Christmas in Bournemouth 2026 dates: 12 Nov to 3 Jan

The Christmas in Bournemouth 2026 dates are now confirmed: the event opens on Thursday 12 November 2026 and closes on 3 January 2027, according to the organisers' website. The market stalls in Bournemouth Square close earlier, on 31 December. Entry is free, with a few ticketed attractions that can be booked ahead.

When we wrote about the season in September, the dates were projections based on previous years. The organisers, Alpine Christmas Markets, have since published the calendar, and the 2026 carol schedule beginning on Thursday 12 November confirms the year.

What are the Christmas in Bournemouth 2026 dates?

• Opening day: Thursday 12 November 2026.
• Market stalls close: Thursday 31 December 2026.
• Season closes: Sunday 3 January 2027.

The organisers describe the event as locally run. The address they give is Bournemouth Square and the Lower Gardens, postcode BH2 6ED.

What opens on 12 November?

The event comes in three parts, all opening for the season:

• Bournemouth Christmas Market in the Square, which the organisers bill as their largest yet, with over 40 traders. The market page says the 2026 trader list is "coming soon".
• The Festive Trail in the Lower Gardens: lights, animated displays, a real Christmas Tree Walkway and the attractions along it.
• SKATE Bournemouth, the open-air ice rink in the Lower Gardens.

The Alpine Lodge, the two-storey bar in the market, opens with it. The first free performances on the Square stage are on opening night, with Sing People Sing listed at 6pm and 7pm.

What is free and what needs booking?

Walking the market and the trail costs nothing and needs no ticket, the organisers say. The ticketed attractions, bookable in advance, are:

• ice skating at SKATE Bournemouth
• Glow Golf, the Christmas mini golf in the gardens
• the Christmas Tree Maze
• Story Time with Santa in Santa's Workshop
• booths and tables in the Alpine Lodge

The organisers' FAQ warns that some ticketed sessions sell out, that tickets on the day are only sold where there is space, and that arriving late may lose a slot. Ticket prices for 2026 are not listed in what we have seen; check each attraction's page before you go.

Daily hours

The market opens daily from 11am. The market page lists stalls closing at 8pm (7pm on Sundays) and food stalls open until 10pm. The Alpine Lodge keeps later hours, though its own page and the FAQ differ, so check before a late visit. The organisers also say the event carries on in most weather because it is outdoors, and that the market is card and contactless only.

What happens after 31 December?

The market stalls close on New Year's Eve, but the season runs on to 3 January. The organisers have not published, in what we have read, exactly which attractions stay open in those last three days, or the opening on 25 and 26 December. We will update this piece when they do.

What it means for a visit

Six weeks is a long season, and the weekday evenings in November are the easiest time for the ticketed attractions. December weekends and the school holidays are when the rink and the Santa sessions fill first, the organisers say. Our Christmas itinerary sets out a day in order, the Bournemouth Guide's Christmas guide covers the wider town, and the market's event page keeps the listing. For a long stay over the holidays, winter in Bournemouth covers the rest of the season.

The Flexiestays angle

Flexiestays' hotels are on the West Cliff, about ten minutes on foot downhill to the Square and the Lower Gardens, so the market and the rink are a walk rather than a drive. Self check-in suits a late finish after the lodge, and booking serviced apartments in Bournemouth direct on flexiestays.com costs less than the big platforms. Longer stays over Christmas and New Year include bills.