Christmas Markets UKThe 2026 season, market by market

Dickensian Christmas Festival

Saturday 5 – Sunday 6 December 2026 Opens in 56 days

10am–6pm both days (2026)

Historic Rochester town centre (High Street and Rochester Castle Gardens), Rochester, Kent · South East England

Food & drinkVictorianFunfairLive music Free entry

Official website Add to calendar Stay near Rochester Ad
Rochester's historic High Street at night, with lit shop windows, a garlanded doorway and strings of coloured lights across the narrow street
Rochester High Street decorated for Christmas; the street and Rochester Castle Gardens host the Dickensian Christmas Festival (photo 2023) — Photo: Hugh Llewelyn, CC BY-SA 2.0

A free two-day Victorian-themed festival in Rochester with costumed Dickens characters, parades and street theatre, running alongside the Christmas market.

Rochester, where Charles Dickens lived nearby and set several scenes, celebrates its connection with the writer each December. For one weekend the historic High Street fills with carol singers, bell ringers, costumed parades and street theatre featuring Dickens characters, plus readings, hands-on workshops and the organisers' 'guaranteed snow'.

The festival weekend coincides with the Rochester Christmas Market in the castle gardens, with its Bavarian food village and funfair, so visitors can combine both. Medway Council puts attendance at around 70,000 people over the weekend.

Parking in central Rochester is limited and the council encourages public transport; coaches must pre-book.

Dates by season

SeasonDatesStatus
2026–27 Sat 5 – Sun 6 Dec 2026 Coming up
Add to calendar (Sat 5 – Sun 6 Dec 2026)
2025–26 Sat 6 – Sun 7 Dec 2025 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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