Leicester Christmas Market

Leicester’s Christmas programme brings a market, an ice rink and the city’s Christmas lights into the centre, with the switch-on traditionally held at the Clock Tower, the city’s central landmark. The market has moved between several squares in the centre over the years.

Why there are no dates here yet

Leicester is a good example of how dates drift online. One widely repeated listing gives the market as Thursday 14 November to Sunday 29 December — the weekdays those dates fell on in 2024. Another gives the switch-on as 17 November, which was a Sunday in 2024 but is a Tuesday in 2026. Other listings offer 2026 dates that are explicitly estimates. Leicester City Council has not yet announced the 2026 programme, so we are waiting.

What to expect

Based on recent years: a city-centre market of seasonal food, drink and gifts, a Christmas lights switch-on at the Clock Tower, outdoor skating, and Santa’s grotto.

Getting there

Leicester station is about ten minutes’ walk from the Clock Tower, with fast trains from London St Pancras, Sheffield and Nottingham.

Make a day of it

Leicester Cathedral is where Richard III was reburied in 2015, and the King Richard III Visitor Centre beside it tells the story of how his remains were found under a car park nearby. The National Space Centre is a short bus ride north.

When will we know?

We are checking the official source weekly and will update this page the day the dates are confirmed. In the meantime, our What’s open? tool shows the markets that have confirmed dates for any day you’re travelling.

When the dates are confirmed, dress for standing still outdoors in the cold — see our guide to what to wear.