If you’ve ever wandered through Bridge Park during the holidays and thought, This could use more twinkle lights and bratwurst, Dublin officials might just be reading your mind.
The city is working toward launching a European-style Christmas market. Think cozy chalets, mulled wine, and hand-carved nutcrackers, right at Riverside Crossing Park. Inspired by the festive markets of Germany and Austria, this market could debut as early as 2026 and aims to become a long-standing tradition that rivals the best in the country.
To bring the holiday magic to life, Dublin hired consulting firm Town Square, who delivered a full feasibility study (and yes, it’s as detailed and festive as a Hallmark movie plot). The city also put out a formal Request for Proposals, laying out everything from budget details to vibe expectations.
They’re not aiming for “pop-up craft fair.” They want full-on, passport-not-required Christmas Market wonderland.
Here’s the current game plan:
- Location: Riverside Crossing Park, centered around the pavilion and ice rink.
- Booth count: Starting with 40-50, with hopes to grow to 100+ over time.
- Operating days: At least 20 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, possibly extending into the first week of January.
- Budget: $532,000 startup cost for reusable booths, lighting, and decorations
- Vendor vibes: Authentic European-style food, drink, and gifts. Glühwein, pretzels, strudel? Yes, please.
The city wants the market to do more than just bring festive cheer.
They’re also targeting increased tourism, stronger wintertime foot traffic in Bridge Park, and higher hotel bookings. According to the proposal, this could become one of Dublin’s “signature events,” right up there with the Irish Festival.
Dublin plans to partner with a third-party event operator to handle everything from booth rentals to vendor coordination. They’ll lock in the team by the end of 2025, with boots-on-the-ground planning starting early 2026.
So while we won’t be sipping glühwein riverside just yet, things are moving. And if Dublin nails this, we might just have a new winter tradition that makes staying local feel a lot more international. If you’d like to view the full plan, head over to dublinohiousa.gov.
