La Marqueta. Favorite Harlem food vendors will provide eats and there will be makers and small businesses selling items for the holiday season, from 4 to 8pm. Turntable legends @tedsmooth and @djstorminnorman will curate the playlist with special guests, @uptownvinylsupreme. From 3 to 5pm, kids’ activities will be available, including a visit from Santa.

Perhaps one of the most conveniently located holiday markets is the Grand Central Holiday Fair. Running now through December 24, Vanderbilt Hall, the destination will highlight the work of 75 local food and craft vendors and small businesses known for their quality craftsmanship and products made within the state of New York or the U.S.

“Whether you’re hoping to find a unique handcrafted bracelet for your jewelry-fanatic friend, the missing cityscape painting you’ve been needing to complete your wall decor, or homemade knitwear to keep your loved ones warm this winter, the Grand Central Holiday Fair is the place to be ahead of the holidays!” a press release says.

The Holiday Fair will operate seven days a week from 10am to 7pm on Mondays; and 11am to 6pm on Sundays. The space will be closed for Thanksgiving.

For more information regarding specific vendors and hours, click here.

The Urbanspace Union Square Holiday Market, the alfresco, European-style winter market with more than 160 local and national vendors, returns November 16 (11am to 7 or 8pm). New this year, look out for Three Bluebirds Swedish Dishcloths, a family-owned and operated local business producing authentic Swedish dishcloths, designed and printed in Connecticut; Raw Spirit, a female-led, socially conscious fragrance brand born from global travels to places like the Australian outback and Haitian mountains, dedicated to sustainably sourcing unique ingredients from Indigenous and marginalized communities; and K2 Pearls, a unique and highly sought-after gemstone known for their striking blue and white marbled patterns, resembling the majestic peaks of the K2 mountain.

This annual holiday bazaar, run by the people behind the Union Square market, features handmade items from local artisans and snacks from vendors. Look for the market concierge to help you navigate your way through the approximately 100 booths. This year, peep goods from Gabriella Ceballos jewelry, Patches and Pins designs, and Hudson Houndstooth pet accessories and clothing.

Winter by Empire, a pop-up and holiday experience will take over the shopping complex Empire Stores at 53-83 Water Street, along Brooklyn Bridge Park in Dumbo. The winter wonderland will feature a well-rounded experience within its custom-built outdoor unit within the mall’s courtyard. Expect delectable offerings from local vendors like La Newyorkina and Buttercup Bake Shop and beautiful finds from New York City-based businesses as well, making holiday shopping that much easier. Also on site will be a heated, outdoor bar operated in partnership with Cecconi’s Dumbo (the full-fledged restaurant calls Empire Stores home as well) serving hot cocoa all throughout the day and cocktails after sunset. Don’t forget to check out the luxury gingerbread house and full-size snow globe on the fifth-floor rooftop at Time Out Market—it’s the perfect Instagram shot.

Get your fill of witchy gifts, morbid curiosities, medical history ephemera, insect jewelry, taxidermy and more at this fabulously grisly marketplace curated by collector and osteologist Ruan Matthew Cohn and his wife and executive producer Regina Marie Cohn on Saturday, December 9, at The Metropolitan Pavilion.

Shop from vendors like Miss Havisham Curiosities, Brooklyn Taxidermy, Morbid Curiosities, Phoenix Botanicals, Anomaly Jewelry, Paper Stranger, Wicked Florist LLC, Rebels & Outlaws, Deadskull Curio, This Shit Blinks, Love Lorn Lingerie, Last Rites Vintage, Crooked Teeth Keys, Feather And Foxglove, Ellipsis Rare Books and many more.

While there, get an oddity-related flash tattoo or piercing by Rebel & Rose Tattoo, take some photo ops by Cosmic Eye, get your tarot read by Huge Witch and fill up on sweets by Solid Wiggles.

VIP tickets get you in at 11am to 1pm; while general admission is from 1pm to 7pm.