Christmas Shopping in Exeter & Festive Events

Exeter is an ancient city with a vibrant, modern feel. Fascinating visitor attractions, excellent shopping, great food and drink and a lively calendar of seasonal events all combine to make Exeter the perfect place to visit this winter. As Devon’s regional capital, Exeter is a hub of activity over Christmas and New Year.

Christmas shopping in Exeter

At the heart of Exeter's Christmas celebrations, and back by popular demand is Exeter Christmas Market on Cathedral Green, taking place between 20 November and 20 December. Local traders will also be selling their wares at a series of smaller gift, food and craft markets being staged in Fore Street and Castle Street.  There will also be an extra Farmers’ Market this year on Tuesday 23 December to give everyone a chance to stock up on local produce for the holiday.

Don’t forget to visit Santa in his grotto here from 13 November – 24 December. Get into the festive spirit with some late night shopping in Exeter from 20 November until 20 December, surrounded by Christmas lights, carol singers and musicians in Princesshay before enjoying some mulled wine or spiced cider at one of Exeter’s many pubs and restaurants.

 

Christmas events in Exeter:

The Exeter Christmas lights will be switched on Thursday 20 November in Princesshay Square. The entertainment will take place on a main stage from 4pm – 8pm with the main event (the lights going on) at approx 6.30pm. 

Exeter’s theatres, cultural venues, galleries and historic properties are all preparing for a busy festive season of entertainment. Highlights include classical concerts at Exeter Cathedral, new material from top class comedians at the city’s live entertainment venues and this year’s pantomimes Jack & the Beanstalk at the Corn Exchange and Cinderella at the Barnfield Theatre. 

Exeter’s award-winning Royal Albert Memorial Museum will be open throughout the festive season, from 10am - 5pm, Tuesday to Sunday except bank holidays, (including between Christmas and the New Year). This Christmas, visitors can experience a major exhibition - Art & Soul: Victorians and the Gothic, presenting a rare opportunity to see works by some of the greatest 19th-century artists and designers with important loans from national and regional collections, including the Victoria & Albert Museum, Royal Collection, Tate, Ashmolean and the National Trust. 

On Saturday 20 December, St Nicholas Priory will be throwing open its doors for a Tudor Christmas. Here visitors will be able to enjoy festive fun and games as well as workshops showing how to prepare sweetmeats, decorations and delicacies for the Hursts’ Christmas celebrations.