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When do Christmas markets open in the UK this year?
If you’re trying to research the answer to this question, you may have run into some trouble… that’s because the opening dates for Christmas markets in the UK vary by town, city & region.
Some are open for the entire festive season, whereas others are just one day events, or weekend events.
That’s why we created this page for you, so you can peep the opening dates for the UK’s Christmas Markets quickly and at a glance.
For extra organization bonus points, we’ve also separated dates into Christmas market opening dates for England, Cornwall, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland.
We hope you find it helpful!
NOTE: Most Christmas markets don’t announce their confirmed dates until a few months before, so please excuse the sparse list for the time being! We’ll be sure to update this list with more dates as soon as they are released. Let us know in the comments if you know of any we should add for 2023!
This list is by no means exhaustive, and includes mainly bigger Christmas markets that we could find official websites and dates for. Let us know in the comments if you have any more we should add.
Referencing this information on your own website or article? We’ve put a lot of work into researching and creating these Christmas Market resources for our visitors, so we would greatly appreciate if you referenced/credited us with a link back to this page. Thank you for your understanding!
2023 Christmas Market Opening Dates in England
At the moment, only dates for some of England’s larger Christmas markets have been officially announced.
Here are the 2023 Christmas market opening dates in England we know of so far:
| City | Christmas Market Name | 2023 Dates | More Info | Hotels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bath | Bath Christmas Market | Nov 23 - Dec 10 | Official Website | |
| Birmingham | Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market | Nov 2 - Dec 23 | Official Website | |
| Birmingham | Christmas in Cathedral Square | Nov 15 - Dec 17 | More Info | |
| Bournemouth | Bournemouth Christmas Market | Nov 18 - Jan 2, 2024 | Official Website | |
| Brighton | Brighton Christmas Festival | Official Website | ||
| Bristol | Bristol Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| Canterbury | Canterbury Christmas Market | Nov 10 - Dec 27 | Official Website | |
| Cheltenham | Cheltenham Christmas Market | Dec 8 - 23 | Official Website | |
| Chester | Chester Christmas Market | Nov 17 - Dec 21 | Official Website | |
| Chichester | Chichester Christmas Market | More Info | ||
| Cirencester | Cirencester Advent Market | Official Website | ||
| Durham | Durham Christmas Festival | Dec 1 - 3 | Official Website | |
| Eastbourne | Eastbourne Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| Exeter | Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| Gloucester | Festive Orchard St Market | Nov 4 - 5 Nov 11 - 12 Nov 18 -19 Nov 25 -26 Dec 2 -3 Dec 9 -10 Dec 16 - 17 | Official Website | |
| Grassington | Grassington Dickensian Festival and Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| Kingston | Kingston Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| Leeds | Leeds Christkindelmarkt | Official Website | ||
| Leicester | Christmas in Leicester | Dec 1 - Jan 2, 2024 | Official Website | |
| Liverpool | Liverpool Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| London | Southbank Centre Christmas Festival | Official Website | ||
| London | Hyde Park Winter Wonderland | Official Website | ||
| London | Christmas by the River | Official Website | ||
| London | Christmas at Kew | Nov 15 - Jan 7, 2024 | Official Website | |
| London | Leicester Square Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| London | Greenwich Market Grotto | More Info | ||
| London | Christmas Under the Canopy at King's Cross | Official Website | ||
| Manchester | Manchester Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| Newcastle | Newcastle Christmas Market | More Info | ||
| Norfolk | Norfolk Festive Gift Show | Nov 10 - 12 | Official Website | |
| Nottingham | Nottingham Winter Wonderland | Official Website | ||
| Oxford | Oxford Christmas Market | Nov 30 - Dec 17 | Official Website | |
| Plymouth | Plymouth Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| Rochester | Rochester Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| Salisbury | Salisbury's Christmas on the Square | Nov 18 - Dec 31 | Official Website | |
| Sheffield | Sheffield Christmas Markets | Official Website | ||
| Skipton | Skipton Yuletide Festival & Christmas Market | Dec 3 Dec 10 | Official Website | |
| Southhampton | Southhampton Christmas Festival | Official Website | ||
| Stratford-upon-Avon | Stratford-upon-Avon Victorian Christmas Market Festival | Dec 7 - 10 | Official Website | |
| Taunton | Hestercombe Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| Winchester | Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| Worcester | Worcester Christmas Fayre | Nov 30 - Dec 3 | Official Website | |
| York | York St Nicholas Fair | Official Website |
Looking for more England travel inspiration?
Check out these guides on the best places to visit in…
2023 Christmas Market Opening Dates in Cornwall
At the moment, only dates for some of Cornwall’s larger Christmas markets have been officially announced.
Here are the 2023 Christmas market opening dates in Cornwall we know of so far:
| Location | Christmas Market Name | 2023 Dates | Official Website | Hotels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bodelva | Cornwall Christmas Fair at the Eden Project | Nov 22 - 23 | Official Website | |
| Bude | Castle Bude Christmas Fayre | Dec 3 | Official Website | |
| Bude | Bude Christmas Market Fayre | Official Website | ||
| Fowey | Fowey Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| Helston | Flambards Christmas Fayre | Official Website | ||
| Mousehole | Mousehole Christmas Lights | Gradual switch on starting Dec 11 | Official Website | |
| Padstow | Padstow Christmas Festival | Dec 7 - 10 | Official Website | |
| Penryn | Jubilee Wharf Christmas Fair | Official Website | ||
| Porthleven | Porthleven Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| Truro | Made in Cornwall Christmas Fair | Official Website | ||
| Truro | Winter Gift Fayre | Official Website | ||
| Truro | Healeys Christmas Markets | Official Website | ||
| Wadebridge | The Cornish Winter Fair | More Info |
2023 Christmas Market Opening Dates in Scotland
At the moment, only dates for some of Scotland’s larger Christmas markets have been officially announced.
Here are the 2023 Christmas market opening dates in Scotland we know of so far:
| Location | Christmas Market Name | 2023 Dates | More Info | Hotels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen | Aberdeen Christmas Village | Official Website | ||
| Balloch | Christmas at Loch Lomond Shores | Dec 2 - 3 | Official Website | |
| Blair Castle | Blair Christmas Fair | Dec 10 - 12 | Official Website | |
| Crathes Castle | Crathes Christmas Fair | Nov 3 - 5 | Official Website | |
| Drum Castle | Drum Christmas Festival | Official Website | ||
| Dundee | WinterFest at Slessor Gardens | Official Website | ||
| Edinburgh | Edinburgh Christmas Market [Multiple locations] | Official Website | ||
| Fyvie Castle | Fyvie Christmas Festival | Official Website | ||
| Glamis Castle | Glamis Castle Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| Glasgow | Glasgow Christmas Market | |||
| Inverness | Winter Wonderland | Official Website | ||
| Inverurie | Garioch Heritage Centre Christmas Fair | Official Website | ||
| Kames | Kames Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| Oban | Oban Winter Festival | Nov 17 - Nov 26 | Official Website | |
| Perth | Perth Winter Festival | Official Website | ||
| Stirling | Stirling Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| Traquair | Traquair Christmas Opening | Nov 25 - 26 | Official Website |
2023 Christmas Market Opening Dates in Wales
At the moment, only dates for some of Wales’ larger Christmas markets have been officially announced.
Here are the 2023 Christmas market opening dates in Wales we know of so far:
| Location | Christmas Market Name | 2023 Dates | Official Website | Hotels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caerphilly | Winter Food and Craft Market | Official Website | ||
| Caerphilly | Blackwood Winter Food and Craft Market | Official Website | ||
| Cardiff | Cardiff Christmas Market | Nov 9 - Dec 23 | Official Website | |
| Cardiff | Christmas at the Castle (Formerly Winter Wonderland) | |||
| Cardiff | Christmas in Bute Park | Nov 24 - Jan 1, 2024 | Official Website | |
| Conwy | Conwy Medieval Christmas | Official Website | ||
| Dinefwr | Christmas at Dinefwr | Official Website | ||
| Hay-on-Wye | Hay Festival Winter Weekend | Official Website | ||
| Haverfordwest | Picton Castle Christmas Fair | Official Website | ||
| Llandudno | Llandudno Christmas Extravaganza | Nov 16 - 19 | Official Website | |
| Llanelwedd | Royal Welsh Winter Fair | Nov 27 - 28 | Official Website | |
| Mold | Reindeer Safari and Elf Village | Official Website | ||
| Narberth | The Queen's Hall Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| Newport | Cotyledon's Christmas Food and Craft Market | Official Website | ||
| Pembrokeshire | Christmas Fair at Llys-y-Frân Lake Visitor Centre | Official Website | ||
| Portmeirion | Portmeirion Christmas Food and Craft Fair | |||
| Swansea | Swansea Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| Ystrad Mynach | Winter Food & Craft Market | Official Website | ||
| Vale of Glamorgan | Christmas Enchanted Adventures at Fonmon Castle | Official Website |
2023 Christmas Market Opening Dates in Northern Ireland
At the moment, only dates for some of Northern Ireland’s larger Christmas markets have been officially announced.
Here are the 2023 Christmas market opening dates in Northern Ireland we know of so far:
| Location | Christmas Market Name | 2023 Dates | More Info | Hotels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast | Belfast Continental Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| Belfast | The Magical Christmas Fair (Frock Around The Clock) | Official Website | ||
| Derry/Londonderry | Winterland Markets | Official Website | ||
| Derry/Londonderry | Walled City Market | Official Website | ||
| Dungannon | Christmas Fair at The Argory | Official Website | ||
| Enniskillen Castle | Fermanagh Indoor Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| Glenavy | Christmas at The Ballance House | Nov 25 | Official Website | |
| Hillsborough | Hillsborough Christmas Market | Official Website | ||
| Lisburn | Penny Square Twilight Market | Official Website | ||
| Lisburn | The Inns Christmas Markets | Official Website | ||
| Newry | Santa's Cottage (Not a market, but a notable Xmas attraction!) | Nov 18 - Dec 24 | Official Website | |
| Portstewart | Flowerfield Christmas Craft Market | Official Website |
Help us improve this list of UK Christmas Market dates!
Do you know of a confirmed UK Christmas Market we should add to our list? Let us know in the comments!
Dear Sir or Madam;
We are a West Sussex based Catering and Events Management Company.
We run numerous bars, private fine dining events and weddings through the year.
The business also attends a Christmas festival each year.
The business traded at Blenheim Palace back in 2019 and offered the main food supply for the front entrance by the shop.
The business happily fed all on site staff at cost price and had a lucrative Christmas due to our ability to offer extremely high quality food at a fast turnover rate. This in hand enabled a substantial to be paid to the Palace.
We offered, mulled wine, gourmet burgers and “loaded” chips in 2019.
Since then the business has expanded their “Street food” offering and grown the wedding catering side to current capacity.
The business is able to offer a mixture of vehicles and catering solutions in collaboration with “Sister” Companies.
At the Blenheim Christmas market in 2019 the business provided services on a commission basis. This was a successful business model enabling effective collaboration between venue and supplier.
Sneaky Duck Catering operates a “cashless” financial system enabling all transactions to be transparent/”open book.
We would be delighted to be given the opportunity to work with the Southbank Centre not only this Christmas but going forward on other events.
If there was anything you could do to enable Sneaky Duck and any Christmas Markets or events in the future I would be eternally grateful.
With kind regards,
James
07725 066851
Hi James, just to clarify: we are simply a website providing information regarding Christmas markets, and are not the organizers of any Christmas markets themselves. We’d recommend getting in touch with the official organizers of whichever market you’re hoping to sell at for more information. Best of luck!
You could add the Hestercombe Christmas Market, 19-21 Nov 2021; near Taunton in Somerset! http://www.hestercombe.com/market
Hi Chris, that’s great – thanks so much! We’ve just added it to the list 🙂
Hi,
The Reading listing you’ve put up is for Reading, Pennsylvania, USA. Not the one in Berkshire.
can someone from the US enter any of the Holiday markets?
Yes, of course! The markets are open to anybody.
Hi The link you give for a Christmas market in Reading is actually forReading in USA not Berkshire
Ah our mistake!! Thanks so much for catching that. We’ve deleted the bad link now 🙂 Cheers.
Lincoln Christmas Market 1st – 4th Dec 2022 https://www.lincoln-christmasmarket.co.uk/
Thanks, Neil! We’ve added it to the list.