New York City is one of the world’s most famous and popular destinations during the Christmas season or wintertime, offering dozens of festive and winter-themed events, activities, and celebrations. One of the best-loved Christmas events in New York is the annual Christmas markets across the city.
From the renowned Union Square Holiday Market to the longest-running Grand Central Fair, New York is a hub for Christmas and winter celebrations. You can expect these markets to be spectacular and illuminate the city with Christmas lights and festive cheer, but let’s delve deeper into each one. Let’s take a look at New York’s best Christmas markets:
What are New York's best Christmas markets?
7. Macy’s Holiday Square Market
Dates: TBC
Although not as spectacular as its counterparts further up this list, Macy’s Holiday Square Market still deserves to be celebrated. This mini pop-up celebration is characterised by Macy’s storefront being lit up with Christmas lights, and inside featuring more than twenty-five different vendors across all 8 floors of the flagship store. Across the floors, you can find stalls selling everything from hot chocolate and stroopwafels to women’s fashion, various homeware and furniture goods, plus a selection of cafes.
There is also Santaland on the 8th floor, and kid-friendly zones on the 7th floor. This event was held from November 2024 to January 2025, although it’s currently unknown whether it’ll return during the 2025 Christmas period. However, given the success of the first, it’s expected that Macy’s will host this unique spectacle again.
6. Saks Fifth Avenue Light Show
Dates: November 2025 (exact dates to be confirmed)
Hard to miss thanks to the spectacular light show illuminating Saks’ storefront windows, this gem of New York’s Fifth Avenue is one of the best ways to celebrate Christmas. After the 2024 light show was cancelled, much to the dismay of the hundreds of awestruck revellers who frequent the window-based spectacle, the revered celebration will return once again in 2025.
Although not strictly a Christmas market, we’ve included it in this list simply because of its worldwide appeal, importance in the city’s cultural calendar, and how unmissable the event truly is. While the lights are certainly the focal point, you can also expect a lot more, as previous shows have featured live performances from famous figures (Elton John performed there in 2022).
5. Chelsea Market
Dates: November- December (open all year round)
Chelsea Market is New York’s most famous of its kind, and while it’s not specifically a Christmas market, it features indoor Christmas-themed stalls around late November to early January that mirror the classic Christmas markets you’re familiar with. You can expect to find a variety of seasonal food, drinks, and retail products at the market throughout the year, with the atmosphere changing from lively to bustling towards the festive period.
Each December, the indoor market comes alive with Christmas lights and decor, and shoppers searching for the perfect gift for loved ones. Opening in 1997, the market has since become a cornerstone of New York’s shopping scene, and the perfect place to shop around Christmas time.
4. Grand Central Holiday Fair
Dates: 18th November - 24th December
A way to escape the cold of New York in winter, the Grand Central Holiday Fair takes place inside the world-famous Grand Central Station, in Vanderbilt Hall. Across 6 weeks, New York’s longest-running Christmas Market — first opening in 1993 — is an extravagant affair of both local and artisan businesses selling a variety of goods, from festive food and drink to a variety of homeware and jewellery.
Inside, you’ll find avid shoppers milling around, enjoying the atmosphere, and well-versed in the fair’s shopping culture. Grand Central Station is known for being the world’s largest train station and an iconic setting for many films and TV shows, but its annual holiday fair helps put it on the map for an entirely different reason.
3. Columbus Circle Market
Dates: November - December (varying dates)
Featuring more than 100 stalls of homemade and artisan products, Columbus Circle Market is one of the largest and best-loved Christmas Markets in the city. Located in Central Park, the market is loved by locals and tourists alike, and offers up a range of goods from expertly-prepared food to hand-crafted gifts and homeware.
Ideal for every type of visitor, whether a child or adult, Columbus Circle Market brings the festive cheer to the far corners of Central Park and beyond. Since it first opened, it has cemented itself as one of the city’s best-loved Christmas events, with the pop-up market becoming a cultural cornerstone of the festive calendar every December.
2. Bryant Park Winter Village
Dates: Dates to be confirmed
One of New York’s most famous and best-loved Christmas markets, Bryant Park Holiday Market runs from November to January. It’s a spectacular affair of festive-themed activities like ice skating, Christmas shopping and festive light displays. If you want to simply sit back and enjoy the buzzing atmosphere with a hot chocolate or mulled wine in hand, you can do that too, although you won’t want to miss out on what this staple Christmas market has to offer.
First opening in the early 2000s, it’s no surprise that this holiday extravaganza has become so deeply rooted in New York’s history and culture. Buy gifts for loved ones, sample some artisan or local food, or test your ice skating skills on the expansive rink. There are almost too many things to do here, but you’ll likely settle in rather quickly and soak up the atmosphere right from the start.
1. Union Square Holiday Market
Dates: November - December
Now we come to New York’s signature holiday shopping experience, and a cultural symbol of the city, the iconic Union Square Holiday Market. First opening in 1993, it’s one of the city’s oldest Christmas markets and has remained a firm favourite among both locals and tourists ever since. Held in Union Square Park, the market hosts more than 180 vendors, each of which sells unique and highly sought-after goods, food and drink.
You’ll likely lose yourself in browsing the stalls that are piled high with clothing, jewellery, homeware, food and drink and crafts, and revel in the atmosphere of this cultural hallmark in the heart of the city. Wrap up warm and head to this venue to experience a festive and inclusive atmosphere unlike any other in New York.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lauren Coton
I love discovering and writing about new places which then get added to my now extensive travel list, but nowhere beats the comfort of my hometown Bristol or the sense of culture and community that my base of Cardiff exudes. That's why travel writing was a given for me.
