Grainger Market Announce Raft of Christmas Activities
The Grainger Market has announced its calendar of Christmas activities, with visitors able to enjoy additional opening days, winter craft markets and a variety of family-friendly entertainment taking place throughout the festive period.
Newcastle City Council, NE1 Bid and local traders, including those from the Grainger Market, have been working together to make Newcastle magical. Following the return of the Fenwick Christmas window and the Newcastle Christmas market, the Grainger Market will be offering a unique calendar of events and local traders to complete the Newcastle Christmas experience.
The Grainger Market is known as being home to traditional, independent businesses and this Christmas will be no different. Visitors will be able to purchase handmade festive wares from the likes of Geordie Gifts and Scented Melts, shoppers will be able to purchase high-quality turkey crowns from butchers who have served local communities for generations, and foodies are well-catered for with the Grainger Market’s extensive list of street food vendors. Visitors from far and wide are welcomed to shop items handmade and handpicked from a wide variety of exciting and unique traders.
Grainger Market will be open seven days a week leading up to Christmas, meaning the market will be open Monday to Saturday 9am – 5.30pm and Sunday 10am – 4pm for Christmas shopping, family activities and entertainment. The additional opening dates include:
- Sunday 26 November
- Sunday 3 December
- Sunday 10 December
- Sunday 17 December
- Sunday 24 December (10am to 1pm)
This year, the Grainger Market will also host a range of new local traders and artists running pop-ups and winter craft markets. The first event, which has been organised by the Newcastle University Business School and Creative Heritage Studios, will run for two days (November 24th and November 25th). The Grainger Arcade will welcome a vibrant mix of 17 local artists, designers and creatives selling hand crafted and locally produced gifts. A selection of these traders will be running free and family friendly workshops, including Maura Hawkes who will be offering a craft workshop and Goodness Gracious Green who will be teaching visitors how to mix hand creams.
And from Saturday, the weekend winter craft activities, led by local artists, will launch and run every Saturday and Sunday until 23 December. These activities will be suitable for all ages.
Santa’s Grotto will also be making a return to the Grainger Market this year. A popular event on alley 4 (units 158-160) allows kids to meet Santa, receive their first Christmas gift of the year and experience the magic of the season.
Tickets for this are still available at: https://www.hellofromsanta.co.uk/santasgrotto.
Throughout December, the Newcastle Christmas Market and the Grainger Market will feature a range of festive entertainment. Expect joyful performances, seasonal music and visits from Christmas characters wandering between Northumberland Street, Grainger Street and the Grainger Market, all aimed at making the holiday shopping experience in the city centre even more enjoyable.
Cllr Hay, Cabinet member for a Thriving City at Newcastle City Council, said: “We know there’s nowhere like Newcastle at Christmas, and I am delighted to see that our much-treasured Grainger Market is again at the heart of the city’s plans.
“We are committed to providing everyone in the city with access to first class events and activities, the majority of which are free of charge.
“The market really does provide the ideal place to not only enjoy the multitude of stalls and products on offer in a traditionally festive atmosphere, but also the entertainment and programme of winter arts and crafts running each weekend in the run up to Christmas, all led by local artists.
“I would encourage everyone to visit the market this Christmas, enjoy what’s on offer and also support the traders who call it home.”
For details of all events and activities in Newcastle this Christmas, including New Year’s Eve, visit www.newcastleschristmas.com
Image: Grainger Market Arcade at Christmas / Photo credit: Gardiner Richardson
