Rochester Christmas Market

Dates

The Rochester Christmas Market will be held from 11am to 6pm on:

Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 November
Friday 2, Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 December
Friday 9, Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 December

On the 3 and 4 December, the Rochester Christmas Market will be open from 10am to 7pm and forms part of the Dickensian Christmas Festival, which gets extremely busy. If you wish to visit the market only, we recommend you allow extra time for your visit.

About this event

Set in the picturesque castle gardens, there’s truly something for everyone.

You'll find:

  • over 100 stalls selling Christmas decorations, handmade and personalised gifts, stocking fillers, jams and pickles, British cheeses, mulled wine, artisan chocolate and more
  • live entertainment on the bandstand
  • traditional funfair
  • a craft fair
  • Bavarian food village including German Bratwurst sausages, Hog Roast and churros
  • fully-licensed bar
  • guaranteed snowfall with our snow machine

As the Christmas market is set in historic Rochester there’s also a mix of shops, restaurants and period architecture to explore. Find out more about visiting Rochester.

Location

The market is located in Rochester Castle Gardens.

Address for SatNav: Rochester Castle Gardens, Castle Hill, Rochester, ME11SW


Cost

It's free entry to the Christmas market.

The funfair rides will have their own charges. On Fridays, they will only cost £1 each.

How to get there

Train

The market is just a two minute walk from Rochester’s new train station. Frequent services run direct from London. Check South Eastern's website for more information.

Bus

There are many local buses that will drop you near the event, visit our bus services page for more information.

Car parking

There are a number of pay and display car parks in walking distance of the Rochester Christmas Market.

Coach parking

If your organising a coach to visit the festival or market, it's essential that you book your parking in advance. For details and to book, call 01634 333 433 or email us.

Entrances

The castle gardens has three entrances:

  • The main entrance on Epaul Lane, which you will arrive at when approaching from Rochester Train Station and Rochester High Street
  • The Esplanade entrance, which has steps, so we don't advise using this if you’re in a wheelchair or using a pushchair
  • Bakers Walk, which is to the right of the Castle when looking at it from The Esplanade. We advise you use this entrance if you are a disabled badge holder.

Disabled access

If you're using a wheelchair the Rochester Christmas Market is best accessed by the castle gardens entrance on Baker’s Walk.

Disabled toilets

Disabled toilets are available in the Castle Gardens, Northgate, Rochester Community Hub (Changing Places toilet) and in the Corn Exchange.

Disabled parking

If you have a disabled (blue) badge the nearest parking spaces are on The Esplanade.

If these parking spaces are full, all of Medway Council’s other car parks in Rochester also have disabled parking.

 

 

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