Christmas finally here as Harrogate Christmas Fayre opens

Visit Harrogate have installed a helter skelter, a road train, Ferris wheel and carousel to get people in the festive spirit

Author: Natalie HigginsPublished 3rd Dec 2021

Christmas is officially here in Harrogate as today (Friday 3 December) marks the start of the Christmas Fayre.

A mix of local traders and European Christmas stalls will be selling goods from today until the 12th of December to get you in the festive spirit.

Victorian fair rides, the Candy Cane Express, Christmas markets and multiple Santa-sightings, are just a few of the things set to offer lots of festive cheer this year, to keep young and old, entertained throughout the Christmas period and into the first week of January.

Organisers are wanting to make up for what was missed last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Gemma Rio, head of destination management, Visit Harrogate, said:

"You'll be able to find a Helter skelter, a carousel, Ferris wheel and we've got a free road train doing multiple pick-ups across the town so you can hop on for free in one place and then jump off.

"Lots of businesses are excited to have a stall, whether that's at the main fayre in the town or at the artisan market in Valley Gardens. There as a real missed opportunity last Christmas for this time of activity so it's really exciting.

"What we're trying to do is really compete with some of our other northern destinations who host really famous and impressive Christmas markets but we think Harrogate is an equally impressive destination to spend a festive weekend or a festive day out.

"We want to ensure that when people come to Harrogate for this campaign they have the most exceptional experience so when they go home they're already planning their next trip to Harrogate in the summer so we need people to have a wonderful time so they will keep coming back and keep putting money into our local economy."

The helter skelter outside Betty's

Following 18-months of drastically reduced revenue and visitor numbers, Harrogate Borough Council and Visit Harrogate teamed up with partners and stakeholders to create Destination Christmas, to encourage friends and families back into town centres.

The festivities include a number of Christmas markets, artisan fayres, Santa stops, light shows and beautiful outdoor displays across the Harrogate Borough district.

A window trail (6th – 24th December) featuring Percy the Penguin’s quest to find a play pal, has been created to encourage footfall into Boroughbridge, Harrogate, Knaresborough, Masham, Pateley Bridge and Ripon town centres.

It was funded by the government’s Welcome Back Fund and the window trail features six festive images designed by local people and promotions and exclusive discounts from local businesses.

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