Christmas Market returns – opening in mid-November

It has survived rows with the taxi drivers, uproar over the state of the grass and almost a catastrophe when the ‘big wheel’ stalled with 20 people on board, but this year marks a decade of the Galway Christmas Market.

Following the granting of the licence, builders will move into Eyre Square next Friday to create the festive village along the same layout as the last few years but trading for a longer time – this year it runs for 38 days due to the way the weekends fall, opening from November 15 to December 22.

Manager Maria Moynihan Lee of events company Milestone Inventive – which has been in charge for all but one of the ten years – has promised there will be more artisan traders as well as more intricate lights and decorations to augment the atmosphere for the public.

The Apres Ski Bar, the 32-metre observation wheel and Santa’s express train, will all return while the main stage is set to host choirs and carollers from across the community every weekend.

“We have 58 traders – much the same as last year – and all the old favourites are back. This is our third year of the Local Artisan Food and Craft Showcase where they can come for a week or two at the most and share units, giving these smaller operators a bite of the market experience,” she stated.

“That’s growing nicely every year – we had 25 last year and this year we’re looking at 30. We have the same format – it will always be the same because of the way the park is but we’re shooting for improvements across the board with more lighting and better décor.”

The market pays around €15,800 to operate in Eyre Square as well as a €10,000 bond. In the earlier years, it used to pay up to €30,000 as well as a larger bond. That has been reduced over the years after the operators argued that the event attracted 600,000 people in the city, benefiting all retailers.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.