Toronto Christmas Market in the Distillery District opens for first time since 2019 today

People visit Christmas market in Distillery Historic District, one of the Toronto's favourite holiday traditions (Anjelagr | Dreamstime)

TORONTO — Toronto’s Distillery District Christmas market will return Thursday evening for the first time since 2019.

Last year, the annual Christmas market was cancelled due to ongoing restrictions on gatherings, but the market has returned and will kick off with a tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m.

This year, organizers say they have “reimagined” the experience and are now calling it “The Distillery Winter Village.” The market will feature eight new vendor cabins, 12 food vendor cabins, buskers, carollers and live entertainment, amongst the Distillery District’s existing local merchants.

TICKETS FOR TORONTO’S CHRISTMAS MARKET

Tickets are required for the tree-lighting ceremony, on Saturdays and Sundays after 4 p.m. and between Dec. 20th and Dec. 23rd after 4 p.m.

Tickets for the Christmas market are $8.00 per person and come with a free three-month trial of Amazon Music. At all other times, the market can be attended for free.

All guests over the age of 12-years-old will be required to present proof of full COVID-19 vaccination alongside government-issued identification to gain entry to the Christmas market.

The Toronto Christmas market is by far one of the most widely-attended events of the holiday season. According to organizers, more than 700,000 people visit the market during its six-week period.

In 2019, the Toronto Christmas Market was named one of the best holiday markets in the world by CNN. It was featured among a list of 17 markets from across the world, which included New York’s Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park, France’s Strasbourg and Italy’s Piazza Santa Croce.

This year’s Christmas market is set to run from Nov. 18 through Dec. 31.

-With files from CTV News Toronto’s Katherine Declerq and Miriam Katawazi