The 35th annual Lincoln Christmas Market will officially open for visitors on Thursday, December 7.
With around 250,000 people expected to descend on the historic uphill quarter of the city for a festive weekend of food, drink, gifts and entertainment, The Lincolnite has brought you a superguide with all the information you need for the market.
Lincoln’s traditional Christmas market is one of the oldest in the UK
The famous Lincoln Christmas Market takes place over the first full weekend (From Thursday to Sunday) in December in Lincoln’s Cathedral Quarter.
There are more than 200 stalls this year nestled in and around Lincoln Castle, Cathedral, and The Lawn complex.
There is something for everyone, from unusual gifts to food and drink from near and far.
There is also a whole host of entertainment for all the family to enjoy.
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Don’t miss the Medieval Christmas Market at the Medieval Bishops’ Palace, and the Christmas Artists’ Village at St Martin’s Square for more unique, festive markets during the weekend.
From its beginnings in 1982, with just 11 stalls, the German-inspired Christmas market now takes over most of the cultural quarter of the city, with festivities expanding cross the wider area.
Stalls include hand-made crafts, gifts, jewellery, candles, toys, art, local produce, food and drink.
Robust security is in place throughout the weekend to ensure visitor safety. This will include armed police.
There will be two rings of road restrictions surrounding the market this year. The inside ring will be out of bounds to all traffic and will be blocked by manned vehicles.
Police will be using drones and CCTV to monitor the crowds at the market this year.
Park and Ride
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 signposted on all approach roads and for those using a sat nav the postcode is LN1 2ZR. 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.
A vehicle carrying 8 to 15 people is classed as a mini bus and the fee for per vehicle is £25
The service is on a fill and go basis and/or a frequency of every 7 minutes, whichever is sooner. Timings may be subject to variation subject to weather conditions and numbers of visitors.
Operating times:
Thursday, December 1: 11.30am – 10pm
Friday, December 2: 9am – 10pm
Saturday 5 December: 9am – 10pm
Sunday 6 December: 9am – 7:30pm
Layout
Click or tap to enlarge the layout for this year’s Lincoln Christmas Market.
Zones
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Castle Hill & Lincoln Castle: Authentic German-themed stalls, arts, crafts and gifts.
The Lawn: The Christmas Bazaar, Christmas Pantry, and a huge variety of food and drink – including local produce and roasted nuts.
Westgate & Fairground: Craft Marquee, fairground rides, and The Big Wheel – a great way to see the whole historic area from up high.
Lincoln Cathedral West Front: Authentic wooden chalets with the Lincoln Cathedral as a backdrop.
Bus operators have scheduled extra services throughout the market weekend.
Shuttle buses will run from behind Lincoln Central Train Station. People can get on a bus at Tentercroft Street Bus Station (behind the train station) every 10 minutes. This service costs (adults) £1.20 single or £2.20 return, or 60p for a child’s single, £1.10 for a return ticket. For more information click or tap here.
A Walk and Ride Shuttle runs from both Silver Street and opposite the train station every 15 minutes. This service costs £1. This service will run from:
Thursday – 10am – 7pm
Friday – 10am – 7pm
Saturday – 10am – 7pm
Sunday – 10am – 5.30pm
Travelling by train
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
People travelling by train can visit Lincoln in style with a special steam train from London. The British Pullman Steam Train will leave London Victoria on Friday, December 8 at 8:10am and includes a welcome sparkling Bellini, a three-course brunch on the outward journey, a champagne reception back on board and a four-course dinner with half a bottle of wine per person on the return trip. The trip costs £435 per person. More information can be found here.
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Exciting news for MyLocal app users and The Lincolnite readers! Our latest update is now available to download from your app store and comes packed with the best local news experience you can enjoy.
Revamped News Feed: Enjoy faster loading times and smoother scrolling that make catching up on local news a breeze.
New Play Video Feed: Dive into a dynamic video feed that brings local stories to life in a whole new way.
Enhanced In-App Browser: Access external links quickly and efficiently, right from the app, without any distractions.
Update your MyLocal app from your app store (version 2.73) now and start enjoying these great new features today!
P.S.: Start your MyLocal membership today to support MyLocal and The Lincolnite deliver you a better local news experience and honest journalism from across Lincolnshire.
P.P.S.: We have some huge things in the pipeline, stay tuned!