Christmas Markets UKThe 2026 season, market by market

Christmas markets with a Santa’s grotto

45 markets in the UK guide, 42 with dates this season still to come.

Markets with a Father Christmas grotto — usually paid, and often bookable in advance.

This season, by date

Bournemouth Christmas Market

When: Thu 12 Nov – Thu 31 Dec 2026 Opens in 33 days

Festive Trail in the Lower Gardens runs 12 Nov 2026–3 Jan 2027

Bournemouth, Dorset · South West England

Big cityFood & drinkIce rink

Canterbury Christmas Market

When: Thu 12 Nov – Thu 24 Dec 2026 Opens in 33 days

Daily for 43 days; closes 4pm on Christmas Eve

Canterbury, Kent · South East England

Big cityMakersFood & drink

Southampton Christmas Market

When: Thu 12 Nov – Sun 27 Dec 2026 Opens in 33 days

Closed Christmas Day

Southampton, Hampshire · South East England

Big cityContinentalFood & drink

Christmas in Cambridge

When: Fri 13 Nov 2026 – Sun 3 Jan 2027 Opens in 34 days

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire · East of England

Big cityFood & drinkIce rink

Essex County Christmas Fair

When: Fri 13 – Sun 15 Nov 2026 Opens in 34 days

New venue: Boreham House

Chelmsford, Essex · East of England

MakersFood & drinkCastle & estate

Folkestone Festive Marketplace

When: Fri 13 Nov – Thu 24 Dec 2026 Opens in 34 days

Fri–Sun only until 20 Dec (opening night 13 Nov 4–8pm), then daily 21–24 Dec

Folkestone, Kent · South East England

MakersFood & drinkLight trail Free entry

Festive Gift Fair

When: Thu 19 – Sun 22 Nov 2026 Opens in 40 days

Advance tickets only

Birmingham, West Midlands · West Midlands

MakersFood & drinkIndoor

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

When: Thu 19 Nov 2026 – Sun 3 Jan 2027 Opens in 40 days

Closed Christmas Day

London, Greater London · London

Big cityFood & drinkIce rink

Newcastle's Christmas Market

When: Thu 19 Nov – Wed 23 Dec 2026 Opens in 40 days

Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear · North East England

Big cityMakersFood & drink Free entry

Newry Christmas Markets

When: Thu 19 Nov – Sun 20 Dec 2026 Opens in 40 days

Thursdays to Sundays only

Newry, County Down · Northern Ireland

MakersFood & drinkIndoor

Christmas on the Square & Sunday Festive Markets

When: Fri 20 Nov – Thu 24 Dec 2026 Opens in 41 days

Retail chalets and barrows on Guildhall Square 20 Nov–24 Dec, 11am–6pm; Christmas Begins on Fri 20 Nov (1pm–8.30pm). Sunday Festive Market dates for 2026 not yet published.

Salisbury, Wiltshire · South West England

MakersFood & drinkSanta’s grotto Free entry

Glasgow's Winter Wonderland on the Green

When: Fri 20 Nov 2026 – Sun 3 Jan 2027 Opens in 41 days

Weekdays from 3pm until 20 Dec; closed Christmas Day

Glasgow, City of Glasgow · Scotland

MakersFood & drinkIce rink

Great Yarmouth Christmas Fayre

When: Fri 20 – Sun 22 Nov 2026 Opens in 41 days

Great Yarmouth, Norfolk · East of England

MakersFood & drinkCathedral Free entry

Suffolk County Christmas Fair

When: Fri 20 – Sun 22 Nov 2026 Opens in 41 days

Pre-booked tickets only

Ipswich, Suffolk · East of England

MakersFood & drinkCastle & estate

St Albans Christmas Cracker

When: Sun 22 Nov 2026 Opens in 43 days

One day (Sunday); stage programme roughly 12.45–6pm

St Albans, Hertfordshire · East of England

Big cityMakersFood & drink Free entry

Wrexham Victorian Christmas Market

When: Thu 26 – Sun 29 Nov 2026 Opens in 47 days

Announced as 'save the date' on the market's official Facebook page; times and trader details to follow

Wrexham · Wales

MakersFood & drinkVictorian

Christmas in City Square

When: Fri 27 Nov – Thu 31 Dec 2026 Opens in 48 days

Dundee, City of Dundee · Scotland

Big cityMakersFood & drink Free entry

Christmas Market at Raby Castle

When: Fri 27 – Sun 29 Nov 2026 Opens in 48 days

Friday to Sunday

Staindrop, County Durham · North East England

MakersFood & drinkCastle & estate

Festive Artisan Market (Armagh Georgian Festival)

When: Fri 27 – Sun 29 Nov 2026 Opens in 48 days

Fri 27 Nov evening (limited stalls, Market Street); Sat 28 Nov Georgian Day (100+ stalls); Sun 29 Nov afternoon (limited stalls). Georgian Festival runs 26–29 Nov 2026

Armagh, County Armagh · Northern Ireland

Big cityMakersFood & drink Free entry

Pershore Georgian Christmas Fayre

When: Fri 27 – Sat 28 Nov 2026 Opens in 48 days

Friday evening and Saturday daytime

Pershore, Worcestershire · West Midlands

MakersFood & drinkFunfair Free entry

Ballater Winter Festival

When: Sat 28 Nov 2026 Opens in 49 days

Saturday; indoor fayre 10am–4pm, outdoor market 10am–3pm, reindeer 12 noon–3pm

Ballater, Aberdeenshire · Scotland

MakersFood & drinkSanta’s grotto

Traquair Christmas Opening

When: Sat 28 – Sun 29 Nov 2026 Opens in 49 days

Saturday and Sunday; entry slots 10am–1pm and 1pm–4pm

Innerleithen, Scottish Borders · Scotland

MakersFood & drinkCastle & estate

Ulverston's Dickensian Christmas Festival

When: Sat 28 – Sun 29 Nov 2026 Opens in 49 days

Saturday and Sunday; 27th festival

Ulverston, Cumbria · North West England

MakersFood & drinkVictorian Free entry

Drumlanrig Castle Christmas Market

When: Fri 4 – Sun 6 Dec 2026 Opens in 55 days

Friday is an evening launch night; Saturday and Sunday daytime shopping. Times and prices to be announced

Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway · Scotland

MakersFood & drinkCastle & estate

Kirkby Lonsdale Christmas Fair

When: Fri 4 – Sun 6 Dec 2026 Opens in 55 days

Friday evening (from 4pm) to Sunday

Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria · North West England

MakersFood & drinkLight trail Free entry

Victorian Christmas at Milton Keynes Museum

When: Fri 4 – Sun 20 Dec 2026 Opens in 55 days

Fridays to Sundays only; craft market and bar Saturdays and Sundays only

Wolverton, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire · South East England

MakersVictorianIndoor

Milestones Christmas Market

When: Sat 5 – Sun 6 Dec 2026 Opens in 56 days

Basingstoke, Hampshire · South East England

MakersFood & drinkVictorian

The Argory's Christmas Fair

When: Sat 5 – Sun 6 Dec 2026 Opens in 56 days

Saturday and Sunday, 11am–5pm; no booking needed

Moy, County Armagh · Northern Ireland

MakersFood & drinkCastle & estate

Otley Victorian Fayre

When: Sun 6 Dec 2026 Opens in 57 days

Sunday only

Otley, West Yorkshire · Yorkshire and the Humber

MakersFood & drinkVictorian Free entry

Sherborne Festive Shopping Day

When: Sun 6 Dec 2026 Opens in 57 days

Sunday only, 10am–4pm

Sherborne, Dorset · South West England

MakersFood & drinkLight trail Free entry

Royal Hillsborough Christmas Market

When: Fri 11 – Sat 12 Dec 2026

Fri 3pm–9pm; Saturday listed as 11am–6pm on the event page but 'times tbc' on the council's Christmas markets overview

Hillsborough, County Down · Northern Ireland

MakersFood & drinkSanta’s grotto Free entry

Falmouth's Festive Weekend

When: Sat 12 – Sun 13 Dec 2026

11am–5pm

Falmouth, Cornwall · South West England

MakersFood & drinkIce rink

Hay Christmas Fayre

When: Sat 12 Dec 2026

Saturday; Winter Weekend Market also on 28–29 Nov 2026

Hay-on-Wye, Powys · Wales

MakersFood & drinkCastle & estate

Beverley Festival of Christmas

When: Sun 13 Dec 2026

Sunday only, 10am–4pm; 30th festival

Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire · Yorkshire and the Humber

MakersFood & drinkVictorian Free entry

All, A–Z