Petworth's Christmas Cracker is Saturday 5 December: 70-plus stalls from 11am to 7.30pm and the tree lights switched on at 6pm in Market Square.

Petworth’s Christmas Cracker is on Saturday 5 December 2026, with more than 70 market stalls across the town centre and the Christmas tree lights switched on in Market Square at 6pm. Petworth Town Council runs it and has confirmed the date on its Christmas Cracker page.

The quick answer

  • When: Saturday 5 December 2026. Stalls trade from 11am to 7.30pm.
  • Lights: the Christmas tree lights go on at 6pm in Market Square.
  • Where: stalls on the High Street, Lombard Street, Golden Square, Market Square and in and around St Mary’s Church; a cafe and children’s activities in the Leconfield Hall.
  • Is it on? Yes. The town council confirmed the date in June and the stallholder list is closed to new applications.
  • Cost: the council’s page mentions no entry charge.
  • Changed this year: no funfair, and no stalls inside the Leconfield Hall.

What the day holds

The council describes “over 70 market stalls, from pottery, crafts, clothing and Christmas Decorations, to hot dogs, burgers, mulled wine and fine English sparkling wine”. A main stage in Market Square has acts through the day, building to the tree lights at 6pm.

Last year the council reported 76 confirmed stalls (17 days to go post, November 2025).

The council’s stallholder page sets the times: the market is “officially open for trading from 11am until 7:30pm”, and there is no vehicle access to any of the trading streets between those hours (stallholders page).

What is different in 2026

The council has listed three changes, made after feedback on last year’s event:

  • No funfair. “Sadly the fair will not be appearing at our 2026 event.”
  • The Leconfield Hall will have no stalls, because it got too crowded. It keeps the usual cafe, and the rest of the hall, upstairs and down, is given over to activities for younger visitors.
  • St Mary’s Church gets more stalls, inside and outside, after its cafe proved popular last year.

Where the stalls are

Area What is there
Market Square Main stage, food and drink stalls, the tree lights at 6pm
Golden Square Stalls
High Street and Lombard Street Stalls
St Mary’s Church Stalls inside and outside, cafe
Leconfield Hall Cafe and children’s activities, no stalls

The stage line-up has not been published yet. The council says to watch its page for updates.

Parking and road closures

The streets carrying the market are closed to vehicles from 11am to 7.30pm. The council has not yet published its 2026 parking notice. In 2025 it posted one two days before the event, asking visitors to drive straight to one of four car parks marked on a map, and said the National Trust car park was free from 4.30pm and locked at 7.30pm (parking notice, December 2025). Expect a similar notice for 2026 in the days before.

For Chichester’s car parks and charges see our parking in Chichester page, and check the roadworks and travel page before setting off.

When it usually runs

The Cracker is held on the first Saturday of December. The town council’s notices put it on Saturday 3 December 2022, Saturday 2 December 2023 and Saturday 6 December 2025.

Other Christmas dates nearby

The same weekend, Chichester’s own festive market fills North Street and East Street on 4 to 6 December, and Fishbourne Roman Palace holds its Christmas weekend on 5 and 6 December. Our Christmas markets page has every market in the district, and the Chichester lights switch-on page covers the city’s own lights on 21 November.

Still to be confirmed

  • The stage line-up and children’s activities in the Leconfield Hall.
  • The 2026 parking map and car park arrangements.

This page will be updated as Petworth Town Council publishes them.

Sources