Winterval Waterford 2022: A Guide To The Waterford Christmas Markets

It has been confirmed that Winterval Waterford will be back with a bang in 2022!

Winterval was one of a handful of Christmas markets in Ireland that was in operation last year and, by the sounds of it, this year’s markets are set to be the biggest yet!

Below, you’ll find info on everything from the Waterford Winterval 2022 dates to what to expect and more.

Some quick need-to-knows about Winterval Waterford 2022

Now, although a visit to the Waterford Christmas Market is pretty straightforward, it’s worth taking 10 seconds to read the points below, first:

1. Location

Winterval takes place in Waterford, Ireland’s oldest city. The market tends to be spread across the city, with festive features found at Bishop’s Place, the Apple Market, John Roberts Square and Merchants Quay.

2. Dates

It’s official, Winterval returns to Waterford City from Friday, November 18th and it’ll run until Friday, December 23rd.

3. Plenty to see and do

The Waterford Christmas Market has everything from the Waterford Eye and the Winterval Carousel to Magic at the Apple Market, Winterval’s Wizards and plenty more (see below).

4. Make a weekend out of it

If you’re visiting from afar, make a weekend of your trip. There’s heaps of things to do in Waterford to keep you busy (like the Waterford Greenway) and there’s some great hotels in Waterford City to use as a base for a night or two.

About the Waterford Christmas Market

The Waterford Christmas Market is arguably one of the more popular Irish Christmas markets, alongside the likes of the Galway Christmas Market and the various Christmas markets in Dublin.

Now entering its landmark 10th year in operation, Winterval 2022 is set to return on November 18th with a bang, with organisers promising that it’ll be ‘Its biggest and most festive programme yet’.

Winterval Waterford 2022 is set to welcome back many of its old-favourites, like the Waterford Eye, along with several new additions, like Magic at the Apple Market.

What to expect from Waterford Winterval 2022

Now, please keep in mind that, while the Waterford Christmas Market dates have been announced, details of everything that’s on are yet to be confirmed.

The organisers have, however, released some info on what to expect from Winterval 2022.

1. Santa’s arrival to Waterford

The arrival of Santa to Waterford has, in years past, marked the opening of the Waterford Christmas Market. Thousands of people tend to line the streets as Santa switches on up to 100,000 Christmas lights.

2. The Waterford Eye

If you fancy grabbing an eagle-eye view of the Winterval Waterford, you can fork out a few quid and see them from the top of a Ferris wheel. Prices last year were around €5 for adults and €4 for kids under 12.

3. The Winterval Express Train and Carousel

If rambling around a city in the cold doesn’t do it for you, you can see Waterford from the comfort of the Winterval Express Train as it weaves through the city. It departs every 30 minutes and works its way along the Mall, past Winterval on Ice, through the Applemarket, and on to JR Square. The popular Winterval Carousel is also making a return.

4. New additions

Winterval Waterford 2022 will see the arrival of several new additions. Although little information has been provided, we know that the Winterval Circus, Magic at the Apple Market and Winterval’s Wizards & Dragons are set to launch this year.

5. Winterval food and craft markets

As is the case with many Christmas markets, food and crafts play a big part. Visitors to the Waterford Christmas Market can expect plenty of tasty treats, savoury delights and hand-made crafts and gifts on offer.

6. Live entertainment

The markets will see the return of live music and performances throughout the festive season. We’ll add more info here when it has been announced.

More festive markets like Winterval

There’s plenty of festive fun scattered across Ireland this year. Here are some of the most notable markets taking place:

• Dublin Christmas Markets
• Kilkenny Christmas Market
• Galway Christmas Market
• Glow Cork
• Belfast Christmas Market
• Wicklow Christmas Market
• Dublin Castle Christmas Market

FAQs about the Christmas market in Waterford

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘When does Winterval Waterford 2022 kick-off?’ to ‘Is it worth going to?’.

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.