Galway’s Local Food and Craft Gift Fair will return for an extended six-day run, breaking with its two-day tradition. The event will now take place over six days, beginning on Thursday, November 27, and continuing until Tuesday, December 2.
Organised annually by Local Enterprise Office (LEO ) Galway, the Fair will showcase up to 60 stallholders and exhibitors, alongside some wonderful entertainers and attractions and is expected to attract up to 15,000 shoppers.
The Black Box Theatre on Galway’s Dyke Road has played host to the Christmas shopping event since 2012, with the exception of a two-year hiatus due to Covid restrictions. The popularity, size and scale of the Fair have increased year-on-year, with the 2025 event attracting a substantial increase in applications from prospective traders. Due to unprecedented demand, the organisers have significantly extended this year’s festival, with more producers presenting their offerings than ever before.
Head of Enterprise at LEO Galway, Caroline McDonagh, said the event has long been a staple in Galway’s Christmas calendar. “For more than a decade, the Fair has been a hugely popular attraction, but this year, it feels like there’s an even greater emphasis among consumers about the importance of shopping locally and supporting domestic producers.
"In line with the demand, the quality appears to have reached an all-time high as well. Visitors to the event are going to be blown away by the variety and calibre of what will be on offer across the six days,” she said.
Shoppers can expect to find an array of gift ideas from local artists, designers, jewellers, skincare trailblazers, and craftspeople, as well as tempting locally-made food and drinks from some of Galway’s best-loved artisan producers.
Outside the Black Box, several food vendors will offer a diverse range of tasty cuisines, ensuring guests can find everything they need for Christmas, as well as plenty of sustenance to keep their energy flowing.
The doors to the 2025 event will open at 4.30 pm on November 27. The official opening will take place at 6pm. Over the next five days, shoppers can access the Black Box from 10am daily, and there will be plenty of great entertainment to keep all ages occupied.
