Cheltenham Christmas Market 2026: Dates, Times and Parking
The Cheltenham Christmas market 2026 runs from 10 to 23 December on the Promenade. Dates, opening times, the smaller Suffolks and Pittville markets, parking and what's on nearby.
In short: the Cheltenham Christmas Market 2026 runs from Thursday 10 to Wednesday 23 December on the Promenade, with 40 wooden chalets of local crafts, gifts and festive food. Entry is free and it is listed as open 10am to 5pm every day. Go at dusk between 10 and 16 December to catch the new festive film on the Municipal Offices on the same street.
Every Christmas market in Cheltenham for 2026, with dates checked on the organisers' own pages on 18 October 2026.
When is the Cheltenham Christmas market 2026?
The Cheltenham Christmas Market is on the Promenade from Thursday 10 to Wednesday 23 December 2026. It is run by Cotswold Markets, and the council says it runs for longer this year. Two smaller markets come earlier, at the end of November.
| Market | Dates | Times | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheltenham Christmas Market | Thu 10 to Wed 23 Dec | 10am to 5pm daily | The Promenade |
| Christmas Artisan Market | Fri 27 Nov | 5pm to 9pm | Pittville Pump Room |
| Christmas Artisan Market | Sun 29 Nov | 11am to 4pm | Pittville Pump Room |
| Suffolks Christmas Market | Sun 29 Nov | 11am to 4pm | The Suffolks |
No November gift market on the Promenade has been announced for 2026. In 2025 one ran from 20 to 23 November, so check back in early November.
What's at the Cheltenham Christmas market?
Forty wooden chalets line the Promenade, with a few food and drink stalls alongside. Expect local craft producers, gifts and festive food, and mulled wine to carry while you browse.
- 📅 10 to 23 Dec
- ⏰ 10am to 5pm daily
- 💷 Free entry
- 🎁 40 chalets, local makers
- 📍 The Promenade, Town Centre
Good to know: the market opens on a late-night shopping Thursday, 10 December, when the shops stay open until 8pm and council car parks are free from 3pm. For independent shops nearby, see our Christmas shopping guide to Cheltenham's independent gift shops.
Are there other Christmas markets in Cheltenham?
Yes, two, both on the last weekend of November.
Suffolks Christmas Market
A street market run by the Suffolks traders, along Montpellier Terrace, Suffolk Parade, Suffolk Road and Great Norwood Street, with carols, children's entertainment, street food and Father Christmas.
- 📅 Sun 29 Nov
- ⏰ 11am to 4pm
- 📍 The Suffolks
Christmas Artisan Markets at the Pittville Pump Room
Makers' stalls inside the Pittville Pump Room, with mulled wine, hot chocolate, mince pies and bubbly. The Pump Room's free lights switch-on party falls in between, on Saturday 28 November.
- 📅 Fri 27 Nov, 5pm to 9pm
- 📅 Sun 29 Nov, 11am to 4pm
- 📍 Pittville
Is there an ice rink at the Christmas market?
No. Cheltenham Borough Council has confirmed the ice rink will not return in 2026. Between Christmas and New Year, the Regency Roller Rink at Cheltenham Town Hall (28 to 30 December, ages 5 and up) is the nearest thing. For everything else that is on this Christmas, see our Christmas in Cheltenham guide.
Where do I park for the Cheltenham Christmas market?
In the council's town centre car parks: Royal Well, Rodney Road, St James Street, Chelt Walk, High Street, Town Centre East, Sherborne Place and Bath Parade. On the two late-night shopping Thursdays, 3 and 10 December, they are free from 3pm and the shops stay open until 8pm. The free parking does not cover the Regent Arcade car park.
- 🅿️ Free from 3pm on Thu 3 and Thu 10 Dec
- 🛍️ Shops open to 8pm on both days
- 🚫 Not the Regent Arcade car park
What else is on near the Christmas market?
- ✨ Festive film on the Municipal Offices, every evening 3 to 16 Dec
- 🎭 Cinderella at the Everyman, 27 Nov to 10 Jan
- 🎶 The Snowman In Concert, Town Hall, 23 Dec
The film projection is on the Promenade too, so a late-afternoon visit between 10 and 16 December gets you the market and the light show in one trip. For a warm drink, the Promenade is a short walk from Montpellier and the town centre's coffee shops.
Cheltenham Christmas market: questions
When is the Cheltenham Christmas market 2026?
From Thursday 10 to Wednesday 23 December 2026, on the Promenade.
What time does the Cheltenham Christmas market open?
It is listed as open from 10am to 5pm every day of the market.
Is the Cheltenham Christmas market free?
Yes, entry is free. You pay only for what you buy at the 40 stalls.
Is there an ice rink in Cheltenham this year?
No, the council's ice rink will not return in 2026. The Regency Roller Rink runs at Cheltenham Town Hall from 28 to 30 December instead.
Where can I park for the Christmas market?
In the council's town centre car parks, such as Royal Well and Rodney Road. They are free from 3pm on Thursday 3 and Thursday 10 December, except the Regent Arcade car park.