Christmas markets · Bournemouth
Christmas markets in Bournemouth 2026
Bournemouth Christmas Market 2026 runs from 12 November to 31 December in Bournemouth Square, with free entry; the tourist board lists it alongside a free Festive Trail through the Lower Gardens (12 Nov – 3 Jan) and the SKATE outdoor ice rink. Stall hours for 2026 had not been published by the organiser when we checked: one guide gives Mon–Sat 11am–8pm and Sun 11am–7pm, so confirm on christmasinbournemouth.co.uk.
3 markets · checked October 2026
- Bournemouth Christmas Market2026: 12 Nov – 31 Dec 2026Free entry; workshop ticketed; food expensive.
- Bournemouth Festive Trail and SKATE Bournemouth2026: 12 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027Trail free; rink, Glow Golf and Santa's Workshop must be booked and priced separately.
- Littledown Christmas Market2026: Sun 22 Nov 2026, 11am–4pm£1 adults, 50p children 5–15, under-fives free; no booking.
🧒 With kids
- Bournemouth Christmas Market · Bournemouth
- Bournemouth Festive Trail and SKATE Bournemouth · Bournemouth
- Littledown Christmas Market · Bournemouth
- Southampton Christmas Market · Southampton
✨ Date night
- Salisbury Christmas Markets · Salisbury
🎉 With friends
- Bournemouth Festive Trail and SKATE Bournemouth · Bournemouth
- Littledown Christmas Market · Bournemouth
- Southampton Christmas Market · Southampton
- Salisbury Christmas Markets · Salisbury
Christmas market
📷 Mr Eugene Birchall · CC BY-SA 2.0
Christmas market · Bournemouth
Bournemouth Christmas Market
Market in the Lower Gardens with a Santa's Workshop for bauble decorating; recent visitors call it pricey.
🧒 With kidsWhat's there
- Alpine-themed chalets in Bournemouth Square with gift stalls and food such as hog roast and bratwurst (2025 line-up)
- Alpine Lodge Bar for mulled wine in the middle of the market
- Free illuminated Festive Trail through the Lower Gardens down to the seafront, 12 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027
- Trail extras: Christmas Tree Maze, Santa's Workshop and Santa's Express
- SKATE Bournemouth outdoor ice rink in the Lower Gardens, 12 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027
What visitors sayGoogle 4.2 ★ · 67 reviews
Families enjoy the bauble workshop and the tree wonderland in the evening; the variety of stalls is wide. Recent visitors were less impressed: expensive food of mixed quality, weaker light displays than before and a maze that takes five minutes.
A nice evening for families at the seaside — go after dark and pick your food carefully.
- 2026
- 12 Nov – 31 Dec 2026
- Last season
- 13 Nov – 31 Dec 2025
- Cost
- Free entry; workshop ticketed; food expensive.
Getting there and parking
- Bournemouth station, then 15 minutes on foot or a short bus ride to the Square.
- The tourist board points visitors to Morebus for low-cost single journeys and to Beryl bikes and e-scooters; car park locations and charges are on the BCP Council 'Find a car park' map (bournemouth.co.uk, Oct 2026).
Worth knowing
- Arrive after dark for the lights.
- Stalls take cash, contactless and card (ultimatechristmasmarkets.com, checked Oct 2026).
- Stall hours for 2026 are listed by one guide as Mon–Sat 11am–8pm and Sun 11am–7pm; the organiser had not published hours when we checked, so confirm on christmasinbournemouth.co.uk (15 Oct 2026).
- Glow Golf in the Lower Gardens runs 12 Nov – 24 Dec 2026 and the Cool Coast indoor ice rink at the BIC 28 Nov 2026 – 21 Feb 2027 (bournemouth.co.uk, Oct 2026).
Winter festival
IllustrationWinter festival · Bournemouth
Bournemouth Festive Trail and SKATE Bournemouth
The free illuminated trail through the Lower Gardens is the evening part of Christmas in Bournemouth, with an outdoor ice rink beside it.
🧒 With kids✨ Date night🎉 With friendsWhat's there
- Free light display through the Lower Gardens, from the town centre to the seafront
- Christmas Tree Maze, Santa's Workshop and Santa's Express
- SKATE Bournemouth: outdoor rink under lit trees with the Moguls rink-side bar
- Glow Golf in the Lower Gardens, 12 Nov – 24 Dec 2026
The best reason to come after dark: walk the trail free, then warm up at the Alpine Lodge Bar in the Square.
- 2026
- 12 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027
- Last season
- 13 Nov 2025 – 4 Jan 2026
- Cost
- Trail free; rink, Glow Golf and Santa's Workshop must be booked and priced separately.
Getting there and parking
- The trail leads through the Lower Gardens from the town centre to the seafront, so it starts right by the market in the Square (bournemouth.co.uk, Oct 2026).
Worth knowing
- In 2025 the organisers reported the rink open daily from 10:30am; 2026 hours and prices were not on the tourist-board page we checked (bournemouth.co.uk, Oct 2026).
- Indoor alternative: Cool Coast ice rink at the Bournemouth International Centre, 28 Nov 2026 – 21 Feb 2027.
Weekend Christmas market
IllustrationWeekend Christmas market · Bournemouth
Littledown Christmas Market
A one-day indoor Christmas market at the Littledown leisure site east of the town centre, with a token entry fee.
🧒 With kids🎉 With friendsWhat's there
- Indoor, so the weather does not matter
- Entry costs £1 for adults and 50p for children aged 5–15; no booking needed
- A local, community-scale alternative to the seafront Alpine market
A cheap, low-key Sunday for local gifts — not a day out like the Square, so pair it with the Lower Gardens trail in the evening.
- 2026
- Sun 22 Nov 2026, 11am–4pm
- Cost
- £1 adults, 50p children 5–15, under-fives free; no booking.
Getting there and parking
- The venue is BH Live Active Littledown, BH7 7DX, about 3 miles east of the Square in a straight line; the tourist board lists Morebus for low-cost single journeys (bournemouth.co.uk, Oct 2026).
Worth knowing
- The date and entry fee come from a listing site (planomato.com, 15 Oct 2026), not from an organiser page we could open; confirm with BH Live before travelling.
What is on in Bournemouth at Christmas 2026
The tourist board's 2026 page lists the Alpine market in Bournemouth Square (12 Nov – 31 Dec), the free Festive Trail with Santa's Express, a Christmas Tree Maze and Santa's Workshop (12 Nov – 3 Jan), SKATE Bournemouth in the Lower Gardens, Glow Golf (12 Nov – 24 Dec) and the Cool Coast indoor rink at the BIC (28 Nov – 21 Feb). The Aladdin pantomime at the Pavilion runs 5 Dec – 3 Jan, Breakfast with Santa on Bournemouth Pier 12–20 Dec.
How to plan an evening at the market
Visitors say the lights are at their best after dark and that the market is better for atmosphere than for value, so eat before or after rather than at the first stall you pass. Start in the Square, walk the free trail through the Lower Gardens to the sea, and book the ice rink or Glow Golf ahead. Stalls accept cash, contactless and card.
Getting there and the villages nearby
Bournemouth station is about 15 minutes' walk from the Square; the tourist board recommends Morebus single fares and Beryl bikes, and the BCP Council car park map shows charges. For 2025 the tourist board also listed village events in Westbourne (tree lights and artisan market, 29 Nov), Southbourne and a Boscombe Santa's Grotto at the Sovereign Centre; 2026 dates for these were not published when we checked.
Questions
When does Bournemouth Christmas market 2026 start and finish?
The tourist board lists Bournemouth Christmas Market in the Square from 12 November to 31 December 2026. The Festive Trail and SKATE ice rink in the Lower Gardens run from 12 November to 3 January 2027.
What are the Bournemouth Christmas market opening times?
The organiser had not published 2026 hours when we checked. One guide lists Mon–Sat 11am–8pm and Sunday 11am–7pm. Check christmasinbournemouth.co.uk before you go.
Is Bournemouth Christmas market free?
Yes, entry to the market and the Lower Gardens light trail is free. The ice rink, Glow Golf and Santa's Workshop are ticketed, and recent visitors found food and drink pricey.
Where is the Christmas market in Bournemouth?
In Bournemouth Square (BH2 6EG) in the town centre, with the Alpine Lodge Bar. The light trail starts nearby and runs through the Lower Gardens to the seafront.
Where can I park for Bournemouth Christmas market?
Car park locations and charges are on the BCP Council 'Find a car park' map. The tourist board also points visitors to Morebus services, Beryl bikes and e-scooters. The railway station is a 15-minute walk away.
Is there an ice rink at Bournemouth Christmas market?
Yes. SKATE Bournemouth is an outdoor rink in the Lower Gardens, 12 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027. The Cool Coast indoor rink at the BIC runs 28 Nov 2026 – 21 Feb 2027. Book on the operators' sites.
Is there another Christmas market in Bournemouth?
Littledown Christmas Market is an indoor market at BH Live Active Littledown on Sunday 22 November 2026, 11am–4pm, £1 for adults. The date comes from a listing site, so confirm with the venue.