Colchester Christmas Market 2026: Date, Times and What to Expect

Colchester’s Christmas Market will return to the city centre this December, with dozens of stalls, live entertainment, food and festive activities planned for one of the biggest shopping weekends of the Christmas season.

The annual Colchester Christmas Market will take place on Sunday 6th December 2026, with the event running from 10am until 5pm.

Organised by Colchester Market and Colchester BID, the market will take over the pedestrianised High Street, with up to 80 stalls expected to line the city centre.

Entry to the event will be free.

Visitors can expect a mixture of independent traders and local businesses selling festive gifts, seasonal products and other goods, alongside street food and entertainment throughout the day.

There will also be live music and funfair rides, giving the event a family-friendly feel as Colchester gets into the Christmas spirit.

Christmas shopping and local traders

The market is expected to provide an opportunity for shoppers to pick up Christmas presents while supporting independent traders and businesses in the city.

Alongside the main High Street market, St Nicholas Square will also feature young entrepreneurs, giving younger traders the chance to showcase their products and sell directly to the public.

That means visitors will have plenty of opportunity to find something a little different from the usual high-street Christmas gifts.

A second Christmas market at the Town Hall

The festivities won't be limited to the High Street.

On the same day, Colchester Town Hall's Moot Hall will host its own Christmas Gift Market.

The indoor market is scheduled to run from 10am until 4pm, with around 40 stalls featuring handcrafted and locally sourced gifts, artisan products and food.

Both markets are free to enter, meaning visitors can make a full day of Christmas shopping and festive entertainment in the city centre.

More festive events coming to Colchester

The Christmas Market is just one part of Colchester's wider festive programme for 2026.

The city's Christmas celebrations begin earlier in November, with the Colchester Christmas Light Switch-On Parade taking place on Saturday 14th November.

The parade is due to begin at 5pm, starting at the Mercury Theatre before making its way through the High Street.

A Christmas ice rink is also scheduled to open at Culver Square on the same day as the lights switch-on, while the Mercury Theatre will be staging its Christmas pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, from November.

For families looking for something to do in the run-up to Christmas, the city will therefore have a packed programme of festive events stretching through November and December.

When is the Colchester Christmas Market?

The main Colchester Christmas Market will take place on:

Sunday 6th December 2026
10am – 5pm
Colchester High Street and St Nicholas Square
Free entry

Up to 80 stalls are expected on the High Street, with a further 40 stalls at the Moot Hall Christmas Gift Market inside Colchester Town Hall.

With festive food, live music, entertainment, funfair rides and plenty of opportunities for Christmas shopping, the event is expected to bring plenty of visitors into the city centre for the day.

Further details, including the full list of traders and the entertainment programme, are expected to be announced closer to the event.

Actual Radio will bring you further updates as more details of Colchester's Christmas celebrations are released.