Work is well underway at Belfast City Hall ahead of the opening of this year's Belfast Christmas Market.
Established in 2004, the first-ever Belfast Christmas Market was a small pilot event featuring just 28 temporary stalls in the grounds of Belfast City Hall.
Twenty years on, it now hosts over 100 traditional chalets and is a major highlight in Northern Ireland's festive calendar.
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Attracting over one million visitors from across the UK and Ireland each year, the Belfast Christmas Market has become a significant contributor to the local economy, regularly generating an economic impact in the city in excess of £60m.
90% of the market's operating costs are dedicated to local businesses and suppliers, such as the joiners, electricians, security and waste management teams that engage in the day-to-day running of the market, demonstrating the citywide benefit of the award-winning event.
Allan Hartwell, Managing Director of Market Place who run the market said: "We are incredibly proud to be marking two decades of festive joy and cherished memories for locals and visitors alike.
"Belfast has always been so welcoming to our team and traders, and we’re delighted to have given back to the community over the years by offering young businesses free stalls, donating Santa’s Grotto to local charities, and hosting free educational tours for thousands of schoolchildren.
"We look forward to welcoming all who have made the market such a beloved tradition.”
To celebrate the 20th anniversary, this year’s market will be transporting visitors to the Victorian era with a Dickensian-themed Christmas market experience.
Taking place on the opening weekend (16 and 17 November) and third weekend (30 November to 1 December), visitors will be immersed in the Christmas’s of old!
Strolling through the market you may encounter Dickensian characters, and traders dressed for the occasion.
With a particular focus on supporting young and emerging businesses at this year’s event, Market Place has partnered with The National Market Traders Federation (NMTF) to offer six young entrepreneurs the chance to trade for free at the Belfast Christmas Market, giving them a platform to build brand recognition and sell their product to thousands of visitors.
In addition, this year’s winner of the popular business growth competition ‘The Jolly Big Business Boost’, Haus of Hank, will be making the most of their free chalet at the market to offer thoughtfully designed and well-engineered pet accessories that blend functionality with fashion, all while celebrating the bond between pets and their owners.
This year Belfast Christmas Market is delighted to once again donate Santa’s magical grotto to one of the Lord Mayor’s charities, Kids Together Belfast.
Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Micky Murray, said: "The Belfast Christmas Market has become an integral part of the festive experience in our city and it continues to be a popular draw for residents and visitors alike, 20 years after it first opened its doors.
"Kids Together Belfast are back again to deliver an accessible, inclusive Santa’s Grotto for local families and, with plenty of other seasonal fun planned in Belfast city centre, starting with our Christmas lights switch-on on Saturday 16 November, it’s shaping up to be a packed festive season."
Belfast Christmas Market will open in the gardens of Belfast City Hall at 12noon on Saturday 16 November and run until 6pm on Friday 22 December.
See our photos of the set-up at Belfast City Hall in the gallery below...
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