The Harrogate Christmas Market will this year be from Thursday 14 November to Sunday 17 November 2019 on Montpellier.
Already there are 80 coaches booked, that’s 30 more than at the same time last year. Last year the final count was 144 coaches booked, so it is looking good for a record year of visitors.
The event benefits from a very committed group of volunteers, headed-up by Brian Dunsby and Steve Scarre.
Brian Dunsby said:
It’s a traditional Yorkshire Christmas Market with a large number of regular traders keen to come back again this year. This year there will be 70% repeat traders and 30% new traders.
Overwhelming the majority of stalls are managed by folk from Yorkshire, selling genuine local food and drink, plus a wide variety of British arts, crafts and gifts.
There will be the usual Funfair with a total of eight different rides and Stalls. Santa will be in his grotto, hopefully with two live reindeer outside! Santa will arrive at 10.00 on Thursday morning 14 November and all young children are invited to welcome him.
Harrogate can of course be busy at the best of times, but this is an area that the Christmas Market Committee have worked well on over the years. For the first time, last year, Montpellier had a heavy-duty gate, security gate, limiting vehicles down the hill.
Brian said:
Last year’s temporary closure of Montpellier Hill each day worked well, so we are repeating that arrangement this year, although moving the “gate” down the hill so that business deliveries can be maintained to shops and pubs in the Montpellier Quarter.
Businesses will be able to apply for permits to enable access to this closed area during the Market hours. The route will be open overnight.
In addition we are closing Esplanade each day during Market hours at the request of the Police as they believe that it is a vulnerable route for a hostile vehicle attack. This route will be opened each evening and overnight to enable resident’s access.
Opening times have changed
- Thursday and Friday 10.00-20.00
- Saturday 09.30 – 20.00
- Sunday 09.30 – 17.30
Brian Dunsby said:
The best time to come is anytime Thursday and Friday or Saturday morning and evening, or Sunday morning. Saturday and Sunday afternoons will be crowded.
Last year there was discussion on social media about dogs being at the market. Although the organisers can’t ban dogs, they strongly discourage them as they can get tangled up with visitors on the footpaths, especially on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
