What happens to a two-weekend holiday tradition when it gets a single weekend? In Bearspaw, the Christmas Market is about to find out. For the last few years, the Bearspaw Community Association's market spread across back-to-back weekends in late November and early December. In 2026 it runs four days in a row, Thursday, November 26 through Sunday, November 29, at Bearspaw Community Centre.
Two weeks out, that one change shapes everything else. There is no second weekend this year, so the four days you get are the whole market.
A similar-sized market on four days instead of six
The BCA's 2026 floor plan shows 56 booths in the gymnasium and 24 in the banquet hall, 80 in total. Past years were counted by vendor, but the numbers land in the same range. When Airdrie Cityview previewed the 2024 market, BCA board chair and market manager Tammy Cultrera put the count at "80 plus vendors." The Cochrane Eagle's 2025 recap counted more than 75.
| Year | Dates | Format | Vendors or booths | Features in coverage or listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Nov 29 to Dec 1 and Dec 6 to 8 | Two weekends, opening Friday at 2 p.m. | 80+ vendors | Hay rides, fireworks both Saturdays, outdoor fire pits, Christmas tree sales, Santa both Saturdays |
| 2025 | Nov 28 to 30 and Dec 5 to 7 | Two weekends, fourth annual | 75+ vendors | Carollers, choirs, sleigh rides, Santa, fireworks |
| 2026 | Nov 26 to 29 | One four-day run, opening Thursday | 80 booths | Six named spaces, Santa's Fireside Grotto, Little Elves Market, gift wrapping |
Each of the last two markets ran six days across two weekends. This year has four: Thursday until 8 p.m., 10 to 8 on Friday and Saturday, and 10 to 4 on Sunday. The 2024 market drew about 10,000 people over its two weekends, Cultrera told Airdrie Cityview. Fitting that kind of interest into four consecutive days puts more weight on each one, and especially on Saturday, the only full Saturday on the calendar.
The new Thursday helps balance that. Earlier versions opened on a Friday afternoon. This year opens on a Thursday and stays open until 8, which adds a second weekday evening alongside Friday's.
What fills the four days
The 2026 market is organized into six named spaces, each with its own job.
- The Grand Market Hall holds the main vendor collection of gifts, décor and seasonal goods.
- The Holly & Hearth Hall is the social room, with live music and festive food and drink.
- The Little Elves Market is for young entrepreneurs and makers selling their own Christmas goods. The BCA is also recruiting teenage sellers through a Teen Elves Market sign-up.
- Santa's Fireside Grotto is a decorated room where kids can visit Santa. It is included with general admission during advertised Santa hours, at no extra charge.
- The Fireside Lounge is a seasonal gathering area, subject to weather and final event arrangements.
- Santa's Wrapping Workshop offers free gift wrapping by young community volunteers.
The grotto is where the shorter calendar matters most for families. Santa visited on both Saturdays in 2024, according to Cultrera. This year, the BCA says Santa will be there during "selected advertised hours" and that the schedule will be posted on the market page before the event. With only one weekend, the posted hours are the only window, so check the schedule before you pick a day.
Admission is $5 for adults and free for children 12 and under. You can pay at the door, and the BCA says online admission will open soon. The money supports the Bearspaw Community Association and its community programs.
The Thursday before the Thursday
The market really starts a week early. On Thursday, November 19, from 6 to 10 p.m., the BCA hosts the Country Christmas VIP Night at Bearspaw Community Centre. The evening includes live country music, seasonal food and drinks, and a preview of selected vendors.
You need to plan ahead for this one. Tickets are $30 per person and the night is adults-only, 18 and over. Tickets are also for members only, and the ticket form checks for an active BCA membership before checkout. If you want to go and your membership has lapsed, renew before you try to buy. The VIP night is sponsored by Olympia Trust Company, a Calgary firm that is also the market's Platinum Sponsor.
Seen together, the 2026 season has three openings. There is a members' preview on the 19th, a Thursday opening on the 26th, and then a regular weekend. Each one suits a different kind of visit.
Building a plan around four days
Cultrera described the goal in 2024 as making the market feel "a little bit more of a Hallmark movie," with mulled wine, beer from local vendors and a small Christmas village, as Airdrie Cityview reported. In the shorter 2026 format, here is what each date offers.
- Thursday, November 19, 6 to 10 p.m. The VIP Night, for adult BCA members who want an early look at selected vendors.
- Thursday, November 26, until 8 p.m. Opening day, and a new addition to the calendar. The late close means you can come after work.
- Friday, November 27, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. A full day and a second evening.
- Saturday, November 28, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The only full Saturday, and the day to expect the most people.
- Sunday, November 29, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The shortest day and the last chance. After Sunday there is no second weekend.
The BCA's other events this season fit around the market. The Science Scope, a hands-on session for kids aged 4 to 8 led by teacher Burcu Gulen, is on Saturday, November 14. Intro to Pickleball with Greg Henderson runs on Sunday, November 22, and again on Sunday, December 6. The December session falls on a date that, in past years, would have been part of the market's second weekend.
If you make things and want a table next year, or a spot in a youth market, apply only through the BCA website. The association says it contacts vendors only from an @bearspawlc.org email address and does not accept e-transfers for vendor fees. All payments go through its official site. Volunteers, gift wrappers and planning committee members sign up on the market volunteer page.
Getting to 253220 Bearspaw Road
The BCA lists its address as 253220 Bearspaw Road. If you're coming from the Highway 1A side, allow extra time. Rocky View County has scheduled traffic signals for the Highway 1A and Highway 766 (Lochend Road) intersection from May 2026 to September 2027, and warns of possible partial lane closures and commute delays. Planned improvements at Highway 567 and Bearspaw Road are still in design, according to the County's project page.
If you're pairing a morning walk at Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park with a market afternoon, pick your trail ahead of time. Alberta Parks closed the Scott Trail on September 25, 2026, until further notice, because cattle are in the area.
Plenty of homes in Bearspaw host their own gatherings over the same weeks as the market. If you're starting to wonder what your home might be worth before the new year, Dexter and Co can give you a discreet read on your property between now and the market's last Sunday. Request a private valuation, and we'll have the numbers ready by the time the Santa schedule goes up.
