With wooden chalets draped with sparkling lights, colourful Christmas decorations, locally made gifts and crafts, and the smell of mulled wine and roasted chestnuts – Christmas markets have become an annual tradition. And there are a host of Christmas markets in the Cotswolds which add an extra dose of sparkle to the region’s towns and villages. Our guide to Cotswold Christmas markets in 2024 takes you through the markets not to miss, from big names to smaller events.
Christmas markets in the Cotswolds
Bath Christmas Market
Thursday 28 November to Sunday 15 December 2024
Bath Christmas Market is one of the UK’s most popular festive markets, and celebrates its 22nd anniversary this year. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed cobbled streets around Bath Abbey are given a magical Christmas makeover, with over 170 wooden chalets selling crafts from around the southwest and beyond, including pottery, jewellery, candles, knits, art and homewares.
There are also local food and drink stalls, including the Bristol Cider Co, 6 O’Clock Gin and Beckfords of Bath Rum – guaranteed to warm you up on a cold night. The market helps raise money for charity, and is trying to be more sustainable by reducing single-use plastics.
You can also celebrate Christmas in Bath with a spin around the Bath on Ice skating rink in Victoria Park, listen to carols at Bath Abbey, see the 12 Days of Christmas come to life at Prior Park Landscape Garden, get steamy at the Thermae Bath Spa or have tea at the Pump Rooms.
Cheltenham Christmas Markets
Thursday 21 to Sunday 24 November and Thursday 12 to Saturday 22 December 2024
Cheltenham’s annual Christmas markets also return this year, with two different markets on the Promenade. First up is the Christmas Gift Market in November, with a range of Christmas gifts, homewares and decorations for sale. You can pick up a warming hot chocolate or a mug of mulled wine or cider, and fill up on foodie treats like waffles, crêpes and German sausages.
Then the traditional Arts and Crafts Christmas Market in December focuses on independent traders who’ll be selling crafts and gifts including glassware, jewellery and art prints. There’s also an artisan market featuring local creatives at the Pittville Pump Room on 23–24 November.
You can also get into the spirit of Christmas in Cheltenham with a trip to the panto – choose from Aladdin at the Everyman Theatre or Jack and the Beanstalk at the Playhouse. There’s also skating at the indoor ice rink in Imperial Gardens and candlelight carols at Christ Church Cheltenham.
Cirencester Christmas Markets
24 November, 30 November–1 December, 7–8, 15, 17–19, 21 and 22 December 2024
There are a series of different Christmas markets in Cirencester, including the Advent Market on 30 November–1 December. This features over 100 market stalls selling food, drink and gifts, which stretch out along the length of the Market Place and into Cricklade and Castle Streets. And the streets will be decorated with lights and Christmas trees, with live music and carol singing.
On 30 November the town’s Christmas lights will be switched on at 4pm, with live entertainment. There are also Christmas gift markets on 24 November, 15, 17–19 and 22 December, general Christmas markets on 7–8 December and a festive farmers’ market on 21 December.
You can also see swashbuckling musical The Three Musketeers at the Barn Theatre as this year’s panto, and admire the beautifully decorated Advent trees in Cirencester Parish Church.
Stroud Christmas Markets
Wednesday 18 to Friday 20 December 2024
When Christmas is fast approaching, Stroud’s Christmas Markets are a great opportunity to finish off your Christmas shopping with some locally produced presents. There will be an eclectic mix of crafts, gifts and foods on sale at Cornhill Market Place on 18–20 December. And the Subscription Rooms are also hosting their annual Goodwill Evening and Christmas market on 6 December.
Then Stroud’s award-winning Saturday farmers’ market has a special festive edition on 21 December from 9am–2pm if you want to stock up on fresh produce for your Christmas dinner.
Blenheim Palace Christmas Market
Friday 15 November to Sunday 22 December 2024
The prize for the Cotswold Christmas market with the grandest backdrop has to go to Blenheim Palace, the 18th-century palace in Oxfordshire built for the Dukes of Marlborough. Around 70–80 wooden chalets fill the palace’s Great Court, with local designers and makers selling homewares, jewellery, leather goods, textile and ceramics, as well as delicious food and drink.
The market is part of the Christmas at Blenheim event, which also includes an illuminated light trail through the palace grounds, the new Great Skate undercover ice rink, Christmas afternoon teas in the Orangery, and the palace interiors transformed into Peter Pan’s Neverland.
The market is free to visit, but if you’re arriving by car you need to book and pay for parking via their website, which costs £10 plus a £2.50 booking fee (or you can get to the palace by public transport using Stagecoach buses S3 or S7 from Oxford, or the S3 also connects to Chipping Norton).
One-off Cotswold Christmas markets
As well as the longer events, there are also several towns and villages which have one-off Christmas markets in the Cotswolds, often as part of their Christmas lights switch-on events. These markets are on a lot smaller scale, but have tons of charm and beautiful scenic backdrops.
Painswick Goodwill Evening
Friday 29 November 2024, 5pm–8pm
The Goodwill Evening in Painswick is a Christmas event for all the family that’s full of merriment and Christmas cheer. After the bells of St Mary’s Church ring out, there’s a procession through the village and the chance to meet Father Christmas and friends. You can also tuck into festive food, sing Christmas carols, browse gift stalls and make donations to a local food bank.
Tetbury Christmas Market
Friday 29 November 2024, from 6.30pm
A special guest will be switching the Christmas lights on at Tetbury’s Market House as part of this annual Christmas event. There will also be Cotswold Christmas market stalls selling crafts, gifts, food and drink as well as music and Santa’s Grotto to add even more seasonal cheer.
Burford Church Christmas Market
Friday 29 November 2024, 6pm–9pm
The Church of St John the Baptist in Burford hosts a Christmas market this year, with over 20 stalls selling locally made crafts and gifts. And the town’s Christmas lights switch on at The Tolsey with carolers and Father Christmas takes place the following day (30 November 3.30pm–4.15pm).
Malmesbury Late-Night Shopping
Friday 6 December 2024, 6pm–9pm
At the late-night shopping event in Malmesbury, shops around the town stay open late and there’s a selection of indoor and outdoor market stalls in the Upper High Street, Market Cross area and Town Hall. As well as craft stalls, street food and mulled wine for sale, there’s also entertainment for all the family including Santa’s Grotto, fairground rides for the kids and carol singing.
Winchcombe Christmas Festival
Friday 6 December, 5pm–8pm, and Saturday 7 December 2024, 10am–5pm
Winchcombe Christmas Festival sees shops around town stay open late for Christmas shopping and over 50 market stalls selling festive gifts and food, with mince pies and punch while you shop. The streets of Winchcombe are decorated with over 70 real Christmas trees and there’s entertainment from carol singers, Morris dancers and street performers, as well as Santa’s Grotto.
Chipping Campden Christmas Market
Saturday 7 December 2024, 12pm–5pm
Chipping Campden Market Square is even more picturesque than usual as it’s transformed into winter wonderland for the town’s Christmas market, which also includes the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at dusk and a special appearance from Father Christmas. The High Street is closed to traffic, with stalls selling crafts, toys, gifts and food in the Market Square and Town Hall.
Christmas Under the Edge
Saturday 7 December 2024, 4pm–8pm
Christmas Under the Edge in Wotton-under-Edge brings the Christmas spirit to the town’s Long Street and Market Street. There are craft and food stalls, and the shops in the town centre stay open late. You can warm up with Christmas teas at the Town Hall, see St Mary’s Church lit by candlelight and meet Santa as well as enjoying fairground rides and musical performances.
Chipping Norton Christmas Gift Market
Sunday 8 December 2024, 10am–5pm
A new addition to our Christmas calendar for 2024 is Chipping Norton’s Christmas Gift Market on the High Street. The event is run by the same people as the popular Cheltenham and Cirencester markets, with a mixture of Christmas gifts and hot and cold food and drinks available.
Moreton-in-Marsh Christmas Market
NEW DATE: Saturday 14 December 2024, 10am–4pm
Moreton-in-Marsh’s Christmas market runs throughout the day, so you have plenty of time to get your Christmas shopping done, with 80 stalls along the High Street selling gifts, seasonal food and drink. There’s also live music from the Cotswold Choir and Splanky Saxophone quartet.
Nailsworth’s Big Christmas Market
Saturday 21 December 2024, 9am–3pm
Finally, the last of our Christmas markets in the Cotswolds sees Nailsworth’s bus station get a festive makeover with over 50 stalls, decorated with twinkling lights and greenery. Keep warm with mulled wine and mince pies while you shop for hand-crafted crafts, gifts and stocking fillers. There’s a special appearance from Santa and Mrs Claus, plus live music from a jazz band and harpist.
Cotswold Christmas market calendar 2024
You can also click here to download a printable PDF version of our Christmas market calendar.
Christmas markets further afield
You can also find Christmas markets near the Cotswolds in:
- Bristol: 35 stalls in the city centre, with visits from Santa, live music in the Jäger Barn Bar and private igloos and gondolas available to hire (1 November–23 December).
- Gloucester Quays: Over 90 stalls selling crafts, gifts and food, pop-up bars and street food stalls, plus an outdoor ice skating rink (weekends from 2–3 November to 14–15 December).
- Stratford-upon-Avon: A new-style Christmas market filling the city centre with 200 stalls selling festive treats and gifts, plus roaming entertainers (14–15 and 21–22 December).
- Tewkesbury: Christmas lights switch on with 80 stalls around the High Street, Church Street and Barton Street, plus fairground rides and live music performances (24 November).
- Worcester: The Victorian Christmas Fayre includes a street market with 200 stalls, a carousel and funfair, carol singers, magicians and street performers (28 November–1 December).
* This site contains affiliate links, where I get a small commission from purchases at no extra cost to you.
Save for later
You might also like
Nicole Perugachi
Sunday 17th of November 2024
Good evening, my name is Nicole, I am a trader and I would love to be part of your Christmas events. Could you give me more information about this? Kind regards.
Lucy Dodsworth
Monday 18th of November 2024
Hi Nicole, I don't actually run any events, this is more a directory of what's on locally. But you can find contact details for each one linked in their entries above.