We have narrowed down the best and most festive events across Essex this Christmas so you don’t have to! Take a look at the best local festive events, markets and festivities near you.

The Best Christmas Events in Essex

Enlightened Highlands Estate

Highlands Estate is once again hosting it’s Enlightened light trail this festive season. From 29th November through to 4th January you can book tickets to explore the light trail through Highlands park. This year they they are boasting more lights and new installations never seen before.

Source: Highlands Estate

Elf at Colchester Theatre

From 14th December-5th January you can catch Elf the Musical at Colchester Theatre for those looking for a Christmas show this festive season.

Rawreths View Nordic Market

Rawreth’s Garden Center in Essex is hosting a Nordic Christmas Market this year from 28th September with over 30 stalls selling crafts, gifts, decorations and more. Throughout November and December the festivities will amp up with live music including a Michael Buble tribute act and food tasting weekends.

Ingatestone Christmas Market

Ingatestone High Street has announced it’s Christmas market will run on Sunday 8th December from 12-6pm. Explore the high street and the stalls on offer. This year is sure to be bigger and better than ever as it is the first year it is connected and organised by Brentwood council.

Christmas Fair Tiptree Marquee

Tiptree Tea Room is hosting it’s annual Christmas Fair and this year it will once again be hosted in their marquee making this event suitable for all weathers. The fayre is being held on 7-8th December from 10am-3pm.

Chelmsford Cathedral Christmas Market

Chelmsford Cathedral is hosting a Christmas market on Saturday 7th December from 10am-3pm. Explore the architecture of the cathedral whilst browsing local crafts and gifts. A truly Christmassy setting!

Havering Christmas Land

Head to Harrow Lodge Park in Hornchurch for Havering Christmas Land being held from 27th November-1st January from 4:30pm daily. Explore a light trail, Christmas food stalls, fair rides and Santa’s Grotto.

Braintree Christmas Street Market

Braintree will be holding their annual Christmas Street Market on Saturday 23rd November from 9am-5:30pm. The market will have entertainment, local crafts and food and drink stalls.

Source: Visit Essex

Perrywood Garden Center

Perrywood Garden Center in Tiptree has unveiled their Christmas shop filled with decorations, gifts and more. They are hosting various events across the festive season including quiet time for children with autism.

Source: Perrywoods

Christmas at the Stables

Highlands Estate is also organising Christmas at the Stables on their grounds in addition to the Enlightened trail. The event will consist of live music and entertainment, food and drink and stalls selling crafts, gifts and local produce. Christmas at the Stables is being held 20-21st November and 5-9 December from 5-9pm.

Source: Hylands Estate

Christmas Fest Essex

Located in Billericay, Christmas Fest is the perfect experience for families with young children to go into the woods and experience the magic of Christmas Fest. Explore 12 experience rooms, Elf Village, miniature railway, castle visit, snow forest and Santa’s Grotto.

Source: Christmas Fest

Summerhill Garden Center

Visit Summerhill Garden Center in Billericay one of Essex’s best garden centers during the Christmas period. Explore the decorations and gifts while getting into the Christmas spirit.

Source: Essex Live

Meadowcroft Garden Center

Meadowcroft Garden Center in Battlesbridge are hosting their annual German Christmas Market this year. Go along for festive shopping, music, food and drinks.

Source: Eat Drink Seek

Fete Christmas Market

The amazing Fete restaurant in Chelmsford are hosting a Christmas market this year upstairs on their second floor with stalls selling crafts and gifts. The market will be held on 8th December from 10am-2pm.

Old Leigh Christmas Market

Old Leigh in Leigh on Sea is hosting their annual Christmas Market on 7-8 December. Take in the views of the estuary while you browse the stalls. The Crooked Billet pub also produces snow and you can enjoy a drink under the dusting of snow this festive season.

Source: Old leigh Christmas Market

Writtle Foodies Market

Writtle will be turning it’s foodie market into a Christmas foodie market on 17th November and 15th December from 11am-3pn. Go along for festive food options, mulled wine and live entertainment.

Colchester Christmas Market

Colchester is hosting it’s annual Colchester Christmas Market on Sunday 8th December on the High Street. The market will offer festive stalls, food, mulled wine, entertainment, Santa and fair ground rides.

Source; Colchester Gazette

Maldon High Street Christmas Market

Maldon High Street is hosting it’s annual Christmas Market on Thursday 28th November in conjunction with their Christmas lights switch on. The market will be held from 5-9pn with the lights being switched on at 6pm.

Source: Maldon and Burnham Standard

Rochford Christmas Festival

Rochford is hosting it’s annual Christmas Festival on Sunday 1st December in Rochford Square. Head along foor market stalls, live entertainment and food and drink options.

Source: Rochford Christmas Festival

Colchester Christmas Evening Market

Christmas is taking over the Piazza outside Mercury Theatre on Saturday 14th December from 4-8pm with a evening of festivities in the form of Colchester’s Christmas Evening Market. There will be food, drinks, liver entertainment and stalls.

Source: Eat Drink Seek

Shoeburyness Christmas Market

Shoeburyness are hosting a Christmas market for the third year running on Saturday 7th December. There will be food options, stalls with crafts and gifts and visits to Santa.

Source: Visit Southend

Mrs Salisbury’s Festive Afternoon Tea

Mrs Salisbury’s in Maldon has set up their igloo again this year for the festive period. Here you can book a Christmas afternoon tea inside the igloo for the perfect festive afternoon. You can book the igloo privately for 6 people or share the igloo with others in smaller groups from 2.

Source: Mrs Salisbury

Colchester Castle Christmas

Colchester Castle is offering Christmas experiences this year. You can book tickets for different Christmas events such as Grotto experiences and Father Christmas visits.

Colchester Council

Christmas by Candlelight Concert

Head to one of the Candlelight concerts being held at some beautiful churches across Essex this year. Listening to Christmas carols with the candlelit backdrop in a beautiful church is a truly magical way to get into the festive spirit.

Source: Christmas by Candlelight

Chelmsford Cathedral Christmas at the Movies

Go to Chelmsford Cathedral to experience Christmas at the Movies in concert in a truly beautiful setting. This is being held on Saturday 28th December at 3:00pm and tickets must be purchased in advance.

Colne Valley Railway

Colne Valley Railway traditional steam train is decked out in all of its festive glory for the festive period. You can book tickets for children to board the train and see Santa in his new parlor. You can also book twilight evening events to see the railway all lit up with festive experiences such as train rides, mulled wine and a festive buffet.

Source: Colne Valley Railway

Hurleys Tree Farm Battlesbridge

A visit to Hurleys Christmas Tree Farm in Battlesbridge is the perfect way to kick start some Christmas fun by choosing your Christmas tree. They have visits from Santa and Christmas events so look out for that.

Source: Hurleys

The Christmas Cabins

Chelmsford for You is teaming up with City Churros to bring Christmas Cabins to Chelmsford this Christmas. The cabins will will host various street food options as well as products of local businesses and creators. You can head to the cabins from Friday 6th December-Sunday 22nd December.

The Peter Boat Salvation Army Band

The Peter Boat in Leigh on Sea are hosting The Salvation Army Band on Sunday 15th December at 12pm for some Christmas songs. Go along for some festive cheer with sea views.

Source: The Peter Boat

Lathcoats Christmas

Lathcoats Farm in Galleywood are hosting their annual Lathcoats Christmas. Go along to the Christmas tree farm and select your tree, or walk the animal trail to collect the 1 days of Christmas stamps, or even explore the farm shop for your Christmas essentials.

Source: Lathcoats

Epping Ongar Railway

Head on board the Epping Ongar Railway for their Christmas special Santa trains and have the opportunity to meet Santa on board the train. Alternatively book the Epping Ongar Light Fantastic and board the lit up train and watch the lights as you pass them by on board the train.

Source: Visit Essex

Roslin Beach Hotel

The Roslin Beach Hotel is the perfect spot for some traditional festive fun. Head into the beautifully decorated hotel and restaurant. Book a table at the restaurant for their Christmas afternoon tea.

Source: Roslin Beach Hotel

Barleylands Christmas

Barleylands is hosting Barleylands Christmas and you can book tickets to see Santa in the barn and in the grotto. You can also book the twilight evening to see the show and light show too.

Source: Barleylands

The Hawk Inn, Battlesbridge

The Hawk in Batlesbridge is a great gastro pub and for the festive season they have an outdoor dining igloo and pod for some festive food. The pod is sponsored by Whispering Angel so you can sip some wine and enjoy a festive meal.

Source: The Hawk

The Dog and Pickle Festive Wine Tasting Dinner

The Dog and Pickle pub in Ongar is offering a festive wine tasting dinner to get you into the festive spirit. Go along on Tuesday 3rd December for the vent hosted by grape passions.

They are also offering lunch with Santa on 3rd, 4th, 10th and 11th December.

Christmas at Riverside

Riverside Leisure Centre in Chelmsford is hosting Christmas at Riverside where you can book skate in the snow on the festively decorated ice rink, sing to Christmas songs and meet Pops the Penguin.

Markshall Estate

Christmas at Markshall is a grand affair. They have a Christmas market on 23rd and 24th November from 10am-4pm where you can see the estate in all of it’s festive glory. They also have Enlightened Markshall where you can see their light trail which they are hosting for the first time from 6th-24th December daily from 4:30pm.

Audley End Christmas Special

Audley End Miniature Railway are hosting their annual Christmas special 21st November-24th December. Go along for a festive train ride complete with Santa, reindeer, elves and more!

Chelmsford Race Course

Chelmsford Race Course are hosting Christmas race days on 5th, 12th and 19th December where you can watch the horses race whilst being illuminated by the Christmas lights followed by a festive party!

Source: Chelmsford Race Course

The Christmas Destination @ Lakeside Shopping Centre

From Friday 15th November-Sunday 5th January you can head to the quay at Lakeside Shopping Centre to explore a fully enclosed ice rink, market stalls, game stalls, fair ground rides and food and drink options. Entry is free to wander around and you can pay for the attractions you want to try.

Bedford’s Park Reindeer

Take a festive walk in Bedford’s park in Romford to see the reindeer for Christmas. Take a winter walk around the park and when you locate the reindeer you can purchase foods to feed the reindeer.