With wooden chalets draped with twinkling lights, colourful Christmas decorations, locally made gifts and crafts, and the smell of mulled wine and chestnuts roasting over the fire – 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 2025 takes you through the markets not to miss, from big names to smaller events – including a free downloadable Christmas market calendar.
Christmas markets in the Cotswolds
Bath Christmas Market
Thursday 27 November to Sunday 14 December 2025
Bath Christmas Market is one of the UK’s most popular festive markets, and celebrates its 23rd 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 Beckford’s 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 20 to Sunday 23 November and Thursday 11 to Tuesday 23 December 2025
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.
You can also get into the spirit of Christmas in Cheltenham with a trip to the panto – choose from Robin Hood and His Merry Men at the Everyman Theatre or Dick Whittington at the Playhouse. There’s also skating at the Imperial Gardens ice rink and candlelight carols at Christ Church.
Cirencester Christmas Markets
23 and 29–30 November, 6–7, 13–14, 16–18 and 20–21 December 2025
There’s a series of different Christmas markets in Cirencester, including the Advent Market on 29–30 November. This features over 200 stalls selling food, drink and gifts, which stretch out along the Market Place into Cricklade and Castle Streets. The town’s Christmas lights will be switched on at 4pm on 29 November, with performances from local choirs and theatre groups in the church.
There are Christmas markets in the Market Place on 23 November, 6–7, 14, 16–18 and 21 December, and farmers’ markets on 13 and 20 December. You can also see Cinderella at the Barn Theatre as this year’s panto, and admire decorated Advent trees in Cirencester Parish Church.
Blenheim Palace Christmas Market
Friday 14 November to Sunday 21 December 2025
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 Great Skate undercover ice rink in the Great Court, Christmas afternoon teas in the Orangery, and the palace interiors transformed into The Palace of Oz.
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).
Stroud Christmas Markets
5–6, 18–20 and 22–23 December 2025
Stroud’s festive season kicks off at the Goodwill Evening on 5 December, with a lantern procession to St Laurence’s Church and plenty of live music, from rock to carols. Across two days there are different markets at the Shambles, Five Valleys Shopping Centre and Cornhill Market Place.
You can also shop for an eclectic mix of crafts, gifts and food at the Cornhill Christmas Market on 18, 19 and 22 December. And Stroud’s award-winning farmers’ market has special festive editions on 20 and 23 December if you want to stock up on fresh produce for your Christmas dinner.
While you’re in Stroud you can also visit the Christmas Tree Festival at St Laurence’s Church, see pantomime Sleeping Beauty at the Sub Rooms or take a Santa Cruise in a canal boat.
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.
Witney Christmas Market
Thursday 27–Sunday 30 November 2025, 10am–6pm
Witney’s Christmas market launched in 2023 and has expanded into a four-day festive celebration for 2025. The event takes place on Marriotts Walk and is run by the same people as the popular Cheltenham and Cirencester markets. There’s a mixture of handcrafted Christmas gifts, cosy winter wear, fragrant soaps and candles, and speciality food and drink. [More info]
Nailsworth Goodwill Evening
Friday 28 November, 3pm–9pm
Keep warm with mulled wine and mince pies while you shop for hand-crafted crafts, gifts and stocking fillers at Nailsworth’s community Christmas event. There’s a special appearance from Santa and the Christmas donkeys, plus face-painting, carol singing, live music, interactive circus fun and a funfair. Plus there’s more festive shopping at the Artisan Market on 29 November. [More info]
Painswick Goodwill Evening
Friday 28 November, 5pm–9pm
The Goodwill Evening in Painswick is a Christmas event for all the family full of seasonal cheer. There’s a magical Grotto for children, and you can also tuck into festive food, sing Christmas carols, browse gift stalls and make donations to a local food bank. And why not add on a visit to the Enchanted Garden by Night illuminated trail at Painswick Rococo Garden? [More info]
Woodstock Festive Fayre
Friday 28 November, 5pm–8pm, and Saturday 29 November 2025, 10am–6pm
Woodstock’s annual festive fayre has been running since 2018, and now spreads across three local venues – St Mary Magdalene Church, the Oxfordshire Museum and Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum. The event brings together a selection of local artisans and craftspeople, with over 55 stalls featuring handcrafted gifts, decorations, hot and cold food and mulled wine. [More info]
Winchcombe Christmas Festival
Friday 28 November, 5pm–8pm, and Saturday 29 November 2025, 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. Winchcombe’s streets are decorated with 70 real Christmas trees and there’s entertainment from carol singers, Morris dancers and street performers, as well as Santa’s Grotto. [More info]
Moreton-in-Marsh Christmas Market
Saturday 29 November 2025, 10am–5.30pm
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. And the event ends with the town’s Christmas light switch on at 5pm. [More info]
Burford Church Christmas Market
Saturday 29 November 2025, 10am–3.30pm
Burford holds a Christmas market in the beautiful setting of The Church of St John the Baptist, with over 20 stalls selling locally made crafts and gifts. The town also has a Christmas lights switch on at The Tolsey with carolers and Father Christmas – 2025 dates to be announced. [More info]
Malmesbury Late-Night Shopping
Friday 5 December 2025, 6pm–9pm
At the late-night shopping event in Malmesbury, shops around 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, there’s entertainment for all the family including Santa’s Grotto, fairground rides for the kids and carol singing. [More info]
Tetbury Christmas Fayre & Market
Friday 5 December 2025, 5.30pm–8.30pm
A special guest will be switching the Christmas lights on at Tetbury’s Market House at 6pm as part of this annual Christmas event. There will also be Cotswold Christmas market stalls selling crafts, gifts, food and drink, late-night shopping, a silver band and Santa’s Grotto. [More info]
Chipping Campden Christmas Market
Saturday 6 December 2025, 12pm–5pm
Chipping Campden 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. [More info]
Christmas in the Vines at Poulton Hill Estate
Saturday 6 December 2025, 12pm–8pm
If you fancy something a bit different, how about a Christmas market in a vineyard? Poulton Hill Estate near Cirencester’s Christmas in the Vines event features stalls selling trinkets and gifts. Their Bulari Bar will be serving glasses of their award-winning wines. And if you pre-book your free tickets in advance you’ll be entered in a raffle to win a hamper full of local treats. [More info]
Stonehouse Christmas Goodwill Fest
Saturday 6 December 2025, 2pm–6pm
Stonehouse’s annual Goodwill Fest features seasonal stalls selling gifts, crafts and treats, and beautifully decorated shop windows around town. Father Christmas will be there to switch on the Christmas lights before taking present requests in his grotto. And there are street entertainers and musicians, festive food and drink, and plenty of community spirit. [More info]
Christmas Under the Edge
Saturday 6 December 2025, 4pm–8pm
The last of our Cotswold Christmas markets is Christmas Under the Edge in Wotton-under-Edge. There are 70 craft and food stalls on the town’s Long and Market Streets, and shops around town stay open late. There’s a parade from Church Street to the Town Hall, you can see St Mary’s Church lit by candlelight and meet Santa, as well as enjoying musical performances. [More info]
Cotswold Christmas market calendar 2025
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 (7 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 8–9 November to 20–21 December).
- Stratford-upon-Avon: A Christmas market fills the city centre with 200 stalls selling festive treats and gifts, plus roaming entertainers (29–30 November and 6–7 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 (23 November).
- Worcester: The Victorian Christmas Fayre includes a street market with 200 stalls, a carousel and funfair, carol singers, magicians and street performers (4–7 December).
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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.