Bournemouth's Christmas market is one of those fixtures that quietly fills the town centre every winter, and the 2026 edition is no different. It takes over The Square from Thursday 12 November right through to Sunday 31 December, turning the middle of town into something of an Alpine village, complete with wooden chalet stalls and seasonal lights. Entry to the market is free, as is admission to the main Festive Trail, which is handy if you're just popping in for a browse rather than committing to a full evening.
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The hours are worth knowing before you head down. Monday to Saturday the market runs from 11:00 to 20:00, and Sundays it closes an hour earlier at 19:00. The retail stalls pack up at those times, but the food stalls keep going until 22:00 every night, so the evening is the time to go if you're after dinner rather than gifts. On the food front, it's a proper spread: bratwurst, hog roast, loaded hot chocolate, Swiss-style raclette, vegan wieners, gluten-free bratwurst, Yorkshire pudding wraps, pizza, churros, crêpes, coffee and tea, with vegetarian and vegan options across the board.
The social heart of the whole thing is the Alpine Lodge Bar, which sits in the middle of the market and stays open daily from 11:00 to 23:00. It runs quiz nights, karaoke, bingo and live music, so it's as much a night out as a place for a drink. A few things are worth flagging before you go: table reservations are recommended on busy nights and weekends, children are welcome before 18:00 but the venue becomes over-18s after that, under-18s aren't allowed upstairs, and it's strictly cashless, so bring a card. Well-behaved dogs on a lead and assistance dogs are welcome in many of the outdoor areas, and dogs on a lead can go on the ground floor of the Alpine Lodge.
For gifts, the stalls lean local and festive: Cherry Tree Preserves, Butternut Box, Dorset Chilli, Viking Drinking Horns, Moswicks Wines and Spirits, Kohler Kusse, Olde English Fudge, personalised decorations, Festive Jumpers & Gifts, South Coast Makers Market and Star Baubles are all among the names you'll see. If you're a trader yourself, applications are open for the full six weeks, with a separate 'Best of BMTH' hut reserved for Bournemouth-based traders on a weekly basis.
If you want to make a proper day of it, the market sits alongside the rest of Bournemouth's Christmas line-up. The Festive Trail, billed as Christmas Tree Wonderland, runs from 12 November to 3 January and winds from the Lower Gardens down to the seafront, with a 300-tree Christmas Tree Maze, Santa's Express and Santa's Workshop. Nearby in the Lower Gardens, SKATE Bournemouth sets up the longest ice rink in the UK at 70 metres, open daily from 10:30 am until 3 January, with a £2 booking fee per transaction if you book ahead. Glow Golf runs from 12 November to 24 December, and the Moguls Alpine Bar next to the rink keeps the mulled drinks, hot chocolates, mulled wine and spiced cider flowing. Throw in the Kids Trail, Carols & Choirs, Xmas Characters, Let it Snow, rides and games and the Apres Hutte, and there's plenty to fill a whole afternoon. Accessible toilets are available in town centre, and Beryl Bikes has bicycles, e-bikes and e-scooters if you'd rather roll between the sites.
Published Date
14 October 2026
