This is when Harrogate Christmas Market will take place with 80,000 visitors

The Harrogate Christmas Market is always hugely popular on Montpellier Hill.

The Christmas season starts officially this week in Harrogate with one of Harrogate’s most popular events of the entire year, so much so it attracts coach loads of shoppers from all over the north of England.

The eighth Harrogate Christmas Market will be launched thisThursday, the same night as the big Christmas lights switch-on, though this year the switch-on will have a new location.

Located at the bottom of Montpellier Hill on a patch of the Stray which has survived the recent UCI cycling event, last year’s Harrogate Christmas Market drew an estimated 80,000 visitors over its four-day run and 142 pre-booked coaches.

This year’s Christmas Market boasts 200 stalls offering the best of Yorkshire food and drink from a variety of stalls offering Christmas gifts of all types made in or near Yorkshire.

New shop to open in HarrogateThe family entertainment includes a funfair with eight different rides which will operate each day.

Santa and his reindeer will be there for younger children, whilst buskers and local musical talent will play Christmas music most of the time.

The lights on the trees will be lit down Montpellier Hill and on St Mary’s Walk and bars and restaurants open in the beautiful Montpellier Quarter.

The market’s opening hours are Thu-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat 9.30am to 8pm, Sun 9.30am to 5.30pm.

As for the big Harrogate Christmas lights switch-on, it will take place this Thursday on Oxford Street with late night opening and fun attractions.

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