Edinburgh Christmas Markets 2026: Dates, Hours, Prices and Hogmanay
Edinburgh's Christmas 2026 runs 14 November to 3 January in Princes Street Gardens, with free entry to the market, rides, the Polar Ice Bar and Hogmanay on 29 to 31 December. Dates, hours and prices.
What's on in Edinburgh: November 2026 · December 2026 · January 2027
Edinburgh’s Christmas runs from Saturday 14 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. The main market is in East Princes Street Gardens, open daily from 10:00 to 22:00 and free to walk into. The big wheel and the funfair sit in the same gardens, the Polar Ice Bar is a few minutes’ walk away on George Street, and Hogmanay takes over from 29 December. Everything is closed on 25 December.
Every date, hour and price below comes from the organiser’s own pages at edwinterfest.com, read on 12 November 2026. Where a page doesn’t print something, this page says so.
The 2026 dates at a glance
| What | Dates | Hours | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas market, East Princes Street Gardens | 14 November to 3 January | 10:00 to 22:00 daily | Free to enter |
| LNER Big Wheel | 14 November to 3 January | 10:00 to 22:00, last admission 21:30 | From £12 |
| Around the World Star Flyer | 14 November to 3 January | 10:00 to 22:00, last admission 21:30 | From £15.50 |
| Santa’s Stories, West Princes Street Gardens | 20 November to 24 December | Timed sessions | From £14.30 |
| Polar Ice Bar, 115 George Street | 19 November to 2 January | Timed sessions, 18+ | From £16.50 |
| Family Ice Experience, 115 George Street | 21 November to 3 January | Timed sessions | From £12 |
| La Clique Noël, Bristo Square | 20 November to 3 January | 16:30 and 19:30 | From £38 |
| Torchlight Procession | 29 December | 18:30 | From £22 |
| Night Afore Party with The Fratellis | 30 December | 18:00 | From £42 |
| Street Party, Princes Street | 31 December | 20:00 | From £10 |
| Hogmanay in the Gardens with Underworld | 31 December | 20:00 | From £79 |
The Polar Ice Bar page and the organiser’s season listing give slightly different start days, 21 November on the one and 19 November on the other. The listing’s 19 November is used here.
The market in East Princes Street Gardens
This is the one people mean by “the Christmas market.” It fills East Princes Street Gardens beside the Scott Monument, with the castle on its rock behind. The organisers call it free to enter, and the funfair rides in the next garden along are paid separately.
Hours are 10:00 to 22:00 every day, with these changes:
- 17 November: 16:00 to 22:00
- 24 December: 10:00 to 20:00
- 25 December: closed
- 26 December: 12:00 to 20:00
- 31 December: 10:00 to 17:00
- 1 January: 12:00 to 20:00
- 3 January: 10:00 to 20:00
The site is cashless. The organisers say it takes card payments only, so leave the notes at the hotel. The organisers’ FAQ says there’s no parking on site and that under-18s need a responsible adult with them after 20:00. The market stays open unless winds are dangerous.
Rides and the funfair
The LNER Big Wheel is in East Princes Street Gardens, from £12 a ticket, and the family ticket covers four people with a maximum of two adults. The Around the World Star Flyer, an 80 metre swing ride, starts from £15.50 and is for ages 12 and up by the organisers’ guideline. Riders need to be at least 1.2 metres tall, and anyone under 1.4 metres rides with a paying adult. The Helter Skelter and the Carousel are paid for at the ride.
The funfair is in West Princes Street Gardens, and it has its own hours. From 14 November to 6 December it runs Monday to Wednesday 12:00 to 20:00, Thursday and Friday 12:00 to 21:00 and Saturday and Sunday 10:00 to 21:00. From 7 to 18 December it’s 12:00 to 21:00 on weekdays and 10:00 to 21:00 at weekends. After that it’s 11:00 to 21:00 from 19 to 23 December, then shorter days around Christmas, and it’s closed on 25 December. The organisers print the full list on their visit page.
You can pay for any ride at the gate or book some of them ahead online. The ticket price for the funfair rides isn’t printed on the pages read for this guide.
Santa’s Stories
Santa’s Stories runs in West Princes Street Gardens, near the Ross Fountain, from 20 November to 24 December. It’s a 20-minute session for children from £14.30, and each child’s ticket includes a gift and a photo with Santa. Every child needs a ticket and an adult with them. Get there 10 minutes before your slot, since the organisers say walk-ups can’t be fitted into busy shows.
George Street: the Polar Ice Bar and the Family Ice Experience
Both ice attractions are in a temporary venue outside 115 George Street, near Charlotte Square. It’s west of the gardens, on the other side of Princes Street.
The Polar Ice Bar with Icelandair is for ages 18 and over. Sessions start every 30 minutes and tickets are from £16.50, including a drink plus the jacket and gloves you’ll need. The Family Ice Experience runs 21 November to 3 January for all ages, from £12 for 20 minutes. The organisers give the temperature inside as minus 8 to minus 10 degrees, say the jackets and gloves are provided, and note there are no refunds for finding it too cold. Children under 18 months don’t need a ticket but must be carried.
The Coorie Inn, also on George Street, is open daily from 12:00 to late from 19 November to 3 January. It’s closed on 25 December, and it shuts at 20:00 on 26 December and at 17:00 on 31 December. The price of entry isn’t published.
La Clique Noël
La Clique Noël is a cabaret and circus show in the Palais du Variété, a spiegeltent outside McEwan Hall in Bristo Square. It runs 20 November to 3 January at 16:30 and 19:30, lasts 100 minutes and starts from £38. The organisers advise ages 16 and over, and the ringside seats are strictly 18 and over. It’s in the Southside, south of the Royal Mile.
Hogmanay, 29 to 31 December
Hogmanay is ticketed, and the organisers warn that only tickets from their listed sellers (edinburghshogmanay.com, Ticketmaster and Tickets Scotland) are valid. Tickets on Eventbrite and resale sites aren’t.
- Torchlight Procession, 29 December, 18:30. About 15,000 torch bearers walk through the Old Town, led by pipes and drums. Tickets are from £22, the page lists The Meadows on Melville Drive, and you need at least one torch between two people. The organisers recommend ages 12 and over. The route’s start and end points are on a separate page, which isn’t covered here.
- Night Afore Party with The Fratellis, 30 December, 18:00. In West Princes Street Gardens beneath the castle, from £42, ages 12 and over.
- Street Party, 31 December, from 20:00. On Princes Street, from £10, ages 12 and over. The organisers add a 50p charity donation to each ticket.
- Hogmanay in the Gardens with Underworld, 31 December, 20:00. Doors at 20:00, last entry 23:00, from £79, ages 12 and over. The ticket doesn’t get you into the Street Party.
- First Footin, New Year’s Day. The programme lists it as a free, unticketed live music trail across city venues. Its detail page still described last year’s event when this was checked, so look there for venues before you go.
The Edinburgh festivals guide puts Hogmanay in the wider calendar, and it has the 2027 Fringe dates if you’re planning ahead.
How to plan it
- Check the day’s hours. The market is free, so a short visit costs nothing, but 17 November opens at 16:00 and 24, 31 December and 3 January close early.
- Book the paid parts, skip the rest. The market needs no ticket. Santa’s Stories, the ice experiences, La Clique and every Hogmanay event do.
- Pack for standing outside. It’s Scotland in winter, so see Edinburgh weather by month before you pack.
- Pair it with the rest of the centre. Old Town vs New Town helps you split your days, and things to do in Edinburgh fills the daylight hours.
Where to stay for the market
The gardens sit between the Old Town and the New Town, so staying in either puts you close to Princes Street. The New Town is also where George Street and its ice attractions are. Where to stay in Edinburgh compares the areas, and the map below shows hotels for your dates. Book early if your trip includes Hogmanay.
For what else is on, see the events page and the map, where you can set your dates and see everything listed for them.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Edinburgh Christmas market in 2026?
It runs from 14 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, and it’s closed on 25 December.
Where are the Christmas markets in Edinburgh?
The main market is in East Princes Street Gardens. The funfair and Santa’s Stories are in West Princes Street Gardens, and the Polar Ice Bar and Family Ice Experience are outside 115 George Street.
Is the Edinburgh Christmas market free?
Yes. The organisers say entry to East and West Princes Street Gardens is free. Rides, Santa’s Stories, the ice attractions and La Clique Noël are ticketed.
What time does the Edinburgh Christmas market open?
It opens at 10:00 and closes at 22:00 most days. It opens at 16:00 on 17 November, closes earlier on 24, 31 December and 3 January, and doesn’t open on 25 December.
Do I need to book the Edinburgh Christmas market?
Not to walk in. You can pay for rides at the gate or book some online, but Santa’s Stories, the ice experiences and Hogmanay events need tickets.
What’s on for Hogmanay in Edinburgh?
The Torchlight Procession on 29 December, the Night Afore Party on 30 December, and the Street Party and Hogmanay in the Gardens on 31 December. First Footin, a free music trail, is listed for New Year’s Day.
Can I pay by cash at the Edinburgh Christmas market?
The organisers say the site accepts card payments only.
Places in this guide
Photos show the actual places, licensed under Creative Commons and credited to their photographers.
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See hotels near Edinburgh on Booking.comPrices are for the night of Saturday 14 November. You can change the dates on Booking.com. If you book, Roam Edinburgh earns a small commission from Stay22 at no extra cost to you.