By 
Christmas in Stratford-upon-Avon starts with the lights switch-on on Saturday 14 November 2026 and runs to Twelfth Night. In between come two weekends of Christmas markets, the RSC’s big Christmas show, two pantos and Santa at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. Here’s every date in one place, checked against the organisers, and updated as new events are announced.
On this page
Christmas 2026 in Stratford: the key dates
| When | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Sat 14 November | Christmas lights switch-on: events from 10am, lights on at 5.30pm | Town centre |
| 16 November – 3 January | Christmas at Charlecote: the house dressed for a Victorian Christmas (closed 24 and 25 December) | Charlecote Park, about 5 miles east |
| 28 November – 9 January | The Three Musketeers, the RSC’s Christmas show | Royal Shakespeare Theatre |
| Sat 28 – Sun 29 November | Christmas Markets, weekend 1: Saturday 10am–8pm, Sunday 10am–5pm | Town centre |
| Sat 5 – Sun 6 December | Christmas Markets, weekend 2: same times | Town centre |
| Sat 12 December | Santa’s Grotto, 10am–2pm, for babies to pre-school age (booking required, £12.50 per child) | Garden Café, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage |
| 12 – 31 December | Robin Hood, the family panto | Rother Street Arts House |
| 19 December – 3 January | Jack and the Beanstalk, the adults-only panto (18+) | The Attic Theatre, Cox’s Yard |
| Early December, date to come | Shipston Victorian Evening | Shipston-on-Stour |
| Late November, times to come | Christmas church services, including carols at Holy Trinity | Holy Trinity and other churches |
Dates still to be announced are added as soon as the organisers publish them.
Every Christmas event in and around Stratford
This list fills itself from our events calendar, which checks venues’ and organisers’ own listings three times a day: shows, pantos, carols, Santa, workshops and markets.
November 2026
- Theatre A Christmas Carol - A Radio Play Live on Stage Thu 12 Nov Details: Rother Street Arts House
- Christmas Christmas lights switch-on Sat 14 Nov Details: What's up, Stratford
- Christmas Christmas at Charlecote: full Christmas display Mon 16 Nov – Sun 3 Jan Closed 24 and 25 December. Details: What's up, Stratford
- Music Karl Loxley - The Songs of Christmas Fri 27 Nov Details: Rother Street Arts House
- Family Tudor Christmas Traditions for Home Educator Families Fri 27 Nov Details: Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
- Christmas Stratford-upon-Avon Christmas Markets Sat 28 Nov – Sun 29 Nov Saturdays 10am to 8pm, Sundays 10am to 5pm. Details: What's up, Stratford
- Theatre The Three Musketeers Sat 28 Nov – Sat 9 Jan · By Paul Hunter · From the Novel by Alexandre Dumas Details: RSC
December 2026
- Workshops Christmas Wreath Making Workshop Fri 4 Dec – Sat 5 Dec Details: Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
- Christmas Stratford-upon-Avon Christmas Markets Sat 5 Dec – Sun 6 Dec Saturdays 10am to 8pm, Sundays 10am to 5pm. Details: What's up, Stratford
- Christmas Christmas Wreath Workshop at The Black Swan Sun 6 Dec Make a fresh Christmas wreath with a professional florist at the Henley-in-Arden pub, 7pm to 9pm, with all materials provided. A £20 deposit secures a place; book at The Black Swan. Details: What's up, Stratford
- Theatre The Bear and the Piano Fri 11 Dec – Sun 10 Jan · By David Litchfield · Adapted by Toby Olié and Tom Brady Details: RSC
- Family Robin Hood The Pantomime Sat 12 Dec – Thu 31 Dec Details: Rother Street Arts House · Sold out
- Family Santa's Grotto Sat 12 Dec Details: Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
- Community Rockin' Around The Quizmas Tree - The Big Fat Festive Quiz Fri 18 Dec Details: Rother Street Arts House
- Theatre Jack and the Beanstalk (Adult Panto 18+) Sat 19 Dec – Sun 3 Jan Details: The Attic Theatre
See the full Stratford events calendar · Updated 15 October from organisers' own listings.
The Christmas Markets
More than 200 stalls fill the town centre over two weekends: 28–29 November and 5–6 December 2026, open 10am to 8pm on Saturdays and 10am to 5pm on Sundays. Entry is free. The reserve weekend, 12–13 December, is only used if the weather stops a main weekend. Our Christmas market guide has the road closures, coach parking and the quietest times to go.
Christmas shows and pantos
The RSC’s The Three Musketeers is the big Christmas show at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. For panto there’s Robin Hood for families at Rother Street Arts House and Jack and the Beanstalk for grown-ups at the Attic Theatre. See Christmas shows and pantos for dates, ages, prices and the shows in Leamington and Warwick.
Getting there and parking
On market weekends Waterside and Bridge Street close from 6pm on the Friday, and the roads into town are slow on Saturdays. The Park & Ride at Bishopton is the easy option, with late buses on market days. The lights switch-on on Saturday 14 November closes Bridge Street, High Street, Henley Street, Wood Street, Union Street and Meer Street from 4am to 10pm.
- Parking in Stratford: every car park on a map, with prices and the parking calculator
- Bus times: the next Park & Ride and town buses
- Road closures: what’s shut and when, updated every week
Eat, drink and stay
Book ahead for market weekends and show nights. Our map of every restaurant, café and pub shows what’s within a few minutes’ walk of the theatres, and the best pubs has the cosy ones with fires. Staying over? See where to stay in Stratford.
Christmas days out nearby
- Christmas at Charlecote Park: the house decorated as a mid-1800s Christmas party, 16 November to 3 January
- Shipston-on-Stour Victorian Evening: a Friday evening in early December, date to be announced
Practical Christmas information
- Bin collections over Christmas: the council publishes the changed dates in late November
- Church services: carols, Christingles and midnight mass
- Christmas tree recycling: January collection dates (being updated for 2027)
- Free holiday activities and lunches for children on free school meals (being updated for this year)
Christmas in Stratford: quick answers
When are the Stratford Christmas lights switched on in 2026?
Saturday 14 November 2026. Events run in the town centre from 10am, and the lights go on at 5.30pm.
When is the Stratford Christmas market in 2026?
Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November, and Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December, from 10am to 8pm on Saturdays and 10am to 5pm on Sundays.
What’s the panto in Stratford this year?
Robin Hood at Rother Street Arts House (12–31 December) for families, and Jack and the Beanstalk at the Attic Theatre (19 December – 3 January), which is for adults only.
Where can I see Father Christmas in Stratford?
Father Christmas comes to the lights switch-on on 14 November, and the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust runs a Santa’s Grotto in the Garden Café at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage on 12 December, 10am to 2pm. It’s for babies to pre-schoolers (siblings up to 6 can come too), costs £12.50 per child and must be booked ahead.
Alex Harrington
Alex Harrington grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon and runs What's up, Stratford? as an independent guide to the town.
