Everything you need to know about the Galway City Christmas Market 2024

Maria Moynihan Lee of Milestone Inventive, the producers of the Christmas Market Galway said: "We are delighted that the annual Christmas Market continues to deliver the spirit of Christmas and record visitor numbers to the city centre each year to the benefit of both the traders and the retail and hospitality sectors. The positive economic impact of the market to the city is huge, with thousands of Irish visitors and shoppers coming to Galway for the event. Recent research has shown that what visitors rate most highly about the market is the friendliness of staff, the atmosphere, the sense of safety and security and its visual appearance."

This is all you need to know about this year's Christmas Market:

Opening hours The Christmas Market will open on Friday November 8 at 6pm, and it will then run until Sunday January 5 with varying opening days and hours to accommodate the Christmas Holiday period:

From Friday November 8 to December 23 the market will open from 12pm to 8pm Mondays to Wednesdays (bars until 10pm); from 10am to 10pm Thursdays to Saturday and from 10am to 8pm Sundays (bars until 10pm).

The market will be closing at 2pm on December 24 and it will be closed on December 25. Then, from December 26 to December 31 it will be open from 12pm to 8pm (bars until 10pm).

The vintage carousel and amusement, plus the ferris wheel will also be open to the public from January 1 to January 5 from 10am to 8pm.

The wooden chalets and the Beer Tent The market will have over 60 wooden chalets lining the square offering seasonal treats and a large variety of crafts.

Food lovers can feast on everything from German bratwurst, traditional crepes, Irish handmade fudge, and chimney cakes as well as a range of hot food at the charcoal grills and traditional mulled wine.

In addition, the popular Beer Tent will also be back in Eyre Square.

The ferris wheel and other events Adults and children alike will be happy to know that the traditional Carousel and the hugely popular 32m observation wheel are back to Eyre Square.

Families will also be able to visit Santa as well as enjoy festival games, interact with local charities and stroll through the enchanted light gardens.

How to get there and road closures All city buses stop in Eyre Square and both the bus station, the Citylink coach station and the train station are only a few minutes' walk away from the market.

For those travelling by car, parking is available in several locations around the city centre. However, Galway City Council warned local motorists that diversions will be in place from this week until January 8 2025.

In particular, Eyre Square North (L-51241) from the junction of Eyre Street to the junction of Williamsgate Street will be closed to traffic.

The council indicated as diversion routes: Prospect Hill, Bóthar Úi Eithir, Forster Street, Eyre Square, Williamsgate Street.