A POPULAR Christmas market will return to York later this year to mark its 30th anniversary.

After a "hugely successful," St Nicholas Fair in 2021, Make It York have confirmed that plans are already underway for Christmas 2022, with the popular fair set to return on November 17 to December 23.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of St Nicholas Fair, which has been a staple in York’s streets during the festive period since 1992. The famous alpine chalets line Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square creating a festive wonderland, with an array of local traders and artisan products.

Data from Make it York found that in 2021, St Nicholas Fair influenced 71 per cent of visitors to come to York – with three in 10 visiting for the market alone.

Traffic to the Christmas content on the Visit York website exceeded 700,000 views, with Visit York social channels reaching over 1.4 million. There was over 140 pieces of media coverage, which had a combined reach of over 19 million. Plus, a national marketing campaign including national radio adverts and 50,000 print Christmas guides which were distributed across the city.

The fair was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, with Visit York hosting a virtual market online.