Christmas in Chester 2026: what's on
Chester has plenty on this Christmas, from the market around the Town Hall to the zoo's light trail and the Cathedral's tree festival. Here are the dates, places and published prices, week by week, with a link to each organiser so you can check details and book. Plans can change, so it's worth checking with the organiser before you set off.
Items marked to be confirmed haven’t been fully confirmed by the organiser yet. Please check the linked source before you go.
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Last checked: 21 October 2026.
Late November
- Hoole Christmas Lights Switch-On: Sat 14 Nov, 12pm to 6pm, Hoole Community Centre, Westminster Road. Advance tickets £5 adults, £3 under-16s, under-5s free (£6 and £3.50 on the day). Hoole Lights
- Chester Christmas Market opens: Wed 18 Nov, Town Hall Square. Visit Cheshire
- 12 Days of Christmas Parade: Thu 19 Nov, from 7pm, city centre. The Christmas lights come on as the parade passes. Free. Chester BID
- Christmas Tree Festival opens: Wed 25 Nov, Chester Cathedral (details below).
- Advent Procession: Sun 29 Nov, 6pm, Chester Cathedral. No booking needed. Chester Cathedral
All through December
- Chester Christmas Market: until Tue 22 Dec, Town Hall Square, Northgate Street. Open from 10.30am daily, until 6.30pm Sunday to Wednesday and 8pm Thursday to Saturday. About 80 huts with gifts, crafts, food and drink. Free to walk round. Visit Cheshire
- Grotto on the Square: Fri 20 Nov to Thu 24 Dec, Eastgate Square shopping centre. Book ahead. Quieter SEN sessions on Sat 5 Dec (10am to 11am), Sun 13 Dec (11am to 12pm) and Mon 21 Dec (10am to 11am). Visit Cheshire
- Lanterns & Light at Chester Zoo: Fri 13 Nov to Sun 3 Jan, Chester Zoo, Upton. Timed entry between 4.15pm and 8pm. Tickets from £12. Adults-only evening on Tue 8 Dec. Chester Zoo
- Christmas Tree Festival: Wed 25 Nov to Sun 3 Jan, Chester Cathedral. More than 80 decorated trees. Free on Sundays (no booking) and for children aged 5 and under; pre-book on other days. Last entry 5.30pm (3.30pm from Christmas Eve). Chester Cathedral
- 12 Days of Christmas Trail: Tue 1 to Thu 31 Dec, Grosvenor Museum, Grosvenor Street. Free, donations welcome. West Cheshire Museums
- Rapunzel: Fri 4 Dec to Sun 3 Jan, Storyhouse, Hunter Street. Storyhouse's Christmas show. Tickets £19.50 to £48 (members £17.70 to £43.35). Captioned at every performance, with audio-described, relaxed and BSL performances too. Storyhouse
- Chester parkrun: every Saturday, 9am, Countess of Chester Country Park. Free 5k (register once). No Chester parkrun on Christmas Day or New Year's Day. parkrun
Week 1: Tuesday 1 to Sunday 6 December
- Winter Watch Parade: Thu 3 Dec, 7pm, from Town Hall Square. A winter street parade with the Lord of Misrule, samba band, dancers and fire breathing. Midsummer Watch
- Christmas by Candlelight: Thu 3 Dec, 9.15pm, Chester Cathedral. Christmas songs by candlelight. Ticketed. Chester Cathedral
- Together in Song: Sat 5 Dec, 7pm, Chester Cathedral. A Christmas concert in aid of The Joshua Tree. Ticketed. Chester Cathedral
- Storytime & Crafts with Mother Christmas: Sat 5 Dec, 11am to 3pm, Grosvenor Museum. Stories on the hour and a craft to take home. Free drop-in. West Cheshire Museums
- Chester FC v Oxford City: Sat 5 Dec, 3pm, Deva Community Stadium. Chester FC
- Chester Santa Dash: Sun 6 Dec, 10am, from Chester International School, Queens Park Road, Handbridge. A 3.75km walk, jog or run for the Hospice of the Good Shepherd and The Countess Charity. £20 for ages 5 and up (Santa suit and medal included), £5 for under-5s. Hospice of the Good Shepherd
- The Makers Market (Christmas): Sun 6 Dec, 11am to 5pm, Exchange Square. Also on Sat 12, Sun 13 and Sat 19 Dec (Saturdays 10am to 5pm). The Makers Market
Week 2: Monday 7 to Sunday 13 December
- Chester FC v Chorley: Tue 8 Dec, 7.45pm, Deva Community Stadium. Chester FC
- Winter Watch Parade and Roman Saturnalia: Thu 10 Dec, 7pm, from Town Hall Square. The second Winter Watch, joined by Chester Roman Tours' torch-lit Saturnalia parade. Midsummer Watch
- Chester Cathedral's Annual Christmas Carol Concert: Sat 12 Dec, 7.30pm, Chester Cathedral. Ticketed; book early. Chester Cathedral
- The Makers Market: Sat 12 and Sun 13 Dec, Exchange Square (see Week 1).
Week 3: Monday 14 to Sunday 20 December
- The Reindeer Who Saved Christmas: Mon 14 to Thu 24 Dec (not Fri 18), Storyhouse. A family show narrated by Father Christmas. Daytime performances at 11am, 1.30pm and, on most days, 3.30pm. Storyhouse
- The Makers Market: Sat 19 Dec, Exchange Square (see Week 1).
Week 4: Monday 21 to Thursday 31 December
- Christmas Crackers: Tue 22 Dec, 7.30pm, Chester Cathedral. Chester Music Society Choir and Chester Philharmonic Orchestra. Free for under-18s and full-time students. Chester Cathedral
- Chester FC v AFC Telford United: Sat 26 Dec, 3pm, Deva Community Stadium. The Boxing Day home game. Chester FC
For the grown-ups
- Christmas party nights at Chester Racecourse: Sat 28 Nov to Sat 19 Dec. Festive Manor party nights from £55 a head, plus traditional party nights in the Pavilion. Some dates are already sold out. Chester Racecourse
Getting into the city centre
- Bollards and road closures: until 22 Dec, the bollards at the Town Hall kiosk and St John's Street stay up 10.30am to 8pm Thursday to Saturday and 10.30am to 6.30pm Sunday to Wednesday. Princess Street is closed to traffic until 24 Dec. Cheshire West and Chester Council
- Late park and ride on Thursdays: 19 Nov to 17 Dec, from Wrexham Road, Upton and Boughton Heath, until about 9pm. Cheshire West and Chester Council
- Christmas bin collections: to be confirmed. The council hasn't published its 2026 changes yet.
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