Dates
Saturday 3 December, 10am to 5pm
Sunday 4 December, 10am to 5pm
About this event
Uncover a feast of Victorian delights with familiar fictional characters, parades, carols, stalls, reindeer and lots of festive shopping.
All this with a guaranteed snowfall, framed by Rochester’s fairytale cathedral and castle.
There will be:
- a candle-lit parade
- an open air carol concert
- street performers
- reindeer
- characters from Dickens' much loved stories
- guaranteed snowfall with our snow machines.
See the full schedule of events for the weekend.
There's also a mix of shops, restaurants and period architecture to explore. Find out more about visiting Rochester.
Download a copy of the Dickensian Christmas Festival brochure.
Location
Rochester High Street
Address for SatNav: High Street, Rochester, ME1 1SW
Cost
It's free, just come along.
How to get there
Train
Rochester Station will be closed to allow for railway works on 3 and 4 December. There will be no trains running between Strood and Rainham.
Trains from London Victoria will terminate at Meopham. From there, a replacement bus service will take festival goers to Rochester.
Trains from other London stations will terminate at Strood, which is a ten minute walk away from Rochester High Street.
Those coming from the coast will need to depart the train at Rainham and use an express replacement bus service to Strood via the Medway Tunnel, avoiding traffic in Rochester, or use a normal bus replacement service.
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.
Parking
Park and ride
The park and ride service will operate between the times of 9am and 6pm (last bus leaving Rochester at 6pm). The service will operate double decked buses with disabled access facility.
Historic Dockyard, Chatham, ME4 4TA
Sat 3 and Sun 4 December
£1 per adult (children go free).
Blue Bell Hill Commuter Car Park, off Lord Lees Grove, ME5 9PE
Sat 3 December
Free park and ride service. However, there will be a parking fee of £2.40.
Sun 4 December
Free to park, but there will be a park and ride cost of £1 per adult. Children go free.
Car parking
There are a number of pay and display car parks in walking distance of the festival.
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.
Disabled access
If you're using a wheelchair and would like to visit the Rochester Christmas Market it's 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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