York Christmas Market 2024 is open for business.

As The Press previously reported, the market - formerly St Nicholas Fair - has brought more than 75 'alpine chalets' to Parliament Street and St Sampson's Square. Starting at 10am today (November 14), the festivities will be ongoing until December 22.

Open from 10am to 7pm, seven days a week, the market will have a 'quieter time' between 10am and 12pm in a move that organiser Make it York says will improve accessibility.

Some of this year's traders include notable local businesses, such as Millers and a stall by Roots' head chef Tommy Banks.

Speaking ahead of the opening was experienced market trader Susan Calder, who owns the glass ornament company Artifactually.

Susan Calder, Artifcatually (Image: Harry Booth)

She said: "It's fantastic, it's my favourite city, it has a lovely vibe to it and everyone's very enthusiastic.

"People travel into York from miles around so its not just locals, people come from Scotland and Lincolnshire and all sorts of regions so its brilliant."

On last year's market in York, Susan said that it was "heaving", she added: "My colleague Deb was in York last weekend and she already said you couldn't move. And that was before the market starts.

"All my markets have been up already this year so I'm expecting much of the same."

Rebecca Stobart, Northern Black (Image: Harry Booth)

Also eagerly anticipating the opening was a first-time market trader. Rebecca Stobart, from Northern Black, told The Press how she hopes her Viking themed products will be a hit this year.

She said: "It's run by Isar Oakmund, he's a tattoo artist based in Whitley Bay and this is everything that he's made with his knowledge of the Vikings and the Iron Age.

"His books are all written by him and his wife about Viking age history and artwork. We do a lot of promoting other tattoo artists.

"He's spent 20 years really 'nerding' out about this stuff so York felt like the perfect place to do his first market.

"The stuff is pretty popular online so we hope that being in York with Viking stuff is going to be pretty crazy."

Parliament Street's dancing Big Issue seller, Vasile Calin, has joined in on the festive cheer (Image: Harry Booth) Last year's market saw an influx of people brought to the city, with City of York Council tracking hourly footfalls which exceeded 7,000 people an hour at the peak. In total, the 2023 market saw more than one million people visit.

This year's market promises to be similarly busy. 

Despite efforts by Make it York to improve accessibility with the daily 'quiet time', the council is still yet to make a decision on Blue Badge access to the city centre during the markets. The matter is due to be debated in a council meeting at 5.30pm today (November 14).