Merry Makers' Holiday Market

The weekend after the downtown tree lighting, the Halifax Seaport Farmers' Market hands its waterfront pavilion over to gift shopping. The fourth annual Merry Makers' Holiday Market runs Sunday, December 6, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Pavilion 22 at the market's Marginal Road home — the regular Seaport vendors joined by guest makers from around the province, with live holiday music running through the day. Admission is free, and the timing is deliberate: one-stop gift shopping on the waterfront, the Sunday after the holiday season officially switches on.

The venue is half the draw. The Halifax Farmers' Market traces its charter to a Royal Proclamation of 1750, making it one of the oldest continuously operating farmers' markets in North America, and its seaport home at the foot of the harbour boardwalk gathers farm stalls, prepared food, and craft under one roof with the harbour outside the windows. A holiday edition here means the market's usual mix — preserves, baked goods, greenery, pottery, textiles — widened with guest makers, the formula that has made this one of the city's dependable early-December rituals. Go hungry; the prepared-food row does not take holidays.

Pair it with the rest of the waterfront's holiday run: the Grand Parade tree lighting the weekend before, the Christkindlmarket at Alderney Landing across the harbour, and a walk along the boardwalk between them — see our Halifax waterfront guide for the full stroll and our Christmas in Nova Scotia guide for the provincial calendar. Pavilion 22 sits within the seaport market complex at 1209 Marginal Road, an easy walk from the ferry terminal and the waterfront lots.

Make the most of your time in Halifax Metro - pair Merry Makers' Holiday Market with our Halifax Dining Guide, Family Travel Guide, and Best Day Trips from Halifax. They're each packed with itinerary ideas, local tips, and everything you need to extend your stay.