When Do Christmas Markets Start in 2026?
The first UK Christmas market of 2026 opens on Thursday 22 October: Living North Christmas Fair North East in Newcastle upon Tyne. Half of the 295 markets with confirmed dates have opened by Friday 27 November, and the busiest weeks for openings are 23 to 29 November 2026 and 30 November to 6 December 2026, with 73 starting in each.
Every date here is the one the organiser has published, and the page is worked out again each night. 41 more markets have not announced their 2026 dates yet: they are listed on the dates page. See the markets open in November and in December, or what is open today.
The First Ten to Open
| Market | Dates | Days Closed | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Living North Christmas Fair North East Newcastle upon Tyne, North East | 22 to 25 Oct 2026 | Open every day of its run | Ticket |
| Skate Leicester Square and Christmas Market London, London | 31 Oct 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 | Closed on Fri 25 Dec | |
| Leamington Christmas Market Royal Leamington Spa, West Midlands | 1 Nov to 20 Dec 2026 | Open Sundays only. Closed on Sun 8 Nov | Free |
| Southbank Centre Winter Market London, London | 2 Nov 2026 to 4 Jan 2027 | Closed on Fri 25 Dec, Thu 31 Dec | Free |
| Spirit of Christmas Fair London, London | 2 to 8 Nov 2026 | Open every day of its run | Ticket |
| Craft in Focus at RHS Garden Wisley Wisley, South East | 4 to 8 Nov 2026 | Open every day of its run | Ticket |
| Birmingham's Frankfurt Christmas Market Birmingham, West Midlands | 5 Nov to 24 Dec 2026 | Open every day of its run | Free |
| Bristol Christmas Market Bristol, South West | 6 Nov to 23 Dec 2026 | Open every day of its run | Free |
| Christmas Artisan Markets at Balmoral Castle Ballater, Scotland | 6 to 8 Nov 2026 | Open every day of its run | Free |
| Harewood Christmas Market Harewood, Yorkshire | 6 to 29 Nov 2026 | Open 6 to 8 Nov and 27 to 29 Nov only | Ticket |
The Season, Week by Week
| Week | Markets Opening | Markets Running |
|---|---|---|
| 19 to 25 October 2026 | 1 | 1 |
| 26 October to 1 November 2026 | 2 | 2 |
| 2 to 8 November 2026 | 15 | 17 |
| 9 to 15 November 2026 | 42 | 52 |
| 16 to 22 November 2026 | 64 | 97 |
| 23 to 29 November 2026 | 73 | 130 |
| 30 November to 6 December 2026 | 73 | 137 |
| 7 to 13 December 2026 | 19 | 82 |
| 14 to 20 December 2026 | 5 | 63 |
| 21 to 27 December 2026 | 1 | 41 |
| 28 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 | 0 | 13 |
| 4 to 10 January 2027 | 0 | 1 |
Running means the week falls inside the market's published run; a market may still be shut on some days of it. The fullest week is 30 November to 6 December 2026, with 137 running.
When the Best-Known Markets Start
The twelve most searched-for markets with confirmed dates, in the order they open.
| Market | Dates | Days Closed | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southbank Centre Winter Market London, London | 2 Nov 2026 to 4 Jan 2027 | Closed on Fri 25 Dec, Thu 31 Dec | Free |
| Birmingham's Frankfurt Christmas Market Birmingham, West Midlands | 5 Nov to 24 Dec 2026 | Open every day of its run | Free |
| Manchester Christmas Markets Manchester, North West | 6 Nov to 22 Dec 2026 | Open every day of its run | Free |
| Chatsworth Christmas Market Bakewell, East Midlands | 7 Nov to 13 Dec 2026 | Open every day of its run | Free |
| Nottingham Winter Wonderland Nottingham, East Midlands | 12 Nov to 24 Dec 2026 | Open every day of its run | Free |
| York Christmas Market (St Nicholas Fair) York, Yorkshire | 12 Nov to 21 Dec 2026 | Closed Tuesdays | Free |
| Belfast Christmas Market Belfast, Northern Ireland | 14 Nov to 22 Dec 2026 | Open every day of its run | Free |
| Edinburgh Christmas Market Edinburgh, Scotland | 14 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 | Closed on Fri 25 Dec | Free |
| Chester Christmas Market Chester, North West | 18 Nov to 22 Dec 2026 | Open every day of its run | |
| Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market Winchester, South East | 20 Nov to 22 Dec 2026 | Open every day of its run | Free |
| Liverpool Christmas Market at Skate St George's Liverpool, North West | 21 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 | Closed on Fri 25 Dec | |
| Bath Christmas Market Bath, South West | 26 Nov to 13 Dec 2026 | Open every day of its run | Free |
When Do Christmas Markets End?
Of the 295 with confirmed dates, 269 have finished before Christmas Eve, 26 are open on Christmas Eve itself and 15 run on after Christmas. The last to close is Southbank Centre Winter Market, on Monday 4 January 2027. Many are a single day or weekend: check the market's own page for the days it is shut.
The First to Open in Each Region
- London: Skate Leicester Square and Christmas Market London · opens Sat 31 Oct
- South East: Craft in Focus at RHS Garden Wisley Wisley · opens Wed 4 Nov
- South West: Bristol Christmas Market Bristol · opens Fri 6 Nov
- East of England: Christmas in Cambridge Cambridge · opens Fri 13 Nov
- East Midlands: Chatsworth Christmas Market Bakewell · opens Sat 7 Nov
- West Midlands: Leamington Christmas Market Royal Leamington Spa · opens Sun 1 Nov
- Yorkshire: Harewood Christmas Market Harewood · opens Fri 6 Nov
- North West: Holker Winter Market Cark-in-Cartmel · opens Fri 6 Nov
- North East: Living North Christmas Fair North East Newcastle upon Tyne · opens Thu 22 Oct
- Scotland: Christmas Artisan Markets at Balmoral Castle Ballater · opens Fri 6 Nov
- Wales: Cardiff Christmas Market Cardiff · opens Thu 12 Nov
- Northern Ireland: Guildhall Craft Fair Derry / Londonderry · opens Fri 13 Nov
Questions
When do Christmas markets start in the UK?
In 2026 the first opens on Thursday 22 October 2026 (Living North Christmas Fair North East). A few start in the first week of November, and half of the 295 markets with confirmed dates have opened by Friday 27 November.
When do Christmas markets end?
269 of the 295 finish before Christmas Eve and 15 carry on after Christmas. The last to close is Southbank Centre Winter Market, on Monday 4 January 2027.
Which week has the most Christmas markets open?
The week of 30 November to 6 December 2026, when 137 of the markets in this guide are running.