Everything You Need To Know About The Kilkenny Christmas Market 2023

The Kilkenny Christmas markets (Yulefest Kilkenny) is one of the lesser-known Christmas markets in Ireland.

And, although it’s one of Ireland’s smaller markets, its jam-packed events schedule packs a punch.

Below, you’ll find info on everything from when the markets take place to what events to look out for. Dive on in!

Some quick need to knows about the Kilkenny Christmas market 2023

Although a visit to the Kilkenny Christmas markets is fairly straightforward, there are a few need-to-knows that’ll make your visit that bit more enjoyable.

1. Location + parking

The Kilkenny Christmas markets takes place on The Parade in the heart of the city. If you’re driving, you can park in the Market Yard and the County Hall car parks.

2. Dates TBC

Although the Kilkenny Christmas Market 2023 dates are still TBC, if they follow the same format as last years dates they should run Friday, November 24th to Saturday, December 24th 2023.

3. Opening times

The opening times are still TBC but, based on last years event, the markets (including the various events) take place every weekend. They start at 10am and run until 6pm. There’s also numerous events, like open air movie nights, taking place during the week.

4. Heaps of events

Last year, the Christmas market in Kilkenny had a good mix of events tied into their roster, from Friday Night DJ Beats and the Yulefest Movie Nights to music, indoor events and much more (see below).

Things to do in and around the Christmas market in Kilkenny

Now that the Christmas market in Kilkenny has been confirmed, here’s what you can expect when it kicks-off:

1. The stalls

As is the case with every Christmas market in Ireland, Yulefest Kilkenny boasts its fair share of stalls.

Here, you’ll find local artisans tucked away in beautiful wooden huts selling everything from food and crafts to festive trinkets.

2. The Yulefest Bandstand

You can soak up some festive atmosphere at The Parade every weekend.

A mix of local musicians will be taking to the stage from launch up to Christmas, for those of you looking for a bit of pre-dinner entertainment, before tipping into one of the many restaurants in Kilkenny.

3. Amber Stars for Yulefest

The LOVE star installation (TBC) from Amber’s One Million Stars project has been a firm favourite amongst Yulefesters.

This art installation could be seen alongside the Amber Star.  Each eight-point star woven represents light, hope and solidarity against violence.

4. Christmas week

Christmas week at the Kilkenny Christmas Market  is when things really kick off, with a clatter of live music events and family entertainment taking place on the Parade.

Although the schedule is still TBC (we’ll update this guide when it’s announced), there tends to be something running to appeal to young and old alike!

More Irish markets like Yulefest Kilkenny

If the Christmas market in Kilkenny doesn’t tickle your fancy, there’s plenty of other markets dotted around Ireland to choose from:

• Dublin Christmas Markets
• Waterford Christmas Markets
• Cork Christmas Markets
• Wicklow Christmas Markets
• Galway Christmas Markets
• Belfast Christmas Markets

FAQs about the Kilkenny Christmas Markets

We’ve had a lot of questions over the last couple of days asking about everything from whats on at Yulefest Kilkenny to whether or not it’s worth visiting.

In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.