Vermont Holiday Markets and Craft Fairs in December 2026: A Weekend Plan

A two-night loop from Burlington that balances the state's biggest craft fairs with small-town markets, plus where to sleep and what to skip.

Friday: Land in Burlington and Stay South

Fly into Burlington International Airport in South Burlington and you are already at the state's retail core: University Mall and the adjacent Dorset Street corridor sit within a five-minute drive of the terminal, and the city's larger craft fairs tend to cluster in the meeting rooms and church halls between Williston Road and Shelburne Road. Hotel rates in South Burlington run highest on Friday and Saturday nights through December, so booking a room in the Route 2–Dorset Street cluster rather than downtown Burlington saves money and keeps you near the airport and I-89.

Use Friday afternoon for the bigger indoor fairs, which usually run 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and charge modest admission, often a few dollars or a canned-food donation. Expect pottery, woolens, maple candy and turned wood rather than imported goods. Parking at the fair venues fills by mid-morning, so arrive before 11 or after 2. Eat dinner early in Essex Junction, ten minutes east on Route 15, where the small restaurant strip near Five Corners handles families better than downtown Burlington on a holiday weekend.

Saturday: The Small-Town Market Circuit

Saturday is the day to drive. Head south on I-89 to Waterbury and stop at the winter farmers market, then continue to Montpelier, where the statehouse lawn and nearby church halls host a compact fair that is genuinely local. From Montpelier, Route 100 south through Northfield and Waitsfield gives you the Mad River Valley's craft fairs, usually held in school gymnasiums and granges. Allow about two hours for the full drive without stops, and check that a venue is running before committing to a detour, because small fairs rotate weekends and some run only one Saturday in December.

The best month for this loop is early December, when the majority of fairs fall and snow has not yet closed the smaller roads. Book a Saturday night in Montpelier or Waterbury rather than driving back to Burlington in the dark; the route is unlit and deer are common after dusk. If you only have one night, choose Waterbury, which splits the difference and puts you 25 minutes from Stowe's markets the next morning.

Sunday: Stowe, Craftsbury and the Way Home

Sunday morning, drive Route 100 north to Stowe. The village hosts a holiday market in the weeks before Christmas, and the surrounding barns and inns run smaller sales along Mountain Road. Traffic into Stowe backs up from about 10 a.m., so go early and park at the village lot rather than circling. Continue north to Craftsbury or Hardwick if you want the quietest fairs in the state: grange halls, church basements and school cafeterias, with admission frequently free and vendors who take cash only.

Return via I-89 south to South Burlington for a Sunday-night stay if your flight leaves Monday, since airport-area hotels price lower on Sundays than Fridays. Skip the outlet cluster in Essex if your bags are already full, and skip any fair advertised mainly on social media without a physical address, as a handful of pop-ups cancel late. The reliable ones publish a venue and a date in the local weekly papers by mid-November.

Where to Book and What to Budget

Book South Burlington for the first and last nights and a smaller town in the middle. Hotels near Dorset Street and Williston Road typically run from around 140 to 220 dollars a night in December, rising on Saturday; Montpelier and Waterbury rooms are usually cheaper but sell out earlier because inventory is small. Reserve by October, because December weekends in Chittenden County fill with both leaf-peeping holdovers and local visiting families.

Budget for admission, cash purchases and parking, and carry small bills, as many vendors cannot process cards. Compare this loop against a single-base trip in Burlington: the single base is easier with children and avoids winter driving, but you will see fewer small fairs and spend more time in the car. I would book the two-base version, South Burlington Friday and Waterbury Saturday, which keeps drive times under an hour and still reaches the state's best small markets.

Questions, answered

When do Vermont's December craft fairs usually take place?

Most fall on the first two weekends of December, with a smaller round the weekend before Christmas. Venues publish dates in local weekly papers and on town websites by mid-November, so confirm before driving to a rural fair.

Do I need a car for Vermont holiday markets?

Yes. Fairs are spread across Burlington, Montpelier, the Mad River Valley and Stowe, and public transport between them is limited in winter. Rent from the airport in South Burlington and allow extra time for snow.

Where should I stay for a December market weekend?

Book South Burlington for the first or last night and Waterbury or Montpelier for the middle night. Reserve by October, as December weekend rooms in Chittenden County fill quickly and small-town inventory is tight.

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