Nearly 200 vendors have filled Union Square Park for the opening of the Union Square Holiday Market, which kicked off Thursday and will stay open through Christmas Eve. Admission is free, and this year shoppers can do something they never could before at the market: buy a beer or glass of wine while they browse.
The market opened on November 12, 2026, with stalls arranged throughout the park, according to Time Out. The open-air market runs through Christmas Eve, giving shoppers until then to finish their lists. Per NYC Tourism, the market sits at University Place and East 14th Street.
Regular hours vary by day: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, meaning the market stays open until 9 p.m. three nights a week. The market will close for Thanksgiving before reopening for the rest of its run.
Beer and Wine Join the Lineup
The new alcohol sales mark a shift for a market that has built its reputation on handmade goods and seasonal gifts rather than food-and-drink extras.
Per Made in NYC, selected members were offered a free seven-day residency in the booth sometime between November 12 and December 24, 2026, with no booth fee required; instead, participating vendors pay Urbanspace 15 percent of net sales.
A Three-Decade Tradition, With One Gap
The market was canceled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, per the Union Square Holiday Market history page. The market is widely described as New York City's oldest holiday market, and it has built a following well beyond the five boroughs: Time Out reports that Yelp ranked it the best holiday market in the country in 2023.
That reputation, paired with the free admission and subway access, is likely to keep drawing both locals and tourists through the market's run. For now, nearly 200 vendors and the first-ever beer and wine sales give longtime regulars a few new reasons to stop by this season.
