Christmas in Leicester 2025: Markets, Events, Food and Things To Do

Christmas in Leicester has its own feel. It is smaller than Birmingham, but that works in your favour. You get proper markets, a compact city centre, and plenty of things to do without the stress of a huge city.

If you have staff working in Leicester over the festive period, or you are planning a winter break around work, this guide covers the main Christmas in Leicester highlights for 2025.

Christmas In Leicester 2025 At A Glance

Leicester is leaning into Christmas harder than before. The city now promotes a full Christmas in Leicester programme that includes:

• An executive Christmas market running through the city centre

• A real ice rink

• A 35 metre Wheel of Light

• Family-friendly events, pantomimes and craft fairs

• City centre lights and street entertainment around the Clock Tower and Town Hall Square

Everything is walkable. If your team is based near the centre, they can finish a shift, head into town and enjoy the markets, lights and food without long travel.

Leicester Christmas Market 2025

Location

The main Leicester Christmas Market 2025 sits in the heart of the city centre along:

• Gallowtree Gate

• High Street

This puts it close to the Clock Tower, Highcross shopping centre and Leicester Market.

Dates and opening times

For 2025, the published market dates are:

• Thursday 13 November to Sunday 28 December 2025

• Typical opening hours: 11:00 to 19:00, closed on Christmas Day

This means you can enjoy Christmas in Leicester from mid-November all the way through to the New Year period.

What to expect

The market uses wooden chalets along the pedestrian streets. Expect:

• Food stalls with festive treats, fudge, hot chocolate and street food

• Handmade gifts, crafts and local products

• Winter clothing, hats, scarves and leather goods

• A steady mix of traders rather than a massive one-off market

It is not the biggest market in the UK, but that actually suits Leicester. You can see everything without feeling rushed, and it ties nicely into the rest of the city centre.

Christmas Lights And Switch On In Leicester

The Leicester Christmas lights switch-on is a big local event. Town Hall Square and the area around the Clock Tower fill with crowds, performers and a countdown to the lights coming on.

Town Hall Square and Clock Tower

You can expect:

• A main tree in Town Hall Square

• Smaller lit trees around the square

• A traditional Nativity scene

• Street entertainers, choirs and bands

• A switch-on ceremony linked to the Clock Tower

For families and teams staying in the city, this is an easy, free event to enjoy after work.

Ice Rink, Wheel Of Light And Other Attractions

Leicester is also adding more winter attractions around the city centre. Recent programmes have included:

• A real ice rink

• The Wheel of Light with views over the city

• Funfair rides near the market

• Light trails and themed displays

These sit around the Clock Tower, Jubilee Square and nearby streets. They give people another reason to visit the city centre after dark and tie into the wider Leicester Christmas events programme.

Christmas Events In Leicester 2025

Leicester runs a packed calendar of Christmas events across the city and wider Leicestershire. The exact details change each year, but common themes include:

• Pantomimes and Christmas shows at De Montfort Hall and other venues

• Carol services in and around Leicester Cathedral

• Craft fairs and artisan events

• Light switch-ons in local neighbourhoods

• Special late-night shopping events

The official Christmas in Leicester site and Visit Leicester channels list the latest events as the season approaches.

Top Christmas events for families in Leicester

For families staying in Leicester at Christmas, good options usually include:

• A visit to Santa’s grotto in local attractions or shopping centres

• The main city centre lights and Big Wheel

• Ice skating sessions

• Day trips to light trails at local parks or attractions

Check the official Leicester and Leicestershire Christmas pages closer to the time for confirmed dates and venues.

Christmas Dinner In Leicester

Search interest for Christmas dinner in Leicester is strong, and it is easy to see why. Contractors, office teams and local families all look for somewhere decent to eat in December.

Expect plenty of venues offering:

• Festive set menus and Christmas lunches

• Office party menus

• Christmas Day and Boxing Day sittings

Where to look for Christmas dinner in Leicester

You can usually find good options in:

• The city centre around Highcross and St Martin’s Square

• The Golden Mile on Belgrave Road, known for its Indian restaurants and winter lights

• Out of town pubs and hotels around the ring road

For work teams staying over, it is worth booking early if you need a specific date or a larger table.

Things To Do This Christmas In Leicester

If you are looking for things to do at Christmas in Leicester outside the main markets and events, here are simple ideas that work well for contractors, teams and visiting families.

1. Walk the city centre

Start at the Clock Tower, then:

• Stroll along Gallowtree Gate and High Street through the Christmas market

• Cut across to Town Hall Square for the lights and tree

• Head towards Highcross for shopping and food

• Loop back through Jubilee Square if the Wheel of Light or funfair is running

It is all close together, so you can cover a lot in a short walk.

2. Visit Leicester Market and New Market Square

Leicester has a long-standing outdoor market just off the Clock Tower. It is not a Christmas market as such, but it is handy for fresh food and everyday items while you are in the city.

3. Explore the Golden Mile

The Golden Mile on Belgrave Road is famous for its Diwali lights, Indian restaurants and jewellery shops, and the winter illuminations often run into the Christmas period. It is a good evening option if your team wants something different to standard pub food.

4. Shopping and downtime

The core shopping and leisure spots include:

• Highcross Leicester

• St Martin’s Square

• Local gyms and leisure centres

Ideal if your workforce is in the city for a few weeks and wants to keep a normal routine.

Christmas In Leicester vs Christmas In Leicester Square

Some search terms blur Christmas in Leicester with Christmas in Leicester Square. They are very different.

• Christmas in Leicester is about the city in the East Midlands, its market, lights and events.

• Christmas in Leicester Square refers to the Christmas market and events in Leicester Square in central London.

If your projects and staff are based in the Midlands, Leicester is your focus. If someone on the team mentions Leicester Square, that is London and a different trip entirely.

Christmas In Leicester For Contractors And Workforces

Most guides on Christmas in Leicester talk to tourists or local families. If you run projects or send workers into Leicester, your priorities are slightly different. You care about:

• Where your workforce will stay

• How easy it is to reach site

• What they can do in their downtime

• How to keep costs under control

Why Leicester works as a winter base

Leicester makes sense as a base for contractors because:

• It has good road and rail links to Birmingham, Nottingham, Derby and Coventry

• The city centre is compact and easy to navigate

• There is enough going on at Christmas to keep people occupied, without the chaos of a huge city

• You can combine work with a decent standard of living for staff over December

If your teams are used to being dumped at a motorway hotel, Leicester at Christmas feels like a step up.

Where To Stay: Contractor Accommodation In Leicester

Hotels can work for one or two nights, but they are rarely ideal for crews staying three weeks or more. Contractor accommodation in Leicester solves that problem.

What contractor accommodation offers

• Houses, apartments or guest houses set up for workers

• Multiple bedrooms with proper beds

• Living area with sofa and TV

• Kitchen for cooking simple meals

• Wi Fi and utilities included

• Often parking for vans or multiple cars

That is a better fit for:

• Engineering teams

• Building contractors

• IT contractors on short-term assignments

• NHS staff covering shifts in Leicester

• Overseas crews brought in for a specific project

If your company also works in Birmingham, Coventry, Nottingham, Rugby, Derby, Dudley, Redditch, Worcester, Wolverhampton or Walsall, Leicester can sit in the middle of your wider Midlands footprint.

Travel And Access At Christmas

Leicester is easy to reach and move around.

• By train: Leicester station sits at the edge of the centre, with a short walk into town

• By car: Strong ring road connections and park and ride options

• In the city centre, walking is usually easiest once you are parked

The council also promotes a free Hop shuttle linking key city centre points at Christmas, including the station, Highcross, Leicester Market and Jubilee Square.

This matters for staff who might not know the city. You can send them simple directions and let them get around without stress.

FAQs

What are the best Christmas markets to visit in Leicester?

The main option is the Leicester Christmas Market along Gallowtree Gate and High Street in the city centre. Smaller fairs, such as Clarendon Park or neighbourhood events, often run for one day or weekends and are worth checking if you are nearby.

Where is the Leicester Christmas Market 2025 held?

The Leicester Christmas Market 2025 is located on Gallowtree Gate and High Street, a short walk from the Clock Tower, Highcross and Leicester Market.

What are the top Christmas events for families in Leicester?

Family-friendly options usually include:

• The city centre lights and the Wheel of Light

• Ice rink sessions

• Visits to Santa at local attractions

• Pantomimes and Christmas shows

• Light trails and themed events around Leicestershire

Exact details change each year, so it is best to check the official Christmas in Leicester listings.

Is Leicester good for Christmas shopping?

Yes. Highcross, local markets, and smaller independent streets offer a mix of big brands and local shops. The Christmas market adds more options for gifts and festive food.

Is Leicester a good base for workers over Christmas?

Yes. Leicester offers:

• Practical contractor accommodation options

• Easy travel to other Midlands cities

• Enough Christmas activity to keep people occupied on rest days

For companies that house their workforce, it strikes a good balance between cost, comfort, and location.

Need contractor accommodation in Leicester for Christmas 2025?

Book Now to secure fully furnished houses, apartments and guest houses for your workforce across Leicester and the wider Midlands.