Christmas Markets UKThe 2026 season, market by market

Dorchester Christmas Cracker

Sunday 13 December 2026

Sunday only, 11am–4pm

11am–4pm

Dorchester town centre: High East and High West Street, Trinity Street and the Corn Exchange, Dorchester, Dorset · South West England

MakersFood & drinkIndoor

Official website Add to calendar Stay near Dorchester Ad
A crowd in Santa hats lines a wet town-centre street as Father Christmas and a polar-bear mascot pass, with gazebo stalls and shopfronts behind
The Santa Hat Parade at the Dorchester Christmas Cracker, with stalls along the street (photo 2022) — Photo: Stephen and Helen Jones from England, CC BY-SA 2.0

Dorset's county town's one-day Christmas street market, with local traders on the closed main streets and tables inside the Corn Exchange.

The Christmas Cracker is Dorchester's annual festive shopping day, organised by the Dorchester Chamber for Business on a Sunday in mid-December. Street pitches fill High West Street, High East Street and Trinity Street, and more sellers take tables inside the Corn Exchange.

It is a deliberately local market: traders must be based within about 20 miles of Dorchester (the 2026 street booking terms say Dorset or Somerset), and the organisers limit similar stalls to keep the mix varied. The 2026 event is already fully booked.

Details of entertainment and road closures are usually announced on the event's Facebook page nearer the time.

Dates by season

SeasonDatesStatus
2026–27 Sun 13 Dec 2026Sunday only, 11am–4pm Coming up
Add to calendar (Sun 13 Dec 2026)
2025–26 Sun 14 Dec 2025Sunday only, 11am–4pm Held

Dates are taken from the market’s own website or official announcements and were last checked on 6 October 2026. Plans can change, so please check with the organiser before you travel. Spotted a change? Tell us.

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