Christmas in Hexham 2026

Christmas in Hexham is built around a handful of fixed points: the lights going on in late November, one very busy Saturday of stalls in December, a Queen's Hall show for every age, and carols in a church that has stood since the seventh century. This guide pulls the season together in one place, with the dates confirmed for 2026 and a clear note of what has not been announced yet.

The lantern parade starts it off

Before the lights, the lanterns. The Hexham Lantern Parade returns on Friday 13 November 2026 after a year off in 2025, organised by Queen's Hall Arts and sponsored by EGGER. It gathers at the bandstand in the Abbey Grounds at 6pm, with Northern Monkey Brass Band joining the procession. It is free and no tickets are needed.

The lights: Friday 20 November

Hexham's Christmas lights switch-on is on Friday 20 November 2026, run by Hexham Town Council, which pays for the lights strung from the bridge to the Market Place. Timings had not been published at the start of November. Afterwards, Hexham Abbey opens its doors from 5.30pm to 8pm for Carols and Cocoa, with the Abbey Choir leading carols around the piano and hot chocolate on offer.

Our full guide to the Christmas lights switch-on in Hexham covers where to stand, food nearby and accessibility.

Markets and fairs

The big one is the Hexham Abbey Christmas Fair on Saturday 12 December 2026, 9am to 3pm, with stalls inside the Abbey and across the town centre, and the Farmers' Market on the Market Place the same morning. The last Farmers' Market before Christmas is on Saturday 19 December, 9am to 1.30pm.

Earlier in the season, the Hexham Christmas Gift and Food Fair fills Wentworth Leisure Centre on 21 and 22 November, 10am to 4pm, with free entry and a voluntary donation to the Great North Air Ambulance. Our guide to Christmas markets in Hexham has the full picture, including the weekly market and the Shambles.

Shows at the Queen's Hall

The Queen's Hall on Beaumont Street is the town's Christmas theatre. This year's main family production is A Christmas Carol, a reimagining of Dickens made with Triple Treat, running from 5 December into early January. For the under-sixes, The Snow Globe is a relaxed, 50-minute first-theatre show running through December.

For grown-ups, The Suggestibles bring their improvised adults-only Impro Pantso on 12 December, and pianist Paul Edis returns with A Jazzy Christmas on 22 December.

Carols and concerts at the Abbey

Hexham Abbey's calendar lists an Advent Carol Service on Sunday 29 November at 6.30pm. Its Christmas Eve and Christmas Day service times had not been published when we checked on 2 November. In past years the Nine Lessons and Carols services have used free tickets because of demand, so watch the Abbey's website from early December.

The Abbey also hosts a run of ticketed Christmas concerts. The most local is Hexham Brass and Hayton Community Choir on 8 December, with plenty of chances to sing along. Others include Christmas by Candlelight on 19 December and G4 at Christmas on 27 December.

Santa

In 2024 and 2025 Father Christmas set up in Hexham Old Gaol on the Market Place, in sessions run by Hexham Community Partnership with advance booking. No 2026 dates had been announced at the start of November. We will add them here when they are, and in the meantime Santa usually makes an appearance at the lights switch-on.

Other festive days out

Hexham Racecourse holds its Christmas Raceday on Wednesday 9 December, the last meeting before its winter break, with a Christmas jumper competition. Out along Hadrian's Wall, Roman Vindolanda runs Christmas Unwrapped from 28 November to 3 January, with a Saturnalia trail and weekend craft workshops.

Festive walks

A walk between Christmas and New Year is a Hexham habit, and the town makes it easy. The riverside path from Tyne Green is flat and close to town, the Sele is the park right beside the Abbey, and further out Allen Banks is a good leg-stretch after the big lunch. Our guides to the best walks around Hexham and the Hexham heritage walking trail have routes. Daylight ends early in December, so plan to be back by about 3.30pm.

Boxing Day and New Year

The best-known local Boxing Day gathering is a few miles east in Corbridge, where the Tynedale Hunt traditionally meets in the Market Place at about 11am.

New Year's Eve belongs to Allendale, 10 miles south-west of Hexham, where the Tar Bar'l procession carries burning barrels through the village before the bonfire is lit at midnight. It is free, needs no booking and draws big crowds, so go early and plan your lift home, as there are no trains to Allendale.

Late-night shopping

No late-night shopping evenings had been announced for 2026 at the start of November. We will add them if the town's traders confirm any.

Parking and trains

Most of Hexham's council car parks are free with a parking disc, and Tyne Green is free all day with no disc. On fair days and the lights night, the town centre fills early; our guide to where to park in Hexham explains the options.

The train is the easiest way in. Hexham is on the Tyne Valley line, about 40 minutes from Newcastle. There are no trains on Christmas Day, and in recent years the line has also been closed on Boxing Day, with services finishing early on Christmas Eve. Check Northern's festive timetable before you travel.

Know about a Hexham Christmas event we have missed? Let us know via our contact page.