Bryant Park's Bank of America Winter Village opens Wednesday, October 28, bringing back its free-admission ice rink, a sprawling holiday market, and a covered outdoor lounge to the heart of Midtown Manhattan. The 17,000-square-foot rink and 180 businesses will fill the park at 42nd Street and Sixth Avenue through the heart of the season, with the rink itself staying open daily all the way to February 28, 2027.
The 2026-2027 run is being presented as the Winter Village's 25th anniversary return to the city, according to amNewYork. The event traces back to 2002, when it launched with just 80 vendors — a number that has since more than doubled to 180 vendors expected this year, per Gothamist. Skating remains free, as it has in past seasons, with visitors able to bring their own skates or rent a pair on-site.
Free Rink Hours Stretch Into Midnight
The rink's schedule for the new season runs from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. most days, with hours extending until midnight between November 19 and January 3, according to bryantpark.org. Bank of America cardholders can also get 10% off eligible online skate rentals for the full run of the season, from October 28 through February 28. The Lodge, a covered outdoor après-ski-style space where visitors can grab a cocktail, eat, and watch skaters glide by or admire the park's tree, will stay open daily through February 28 as well, per the same park listing.
John Zeitoun, director of partnerships at Bryant Park, said the Winter Village is built to offer something for every type of visitor. “We have something here for everyone,” Zeitoun said, according to amNewYork. He also emphasized the importance of local commerce to the event, saying that supporting small and New York City-based businesses matters to the park.
Holiday Shops Open October 28, Close January 3
The Holiday Shops, curated by Urbanspace, open at noon on October 28 and are open to all ages, featuring artisans from New York City and beyond, according to bryantpark.org's market listing. Unlike the rink and Lodge, the market portion wraps earlier — the Holiday Shops are scheduled to close January 3, 2027, even as the rink and Lodge continue through late February, per Time Out New York.
Vendors returning this year include Bara Boheme, a handcrafted jewelry shop drawing on travel, nature and bohemian style, and the stationery and gift shop By Aleisha, which offers hand-painted maps, neighborhood prints, postcards, tea towels and stickers, per amNewYork. On the food side, Serendipity3 is set to sell its frozen hot chocolate and other sweets, while Koukli “Saucy Greek” will serve pita sandwiches, skewers, fries and baklava hot chocolate, the outlet reports. Altogether, the market mixes holiday shopping, specialty clothing, artisanal crafts, and sweet and savory treats alongside the ice skating that anchors the park each winter.
Small Business Spotlight Offers Rent-Free Booths
Bank of America's Small Business Spotlight program will again give four New York City-based entrepreneurs a rent-free booth inside the Holiday Shops, letting them display and sell their products without the cost of a standard stall. Selected businesses can display and sell their products from the rent-free booths. Winners for this season had not yet been named as of the announcement, with amNewYork reporting the bank will reveal the 2026-2027 spotlight recipients at a later date.
That gesture lands against a backdrop of real financial pressure for market vendors citywide. Renting a stall at any of New York's seasonal markets can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and turning a profit is never guaranteed, according to The New York Times. Bryant Park in particular is considered the most coveted spot among vendors because it draws the most tourists, stays open the longest, and commands the highest rental prices — one vendor told the paper his booth there cost him nearly $30,000. Vendors across the city's markets are also contending with rising costs from tariffs and inflation, plus a falloff in big-spending international tourists, the Times reported.
Urbanspace, which curates the Bryant Park market, runs four major holiday markets across Manhattan — including Columbus Circle, Union Square and Herald Square — with hundreds of vendors total, per the Times. The company pays the city's Department of Parks & Recreation roughly $2.4 million a year in fees, plus a share of revenues, to operate the Columbus Circle and Union Square locations.
Bigger Crowds Bring New Traffic Fixes
As the market has grown from its original 80 stalls to more than 180, congestion has become its own recurring headache. Bryant Park has responded by adding “flow zones” and expanded walkways aimed at easing the crush of visitors during peak hours, Gothamist reported, even as online chatter remains split on whether the dense crowds make for holiday magic or holiday misery. Admission to the rink itself, at least, stays free regardless of how packed the park gets.
