What you need for a Christmas market with boat tours

A Christmas market with boat tours needs more than stalls and festive decorations. You will need separate supplies for the market area, boarding point, food service and boat passengers. Plan quantities around your guest registrations, sailing schedule and stallholder needs, then buy non-perishables early and check fresh food shortly before the event. Reusable serving items, safe lighting, power distribution and clearly marked tickets are easy to overlook until setup day.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Party tentsqty 4
Market stallsqty 12
Tablesqty 16
Folding chairsqty 80
Cash desk tableqty 2
Crowd control barriersqty 12
Party tent weightsqty 16

Tableware

Reusable mugsqty 200
Reusable glassesqty 200
Platesqty 200
Forksqty 200
Knivesqty 200
Spoonsqty 200
Serving spoonsqty 12

Decorations

Christmas treesqty 4
Christmas baublesqty 120
Christmas garlandsqty 20
Christmas wreathsqty 8
Table runnersqty 16
Menu boardsqty 12
Notice boardqty 2

Lighting

LED light stringsqty 20
LED lanternsqty 12
Extension cordsqty 10
Power stripsqty 8

Equipment

Coffee machinesqty 3
Kettlesqty 3
Warming kettlesqty 4
Coolersqty 6
Payment terminalsqty 2
Walkie-talkiesqty 6
Battery lampsqty 8
Hand tool setsqty 2
Jerry cansqty 4

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 6
Chef's knifeqty 4
Serving plattersqty 16
Thermos flasksqty 8
Soup potsqty 4
Tongsqty 12
Measuring cupsqty 4
Kitchen glovesqty 8
Aluminum foilqty 4
Food storage containersqty 20

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 12
Broom setsqty 4
Mopsqty 4
Bucketsqty 6
Hand soap dispensersqty 6
Paper towel dispensersqty 6
Toilet paper holdersqty 4

Boat Tours

Adult life jacketsqty 80
Children's life jacketsqty 20
Waterproof storage boxesqty 4
Entry matsqty 4
Flashlightsqty 6
Waterproof walkie-talkie coversqty 6

Communication

Directional signsqty 12
Safety signsqty 8
Directional signsqty 10
Menu Card Holdersqty 16

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee - 8 packs
- Decaffeinated coffee - 2 packs
- Black tea - 6 boxes
- Herbal tea - 4 boxes
- Hot chocolate - 12 liters
- Whipped cream - 12 aerosol cans
- Marshmallows - 4 bags
- Mulled wine - 30 liters
- Non-alcoholic mulled wine - 10 liters
- Apple juice - 12 liters
- Orange juice - 12 liters
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 12 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Spa Blauw - 12 bottles
- Spa Rood - 8 bottles
- Beer - 10 crates
- Alcohol-free beer - 3 cases
- Red wine - 12 bottles
- White wine - 8 bottles
- Sugar - 4 packs
- Sweeteners - 4 boxes
- Milk - 12 liters
- Oat milk - 8 liters
- Lemons - 3 kilogram
- Cinnamon sticks - 4 bags
- Star anise - 3 bags
- Cloves - 3 jars
- Oranges - 6 kilograms
- Apples - 8 kilograms
- Mandarins - 6 kilograms
- Raisins - 3 kilograms
- Mixed nuts - 5 kilograms
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Plain chips - 8 bags
- Snacks - 6 bags
- Christmas cookies - 12 packs
- Spiced biscuits - 10 packs
- Stroopwafels - 10 packs
- Mini muffins - 300 pieces
- Apple fritters - 250 pieces
- Mini oliebollen - 300 pieces
- Powdered sugar - 3 kilograms
- Baguettes - 20 pieces
- Butter - 3 kilograms
- Herb cheese - 3 kilograms
- Young mature cheese - 4 kilograms
- Brie - 3 kilograms
- Vegetarian spreads - 3 kilograms
- Hummus - 3 kilograms
- Cucumbers - 4 kilogram
- Cherry tomatoes - 4 kilograms
- Grapes - 5 kilograms
- Olives - 3 kilograms
- Mustard - 3 bottles
- Mayonnaise - 3 bottles
- Ketchup - 3 bottles
- Tomato soup - 18 liters
- Vegetable soup - 18 liters
- Breadsticks - 12 packs
- Croutons - 8 bags
- Salt - 2 packs
- Pepper - 2 jars
- Herb mix - 4 jars
- Olive oil - 3 bottles
- Coffee filters - 4 packs
- Stirrers - 500 pieces
- Wooden skewers - 500 pieces
- Napkins - 1000 pieces
- Baking paper - 4 rolls
- Plastic wrap - 4 rolls
- Disposable gloves - 6 boxes
- Garbage Bags - 8 rolls
- Large trash bags - 4 rolls
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 48 rolls
- Hand soap - 6 bottles
- Hand sanitizer - 6 bottles
- Dish soap - 4 bottles
- Cleaning wipes - 8 packs
- All-purpose cleaner - 4 bottles
- Toilet cleaner - 4 bottles
- De-icing salt - 4 bags

Tips

Plan at least one reusable mug, glass and plate per expected guest, then add 10–15% extra for items waiting to be washed or misplaced. Count forks, knives and spoons separately rather than assuming one mixed cutlery set will cover the service.
For a winter event, allow one coffee machine or kettle for each busy drinks station and keep warming kettles available for hot drinks during the busiest sailing periods. Check that extension cords and power strips reach every stall without crossing boarding routes.
Buy LED light strings and lanterns early, and test every set at least 48 hours before setup. Bring spare extension cords and keep lighting cables away from queues, tent entrances and the dock edge.
Order or collect tickets, wristbands and payment supplies before the first boat registration deadline. Keep a separate batch for walk-ins and waiting-list guests so the boarding team can identify passengers quickly.
Count tent weights, tables and chairs against the site map rather than the number of market stalls alone. The cash desk, notice board, menu boards and boarding area also need space, and tent weights must be ready before the tents are erected.

Frequently asked questions

How much tableware do I need for a Christmas market with boat tours?: Start with one mug, glass and plate per expected guest, plus 10–15% spare capacity. Provide at least one full set of forks, knives and spoons per guest, with extra serving spoons for each food stall.
When should I buy supplies for a Christmas market?: Buy decorations, reusable tableware, lighting, power equipment and payment supplies 2–4 weeks before the event. Check fresh produce and other chilled items within 24 hours of opening, based on confirmed registrations.
How many drinks should I plan per guest?: For the first hour, allow 2–3 drinks per person, including hot and cold options. Add more if guests stay after their boat tour or if the market runs longer than three hours.
What do I need for boarding a Christmas market boat tour?: Prepare tickets or wristbands, a notice board with sailing times, crowd-control barriers and clear boarding instructions. Have these supplies ready at least 60 minutes before the first departure, with a separate check-in point for waiting-list guests.

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