Edinburgh's Christmas market in East Princes Street Gardens is one of the most searched-for in the UK. Last season it opened on Saturday 15 November 2025 and closed on Sunday 4 January 2026, open from 10am to 10pm on most days with shorter hours around Christmas Eve and Hogmanay. Entry was free; rides were ticketed.
Several travel guides already give dates for 2026 (mid-November to early January), but we haven't been able to confirm them with the organiser, so we list the market as expected. Check the official channels before you travel or plan stock.
Trading at a big city market
Pitches at Edinburgh's flagship market are allocated by the event operator, not through an open call that we could find. If you make or sell gifts in Scotland, the more realistic route is the smaller makers markets and craft fairs that run across the city and the Lothians in December, often announced only a few weeks ahead on social media.
Before you say yes to any December pitch:
- Add up every cost: pitch fee, travel, parking, stock and time. Compare it with your takings at previous markets.
- Plan for long days in the cold. Seven weeks of 12-hour days is beyond most solo makers; a weekend market may make more sense.
- Give people a way to buy later. Many visitors are tourists who won't carry a big purchase home. A QR code that opens your catalogue with prices lets them order after they get back.
More tips: where to sell handmade items and our market day checklist. To see which markets are on near you in the month you pick, use the Mercader market finder.