Rockwood Park Christmas Market puts bow on another season

Rockwood Park Christmas Market finishes season Sunday marked the final day of the 2024 Rockwood Park Christmas Market in Saint John, N.B.

A bright shining sun on a brisk December afternoon brought plenty of people out to Rockwood Park in Saint John, N.B., for the final day of the 2024 Rockwood Park Christmas Market.

The outdoor market, hosted by the Saint John Horticultural Association, saw dozens of vendors fill the outdoor European style booths over the last few weekends. It’s the second year the campground has hosted the event.

“We tried to kind of activate the space more,” says Saint John Horticultural Association general manager Joel Skogman when asked what changed this year. “We've got a gingerbread village, we had more vendors, then we also had goats as well as alpacas and everything's kind of more centralized. It's just more family fun in general.”

The market served as a great opportunity for residents to get some home-made hand-crafted Christmas gifts from local vendors, or filled up on hot chocolate and sweets from those serving food and beverage. There was also a speciality drink bar for the older children offering festive beverages to toast the season.

Even Santa and Mrs. Claus were down from the North Pole most days to meet and take pictures with all the boys and girls of Saint John.

“Everybody that comes just loves it,” smiles Skogman. “One of the biggest differences from last year is we have open pit fires that everybody was asking for last year. People can come and they warm themself up, it's been a pretty good success.”

There was a small cost to enter the market, but all money collected goes back into funds to help run Rockwood Park as well as the Public Gardens.

Skogman says next year he hopes to bring in more live entertainment, a larger food zone, as well as tractor rides through the park.

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