# Preston Christmas Market 2026

> Preston has no Christmas market in its 2026 programme. What is on there instead in 2026. Checked 12 October 2026.

Source: https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/markets/preston/

Preston, [Lancashire](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/areas/lancashire/)

### There Is No Separate Christmas Market Here

Preston has no Christmas market in its 2026 programme. The Flag Market instead hosts the lights switch-on on Saturday 21 November and then Preston On Ice, a real ice rink with fairground rides, food and drink stands, a bar and Father Christmas, from 4 December 2026 to 3 January 2027. The covered Preston Markets hold Christmas events with a free Santa's grotto on 12 and 19 December.

| Where | The Flag Market, the square in front of the Harris in Preston city centre [Open in Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=53.7593,-2.6988) |
| --- | --- |
| Organiser | Preston City Council (Visit Preston) and Preston BID. [Official page](https://www.visitpreston.com/whats-on/Christmas-in-Preston-2026) |

## Closest Christmas Markets to Preston

These are the nearest markets with confirmed 2026 dates, closest first. Distances are in a straight line from Preston.

[Hoghton Tower Christmas Gift Market  Hoghton, Lancashire  28 to 29 Nov 2026  5 miles away](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/markets/hoghton-tower/) [Worden Hall Christmas Craft Market  Leyland, Lancashire  5 to 6 Dec 2026  6 miles away](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/markets/worden-hall/) [Smithills Farm Christmas Markets  Bolton, Greater Manchester  21 to 29 Nov 2026  Open 21 to 22 Nov and 28 to 29 Nov only  15 miles away](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/markets/smithills-farm/) [Southport Christmas Market Cabins  Southport, Merseyside  4 to 20 Dec 2026  Open 4 to 6 Dec, 10 to 13 Dec and 17 to 20 Dec only  15 miles away](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/markets/southport/) [Christmas By The Sea  Blackpool, Lancashire  20 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027  15 miles away](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/markets/blackpool/) [Christmas in Colne (lights switch-on and festive market)  Colne, Lancashire  28 Nov 2026  23 miles away](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/markets/colne/)

## Checked Against the Source

This comes from the official tourism board's own page, not from another guide.

- [Visit Preston (Preston City Council)](https://www.visitpreston.com/whats-on/Christmas-in-Preston-2026), checked 12 October 2026
- [Visit Preston (Preston City Council)](https://www.visitpreston.com/visit-blog/Christmas-is-coming-to-Preston-with-a-season-of-ice-skating-festive-lights-and-family-pantomime), checked 12 October 2026

Organisers sometimes change hours or close early in bad weather. On the day, check the [official page](https://www.visitpreston.com/whats-on/Christmas-in-Preston-2026). Spotted something out of date? [Tell us](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/contact/).

## Preston Christmas Market: Quick Answers

### Is there a Christmas market at Preston?

No. Preston has no Christmas market in its 2026 programme.

## Map

## Santa's Grotto at Preston

| Called | Santa's Grotto (Meet Santa for Free) |
| --- | --- |
| Where | At Preston Christmas On Ice on the Flag Market in the city centre |
| Price | Free. Meeting Santa is free; ice skating is charged separately |

The organiser says meeting Santa at the rink is free but does not give the days he is there. A separate free Santa's Grotto runs inside the covered Preston Markets on Saturdays 12 and 19 December, with half-hour appearances on the hour from 11am to 2pm.

Source: [Preston's Christmas on Ice (event organiser; linked from Visit Preston)](https://prestonchristmasonice.co.uk/), checked 12 October 2026. [All markets with a grotto](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/santas-grotto/).

More in [North West](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/regions/north-west/), or see [every market's 2026 dates](https://bestchristmasmarkets.co.uk/dates/).