Knaresborough Christmas Market: 5-6 Dec, Fireworks 4.30pm

Knaresborough Christmas Market returns on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December, and the organisers have now put the visitor details on their website. Entry is free, the stalls open from 10am to 5pm on both days, and the weekend ends with fireworks over the viaduct at 4.30pm on the Sunday.

The market is centred on the Market Place. The organisers’ own guide says there are festive events across the rest of the town too, so leave time to explore.

The weekend at a glance

The entertainment programme on the site has its time slots set out for both days, but the acts have not been filled in yet. We will update this page when they are.

The fireworks

The Sunday listing names the display as a firework finale by Ferrensby Fireworks, from 4.30pm. The organisers say it is best seen from the Castle Top or anywhere along the riverside by the viaduct. It lasts about ten minutes, which they flag for pet owners.

Getting there

The organisers strongly advise using the park and ride, because roads near the Market Place are closed and parking close by is limited.

• Park and ride: free all weekend from the GSPK car park on Manse Lane, HG5 8LF, to Chapel Street next to the Market Place. The buses are single deckers with the usual wheelchair and pushchair access.
• Paid parking: Chapel Street, Fisher Street and York Place.
• Train: Northern runs trains to Leeds every 30 minutes and to York every hour, according to the market’s Saturday listing.
• Bus: regular buses from Harrogate stop at the bus station next to the Market Place.
• Coaches: drop off at the designated bay on Chapel Street. The bus station cannot be used by tourist coaches, the coach party page says.

Coming from Harrogate by car, our Harrogate roadworks page lists what is closed on the way.

Bring cash

This is the practical point most likely to catch people out. Most stalls take cards, but the organisers say there are only two cash machines in the town centre and they can run out:

• Sainsbury’s Local, by the bus station
• Tesco Express, on the High Street

There is a third at the Co-op petrol station, HG5 8LH, close to the park and ride car park on Manse Lane. The town’s Banking Hub will not be open over the market weekend this year, the organisers say.

Also on that weekend

• Christmas Tree Festival at St John’s Church. The market’s guide to the festival describes more than 70 trees decorated by local groups and businesses. Entry is free. A £5 programme raises money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, Harrogate Homeless Project and Save the Children. The guide lists opening hours of 10am to 5pm on Saturday and 12pm to 4pm on Sunday. The church is across the railway from Kirkgate, down from the Market Place.
• Mother Shipton’s Cave Christmas experience. The organisers note that it must be booked online in advance.

What it means for you

• Put 5 and 6 December in the diary. Entry is free both days.
• Use the park and ride from Manse Lane rather than trying to park in the centre.
• Bring cash. Two town-centre machines serve the whole weekend, and the Banking Hub is shut.
• For the fireworks, be at the castle or the riverside before 4.30pm on the Sunday.
• If you want a stall, applications close at the end of October. We set out the pitch prices and what is left in August.

Harrogate BID’s documents list a Christmas market in Valley Gardens on the same weekend, 5 and 6 December. Our Harrogate Christmas Market page has what is confirmed there so far.