Gdańsk Christmas Market 2022
This event drew crowds of tourists and residents to the heart of Gdańsk. Running for 36 days, the Gdańsk Christmas Market goes down in history as one of the best in Europe. We took 2nd place in the European Best Christmas Market 2023 competition.
According to the first estimated figures, the Gdańsk Christmas Market was visited by more than 700,000 people in 2022! Thank you for being with us!
What did our market look like in numbers?
- 165 Christmas stalls in cabins, stands and taverns
- 61 food stalls offering cuisine from 20 countries around the world
- 78 craft and artisan stalls
- 26 food product stalls
- Nearly 50,000 people from 179 countries voted for the Gdańsk Christmas Market in the "European Best Christmas Market 2023" competition
The 2022 edition broke further records!
Gdańsk Christmas Market 2022
The Gdańsk Christmas Market was the largest in its over 20-year history. It occupied an area of around 16,000 m². We doubled in size compared to the previous year. This can be compared to two football pitches.
In addition to Targ Węglowy, Christmas cabins were also set up on Bogusławskiego and Tkacka streets. Unique artisan and artist stalls were housed within the historic interiors of the Great Armoury. For the first time, festive products were also offered in the courtyard of Forum Gdańsk.
– In our view, this year's Christmas Market was a market of pure positives. Starting with the trading side, which was a pleasant surprise for us, as we saw a satisfying number of customers not only from Poland and Europe, but from around the world. The technical team showed great attention to detail and care for us as traders. Organisationally, we liked the variety of market attractions, which were a strong draw for visitors. Customers were happy to come back time and again, enchanted by the atmosphere of the market and the mood of beautiful Gdańsk. In closing, and highlighting the exemplary work of the organising team, we thank you for the chance to take part in this event together – says Tadeusz Dobkowski of Galeria Bursztyn.
Fun facts:
- 177,513 cups of hot drinks enjoyed by guests
- over 100,000 media mentions of the Gdańsk Christmas Market
- 3,033 market mugs found new owners
- 300 books in the festive bookcrossing scheme
- 300 teddy bears at the Teddy Bear Gate
Gdańsk Christmas Market 2022 / photo Karolina Misztal
Premiere hits:
The unique atmosphere is created above all by the original, mood-building set design. Taking centre stage in the market setting is an atmosphere of joy, love and festive magic, seasoned with an exceptional orchestra of unmistakable scents, flavours, sounds and colours.
- The illuminated "JARMARK" sign set up at the heart of Targ Węglowy
- ILLUMINATIONS: THE ENCHANTED FOUNTAIN – lit up thanks to the E. Wedel brand, the FORUM GDAŃSK sleigh, the State Forests' Forest Gazebo, 2 illuminated gates, angel wings
- Market mascots – Mr and Mrs Orzechowski – Jantar and Bursztynka
- Creative and eco-friendly workshops
- Santa's Zone for children in the Armoury
- SMYK Teddy Bear Gate
- 117 programme events
- Christmas Karaoke – the HIT OF THE PROGRAMME among visitors
– This year's Gdańsk Christmas Market was a success in every respect. The organiser made every effort to ensure that both exhibitors and customers were provided with top-level attractions and infrastructure. The cultural and entertainment side of the market was very rich and drew crowds of Gdańsk residents and tourists from all over Europe, which mattered enormously to me as an exhibitor and also translated into my own sales success. Good organisation, plenty of customers, favourable weather and a wonderful festive mood – you couldn't ask for more from an event like the Christmas Market. In 2023 I will certainly be exhibiting my handicrafts there again – says Marcin Byks of Świat w bombce.
Gdańsk Christmas Market 2022 / photo Karolina Misztal
Helping is beautiful!
Residents and tourists enjoyed one of the best festive atmospheres in Europe for over a month! It was festive, magical and busy! Visitors could not only eat well and buy gifts, but also support the Fr E. Dutkiewicz Hospice.
During the Market, Międzynarodowe Targi Gdańskie and the GPEC Group ran a fundraising campaign for the Hospice Foundation, which runs the Fr E. Dutkiewicz SAC Hospice for Children and Adults.
- Together with GPEC, we raised PLN 53,333 for the Hospice Foundation
- Christmas Eve for those in need – a festive meal prepared by the Polish Chamber of Commerce for Restaurateurs and Hoteliers
- The Magic Wardrobe – #toycrossing – a special wardrobe for exchanging and donating toys
- Bethlehem House of Bread – an event by Caritas of the Gdańsk Archdiocese promoting the idea of volunteering
- Joint carol singing by children from Gdańsk kindergartens and schools, plus a charity concert whose proceeds went to the Hospice Foundation
- Ukrainian carols – an initiative by an amateur choir of women war refugees living in Gdańsk, who gave their performance as a thank you for their welcome in Poland
- "Adopt a teddy bear" scheme from the SMYK teddy bear gate – supporting the HOSPICE
- THE WISH GRANTED campaign – MTG SA supported a MOPS Gdańsk beneficiary with computer equipment fitted with a special controller
36 days of cultural programming – 117 events
The attractions were rounded out by a rich artistic programme delivering unforgettable, exceptional experiences. Every day of the Market, our guests, especially the youngest ones, could enjoy an appealing programme. On average, at least three festive events took place each day. There was plenty of joy, magical moments and memories to treasure.
Gdańsk Christmas Market 2022 / photo Karolina Misztal
– I still recall the special atmosphere that surrounded this event. Between us and the customers, as well as with fellow exhibitors – that's also down to the organiser. Weekends were especially popular – we had plenty of visitors, including from abroad, keen to admire Polish handicrafts. The Market brings amazing experiences and valuable new contacts – it's real support for handicrafts and small Polish workshops. I'll gladly take part in next year's Christmas Market – says artist Beata Rzeplińska of Oh my cat!
In keeping with this year's slogan "Let Christmas play!", the market stage rang out with all kinds of music. Regular concerts featured carols and festive songs performed by jazz bands, youth and children's ensembles, and professional and amateur choirs. During "Festive Storytelling", theatrical shows, parades, visits from Santa Claus, winter animations and the daily opening of the Advent calendar windows brought smiles to the faces of the youngest visitors.
At the "Festive Workshop", everyone could learn how to make a Christmas wreath, candles, decorations and ornaments, and even wooden jewellery. At the "Festive Games Room", visitors could enjoy board games, jigsaw puzzles, and screenings of "The Treflik Family".
During the Market, the streets of Gdańsk's historic centre were transformed into a festive town thanks to beautiful illuminations. Atmospheric decorations, stalls with unusual products and a rich artistic programme meant the festive mood hung over Gdańsk from the first snowfall.
Gdańsk Christmas Market 2022 / photo Karolina Misztal
165 traders offered their products
Among them was a large group of exhibitors from Gdańsk. 52 new exhibitors traded at the market. The largest contingent, with as many as 6 stalls, came from Lithuania.
The opportunity to showcase Polish handicrafts is an important space for exhibitors, who often only get a direct chance to present their unique work there. Foreign tourists highly value the quality and beauty of handmade products. It's often an opportunity to showcase little-known crafts such as pottery, or the making of straw or wooden Christmas decorations (Kraków-style nativity scenes). It's a promotion of Polish handicrafts on the international stage – foreign tourists take market goods, often labelled "Polish handicraft", out into the world.
The most interesting market products:
- Polish painted baubles and handmade Christmas and tree decorations
- Folk handicrafts, unique folk art in straw and wool, Kashubian embroidery, folk costumes
- Lithuanian and Marseille handmade soaps
- Exceptional, handmade Ukrainian dolls
- Fragrant soy candles from local workshops
- Embroidered, one-of-a-kind toys
- Wreaths, wooden handicrafts – Kraków-style nativity scenes, wooden icons, wooden vessels and nutcrackers
- Extraordinary ceramics
- Artistic jewellery from Polish workshops
- Handmade Christmas postcards
- Organic herbal vinegars and herbal syrups
- Polish honeys, gingerbread and cinnamon honey creams, and flavoured liqueurs
Gdańsk Christmas Market 2022 / photo Karolina Misztal
Cuisines of the World
Alongside classic festive treats, food lovers visiting the market could enjoy dishes from cuisines around the world. This year's offering was especially rich, spanning as many as 20 countries, including Japanese, Thai and Crimean Tatar cuisine. Visitors could try dishes from Lithuania, America, Germany, Hungary, Spain, Belgium, Greece, Ukraine, Italy, Turkey and Poland.
New culinary additions included ice cream brioche, crispy tofu, raclette, prawn skewers, tempura oscypek, quesadillas, cinnamon rolls and vegan bigos.
Food and drink hits
Savoury:
- sausage in a bun: currywurst (bratwurst)
- tempura oscypek
- langos
- pierogi
- raclette
Sweet:
- hot chocolate
- chocolate-covered fruit
- ice cream brioche
- doughnuts
- kołacz cakes
– You can't deny that year on year the Market becomes ever more polished in terms of technical set-up, organisation and infrastructure. I'm glad that, as representatives of the food trade, we get the chance to share feedback about the event once it's over. Even more so that even the sometimes minor suggestions get addressed by the time of the next event. This is how we can compete with other European Christmas markets and pick up honours, such as this year's second place in the European Best Christmas Market vote – says Artur Piórkowski, representative of the food traders at the Gdańsk market.
Gdańsk Christmas Market 2022 / photo Karolina Misztal
The Gdańsk Christmas Market will undoubtedly take centre stage again in 2023!
A visit to the Christmas Market is a must for Gdańsk residents and tourists from Poland and around the world when it comes to pre-Christmas preparations. In the atmospheric surroundings, with carols playing, it's impossible not to feel the shared warmth and closeness of the approaching holidays.
– To me, the Christmas Market is a meeting place for friends and family in a festive winter atmosphere. You can explore the secrets of dishes from different corners of the world, do your pre-Christmas shopping, or enjoy one of the many cultural attractions. Everyone there is smiling, which is remarkable and probably the best proof that the atmosphere at the Christmas Market is special and that everyone feels great there – adds Artur Piórkowski.
We already invite you to the Christmas Market, 17 November – 23 December 2023!
