The annual Lincoln Christmas Market will open to visitors at 12pm on December 6, with both poplar favourites and new stalls and attractions for all the family.
The market, now in its 29th year, will kick off on Thursday with an earlier open, giving residents only more time to browse stalls before visitors are invited on Friday, through until December 9.
At 6.30pm, the market will be officially declared open on the steps of Lincoln Cathedral by the Mayor of Lincoln, Councillor Karen Lee, followed by a special Christmas blessing delivered by the Dean of Lincoln Cathedral.
After this finishes, crowds will be entertained with a performance by the Schuhplattler Gruppe, a lederhosen-clad group that have performed in the UK for 23 years, occasionally even featuring on hit TV shows.
Thursday: 12pm to 9.30pm Friday: 10am to 9.30pm Saturday: 10am to 9.30pm Sunday: 10am to 7pm
One way system map
The Lincoln Christmas Market will once again host a one-way system to help keep the crowds moving. This year, a new system has been imposed to accommodate for more stalls and a higher expected attendance over the four days.
There are six entrances to the market too, making it accessible from whichever part of the city you come from. Click to enlarge map.
Park & Ride and road closures
If you are found parking within the Market perimeter without a permit, you will be issued a fine by Lincolnshire County Council’s Parking Wardens.
A number of road will be closed or temporarily blocked while the market is underway. Residents will have already received a parking and access pass if within the restricted area. For additional passes or business passes, visit City Hall or the Visitor Information Centre in Castle Hill with proof of address.
There is no parking in the vicinity of the Christmas Market so all cars should use the dedicated Christmas Market Park and Ride service which operates from the Lincolnshire Showground on the A15 just north of Lincoln. The park and ride site will be well sign posted on all approach roads and for those using a sat nav the postcode is LN2 2NA. There is also a dedicated service for people with disabilities, using specially adapted vehicles which also runs from the showground.
All buses drop off close to the Museum of Lincolnshire Life.
An advance ticket for Park & Ride is £12 and can be booked from Bradsons.
Park & Ride prices
Thursday: £12 per car
Friday: £13 per car
Saturday: £15 per car
Sunday: £14 per car
Bus routes diversions
Due to the annual Lincoln Christmas Market on 6, 7, 8 and 9 December, diversions will be on place on the following services: 7, 8, 11, 12 17, 18 & 103.
Bus Stops on Church Lane, Newport, Northgate and Nelltham Road will not be served.
Traffic delays are likely to occur.
Trains and buses to Lincoln Christmas Market
East Midlands trains will provide extra carriages on a number of services between Nottingham and Lincoln and in Lincolnshire on Friday and Saturday. It also plans to run a number of additional services between Nottingham and Lincoln throughout the day on Friday and Saturday.
There is a regular Stagecoach bus service that will take you directly to the Christmas Market. Fares to the Market cost just £1.50 for a single journey and £2.50 for a return journey, with the fares being half price for children. Alternatively you can use your Lincoln PlusBus ticket if you have arrived in Lincoln by train. Buses to the Lincoln Christmas Market run regularly from Lincoln City Bus Station Stand B, which is just around the corner from the railway station.
There will be 280 different stalls to browse, all offering a variety of items. Around a quarter of the stalls at this year’s market will be from Lincolnshire.
Due to the history of the market, German crafts, food and drink will be aplenty, while you could also pick up quirky gifts for children, from bubble machines to traditional wooden toys.
For adults, there’s plenty to treat yourself or loved ones to, such as fine jewellery and bags, wools for the winter months, home furnishings among much more.
Stalls can be located in the Castle Grounds or around Lincoln Cathedral, but there are also a number of marquees around the market offering different items, like a craft tent, Christmas Party tent, kids’ marquee and a bazaar.
At the start of the market, you can pick up a brochure for £1 in a number of shops and locations in uphill Lincoln which will details where different stalls are located.
Food and drink
Like any good Christmas market, Lincoln’s offering will provide you with plenty of great tastes as you browse.
To stay warm while you walk, you can pick up a classic mulled wine from a number of catering stalls, or for something sweeter a Bailey’s Hot Chocolate (or without the Bailey’s for the kids).
For food, expect to pick up snacks such as roasted chestnuts, or for a treat there are plenty of baked goods. There’s always a currywurst to test out, or classic fish and chips for dinner.
Many stalls will also be stocking food to take home, from locally made pork pies to tasty biscuit selections, or cheese and wine stalls.
Head on over to the Castle Square to visit the main food court.
Entertainment
If you want to take a break from stalls, there is plenty of entertainment on offer to help you unwind.
A new focal point will be a stage set up at St Paul in the Bail to host a continuous programme of entertainment, mainly from The Chapterhouse Theatre Company, who will perform A Christmas Carol and St Nicholas throughout the day.
Bishop Grosseteste University will also give a number of performances, including Seasonal Shakespeare.
The Lindsay Rural Players offer panto-style performances.
Seasonal songs will be performed by Phil Gray while the Salvation Army Band will bring a traditional feel to proceedings. The Showroom, Broadbent Singers, Newlife Choir and Boston Grammar School Jazz Band complete a varied line-up on stage.
Victorian gentlemen will be handing out mistletoe in the Bailgate, courtesy of Chapterhouse Theatre Company — and the same period theme is the setting for Bird&Bee and their Harmony machine in the shadows of the cathedral.
The kids craft tent will also keep children entertained, where for £2 4-9-year-olds can enjoy making Christmas crackers, cards or tree hangings, courtesy of Ruddocks.
There are also plenty of fairgorund attractions to enjoy, such as a ferris wheel, bumper cars and a merry-go-round.
The Da Capo Singers promise to add to the atmosphere created by the backdrop of the Cathedral when they perform in Exchequergate.
Other
Please note dogs are not permitted at Lincoln Christmas Market, except guide dogs.
There are a number of campsites in operation around the city for those wishing to camp during the event. For a list of sites and contact details, click here.
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The 2024 Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards are now open for nominations, seeking to spotlight outstanding businesses within the Greater Lincolnshire area.
Hosted by Stonebow Media, the publisher behind The Lincolnite and the MyLocal platform, this prestigious event is designed to honour the achievements of the regional business community.
Thanks to the headline sponsorship from the University of Lincoln Enterprise & Research department, the Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards are a unique opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of local enterprises.
The awards are also sponsored by Ringrose Law, Duncan & Toplis, Sills & Betteridge and Pearson Hydraulics. A small number of sponsorship opportunities remain available. Contact [email protected] to discuss partnerships.
Businesses can nominate themselves across eleven awards categories:
The deadline for nominations is May 24, with the judges’ deliberation lunch set for May 29.The judging panel includes business experts and professionals from Lincolnshire and event sponsors.
The Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards 2024 gala will take place at the Engine Shed on July 12, 2024.
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A Lady Gaga loving kitten owned by a couple who run a charity for disabled pets featured on Channel 5’s The Pet Psychic.
Pet Psychic Beth Lee-Crowther comes to the aid of pet owners and in Tuesday night’s episode she met Cookie the kitten, a depressed camel, and looked at whether a dog can predict the future.
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