Christmas Markets in Gloucestershire

Mulled wine for the grown-ups, hot chocolate with far too many marshmallows for the little ones, and a wooden chalet full of things you didn't know you needed until about four seconds ago. Christmas market season is here, and Gloucestershire does it rather well.

We've rounded up the county's Christmas markets for 2026, from the big multi-week markets in Gloucester and Cheltenham to the one-night-only village evenings with lantern parades, fairground rides and Santa arriving on a fire engine. They're in date order, so you can see what's on this weekend at a glance.

Dates come from each organiser. Times and details can change (especially if the weather has opinions), so give the link a quick check before you load everyone into the car.

At a glance

Christmas Markets in November

Gloucester Quays Christmas Markets, Gloucester

When: Every Saturday and Sunday from 7 November to 20 December Cost: Free entry

The county's longest-running Christmas market, and the one to pick if you want to start early. Over 120 traders spread across the Quays and the historic docks, selling handmade gifts, decorations, festive food and enough street food to make lunch a genuinely difficult decision. The outdoor ice rink sits right alongside, so you can bribe, sorry, reward the kids for patient browsing.

Good to know: It's weekends only. Saturdays in December get busy, so arrive at opening if you're bringing a buggy.

Gloucester Quays Christmas Markets on Gloucester Rocks

Newent Christmas Lights Market, Newent

When: Saturday 21 November, 2pm to 7pm Cost: Free

One of the big days in Newent's calendar. This year's theme is "Christmas in Paradise", which is a tropical twist we are fully here for. Market Square closes to traffic and fills with stalls around the Christmas tree and stage, plus Santa's grotto, a snow machine and fairground rides. As it gets dark, the lantern parade makes its way through town for the big switch-on.

Good to know: Little ones who flag by 5pm can still catch the snow machine and fairground earlier in the afternoon.

Newent Christmas Light Switch On on Gloucester Rocks

Handmade Christmas at Newark Park, Wotton-under-Edge

When: Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November

A weekend of handmade gifts from local makers at the National Trust's hilltop house near Wotton-under-Edge. A lovely one to pair with a blustery walk, and the views over the valley are worth the drive on their own.

Good to know: Check with Newark Park whether normal admission applies. National Trust members, bring your cards.

Tewkesbury Christmas Market and Lights Switch-On, Tewkesbury

When: Sunday 22 November, from around midday Cost: Free

Tewkesbury's medieval streets were made for this. Stalls spread along the High Street, Church Street and Barton Street, and last year there were around 80 of them, along with fairground rides and a performance stage. It all builds up to the lights switch-on as it gets dark.

Good to know: Tewkesbury Borough Council has offered free parking in its town car parks on switch-on day in previous years. Worth checking before you go.

Nailsworth Goodwill Evening, Nailsworth

When: Friday 27 November

Nailsworth's community Christmas evening: twinkly Market Street, hand-crafted gifts and stocking fillers, mulled wine and mince pies. If you can't make the evening, Nailsworth's Artisan Markets run on Saturday 28 November and Saturday 12 December too.

Moreton-in-Marsh Christmas Market, Moreton-in-Marsh

When: Saturday 28 November, from 10.30am, lights switched on at 5pm Cost: Free

Around 80 stalls line the wide High Street for a whole day of browsing, with gifts, decorations, local food and vintage finds. Father Christmas swaps his sleigh for a local fire engine to make his entrance (an upgrade, if you ask most four-year-olds) before settling into his grotto. Carols lead into the evening and the lights go on at 5pm.

Cirencester Advent Market and Light Switch-On, Cirencester

When: Saturday 28 November (10am to 6pm) and Sunday 29 November Cost: Free

The big one for Cirencester. More than 100 stalls stretch through the town centre, with music, street entertainment and Santa. On the Saturday the switch-on is shown on big screens around town, followed by a low-noise fireworks display, which is good news for anyone with small ears or a nervous dog at home.

Good to know: The town centre is closed to traffic, so allow extra time and park legally. It gets very crowded, and the organisers recommend leaving dogs at home.

Christmas Markets in Cirencester on Cirencester Rocks

The Suffolks Christmas Market, Cheltenham

When: Sunday 29 November

Cheltenham's Suffolks neighbourhood throws one of the town's best-loved festive markets, packed with independent shops, makers and food. It always draws a crowd, so wrap up and go with the flow.

Christmas Markets in December

Winchcombe Christmas Festival and Market, Winchcombe

When: Thursday 3 December, 12pm to 8pm. Christmas Shopping Trail on Friday 4 December, 10am to 4pm Cost: Free

Thursday is market day, with more than 50 stalls of gifts and festive food. The streets are decorated with over 70 real Christmas trees (yes, really), and there's carol singing, live music, street entertainers and Morris dancers. The market runs until 8pm, so you can head over after school and see the lights once it's dark. New for 2026, Friday's shopping trail brings around 20 festive pop-ups into Winchcombe's independent shops.

Winchcombe Christmas Festival on Cheltenham Rocks

Stroud Goodwill Evening, Stroud

When: Friday 4 December Cost: Free

Stroud at its most Stroud. The town stays open late, the Cornhill fills with a Goodwill market from 4pm to 9pm, and hundreds of handmade lanterns parade through the streets. Expect late-night shopping, live music and Christmas cheer around every corner.

Good to know: The town centre is busy and parts close to traffic for the evening, so walking in or parking on the edge is your best bet.

Tetbury Christmas Fayre and Market, Tetbury

When: Friday 4 December, 5pm to 8.30pm Cost: Free

A cosy Friday evening around Tetbury's Market House, with festive stalls and the Christmas lights switched on at 6pm. If you'd rather browse in daylight, Tetbury Goods Shed holds its own Christmas fair on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December.

Chipping Campden Christmas Market, Chipping Campden

When: Saturday 5 December, 12pm to 5pm Cost: Free

The honey-coloured High Street, the Market Hall and the Town Hall all join in for an afternoon of stalls, festive food and gifts. It's about as Christmas-card Cotswolds as it gets.

Christmas Under the Edge, Wotton-under-Edge

When: Saturday 5 December, 4pm to 8pm

Wotton's festive evening along Long Street and Market Street. A good choice if you fancy a market after dark without a long drive from the south of the county.

Cirencester Christmas Market, Cirencester

When: Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December

Round two in Cirencester's Market Place, with Christmas stalls set against the tree and lights. Missed the Advent Market? This is your second chance.

Christmas Markets in Cirencester on Cirencester Rocks

Wetland Wonderland festive market, WWT Slimbridge

When: Weekends from 5 December, plus Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 December Cost: Included with admission (from £17.91 adults, £11.84 children, under 3s free). Santa's grotto is extra.

The rainy-day answer. Slimbridge's indoor festive marketplace in the Swan Café has hot food and drink, local artisan stalls and live choir music at 11am and 2pm. Make a day of it with the Christmas story trail and crafts around the wetlands.

Wetland Wonderland on Cheltenham Rocks

Cheltenham Christmas Market, Cheltenham

When: Thursday 10 to Wednesday 23 December, daily from 10am Cost: Free entry

Forty wooden chalets line the Promenade for two weeks of local crafts, Christmas gifts, festive food and mulled wine, all against Cheltenham's Regency backdrop. Pair it with a skate at the Cheltenham Ice Rink in Imperial Gardens, just around the corner.

Good to know: The weekend of 11 and 12 December is also the racecourse's Christmas meeting, so town will be extra busy.

Christmas Markets on the Promenade on Cheltenham Rocks

Cirencester Christmas Gift Markets, Cirencester

When: 13, 15, 16, 17, 20 and 22 December, 10am to 4pm

Last-minute present panic? Cirencester's gift markets pop up in the Market Place on selected days right up to Christmas, alongside the regular Charter and Farmers' Markets.

Stroud Christmas Markets, Stroud

When: Wednesday 16 to Friday 18 December, 9am to 4pm

The home of Stroud's award-winning Farmers' Market goes festive for the final days before Christmas. Local producers and makers fill the Cornhill Market Place, so it's a good stop for the Christmas dinner table as well as the stockings.

Stroud Christmas Markets from the organisers

Smaller Christmas markets around Cheltenham

Alongside The Suffolks and the Promenade, a few smaller one-day markets are worth popping in the diary:

• Dunkertons Christmas Craft Market, Sunday 6 December

• Elkstone Studios Christmas Market, Sunday 6 December

• Clavell & Hind Christmas Market, Sunday 13 December

• Ellenborough Park Christmas fireworks and market stalls, Friday 18 December, from 5pm

For everything else festive in town, from switch-ons to Santa, see our Christmas Events in Cheltenham round-up.

Still to be announced

Painswick Goodwill Evening usually lights up the village on a Friday evening in late November, with a lantern procession, Father Christmas, local stalls and mulled wine. We'll add the 2026 date as soon as it's confirmed.

Tips for a happy market trip

• Go early or go late. Opening time is calmer for buggies. Late afternoon usually means a festive lights.

• Baby-wear if you can to avoid steering a buggy through the crowds.

• Bring a bit of cash. Most stalls take cards, but not all, and the signal at a packed switch-on can be patchy.

• Check the road closures. Cirencester, Newent, Stroud and Tewkesbury all close streets for their big days.

• Agree a meeting point with older children before you dive in. The big tree is usually a good one.

• Layer up. Standing around waiting for a switch-on is colder than you think, especially in wellies.