Christmas in Wales – 10 Events to get you in to the Festive Spirit

With Christmas only a few weeks away you may be thinking about a Christmas shopping trip, a day out ice skating in the open air or an evening at the pantomime.

With lots of festive food and drink fairs, along with arts and crafts, there’s plenty of Christmas cheer to be had at various locations around Wales. Here are 10 of the best, in date order:

Cardiff Christmas Market

15 November – 23 December

Cardiff Christmas Market offers a number of stalls featuring high quality bespoke gifts with the chance to commission bespoke personalised gifts. Keep warm with a glass of mulled wine or choose from a selection of whisky, wines, fruit and cream liqueurs, fresh hot pancakes and delicious hand made chocolates.

Llandeilo Christmas Festival

22 – 25 November

The only reason you need to visit this festival is that it contains the ’Heavenly Chocolate festival’, so prepare yourself for an exciting winter festival in Llandeilo. It will be the first opportunity to try our Christmas “Rudolf” ice cream made with carrots. The Food Hall will be open for delicious tastings of wonderful Welsh dairy, meat, cheese, beer and many other foods that we make so well.

Swansea’s Christmas street market

23 November – 16 December

Go along to Swansea’s Christmas street market with plenty of stalls offering food, drink, crafts and much much more! The streets will be lined with traditional wooden cabins, and a speciality German food quarter too!

Royal Welsh Winter Fair

26 – 27 November

Packed with livestock showing off the best of British farming in the heart of rural Wales. The Royal Welsh Winter Fair also has hundreds of trade stands tempting you with festive gifts.

Betws-y-Coed Christmas

1 – 2 December

Betws-y-Coed will be coming alive to celebrate Christmas in style. There’ll be entertainment for all the family, including Father Christmas, a candlelit lantern procession, seasonal music, fireworks and a Santa Dash, along with late night opening in Betws-y-Coed’s unique collection of independent shops and galleries.

Cardiff: Taste Christmas Fayre

8 – 9 December and 15 – 16 December

Wales Millennium Centre launches its second Taste Christmas Fayre, bringing together creative craft-makers and producers from around Wales. With something for all the family with Welsh food and craft stalls at the Christmas market, free live performances, workshops and children’s activities; plus, food and drink events at ffresh Bar and Restaurant.

Abergavenny Christmas Food & Drink Fair

9 December

A foodie festival stuffed full of small scale producers who are ‘big on taste’. Experience the festive food as well as picking up tips from top-notch food experts

National Botanic Garden’s Christmas Craft and Food Fair

10 – 11 December

In the Great Glasshouse you can find something for everyone! From hampers and honey, beef and beer; to leatherwork, lovespoons; painting, pottery and paula shells.

Wrexham Christmas Market

13 December

Set in the picturesque part of Wrexham, Wrexham Christmas Market overflows with 70 stalls offering a selection of art and crafts and a selection of local produce.

Bryngarw House: A Victorian Christmas

15 – 16 December

Travel back in time and have a Victorian Christmas at Bryngarw House. With traditional Victorian fairground rides including a carousel, swing boats, coconut shy, stalls and barrel organ.

If you need accommodation for any of these events, you can search and book luxury, festive holiday cottages in Wales with Best of Wales.