Rochester Christmas Market & Dickensian Festival

Rochester runs its Christmas market in the gardens of Rochester Castle, beneath the great Norman keep and a stone’s throw from the cathedral — one of the oldest in England. It is not a daily market: it runs over three weekends only, which is the single most important thing to know before you go.

Weekends only

For 2026 the market opens on Friday 27 November and closes on Sunday 13 December, trading on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays across three consecutive weekends: 27–29 November, 4–6 December and 11–13 December. Arrive on a Tuesday and the gardens will be empty. Opening times differ from day to day; Medway Council lists each one on its Christmas in Rochester page.

The Dickensian Christmas Festival

On the middle weekend — 5 and 6 December — Rochester stages its Dickensian Christmas Festival. The High Street fills with costumed characters, carol singers, bell ringers, parades and street theatre, and the town turns itself into a Victorian Christmas card. Dickens knew Rochester well; he lived nearby at Gad’s Hill and the town appears again and again in his novels, so the festival is not an arbitrary theme. It is free to attend and it is the weekend to choose if you only come once.

What’s at the market

Over 120 stalls, a Bavarian village of food and drink, live entertainment and a family funfair. Entry is free.

Getting there

Rochester station is a few minutes’ walk from the High Street and the castle, with fast trains from London. On festival weekend the town is extremely busy and roads are closed — the train is by far the easier option.

Make a day of it

You can climb Rochester Castle’s keep for views over the Medway, and the cathedral is free to visit. The High Street itself is one of the best-preserved historic streets in Kent, full of independent shops, antique dealers and cafés.