Bath Christmas Market opens to shoppers today – Thursday 28th November.
Already the porta-loos have been position by Parade Gardens, roads are being shut off to protect pedestrians and stall-holders are getting down to putting in stock and some festive trimmings ready for the launch.
Running until 15th December this year, Bath Christmas Market is the south west’s biggest and most beautiful Christmas shopping event.
More than 150 traditionally decorated stalls transform the quaint, picturesque streets and squares in Bath’s centre into a sparkling, bustling hive of festivity.
With unique gifts for all, festive food, carols and street entertainment, the event has a really warm, traditional, British atmosphere.
The market is well-loved and known by many in the city and its surrounding areas – but don’t think that if you have visited before you have ‘done’ the market – there are many, many reasons to come back this year…
The best Christmas Market in England – its official!
In 2012, VisitEngland came to Bath Christmas Market and awarded the event accreditation as a quality assured visitor attraction – the only Christmas Market to have gained the quality marque! So if you are thinking where you might do your Christmas shopping, remember that the best Christmas Market in the country is right on your doorstep!
New Traders and gift ideas
If you have been before you may think you know all the traders have to offer, but this year you might be surprised. The organisers, Bath Tourism Plus have undertaken a complete reshuffle and with more than a third of the 150 stalls brand new to the event this year and with returning traders being asked to refresh their product lines, there are plenty of new gift ideas for you this year.
There’s something new at Bath Street…
Santa Competition – Join the Selfie Craze!
All visitors to the market this year are being treated to the chance to win a truly amazing prize. Organisers of Bath Christmas Market, Bath Tourism Plus, are very excited to be working with Canterbury Travel in offering visitors to this year’s market the chance to win a family trip to meet Santa in Lapland prior to the big day!
The fantastic prize, provided by Canterbury Travel – who have been offering visits to Lapland for more than 30 years – is an ‘Enchanting Lapland Package’ day tour for a family of four and includes return flights from Bristol to Finnish Lapland (which is officially the home of Santa Claus!), a sleigh transfer from the airport grounds in Lapland to a countryside location, husky and reindeer sleigh rides, snowmobiling, tobogganing, a Snow Castle visit and a private family meeting with Santa. The children receive a complementary gift from Santa too.
Entry to the competition is easy – simply upload a picture of yourself or your family enjoying a day at Bath Christmas Market to the event’s Facebook page. Details and instructions will be available at the market and online atbathatchristmas.co.uk.
Opening Night Lantern Procession
Bath Christmas Market, together with the Holburne Museum, will be celebrating light at the darkest time of the year with their annual lantern procession on the Market’s opening evening – 28th November.
Join in or watch the dazzling spectacle of hundreds of hand-made withy and tissue lanterns being carried through the streets of Bath to the sound of a world music beat. Artists, school children and community groups have created stunning lanterns inspired by the seasonal theme of ‘Feast’.
The procession will set off from the Holburne Museum at 5pm and trace a path down Great Pulteney Street and through The Bath Christmas Market.
To sum up, Bath Christmas Market is the one festive event in the area not to be missed. Imagine warming your hands around a steaming cup of mulled wine, and browsing hundreds of unique, local and handmade goods, while the smell of roasting nuts, and the sound of carols surround you – all in the shadow of Bath’s stunning Abbey, and next to the famous Roman Baths… couple that with the chance of meeting Santa himself, and you have the perfect start to Christmas.
For more information about Bath Christmas Market, to download the event programme and to discover everything else Bath offers visitors this Christmas season, from ice skating to pantomime and from big brands to individual boutiques, see www.bathchristmasmarket.co.uk.
