Tomorrow night, Friday, November 13, downtown Holland shops and restaurants stay open from 6 to 9 p.m. for Shop 'Til You Drop, with discounts of up to 30% at participating businesses. A week after that, the stalls go up at the Eighth Street Marketplace, 150 W. Eighth St. The Kerstmarkt opens Friday, November 20, at 3 p.m. and runs five weekends, through Saturday, December 19. It's open Fridays from 3 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and admission is free.
The Kerstmarkt's 2026 vendor list has seventeen vendors booked for the full season. Every weekend, nine more weekend vendors join them, and that group shifts from one weekend to the next. A few stay for two to four weekends, and many come only once. So on most weekends, at least a few of the stalls weren't there the weekend before. On top of that, the town's holiday calendar fills some Saturdays and leaves others open. Two Kerstmarkt visits on two different weekends can feel like two different markets.
The seventeen stalls that stay all season
Start with what doesn't change. The full-season vendors are here all five weekends, and they cover most of the food and the Michigan-made staples:
- Sweets and pantry: Marzec Chocolates' hand-dipped chocolates and candy apples, deSoto Nuts' caramelized nuts, maple syrup and honeycomb from Flagel's Sugarhouse, honey and infused maple syrup from Big Bear Honey, and jams and salsa from Bella Vista Farm.
- Something to eat and drink on the spot: The Beard & the Gal for ready-to-eat food, and St. Steve's Farm-Crafted Beverages for sodas, teas and cordials.
- Ornaments and décor: hand-blown glass from Rachel Brace Glass, wooden décor from Merriment Creations, and Michigan stone jewelry and ornaments from Shore Gems.
- Gifts that keep: Writesmiths' hand-turned pens, Dragon Hide Leather, Two Bears Trading, Shady Side Farm's wool hats and mittens, Earth Signs Fine Minerals, Autumn's Harvest soaps and candles, and The Poppy Peach.
If your list is mostly chocolate, maple syrup and a glass ornament, any weekend will do. The weekend vendors are the reason to pick a date.
How the weekend vendors rotate
The weekend vendors don't spread out evenly. A few stay for several weekends in a row. Others come once and are gone. Here is how the 2026 schedule breaks down, with the vendors who appear on only that one weekend:
| Weekend | Dates | Only this weekend | Carried over from earlier weekends |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nov. 20–21 | Gatehouse Collection, Grace Hollow, John Jurries Art, Piece by Piece Designs | None, it's the first weekend |
| 2 | Nov. 27–28 | Adventures of Grumpy Gnome, Happy Little Whales, KJH Ceramics, Ridgewood Artisans | Bear Clan Forge and Textiles, Gifts Galore Games, Kunkel Kandles, Little Orange Scooter, Osman's Flowers & Firs |
| 3 | Dec. 4–5 | Erik's Kaotik Garden, Faecreate, July Sky Candle Co, Sandra Jensen Studio | Little Orange Scooter, Osman's Flowers & Firs |
| 4 | Dec. 11–12 | Not Your Grandma's Crochet, Sassy Designs by Joleen | KD3D Creations, Kate's Ceramics, Little Orange Scooter, Original Lisa, Osman's Flowers & Firs |
| 5 | Dec. 18–19 | Canvas Solutions, Christina Vera Creative, Crochet Corner, Geeky Goodies Gourmet Marshmallows, Jules Jewelry, Quail Run Cottage | Jazzy J Macrame, Original Lisa, Wilde Wick Collection |
The last weekend has the most turnover. Six of its nine weekend vendors aren't on the schedule at any other point this season. Anyone who stops by in late November and assumes they've seen the market will miss Quail Run Cottage's merino and alpaca knits, Geeky Goodies' gourmet marshmallows, and Jules Jewelry's gemstone pieces.
A few things on your list have a last weekend
The rotation also means some items stop being available partway through the season.
Trees and fresh greens. Osman's Flowers & Firs, the market's vendor for Christmas trees, wreaths and greens, is scheduled for the first four weekends but not the last one. If you want your tree or wreath from the Kerstmarkt, Saturday, December 12, is the last day on the schedule.
Hanukkah gifts. Gifts Galore Games brings Hanukkah board games, cards and enamel pins on weekends 1 and 2 only, so November 28 is the last day.
Candles. Autumn's Harvest sells candles all five weekends. The other candle makers rotate. Kunkel Kandles comes the first two weekends, July Sky Candle Co the third, and Wilde Wick Collection the last two. If you liked a candle you bought last year, check which weekend that maker is here.
Ceramics. KJH Ceramics is here on November 27–28. Kate's Ceramics comes December 4 through 12. Christina Vera Creative closes out the season on December 18–19.
What else is happening around each weekend
The vendor list tells you what's in the stalls. The market's event calendar and the downtown schedule tell you how busy it will be and what you can pair with a visit. Programming on the Kerstmarkt's calendar is still listed as planned.
November 20–21: opening weekend and the Holiday Open House
Dickens Carolers are scheduled for opening night, Friday, from 4 to 7 p.m. On Saturday, a dog-sled visit runs from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. That evening, the Holiday Open House fills downtown from 5 to 8 p.m. with Santa, a reindeer petting corral, strolling carolers, fresh roasted chestnuts and shop promotions. The market stays open until 7, so you can do both: afternoon at the stalls, then a walk up Eighth Street.
November 27–28: the weekend after Thanksgiving
The schedule is lighter this weekend. Bell Ringers play Friday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., and the dogs return Saturday afternoon. Adventures of Grumpy Gnome, Happy Little Whales and Ridgewood Artisans are here for this weekend only. If you're bringing out-of-town Thanksgiving guests, this is a relaxed weekend for it.
December 4–5: the busiest weekend downtown
The Kerstmarkt's third weekend falls at the end of Dutch Winterfest. Tulip Time runs the festival December 1 through 5. It starts the same Tuesday night as the Parade of Lights, which leaves Eighth Street and Columbia Avenue at 6:30 p.m. and heads west to Holland Civic Center Place. That's the same 150 W. Eighth St. address as the market. More than 80 floats, vehicles, walkers and bands make up the parade, and the entry list for 2026 is already full.
By Friday, December 4, here's what Tulip Time's Winterfest schedule lists for the afternoon and evening:
- Kerstmarkt, 3 to 7 p.m., with Bell Ringers from 4:30
- Proost! Tasting Tour: Winter Edition, 3 to 7:30 p.m.
- Sinterklaas Shuffle, 5 to 8 p.m.
- Magic at the Mill, 5 to 9 p.m., opening night
- Dutch Skate, 6 to 6:30 p.m., at Holland Ice Park
- Winter Jazz with the Holland Concert Jazz Orchestra, 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 5, starts early, with the Sinterklaas Shuffle from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. while the market is open. Next come a 2:30 Dutch Skate, the Proost! tour again at 3, Magic at the Mill at 5, and the Michigan-IO Holiday Show at 7. Magic at the Mill lights the grounds of Windmill Island Gardens with a "tulip field" of 1,000 LED blossoms set to holiday music. Tickets must be bought ahead of time through Windmill Island. If you've been following the Holland Ice Park's ticket releases, plan your skate times for this weekend early.
The weekday Winterfest events don't overlap the market, so they're an easier way to catch the festival. They include Winter Tales for Tots on the mornings of December 2 and 3, the Holiday Huis Tour on December 2 from 4 to 8 p.m., and Holland Community Theatre's Just in the Nick of Time at 7 p.m. on December 2 and 3.
December 11–12: the Shopping Jam and Santa
Saturday, December 12, is the fullest day of the season for downtown shopping. Participating businesses open two hours early for the Shopping Jam. Each one takes 30% off at least one item from 8 to 9 a.m., 25% from 9 to 10, and 20% from 10 to 11. The Kerstmarkt opens at 9. Its calendar lists a possible musical guest at 1 p.m., the dog sleds at 1:30, and Santa from 3 to 5. Santa is also scheduled Friday, December 11, from 3 to 5, with Dickens Carolers that evening. It's also the last weekend to get greens from Osman's.
December 18–19: the closing weekend
The final weekend brings back Santa on both days and the dog sleds on Saturday, with Bell Ringers on Friday evening. It also has the most vendors you won't have seen yet. If you shopped early, you'll still find six makers here for the first time.
A new stop on the walk to the market
The walk from the east end of Eighth Street to the Marketplace may have one more stop this year. The Holland Sentinel reported in October that Mariners Market, a coastal, Italian-inspired sandwich shop from Anna Maier of Great Lakes Charcuterie, was slated to open before Thanksgiving at 82 W. Eighth St., the former Cakabakery space. For more on how the downtown storefronts have been shifting this year, see our look at what's changing on Eighth Street.
A full list of the season's vendors, weekend by weekend, is on the Kerstmarkt's 2026 vendor page. Dates and hours are in its FAQ, and the downtown events are on Downtown Holland's winter events page.
Holiday weekends downtown are part of why we love calling Holland home, and Emily and Dave will be out walking Eighth Street with everyone else this season. If you're hosting family for a Kerstmarkt Saturday and want ideas for where to eat or what else to see nearby, Emily Garcia Homes is happy to share what we know. Get in touch with Emily and Dave anytime.
