Business Design Centre exterior, photographed in 2013

Countryside Christmas · 2026

Big Christmas fairs

A day built around gift shopping: compare the exhibitors, hall opening times and the journey before booking.

Photo: N Chadwick / CC BY-SA 2.0

Our verdict

Our pick

Choose the fair before the overnight stay

Pick one fair from the dated list below, then book a base on its arrival route. Treat any evening trail or house visit as a separate booking.

How we choose and check our guides

Choose your visit

Find the venues

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Good Housekeeping Live with Country Living Christmas Market

11–14 November 2026

09:30–17:00 each day

Islington’s Business Design Centre brings British makers, a food hall and gift shopping together with Good Housekeeping talks and demonstrations. Browse the artisan stalls first, then choose the sessions that suit your day. This is the confirmed 2026 Country Living Christmas Market within Good Housekeeping Live.

Tickets and timing

Select your visit day in advance. The FAQ lists Silver early bird £10.99 and standard £12.99; VIP early bird £35.99 and standard £50. Some main-stage sessions cost extra for Silver visitors. Check the live ticket basket for current availability.

Getting there

Angel Underground is the nearby station; the venue is on Upper Street, N1 0PW. The official visitor guide links prebookable parking at the Business Design Centre. Plan onward bus or taxi travel if arriving at King’s Cross or St Pancras.

Accessibility

Lifts connect the venue and accessible toilets are available on each level. Wheelchair hire and a free eligible carer ticket should be arranged in advance. Guide dogs are welcomed. Children under 16 enter free with a paying adult, although the programme is aimed primarily at adults.

Official 2026 dates and booking

Stay nearby

Hilton London Angel Islington

Connected to the Business Design Centre on Upper Street, with a fitness room and Angel Underground nearby. Image shows the neighbouring venue setting, not the hotel.

Property information

Check prices on Booking.com

Plan a nearby London market visit

Olympia exterior, photographed in 2012
Photo: Robin Webster / CC BY-SA 2.0

Spirit of Christmas Fair

2–8 November 2026

Monday–Saturday 10:00–18:00; Thursday until 21:00; Sunday 10:00–17:00

Olympia’s large indoor fair is built for a proper Christmas shopping day: independent brands, artisan food and drink, creative workshops and tasting-stage sessions. Leave room in the itinerary for lunch and for a second look at the stalls that caught your eye.

Tickets and timing

Choose a day ticket. The organiser lists advance adult weekday tickets from £23 and weekend tickets from £24, plus a booking fee; confirm your basket total. Workshops and restaurant bookings may be separate. Eligible carers can request a free ticket.

Getting there

Kensington (Olympia), beside the venue, has London Overground and Southern services. Check TfL for Underground connections: District line service to Kensington (Olympia) is normally weekends only. Olympia’s current travel page says venue parking is for Blue Badge holders only and must be prebooked.

Accessibility

Olympia provides step-free facilities; contact the venue about wheelchair hire and individual requirements. Pets are not allowed except assistance and police dogs. Child tickets and carer eligibility are set out on the organiser’s ticket pages.

Official 2026 dates and booking

Stay nearby

Plan a nearby London market visit

The Ideal Christmas Show

26–29 November 2026

Thursday 10:00–20:00; Friday–Sunday 10:00–18:00

Previously called Ideal Home Show Christmas, this Olympia show mixes decorations, gift shopping, stage demonstrations and creative workshops. The Eat & Drink Festival runs alongside, giving a shopping trip a generous helping of food and drink.

Tickets and timing

Book for your chosen day through the organiser. Show-only and workshop-inclusive tickets are offered; consult the live basket for prices. Children under 15 have free admission with a paying adult, but still need the appropriate child ticket. Workshop and Santa activities can have separate requirements.

Getting there

Arrive at Kensington (Olympia) for the simplest rail approach, checking services before travel. West Kensington and Barons Court are alternative Underground stations. Follow Olympia’s current parking guidance: parking is restricted to Blue Badge holders and requires advance booking.

Accessibility

Accessible venue facilities include lifts; the event FAQ explains the eligible free carer ticket. Contact the organiser before booking if an activity needs specific access arrangements. Olympia does not admit ordinary pets.

Official 2026 dates and booking

Stay nearby

Plan a nearby London market visit

Great Yorkshire Showground setting, photographed in 2005
Photo: Martin Norman / CC BY-SA 2.0

The Great Yorkshire Christmas Fair

26–29 November 2026

Thursday–Saturday 09:30–17:00; Sunday 09:30–16:00

Hall 1 at the Great Yorkshire Showground gathers around 180 exhibitors for gifts, fashion and festive food. The 2026 layout moves the cafe and restaurant into Hall 2, making more room to browse. It is a straightforward indoor shopping day with free parking.

Tickets and timing

Online early bird tickets are £5, standard online £7 and on the door £9. A ticket is valid for any one day, rather than a timed arrival. Accompanied under-16s enter free.

Getting there

The showground is in Harrogate, HG2 8NZ, with free hardstanding parking and dedicated Blue Badge spaces. Harrogate station offers onward bus or taxi connections; the venue visitor page describes local bus options. Hornbeam Park is another rail option, with a longer onward walk or a prebooked taxi. Check current timetables.

Accessibility

Wheelchairs and mobility scooters are welcome. Buggies and pushchairs are not allowed inside the fair; a free buggy park and backpacks are offered. Pets are not admitted, apart from qualifying guide and assistance dogs.

Official 2026 dates and booking

Stay nearby

Plan a nearby York market visit

View across Three Counties Showground in August 2026, not Winter Glow
Photo: Philip Halling / CC BY-SA 2.0

Winter Glow at Three Counties Showground

20 November–31 December 2026, selected dates

Selected dates and activity-specific times; check the official opening table before booking

Winter Glow pairs a free-entry Christmas market with paid festive attractions at the Three Counties Showground. Make a day of browsing and food, then add an illuminated trail, skating or another booked activity if it suits your group. The market has a shorter season than the wider event: it runs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 20 November to 20 December, then daily from 21 to 24 December.

Tickets and timing

Entry to the market and parking are free. Light trail, skating, Santa and other attractions need separate tickets. Standard light-trail tickets use a selected date and arrival time; the organiser also offers an Anytime option. Check each attraction’s own ticket conditions.

Getting there

Use Three Counties Showground, Malvern, WR13 6NW. Parking is free. Great Malvern is the closest railway station identified by the showground; arrange your onward journey. The agricultural-show shuttle described on the venue’s general visitor page has not been confirmed for Winter Glow, so avoid relying on it.

Accessibility

The organiser offers sensory-friendly trail sessions at 16:15 on 27 November and 4, 11 and 18 December. Manual wheelchairs are permitted on the ice with the specific wheelchair ticket and accompanying assistant; electric wheelchairs cannot go onto the ice. Dog-friendly light-trail sessions are limited to 20–21 November, 14–17 December and 27–31 December, with dogs on short leads. Contact the event to check access for your chosen activity.

Official 2026 dates and booking

Stay nearby

Plan a nearby Worcester market visit

Before you book

Check the live booking calendar for your chosen event, including timed arrival, parking and any separate house admission. We avoid inferring a sell-out date from a previous season; availability is set by the organiser.