The Circle Craft Holiday Market returns for a landmark 50th season, welcoming 300+ artisans to the Vancouver Convention Centre from November 6 to 10.
What began in 1974 as a church craft fair has flourished into Western Canada’s longest-standing and largest handmade marketplace. An ethical, local alternative to online shopping, throwaway fashions, and copycat designs that allows visitors to connect with skilled artisans, take in live demonstrations, and enjoy festive food and drink while getting ahead of their holiday shopping.
For five decades, the Circle Craft Holiday Market has drawn artists, makers and craftspeople from Canadian coast to coast, with this year’s vendors travelling from as far as Halifax, Nova Scotia, to set up pop-up shops in the 135,000-square-foot Convention Centre space.
Exhibitors are all jury-selected; the 2024 artisan mix includes 26 “Budding Artists,” 45 new vendors, 33 gourmet food and drink creators, and 36 members of the Circle Craft Co-op, the artist-run endeavour with a flagship store located on Granville Island year-round.
2024 Vendors
The 50th Circle Craft anniversary truly celebrates sustainability, inclusivity, heritage, and
originality in craft. Arts range from ceramics, glass, metals and wood to jewellery, textiles and paper. DIY cocktail kits, packaged gourmet foods, and eco-friendly bath and body products are also in the mix. Some beautiful stories behind the crafts include:
● Watercolour greeting cards painted by an experienced palliative care physician.
● Modern stained glass from a Russian finance professor who, unable to continue actively
opposing her government, found refuge in Canada – and in art.
● Handbags sewn with the remnants of a depression-era drapery shop, passed down from
a Saskatchewan grandfather to his granddaughter.
● “Cremation artwork” that transforms stones collected from meaningful locations into
custom art pieces, soothing grief with cherished memories.
● And nearly 300 more! Complete vendor list here.
It is a wonderful time to discover beautiful, handcrafted items for their homes or thoughtful gifts, whether that gift is an oakwood fidget toy, a silver pendant imprinted with 1890s Italian lace, or an Okanagan red wine antipasto.
Tickets are available now with a free readmission pass.