Nanaimo Christmas Village media centre

Buy Canadian without breaking the bank: Nanaimo's free German Christmas market returns

Nanaimo Christmas Village brings 30+ Vancouver Island makers to Wellington Hall on November 27 and 28, Black Friday weekend, with Nanaimo's Best Bakery among the vendors.

NANAIMO, BC, November 5, 2026 – With more Canadians choosing Canadian-made gifts this year, more than thirty Vancouver Island makers will fill Wellington Hall for Nanaimo Christmas Village on November 27 and 28. The free German Christmas market runs Friday from 11AM to 8PM and Saturday from 10AM to 6PM, the same weekend as Black Friday.

At the Village, shoppers will find hand-stitched leather, pottery, wooden toys, goat's milk soap, sterling silver jewellery and watercolour cards, made in Nanaimo, Cedar and across the Island. Entry and parking are free.

“People are being careful with their money this year, and they want it to count,” says Ben Lange, who leads marketing for Nanaimo Christmas Village. “Here you hand it to the person who made your gift. It stays on the Island, and it costs nothing to walk in.”

Nanaimo's Best Bakery, and a 25-year tradition

The market has been part of Christmas in Nanaimo for more than twenty-five years and drew around 2,500 shoppers in 2025. German food is a big part of the draw: Bratwurst grilled to order, Franconian potato salad and soft pretzels from the German kitchen, plus Stollen and Christmas baking from Oh Happy Bake, the Nanaimo family bakery just voted Best Bakery in Nanaimo. Helga Lange and her mother Brigitte bake everything in a commercial kitchen in Nanaimo. They have been at the Village for more than five years, and their Stollen sells out most years.

“Being named Best Bakery by our neighbours means a lot,” says Helga Lange, second-generation owner of Oh Happy Bake. “At the Village, people get to meet the family behind the Stollen.”

Every door donation buys a gift

The market's charitable partner is The Great Nanaimo Toy Drive. Half of every door donation goes toward a gift for a Nanaimo child, and the rest keeps entry and parking free. The market is also an official drop-off point for new, unwrapped toys.

Getting there

This year the market is at Wellington Hall, 3922 Corunna Ave, just off the Island Highway, while its home of the last two seasons is rebuilt. The hall is wheelchair accessible, with free parking on site and BC Transit service nearby. Most vendors take cards, and a few are cash only.

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About Nanaimo Christmas Village
Nanaimo Christmas Village is a German Christmas market that has brought old-world traditions to Vancouver Island for more than twenty-five years. More than thirty Island makers sell their own handmade work, alongside Bratwurst, Stollen and Lebkuchen from family recipes. Entry and parking are free, and door donations support The Great Nanaimo Toy Drive.

Media contact
Ben Lange, Marketing, Nanaimo Christmas Village
ben.lange.ca@gmail.com
604-779-5023