Cornwall has to be one of the prettiest places to celebrate Christmas, where chocolate-box-cute fishing villages, bustling towns and some of Cornwall’s favourite places to visit play host to markets and fairs selling homemade crafts and gifts, and delicious food and drink. After a few turbulent years, it’s full steam ahead for Christmas in Cornwall, so get on down to one of these brilliant markets and fairs for unique Cornish gifts and a large dose of festive spirit.
The Makers Cornwall Christmas Fair, Penryn — 4-6 November
It’s been three years since they hosted their last Christmas fair, but Makers Cornwall — a community of artists and craftspeople near Falmouth — will be returning to Penryn at the beginning of November with more than 70 stallholders showing off their wares over this three-day event. From unique jewellery and modern ceramics to eco-beauty products, textiles, stylish homewares, as well as handmade chocolate and art and prints, visitors will be able to browse the stalls, listen to live music, and sample delicious food and festive cocktails from the cafe under the Christmas tree.
Wheal Martyn Christmas Fair — 19-20 November
Held in the grounds of the Victorian clay works museum, which celebrates Cornwall’s largest mining industry with a discovery centre, historic walking trails, and collections of intriguing tools and machinery. For one weekend in mid November, you can combine your visit with a mooch around the Christmas fair, where stalls will be selling handmade ceramics, Cornish gins, jewellery, wood-turned crafts, beautiful bags and cushions, homemade cards and textiles. Afterwards, have a stroll through the beautiful grounds or nip into the cafe for some festive-inspired treats.
Christmas Artisan Fair, Pencarrow House — 19-20 November
Held in one of Cornwall’s most historic homes, a magnificent Georgian mansion on the edge of Bodmin Moor, this is Pencarrow’s 20th Christmas fair, with dozens of craft stalls dotted throughout the grand rooms on the ground floor of the house. The house will be decorated with Christmas trees and festoon lights, and the Peacock Cafe will be open for hot chocolate and mulled wine as well as scrummy treats.
Cornwall Christmas Fair, The Eden Project — 23-24 November
Get your Christmas shopping all wrapped up before November’s even over at the Eden Project’s glittering festive event, celebrating local producers, artists and craftspeople, with hundreds of stalls selling food and drink, ethical clothing and skincare, as well as art, homeware, jewellery, and plenty more. In true Eden style, this is the biggest fair in the region’s seasonal calendar, all set around the magnificent biomes, which are lit up in colour for the occasion. Don’t forget your skates — the ice rink is open until end of February. Booking essential for both the fair and ice skating.
Made in Cornwall Christmas Fair, Truro — 25-26 November
As Christmas venues in Cornwall go, you’ll be hard pushed to find one as inspiring as Truro Cathedral. This authentically Cornish market (every maker has to meet certain trading standards to ensure everything is made in Cornwall), is full of artisan delights, from homewares to ceramics to food and drink, all under the cathedral’s impressive vaulted ceiling.
Padstow Christmas Market — 1-4 December
Postcard-pretty Padstow makes the perfect backdrop to Cornwall’s biggest Christmas festival, which returns to the county’s favourite food destination this December. A-list chefs Rick Stein, Nathan Outlaw and Paul Ainsworth will be hosting the event this year, which will run over four days, with stallholders, street food traders and performers in and among the marquees throughout the weekend. Family-friendly festive activities will also take place across the town, such as Santa’s grotto, live music on the bandstand, carol singing and a firework display over the harbour.
Fowey Christmas Market — 2-4 December
Fowey is a pretty special place at any time of the year, but over one weekend in December Christmas fever takes hold, with throngs of visitors descending on the town for the Fowey Christmas Market to browse the stalls of over 200 traders, sip mulled wine and enjoy the festive soundtrack from choirs and brass bands dotted around the town. Celebrations kick off on Friday evening with the arrival of Santa by tugboat, Fowey Town Band leads a lantern parade through the town, and there are fireworks and late-night shopping at all the town’s indies.
Trelissick Christmas Craft Fair, nr Truro — 3-4 December
Nothing gets you in the festive spirit quite like a visit to a National Trust house at Christmas. If you’re hankering after traditional yuletide festivities, Trelissick — one of Cornwall’s grandest stately homes — is the place to head to, with its Victorian-inspired decs and Christmas trees draped in fairy lights. In the old stables, you’ll find stalls with gifts made by the House’s volunteers and staff, such as knitted toys, arts and prints, and edible goodies. There will also be a choir singing festive favourites, spiced apple juice, mulled wine and other seasonal treats to buy at the cafe, and a chance for children to visit Father Christmas in his grotto.
Healey’s Christmas Markets — 12-18 December
Taking place every weekend from 12th November until Sunday 18th December 2022, this family-run cyder and visitor centre near Newquay will be transformed into a fairytale world of mulled cyder and delicious hearty food, with Christmas songs, craft stalls, tours and tastings, and plenty of spiced cyder. There will also be tours of the distillery with tastings, a cyder making museum and a tea room.
Thinking of planning a trip to Cornwall this festive season? See our cosy coastal cottages with availability this Christmas
