Christmas Markets Near Stratford-upon-Avon 2026: Dates & Times

Looking for a Christmas market near Stratford-upon-Avon? Stratford has its own over two weekends, and some of the biggest Christmas markets in England are within an hour or so: Birmingham, Worcester, Oxford and Bath. Here are the 2026 dates and opening times, from each organiser’s own website, with how to get there from Stratford.

Christmas markets near Stratford at a glance

Drive times are approximate and will be longer on market weekends.

Stratford-upon-Avon Christmas Markets: 28–29 November and 5–6 December

Stratford’s own Christmas markets fill Bridge Street, Waterside and Henley Street with more than 200 stalls over two weekends: Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November, and Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December. They’re open 10am to 8pm on Saturdays and 10am to 5pm on Sundays, and entry is free. Our Stratford Christmas market guide has the road closures, parking and how to beat the crowds, and the Christmas in Stratford hub has everything else on in town.

Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market: 5 November – 24 December

Birmingham’s German-style market, one of the best known in the UK, runs in Victoria Square from Thursday 5 November to Christmas Eve.

• Opening times: Monday to Thursday 11am–9pm, Friday 11am–9.30pm, Saturday 10am–9.30pm, Sunday 10am–9pm. On Remembrance Sunday (8 November) it doesn’t open until 1pm.
• Getting there: trains from Stratford-upon-Avon run direct to Birmingham Moor Street and Snow Hill, both within walking distance of Victoria Square, so you can skip city-centre parking. Check times on our Stratford train times page, and note the last train back before you go.

Details: Central BID Birmingham.

Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre: 3–6 December

Worcester’s Victorian Christmas Fayre, run by Cotswold Markets, is on 3 to 6 December 2026 in the city centre, about 50 minutes from Stratford. See Cotswold Markets for stall details.

Christmas in Oxford: 21 November – 31 December

Oxford’s Christmas market is on Broad Street from Saturday 21 November to New Year’s Eve.

• Stalls: Sunday to Wednesday 10am–6pm, Thursday to Saturday 10am–8pm.
• Bar, food and entertainment: Sunday and Monday 10am–8pm, Tuesday to Saturday 10am–10pm.
• It closes at 5.30pm on Christmas Eve and all day on Christmas Day.
• Oxford’s Park & Ride is the easy way in by car. Our Oxford to Stratford guide covers the routes.

Details: Christmas in Oxford.

Bath Christmas Market: 26 November – 13 December

Often voted the best in the UK, Bath’s market fills the streets around the Abbey with wooden chalets from Thursday 26 November to Sunday 13 December. It’s open Monday to Wednesday 10am–7pm, Thursday to Saturday 10am–8pm and Sunday 10am–6pm. It’s a long day trip from Stratford, so many people make a weekend of it. See the Bath Christmas Market website.

Cheltenham and the Cotswolds

Cheltenham usually has a Christmas gift market and an arts and crafts market on the Promenade, but it hadn’t published its 2026 dates when we checked. Look on Visit Cheltenham nearer the time. Closer to home, Shipston-on-Stour’s Victorian Evening is one of the best small-town Christmas nights in the area.

Christmas days out near Stratford

If you’d rather have lights than stalls, Warwick Castle’s Christmas at the Castle has a food and drink village, an ice rink and a light trail from 21 November. See our guide to Christmas light trails near Stratford, and Christmas at Charlecote Park for a Victorian Christmas a few miles away.

Questions

When is the Christmas market in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2026?

Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November, and Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December 2026, on Bridge Street, Waterside and Henley Street.

When does the Birmingham Christmas market open in 2026?

Thursday 5 November 2026, and it runs until Christmas Eve, 24 December.

What’s the best Christmas market near Stratford?

For a big German-style market, Birmingham, about an hour away by direct train. For a historic setting, Bath or Oxford. For something local and free, Stratford’s own markets over two weekends.

Alex Harrington

Alex Harrington grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon and runs What's up, Stratford? as an independent guide to the town.