Application instructions

Helsinki Christmas Market is the oldest outdoor Christmas market in Helsinki. The Market offers delicious eating experiences and unique gifts sold by the craftsmen and women themselves as well as a beautiful, warm and relaxed Christmas atmosphere.

Helsinki Senate Square 29 November – 22 December 2024
Opening hours Mon–Thu and Sun 11am–7pm and Fri–Sat 11am–8pm 

24 April Call for vendors for Gift Alleys and Restaurant Yard begins
31 May Application time for Gift Alleys ends
7 June Vendor selections for Gift Alleys complete
June Reservation billings for Gift Alleys
31 August Application time for Restaurant Yard ends
6 September Vendor selections for Restaurant Yard complete
31 October Due date for the market stall fee, Restaurant Yard deposit and additional services
December Invoicing of the Restaurant Yard sales commission 

All market stalls are rented for the duration of the event (excluding weekly rentals)
Valid VAT is added to all prices (24%-25,5%). Sales period: 24 days. 

Single stall for vendor Gift Alleys: €3600 / €150,00 per day
Double stall for vendor Gift Alleys: €6700 / 279,17 € /päivä per day
Weekly rental Gift Alleys: €810–1100 / week
Discounted single stall Gift Alleys: €2250 (€102,27 per day)
Sales provision at Restaurant Yard: 15%
Deposit charge, single stall Restaurant Yard: €3600
Deposit charge, double stall Restaurant Yard: €6700
The reservation charge for the market stall at the Gift Alleys equals 30% of the market stall rental fee (excluding VAT). The reservation charge is included in the market stall rental fee. 

The Restaurant Yard deposit is compensated from the sales commission. There is no reservation fee for the Restaurant Yard. The organizer will provide the cash registers for all the vendors at the Restaurant Yard. The sales commission is invoiced in December. More information on the invoicing is provided as call for restaurants ends.

Map of the Area is a draft.

Gift Alleys providing craft, gift and take away food products will be built around the square. The Restaurant Yard is built in the middle of the square with common alcohol license and possibly a café yard, as a part of the Gift Alleys (without alcohol license) for the partners and café operators.

Gift Alleys 

You are eligible to rent a market stall if: 
● You sell perishable goods, material goods or immaterial gifts 
● Your products are being sold by retail chains 
● Your products are produced in Finland or provide work in Finland for at least their design 
● You who have the possibility to sell products manufactured by others 

Your chances to be selected are increased if: 
● You have a high-quality product 
● You have a unique brand or concept 
● Your product is produced or your business is located in Helsinki 
● Your product is related to Christmas, suitable as a gift or for the Christmas meal 
● Your product is certified as being responsible 
● Your product is packaged ecologically (recyclable or biodegradable materials) 
● A dietary restriction was taken into consideration in the range of perishable goods 
● You are a food distributor that provides tasting or there is an opportunity to purchase warmed products for immediate consumption 

You are not eligible to rent a market stall if: 
● Your products were completely manufactured and designed outside of Finland 
● More than a quarter of your products are targeted specifically to foreign tourists 

Restaurant yard 

You are eligible to rent a restaurant stall if: 
● you represent a domestic restaurant or cafe concept
● you are a business that sells food products to be eaten on location 
● you need a refrigerated container 
● you need a electrical connection more than 16A power current 

Your chances to be selected are increased if: 
● You have a restaurant in Helsinki 
● Your products, brand and/or concept is unique and current 
● The degree of in-house production of the product is high 
● You use organically- and locally-produced ingredients 
● Your menu takes into consideration dietary restrictions 
● Your menu takes into consideration vegetarians 
● Your menu takes into consideration child customers 
● Your menu has products with a connection to the Christmas theme 

You are not eligible to rent a market stall if: 
● Your restaurant cannot be fitted into the restaurant stall, e.g. food trucks 

All market stalls 

The market stall rental fee includes: 
● Market stall structure 
● 3 shelf for the back wall 
● Electricity and electrical connection (single stall Gift Alleys 2000W, double stall Gift Alleys 4000W / stall Restaurant Yard 16A) 
● Basic ceiling lighting 
● Order supervision and security 
● Sorted waste management 
● Winter maintenance of the market area 
● Access to water supply 
● Insulated portable toilets with handwashing station for personnel use only 
● Name tag, visibility in local guides and on the website (Finnish, Swedish, English) 
● Event marketing and communications 
● Event guidance and sales info 

Additionally only for vendors at the Restaurant yard: 
● 1 storage trolley in a refrigerated container 
● alcohol service license in the joint serving area 

Services available for an additional fee: 
● Rain cover (for the side of the sales counter), €85 a piece 
● Additional shelf for the back wall, €29.00 
● Additional power current 3 x 16A, €150.00 (Gift Alleys only) 
● Additional power current 3 x 32A €400,00 € (Restaurant Yard only) 
● Additional power current 3 x 63A €1 000,00 € (Restaurant Yard only) 
● Parking spot for the entire duration of the event, €270.00. Note that the amount of parking spots is limited and they will be filled in order of enrollment.

Vendors can opt to sell their goods for shorter periods by renting a stall for a week at a time. The weekly rentals are single market stalls and they are located only at the Gift Alleys. The available rental periods are: 29 November – 6 December, 7.-13.12. ja 14.-22.12. Weekly rentals are primarily meant for vendors who are looking to test their selling power for the first time at the event. There will be a limited number of weekly rental stalls. 

The number of visitors increases toward the end of the market. Weekends, holidays and varying weather affect the number of visitors and the volume of sales, so a full week gives a good picture of the busy peaks and quiet times for market sales and of the fluctuating groups of visitors. 

Many of those who took the bold step to apply for the market once often apply again year after year. The market offers an opportunity for successful sales and to be part of a positive shared holiday experience. Detailed structural information for weekly rentals: see the picture of a Single stall.

Here’s how to apply for a weekly rental:
On the vendor application form, tick the option ‘I am applying for a weekly rental’ and state which sales period(s) you are interested in. 

Sales periods: 
● 29 Nov.–6. Dec (8 days) 970,00€ + valid VAT (24-25.5%) 
● 9 Dec–15 Dec (7 days) 850,00€ + valid VAT (24-25.5 %) 
● 16 Dec–22 Dec (9 days) 1100,00€ + valid VAT (24-25.5 %)

The market stall rental fee includes: 
● Single stall 
● Electricity and electrical connection (2000W) 
● Basic ceiling lighting 
● Rain covers (for sides of sales counter) 
● 3 shelves for the back wall of the stall 
● Order supervision and security 
● Sorted waste management 
● Winter maintenance 
● Access to water supply 
● Insulated portable toilets with handwashing station for personnel use only 
● Name tag, visibility in local guides and on the website (Finnish, Swedish, English) 
● Event marketing and communications 
● Event guidance and sales info 

Services available for an additional fee: 
● Parking spot during sales period, €90.00. Note that the amount of parking spots is limited and they will be filled in order of enrollment. 

Each year, the event reserves at maximum 50% of the number of market stalls for vendors who are entitled to a discounted fee for a single stall in the Gift Alleys due to their status as small-scale artisans. Helsinki Christmas Market supports these small-scale artisans by covering the basic costs for the market stalls from its own budget. 

Helsinki Christmas Market wants to bring the opportunity for responsible consumption in the heart of Helsinki at Christmas time. Appreciation for small producers and support for the handicraft tradition are deeply rooted values of Helsinki Christmas Market. For this reason, the event, in co-operation with its commercial partners, annually supports small producers by subsidising the basic costs of their market stall rentals as part of the event’s overall budget.

Here’s how to apply for a discounted rental fee: 
On the Vendor application form, tick the item ‘I am applying for a discounted market 8 stall fee’ and in the open field below, write the reason why the company or community should get a discounted price, see the criteria. 

You are eligible for a discounted market stall fee if: 
● You are a sole entrepreneur or non-profit organisation selling goods and immaterial gifts 
● You are a small food producer whose production is very limited, e.g., small bakeries, individual honey producers and farms / small gardens 
● You sell products with an extremely high degree of craft production 
● You sell products with a high degree of domestic content 
● You sell the products yourself at the market for at least 50% of the time 
● You can share the stall with several sole entrepreneurs 

You are not eligible for a discounted market stall fee if: 
● Your product is sold in chain shops 
● You product is manufactured using industrial series production 
● Your product is sold wholesale / through multiple retail sales channels 
● More than a quarter of your products are targeted specifically to foreign tourists 

Helsinki Events Foundation reserves the right to choose the vendors who are eligible for a discounted rental fee. The vendors will be informed whether they were granted a discounted or regular rental fee market stall. 

Stage 1: Complete the vendor application form
Complete the vendor or restaurant application form in the online service of Helsinki Christmas Market

In order to access the online service, you will need to create a username/password and log in. You can do that from this login page. Do not forget your username and password. You will need them again later. 

Help with questions concerning the completion of the vendor profile form can be found in these instructions: ‘General terms and conditions’ and ‘’Frequently Asked Questions’ 

The application period ends on May 31 (Gift Alleys) / August 31 (Restaurant Yard). 

Stage 2: Curation stage 
All vendor and restaurant profiles and attachments that have been submitted by the end of the application period will be reviewed by the event organiser and assessed with consideration for, e.g., the values of the event and the annual objectives. 

The objective is to select, from the vendor applications, a curated, high-quality and diverse range of products options for the Christmas Market. The number of stalls in 9 the Senate Square is dependent on the local planning and regulations of the authorities. 

The applicants will be notified of the results of the selection process on 6–7 June (Gift Alleys) / 6–7 September (Restaurant Yard). 

Vendors and restaurants will be contacted after the end of the application period if they can be offered a cancellation place. 

Stage 3: Reserving and paying for the market stall 
The stalls at Helsinki Christmas Market are reserved by signing the online vendor agreement and paying the reservation charge. Detailed instructions will be sent to all selected vendors and restaurants in connection with the selection confirmation email message. 

You can order additional services under your profile until 30 September. If you order an additional service after this deadline, we cannot guarantee its availability. Additional services ordered during the event are invoiced separately. 

Due dates for payments:
The due date for the reservations fee for Gift Alleys is in June. Due date for the market stall fee and additional services is on 31 Oct 2024. 

There is no additional reservation fee for the Restaurant Yard. Due date for the Restaurant Yard deposit and additional service orders is on 31 Oct 2024. 

The sales commission for the Restaurant Yard is invoiced during December. More information on the invoicing is provided as call for restaurants ends. 

If the payment is not made by the due date, the event organiser has the right, without separate notification, to release the market stall to the next vendor on the waiting list. 

Helsinki Events Foundation reserves the right to change the due dates and invoicing timetable. 

Stage 4: Updating information on the website 
Log in to the online service to update your profile. 

The photos, names, presentation texts, payment methods, website and social media channels connected with the vendor profiles are published on the event’s website in November in Finnish, Swedish and English. Update your information by 15 October to ensure that they can be translated in time. Helsinki Events Foundation reserves the right to edit texts. 

What attachments do I need to submit with my application and how do I submit them?
Each applicants photos of the products that will be sold at the market, are needed for the purposes of the curation process and marketing communications. The photos are attached to the vendors application form, in the section reserved for them. 

Can a single market stall be shared by more than one vendor?

Yes. In this case, one of the vendors assumes the primary responsibility as the contact person and lessee and completes one vendor profile form that includes all the products that will be sold at the stall. 

Can an association apply to sell products at the market?
Associations can apply to participate in the market. The person who signs the vendor agreement should be someone who has the right to act on behalf of the association. A 11 register extract concerning the association must be attached to the application. 

Can the right to sell be assigned to another vendor if the original vendor is prevented from participating in the event? Only the lessee is permitted to sell products at the market stall. It is not permitted to organise activities as a subcontractor or to reassign the right to rent or a part thereof. 

Can the vendor change the products to be sold after the curation stage?
The vendor must stick to the product category stated in the application. For example, handicrafts cannot be changed to a food product after the application has been submitted. 

Can I apply for several market stalls?
We only rent one market stall for each company/association/applicant in each vendor category (Gift Alleys and Restaurant Yard). If the same person applies for market stalls for several organizations (e.g. subsidiary business, auxiliary or a parallel business name), all applications from the applicant in question will be rejected. We aim to include as many different businesses as possible. 

I can’t pay my open invoices by the due date, what should I do?
We reserve the right to give the market stall to the next vendor on the waiting list if there are unpaid invoices. If you cannot pay your invoice by the due date, contact the event organizers as soon as possible to settle the payment plan.

Can I sell products that use photo or print material produced by someone else?
The vendors are in charge of complying with the copyright laws. For example Marimekko has prohibited the use of their products for further resale. The event organizer withholds the right to withdraw products that infringe others’ copyrights. 

If you have any additional questions about Helsinki Christmas Market, don’t hesitate to contact us! Telephone enquiries: +358 50 911 3180. Customer service is open on Mondays 9am–11am. 

You can also contact us via email: tuomaanmarkkinat@eventshelsinki.fi 

Additional information also on:
tuomaanmarkkinat.fi
facebook.com/tuomaanmarkkinat 
instagram.com/tuomaanmarkkinat 

If you are interested in partnership with Helsinki Christmas Market, please contact tuomaanmarkkinat@eventshelsinki.fi.