The magic of Christmas in Sheffield city centre 🎄

Revel in the sights and sounds of Christmas in Sheffield city centre

All kinds of festive encounters await you this year ❄️

Our pick of this year's very best festive events in Sheffield city centre. 


🎁 Sheffield Christmas Market 🎁

📅 Friday 18 November to Sunday 24 December

🕑 Sunday to Thursday, 10am until 6pm
🕑 Friday and Saturday, 10am until 8pm

📍 Fargate, Peace Gardens and The Moor

Sheffield welcomes back the ever-popular Christmas Market to the city centre. And, this year, there have been a few changes!

The Alpine Bar, usually located at the top of Fargate, moves to The Moor where it will be accompanied by a number of cabins and - drum roll please 🥁 - the Big Wheel! 🎡

The Alpine Lodge, the two-tier bar that first appeared in the city centre as part of last year's Christmas Market, returns to the Peace Gardens.

The heart of the city will once again become a browsers’ wonderland for all ages, as the market’s many log cabins and stalls will be filled with everything from traditional treats to one-off gifts and locally made luxuries. The Market will help you make it through your Christmas 2022 list in no time at all.

🖱️ For updates visit: Sheffield Christmas Market on Facebook


🎄 Christmas Lights Switch On 🎄

📅 Sunday 20 November

🕑 2pm – 6:30pm, with the Christmas Lights switched on at 6pm

📍 Fargate, Peace Gardens and The Moor

It’s impossible not to enter into the festive spirit when the city centre is adorned with Christmas lights.

Sheffield will turn the festive vibes up to 11 at the annual Christmas Lights Switch On event. The illuminations will officially be opened at 6pm, with a 'dual switch on' from Barkers Pool and Town Hall Square. There will be plenty of activities for visitors to enjoy including street entertainers, choirs and a festive faiground. With the Christmas Market offering a fantastic selection of festive food and drink and a chance to visit Father Christmas in his Grotto, there's sure to be something for everyone!  

Firework displays will follow the switch on and you’ll be able to see them from Barkers Pool, Pinstone Street, the Peace Gardens, Fargate, Surrey Street and Cambridge Street. 

🖱️ For the very latest on the Christmas lights switch on visit: Sheffield Events on Facebook


Wait, what’s that we hear? 🤫

“Ho Ho Ho” and the sound of bells and hooves can only mean one thing...Santa Claus is coming to town 🎜🎝🎜 Santa and his elves will be making making time in their very busy schedule to sprinkle some joy and merriment in Sheffield city centre.

You'll find Santa in his grotto at the edge of the Peace Gardens on Pinstone Street from 18 November right through until 24 December. What's on your Christmas wish list this year? Grotto doors open at 10am and stay open until 6pm on weekdays, 10am to 7pm on Saturdays and 11am to 6pm on Sundays.

🖱️ Take a trip to see Father Christmas as part of this year's Sheffield Christmas Market


🎅 The Sheffield Christmas Trail 🎅

📅 Saturday 26 November to Sunday 24 December

Brought to you by Sheffield BID, the Sheffield Christmas Trail features a mix of THREE festive activities to get you and your loved ones fully immersed into the spirit of Christmas 🎄  

🐻 Brearley Bear's Reindeer Round-Up 🐻

📅 Saturday 26 November to Sunday 24 December

Pick up a reindeer locator guide from Brearley Bear's Christmas HQ. Opening times between 26 November and Christmas Eve are:

🕑 Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10am to 5pm
🕑 Thursdays, 10am to 7pm
🕑 Fridays and Saturdays, 10am to 5pm
🕑 Sundays, 10am to 4pm

Please note Brearley's HQ will be closed on Monday, 5 December from 12 noon.

📍 Brearley Bear's Christmas HQ, Surrey Street, S1 2LH (Google Maps)

🎟️ This is a free activity

Christmas Day is coming and the big day is almost here. But what’s this? Oh no! All eight of Santa’s reindeers have broken free! 😲

Santa calls on his best friend Brearley Bear to help round them up and get them back to Santa so that he can deliver all the presents on time.

Take part in this free festive city centre activity and there's a free, special gift for every participating child.

🖱️ Brearley Bear's Reindeer Round Up 🐾


🦌 The Christmas Crooners 🦌

📅 Saturday 26 November to Sunday 24 December

🕑 Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5:30pm
🕑 Sunday, 10:30am to 4:30pm

📍 Atkinsons, The Moor, S1 3LT (Google Maps)

🎟️ This is a free activity

Head to the first floor of independent department store Atkinsons on The Moor to find our Christmas Crooners. Making their musical debut this year are our Nordic reindeer friends Eccy and Totsy 🎼

🖱️ The Christmas Crooners 🦌


🤶 Santa's Study 🤶

Santa's Study is open at weekends from Saturday 26 November, on Thursday afternoons and daily from w/c Monday 19 December.

📅 Saturdays from 26 November 🕑 10am to 5pm (4pm on Christmas Eve)
📅 Sundays from 27 November  🕑 11am to 4pm
📅 Thursdays from 1 December 🕑 4pm to 7pm
📅 Daily from Monday 19 December 🕑 10am to 5pm (7pm on Thursday and 4pm on Christmas Eve)

📍 Orchard Square, S1 (Google Maps)

🎟️ This is a free activity

Santa's Study is an immersive family experience set in the magical festive setting of Santa’s Study. Entry to Santa's Study is free and no admission ticket is required.

Enter our enchanted forest to reveal a fun, playful space with lots of funny details to be discovered when you enter Santa's warm and cosy study. After all, this is Santa’s study, where he comes to read and answer letters and do all his planning.

He’s quite busy at the North Pole at the moment, but he usually comes to visit his Study late at night to write and think.

Whilst Santa's away, the elves are on hand to provide a warm, festive welcome to children who want to come and write their letters to the Big Man himself 🎅

🖱️ Santa's Study 🤶


🎄 Christmas Tree Festival 🎄

📅 Tuesday 29 November to Monday 2 January 2023

📍 Sheffield Cathedral, Church Street, S1 1HA (Google Maps)

🎟️ This is a free activity

Sheffield Cathedral will be a real feast for the senses this winter. Head inside this historic space and you’ll discover the sight – and scent – of more than 30 Christmas trees. Local businesses, charities and schools have joined in the fun to each decorate a tree for this year's Christmas Tree Festival.

🖱️ For further details visit: Sheffield Cathedral


⛪ Sheffield Cathedral Illuminated: The Manger ⛪

📅 Tuesday 29 November to Sunday 4 December

📍 Sheffield Cathedral, Church Street, S1 1HA (Google Maps)

🎟️ Adults: £8 🎟️ Children aged 4-15: £6 🎟️ Children 3 and under: FREE

As evening falls, the Cathedral will play host to a magnificent sensory experience.

Following on from the fabulous 'The Beginning' in 2021, 'The Manger' is another light show that will immerse you in projections and music, as it brings to life the Nativity story in an unforgettable way.

Delight in the joy and wonder of Christmas as the Cathedral’s facade is transformed, and go inside to be immersed in a stunning sensory experience of light and sound, inspired by the Cathedral’s historic stained-glass windows.

🖱️ For further details and tickets visit: Sheffield Cathedral


📯 Wartime Christmas📯

📅 Saturday 10 December and Sunday 11 December

📍 National Emergency Services Museum, West Bar, S3 8PT (Google Maps)

🎟️ Adults: £9.50 🎟️ Children aged 3-15: £7.50 🎟️ Children 3 and under: FREE 🎟️ Family ticket (2 adults and 2 children or 1 adult and 3 children): £26.50 🎟️ Discounted tickets available for concessions, students, 999 staff, wheelchair users and support workers. 

Join the National Emergency Services Museum - recently named the UK’s best family friendly museum - as they turn the clock back 80 years. Step into a fabulous forties festive wonderland and join a whole host of costumed characters, living history interpreters and even Father Christmas for a truly traditional Christmas event.

🖱️ For further details and tickets visit: National Emergency Services Museum


If we've got you thinking about all things Christmas and planning your next trip, you may want to take a look at our full festive guide to what's on this Christmas in Sheffield city centre. Here you'll find crafts, fairs, markets, pantos, films, theatre, shopping and more!


Getting here

Whether your using public transport, cycling, walking or choosing to visit in the car, you'll find lots of useful information in our online guide to getting into and around the city centre.