New York Dearest
The guide, $35
A market · on four of my lists

Union Square Holiday Market.

Worth it, says Antonina. Home to more than 160 vendors, Union Square’s holiday market is the largest in the city.

Antonina Pattiz
Antonina PattizI went myself · from my list Thanksgiving in New York
An aerial view shows the Union Square Holiday Market with green and orange striped stalls surrounded by autumn trees and the Manhattan skyline including the Empire State Building.
From Best free things to do at Christmas in New York
Address
E 14th St
Hours
Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat 8 am to 6 pm
Subway
4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, W to 14 St-Union Sq, 1 min
Cost
Free
What this page is

Everything I’ve written about Union Square Holiday Market on New York Dearest, in one place. It’s on four of my lists, from Best things to do for Christmas in New York to Thanksgiving in New York. First what to know and when I go, in my own words from those lists. Then every list it’s on with what I wrote there. At the end, where it is and what’s near.

  1. Best things to do for Christmas in New YorkWorth it
  2. Best free things to do at Christmas in New YorkWorth it
  3. Best holiday markets in New YorkWorth it
  4. Thanksgiving in New YorkOnly if

Before you go, in my words

Quoted from my own lists
Good to know

The smell of roasting nuts and hot apple cider wafts through the air as eager crowds elbow their way from one cozy stall to the next.

From Best things to do for Christmas in New York
When to go

Home to more than 150 vendors, the market can feel overwhelming if you visit during the weekends (and weekdays after 5pm) because of the crowds.

From Best free things to do at Christmas in New York
Worth it, says Antonina. Been? Say if you agree.

Where it appears on New York Dearest

Four of my lists
Worth it

Try to avoid the busiest times, which are weekends and weekdays after 5pm. But any way you slice it, if you’re looking for a true New York City Christmas experience then you simply can’t miss it.

What I wrote thereFold it away

The smell of roasting nuts and hot apple cider wafts through the air as eager crowds elbow their way from one cozy stall to the next. No proper New York City Christmas Bucket List is complete without a visit to the Union Square Holiday Market.

Read it on the list
  • This yearUnion Square Holiday Market open, last year Nov 13expected
  • Checked September 18, 2026.
Worth it

Personally speaking, a proper New York City Christmas doesn’t kick off until I find myself bundled up at the Union Square Holiday Market with a hot chocolate in tow.

What I wrote thereFold it away

Personally speaking, a proper New York City Christmas doesn’t kick off until I find myself bundled up at the Union Square Holiday Market with a hot chocolate in tow. Home to more than 150 vendors, the market can feel overwhelming if you visit during the weekends (and weekdays after 5pm) because of the crowds.

However, if you’re looking for free things to do during Christmas in NYC then you simply can’t skip it. This is the perfect place to stock up on unique Christmas gifts and souvenirs or simply window shop too.

Read it on the list
Worth it
What I wrote thereFold it away

Inspired by Germany’s storied Christmas markets, Glühwein (spiced mulled wine) is always guaranteed. The intoxicating aromas of roasted nuts and hot cider waft through the air as eager crowds make their way from one wooden house stall to the next.

Read it on the list

Thanksgiving in New York

No. 13 on that list
Only if

The intoxicating aroma of roasting nuts and hot apple cider wafts through the air as crowds of eager locals and tourists rub elbows in search of handmade gifts.

What I wrote thereFold it away

The intoxicating aroma of roasting nuts and hot apple cider wafts through the air as crowds of eager locals and tourists rub elbows in search of handmade gifts. Home to more than 160 vendors, Union Square’s holiday market is the largest in the city. Stop by while visiting New York City for Thanksgiving to pick up some unique NYC souvenirs.

Read it on the list

Where it is, and what’s near

Worth it, within a ten-minute walk
Open it on my map
Nearby, from my lists
On The Best of New York

I put Union Square Holiday Market on two of my best lists.

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