Ostend Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates & Location

Ostend’s Christmas market is part of the city’s “Winter in Oostende” programme and, for winter 2026-2027, spans two squares in the historic centre, Wapenplein and Sint-Petrus- en -Paulusplein. Exact 2026 opening and closing dates had not been published when this guide was last updated on 5 September 2026, because the city has just handed the market to a new organiser, Polar Bear Company, for a five-edition concession running from 2026-2027 through 2030-2031.

What Is the Ostend Christmas Market?

The Ostend Christmas Market is the city’s annual winter market, held in Ostend, Belgium, near the North Sea coast. Ostend moved the market out of Leopoldpark, its home for around eight years, and into the city centre for the 2025-2026 season, and the squares Wapenplein and Sint-Petrus- en -Paulusplein are set to stay the venue through the new organiser’s 2026-2031 concession. Wapenplein is planned as the traditional chalet market, while Sint-Petrus- en -Paulusplein becomes a family-focused square built around a covered ice rink of more than 600 square metres.

Ostend has run a Christmas market since the late 1990s, when the city introduced it to draw winter visitors, and it has grown into one of the coastal region’s larger seasonal markets. The city’s tourism board, Toerisme Oostende, picked Polar Bear Company, a company that has organised winter events and ice rinks in Flanders since 2007, from four bidders in 2026 to run the market for the next five years, with a stated focus on authenticity, local traders and family experience. For the wider country, see WW’s roundup of Christmas markets in Belgium, and for more on the city itself, things to do in Ostend.

How Has the Ostend Christmas Market Changed for 2026?

The market has moved twice in two years, so a guide written before 2025 will point you to the wrong square. Ostend ran the market in Leopoldpark, near the seafront, for about eight years before the city relocated it to Wapenplein and Groentemarkt for the 2025-2026 season, a change the city made partly to reduce the load of events on the park’s monuments and partly to bring festive shoppers back into the commercial centre. For 2026-2027, the newly appointed organiser, Polar Bear Company, keeps the market on Wapenplein but shifts the second square from Groentemarkt to Sint-Petrus- en -Paulusplein, which the organiser plans to build into a dedicated family square around the new ice rink. In past editions, the wider winter programme has also included a separate evening light walk through the city, Lichtgolf, and a winter bar, Chez Babette; whether either returns in the same form under the new organiser had not been confirmed when this guide was updated.

When Does the Ostend Christmas Market Open in 2026?

Ostend had not published confirmed 2026 opening or closing dates for its Christmas market when this guide was last updated: the city’s own events calendar carried no November or December 2026 listing for it as of 5 September 2026, and a July 2026 news report on the new organiser gave only “end of 2026” as a timeframe. In the two most recent confirmed editions, the market opened on the last Friday of November and ran into the first days of January, so a similar window is likely for 2026-2027, but treat any specific 2026 dates you see elsewhere as provisional until Visit Ostend or Polar Bear Company confirm them.

Where Is the Ostend Christmas Market Taking Place?

The Ostend Christmas Market takes place on Wapenplein and Sint-Petrus- en -Paulusplein in the centre of Ostend, Belgium, a short walk from the Ostend railway station; the exact 2026 dates and daily hours were still unpublished at the time of writing. Wapenplein is the long-standing market square in Ostend’s shopping district, while Sint-Petrus- en -Paulusplein sits beside the Sint-Petrus-en-Pauluskerk (St Peter and Paul’s Church) a few streets away, and the two squares are connected by pedestrian streets through the centre. This is a change from earlier editions, which used Leopoldpark near the seafront; if you are working from an older guide or map that names Leopoldpark or “Winter in het Park,” it no longer matches where the market sets up.

Why Should You Visit the Ostend Christmas Market?

Visit the Ostend Christmas Market for its new city-centre setting, which gives it a different character from the old park location. The reasons to visit are listed below.

• A festive atmosphere in the heart of town. Lit chalets, decorations and carols now fill Wapenplein rather than a park, so the market sits among the shops and cafes of central Ostend.
• Family-focused ice skating. The new 600 sq m rink planned for Sint-Petrus- en -Paulusplein gives children and families their own square, separate from the chalet market on Wapenplein.
• Belgian food and drink. Waffles, frites, mussels and mulled wine are the market’s staple food and drink, alongside the sea air of a coastal city.
• A shorter, walkable layout. Because both squares sit in the same pedestrian centre, you can cover the market on foot without needing transport between sites.
• A coastal city at Christmas. Ostend pairs the market with a working seafront, so you can combine an afternoon on the promenade with an evening among the chalets, something an inland market cannot offer.

Is There an Alternative Name for the Ostend Christmas Market?

Ostend’s own city government calls the whole event “Winter in Oostende” (“Winter in Ostend”), which is the name used in its 2026 tender for a new organiser. Older material calls it “Winter in het Park,” but that name describes the market’s old Leopoldpark location and no longer applies now that it runs from Wapenplein and Sint-Petrus- en -Paulusplein. “Kerstmarkt Wapenplein” is the specific Dutch name Visit Ostend has used for the chalet market itself.

What Does It Cost to Visit the Ostend Christmas Market?

Walking around the Ostend Christmas Market, browsing the chalets and taking in the lights is free, since the city and its organiser do not charge for entry to Wapenplein or Sint-Petrus- en -Paulusplein. The rink, rides and any ticketed shows or concerts are separate, paid add-ons run by the organiser or individual vendors. Ostend had not published 2026 prices for the ice rink or other extras when this guide was updated, so treat any prices quoted elsewhere as figures from a past season rather than this one, since the market has both a new operator and a new layout for 2026.

What Are the Attractions Close to the Ostend Christmas Market?

The market’s move to the city centre puts it closer to some sights and further from others than in past editions, so distances below are approximate until the exact 2026 layout is confirmed; all three feature on WW’s guide to things to do in Ostend.

• Sint-Pieterstoren (Peperbusse), a belfry with a 47-bell carillon and city views, stands on or immediately beside Sint-Petrus- en -Paulusplein, one of the market’s two squares.
• Leopold Park, with its sculptures, fountains and ponds, is a short walk from Wapenplein through the town centre, even though the market itself no longer sets up inside the park.
• Fort Napoleon, a pentagonal fortification built on Napoleon’s orders to defend Ostend’s port, houses a military and maritime history museum a short ride from the centre.

What Food Can You Eat at the Ostend Christmas Market?

Ostend’s stalls mix classic Belgian market food with a few coastal specialities, several of which also belong to Belgian cuisine more broadly. The dishes below are typical of what past editions have served.

• Saucisson d’Ardenne: a firm, well-spiced pork and beef sausage, eaten sliced or in a sandwich.
• Couque: a honey cake that pairs well with coffee or hot chocolate.
• Cuberdons: cone-shaped, raspberry-flavoured Belgian sweets.
• Mosselen-friet: steamed mussels with fries, a Belgian classic.
• Crepes and waffles: sweet, freshly cooked options topped with chocolate, fruit or powdered sugar.

What Can You Drink at the Ostend Christmas Market?

The drinks stalls cover the standard Belgian winter line-up, listed below.

• Gluhwein (mulled wine), usually served in a souvenir mug.
• Fruit wine, made with berries and sometimes fortified with spirits.
• Hot chocolate, topped with cream or marshmallows.
• Christmas punch, a non-alcoholic, fruit-and-spice option for all ages.

What Can You Buy at the Ostend Christmas Market?

Stalls sell gifts and decorations rather than everyday souvenirs. Typical items are listed below.

• Christmas-themed souvenirs, including mugs, candles and textiles.
• Nativity scenes, carved or moulded by hand.
• Decorated glassware, such as etched or painted mugs and ornaments.
• Handcrafted wooden toys, including nutcrackers and puzzles.

How Do You Get to the Ostend Christmas Market?

Take the train to Ostend railway station, which sits close to the centre within walking distance of both Wapenplein and Sint-Petrus- en -Paulusplein; book Belgian train tickets through NMBS/SNCB if you are coming from Brussels, Bruges or further afield. Drive to Ostend via the national road network, with parking available near the centre for market visitors, or take the coastal tram, which runs along the Belgian coast with a stop in Ostend. City buses also connect the station and outer neighbourhoods to the centre, and both market squares are within walking distance of each other and of Ostend itself. Check WW’s guide to public holidays in Belgium for transport and opening-hours changes, if your trip spans 25 December or 1 January.

Where to Stay in Ostend During the Christmas Market

The hotels below sit within walking distance of the centre; compare hotel deals in Belgium for more options near Wapenplein and the seafront.

• The Providence: a 4-star hotel in a building dating to 1867, with neoclassical decor and a breakfast buffet.
• Leopold Hotel Ostend: overlooks the North Sea, with contemporary rooms and art referencing Ostend’s cultural history.
• C-Hotels: an affordable, design-led option near the seafront, with a lounge bar serving Belgian beer.

Where to Eat Near the Ostend Christmas Market

A short walk from the centre covers a range of styles, from seafood to bistro cooking.

• ‘t Zeezotje: a seafood restaurant with a nautical, cabin-style interior, where the day’s catch lets you eat in Belgium with fresh, local fish alongside a wine and beer list.
• Bistro Mathilda: serves seasonal local dishes such as North Sea shrimp croquettes and carbonnade beef stew.
• Marina Restaurant: a waterside spot with dishes such as butter-poached lobster and veal sweetbreads.

Is Ostend Christmas Market Better Than Dinant Christmas Market?

Neither market is simply “better”; they suit different kinds of trip. Ostend’s market is the larger of the two, spread across two squares with an ice rink and a coastal setting that adds sea air and views to the usual chalets. Dinant’s Christmas market runs along the Croisette beside the river Meuse, in a smaller, quieter setting shaped by the town’s riverside location and its cliffside citadel. Choose Ostend if you want more to do around the market itself, and Dinant if you prefer a compact market in a dramatic natural setting; WW’s roundup of Christmas markets in Belgium covers both alongside the rest of the country’s markets.

WonderfulWanderings Pro Tips

The 3 tips below come from tracking where this market actually is in 2026, after two venue moves and a change of organiser in as many years.

1. Walk to Wapenplein, not to Leopoldpark. The market left the park after roughly eight years, and for 2026-2027 it runs on Wapenplein and Sint-Petrus- en -Paulusplein. Maps and guides that still name Leopoldpark, or a “Church Square”, will put you a long way from the chalets.
2. Search for “Winter in Oostende” when you look for dates. That is the name the city uses in its own tender and calendar, while “Winter in het Park” describes the old location and returns pages about editions that no longer exist.
3. Treat any 2026 dates you find elsewhere as provisional. Neither Visit Ostend nor the new organiser, Polar Bear Company, had published opening dates when this guide was checked on 5 September 2026, and the concession is new, running from 2026-2027 through 2030-2031. The last two editions opened on the last Friday of November and ran into the first days of January.

About the author. This guide is written and maintained by the Wonderful Wanderings editorial team. Wonderful Wanderings was founded in 2012 by Sofie Couwenbergh, and the team has covered Ostend and the wider Belgium destination for independent travellers since. This page tracks the hotels, restaurants and transport worth booking around Ostend’s Christmas market, and is updated whenever the city or its new organiser confirm dates, hours or venues for the season.