Beverley’s Festival of Christmas will return to the town in December to mark its 30th anniversary, with organisers planning a one-day event featuring more than 120 stalls, a parade and entertainment across the centre.
The festival will take place from 10am to 4pm on 13 December, occupying Saturday Market, North Bar Within and Wednesday Market, with links to Flemingate Shopping Centre. It is promoted as the UK’s largest one-day yuletide market and is expected to attract visitors to East Yorkshire from across the country.
A major date for traders
Organised by East Riding of Yorkshire Council, the event will bring together sellers offering seasonal gifts, food and drink, arts, crafts and local produce. The market also provides visitors with an opportunity to shop with independent businesses in Beverley during the Christmas trading period.
North Bar’s Georgian Quarter will again be used to showcase East Yorkshire businesses and traders, with a particular focus on local producers. The council has described the festival as an important date for businesses and traders, while presenting it as a significant event in the region’s tourism calendar.
- More than 120 stalls will sell seasonal gifts and local treats.
- The event will run from 10am until 4pm.
- Market areas include Saturday Market, North Bar Within and Wednesday Market.
- The parade will begin at 10am and finish in Saturday Market.
Parade to open the celebrations
The annual parade will set off at 10am, moving through Wednesday Market and Toll Gavel before ending in Saturday Market. Entertainment will include Santa and his reindeer, providing the opening focus for a programme intended to draw visitors through the different parts of the town centre.
The event is sponsored by The Beverley Arms, which is part of hospitality company Thwaites. The hotel’s involvement comes as the festival seeks to combine shopping and entertainment with the wider range of hospitality and independent business activity available in Beverley.
“Beverley Festival of Christmas is our flagship tourism event for East Yorkshire and is an important date in the calendar for businesses and traders.”
Councillor Nick Coultish, cabinet member for culture, leisure and tourism at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said the authority looked forward to welcoming visitors from across the UK and was confident the festival would provide a boost to the local visitor economy.
Hospitality and local identity
Rick Bailey, executive chairman at Thwaites, said the company was pleased to support the festival and highlighted festive dining and winter stays being developed at The Beverley Arms. He said the event celebrated Beverley and the wider area, while representing an opportunity to welcome people to the town during the festive period.
The festival’s spread across several established market areas means its anniversary programme will be closely connected to the existing shape of Beverley’s centre. For residents, the event offers a concentrated day of shopping, food, drink and entertainment. For traders and hospitality businesses, it places the town in front of a large visiting audience at a key point in the Christmas season.
| Event detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | 13 December |
| Opening hours | 10am–4pm |
| Locations | Saturday Market, North Bar Within and Wednesday Market |
| Stalls | More than 120 |
With the festival reaching its third decade, the return will place Beverley’s food, craft and independent retail offer at the centre of a major regional Christmas event. Visitors will be able to move between the market areas, Flemingate and the parade route as the town hosts its latest anniversary edition.
