The first thing that strikes me about the Shipyards Night Market in North Vancouver is just how confused they seem to be about their branding. The official website for the night market is called North Shore Green Market, the official page is branded as a Twilight Market, and the people at North Shore Tourism refer to it as the Shipyards Night Market. Whatever you want to call it, it’s the night market in North Vancouver and it’s back for another year.
A North Vancouver Night Market?
The night market culture is most associated with the Vancouver suburb of Richmond. That’s where you’ll find the Summer Night Market near Home Depot and the Richmond Night Market near River Rock Casino. Up until this year, we also had the Chinatown Night Market in the City of Vancouver too.
As it turns out, North Vancouver has a night market too, but it’s an entirely different kind of beast. Whereas the other night markets have a distinct Asian quality about them, the Shipyards Night Market appears to be more western in its approach. Instead of food stalls hawking stinky tofu and bubble tea, you have an assortment of food trucks in the “hot food alley.”
There’s a focus on selling primarily (if not exclusively) local product, which includes handicrafts, soaps, preserves, jewelry and produce. In this way, you may find more parallels to a farmer’s market than to an Asian-style “night market” here. Unlike a farmer’s market, though, the Shipyards Night Market has a beer and wine garden, as well as live music.
Dates and Hours
Unlike the Summer Night Market and Richmond Night Market, which are open at least three days every weekend, the Shipyards Night Market in North Vancouver is only open on Fridays. The hours are from 5 pm to 10 pm each Friday night. It kicked off earlier this month on May 2 and will run until September 26.
Location
The Shipyards Night Market is hosted at Shipbuilders’ Square in North Vancouver. Confusingly, it’s also listed at Shipyards Plaza, but this is really the same place in the Lower Lonsdale neighborhood. It’s one block east of Lonsdale Quay.
The official address is, also confusingly, 15 Wallace Mews and 138 Victory Ship Way. Realistically, if you find yourself near Lonsdale Quay, you can’t miss it.
Parking and Transit
As far as I can gather, there is no admission fee for the North Vancouver night market. Compare that to the $2 you’d spend per person at either of the night markets in Richmond. That’s the good news.
However, it appears like there is no free parking lot for the Shipyards Night Market. All the parking lots in the area seem to be enforced 24 hours a day. That being said, Parkopedia tells me that you can park in the ICBC parkade for free in the evenings if you are a customer of the Lonsdale Quay Market and Shops.
Thankfully, transit access is much better as the Lonsdale Quay Seabus terminal is adjacent to the market.
Four Years Running
Believe it or not, the Shipyards Night Market in North Vancouver actually got its start in 2011. It’s really been flying under the radar, getting overshadowed by the two night markets in Richmond. Are you going to check it out this year?
http://youtu.be/TxSkLw3Axx0
Good news – the ICBC lot at Lonsdale Quay is free after 6pm (and all weekend) and is no more than a 5 min walk away. This is a little-known secret of Lower Lonsdale, and one of the very few things you’ll get for free from ICBC 😀
I meant to add also… they never check the ICBC lot and you don’t need a ticket or anything… so park at will (and your own risk, ironically)
I do mention that lot in the post, but I wasn’t sure how strictly they monitor/enforce it.
I went fairly regularly the last 2 years, but it came into its own last year. It was 2 nights last year (Thurs and Fri) but the Thursday was… like walking around Lansdowne Mall on a Tuesday evening… desolate, bleek and absolutely void of any interest.
And it also gave me an excuse to take the Seabus again! Forgotten how fun it is to take it.