Lunenburg Christmas Craft Festival

Lunenburg Christmas Craft Festival

The Lunenburg Christmas Craft Festival is a two-day holiday market held annually on the first weekend of December in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. The 2026 festival runs Saturday, December 5 (10:00 AM–5:00 PM) and Sunday, December 6 (10:00 AM–4:00 PM), spread across three venues in the town: the Lunenburg Community Centre, Bluenose Academy, and the Lunenburg Curling Club. A single admission includes a weekend pass bracelet that allows re-entry across all three buildings and both days.

The festival is currently produced by the Darwin Event Group, which took over management of the long-running event and is credited by returning vendors with reviving attendance and organisation. The vendor mix is curated toward Nova Scotian artisans working in traditional materials — pottery, woodcarving, glass, textiles, sewing, and holiday wreaths — alongside a food section featuring fudge, preserves, dips, and a rotating selection of Nova Scotian wines, spirits, liqueurs, and ciders. The setting is part of the draw: Lunenburg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its Old Town grid of 18th- and 19th-century houses provides an unusually atmospheric backdrop for a holiday market.

What to Expect

• Three-venue format. The festival spans the Lunenburg Community Centre (primary), Bluenose Academy, and the Lunenburg Curling Club — all within walking distance in compact Old Town Lunenburg. The weekend pass bracelet allows in-and-out access across all three.
• 100+ Nova Scotian artisans. Handcrafted pottery, woodcarvings, glass, sewn goods, holiday wreaths, and other craft work, many of them made with materials drawn from the Nova Scotian landscape.
• Food and drink vendors. Fudge, preserves, dips, and take-home treats, plus pours and bottles from Nova Scotian wineries, distilleries, and cideries.
• Holiday atmosphere. The festival is the kickoff to Lunenburg's holiday season, with the town's historic streets, harbour-front lights, and shops adding to the experience.

Practical Information

• 2026 dates: Saturday, December 5 (10:00 AM–5:00 PM) and Sunday, December 6 (10:00 AM–4:00 PM).
• Venues: Lunenburg Community Centre (15 Green Street, Lunenburg), Bluenose Academy, and Lunenburg Curling Club.
• Admission: Single ticket covers all three venues and both days via a weekend pass bracelet. Confirm current pricing on the festival website closer to the event.
• Website: lunenburgchristmascraftfestival.com
• Social: Facebook (LunenburgCraftAndFoodFestival) and Instagram (@lunenburgcraftfoodfest) for vendor lists, floor plans, and admission updates.
• Organiser: Darwin Event Group.

Tips for Visitors

Arrive early on Saturday for first pick of the artisan stock — pottery, glass, and woodwork sell through by Sunday afternoon, and the most distinctive pieces go first. A weekend pass bracelet is genuinely useful: do a fast lap of all three venues on Saturday to scope your favourites, then return on Sunday to buy with a clearer head. Pair the festival with a meal in town — Lunenburg has a deep restaurant bench for its size — and stay into the evening to see the Old Town holiday lights come on. Parking in Old Town Lunenburg is tight on festival weekends; consider the public lots on the harbour and walk up the hill into the venues. Bundle up: the December wind off the harbour is sharp, and the walk between venues is part of the experience.