With Christmas fast approaching, Newcastle City Council has announced more exciting details about what will be on offer in the city.
This year, Old Eldon Square will be the focus for a new festive family area with a whole host of Christmas activities to entertain all ages. And due to popular demand, the area around the Monument will welcome back Christmas market stalls and also play host to the city’s very own North Pole, with unique igloo pods raised above the stalls offering customers food and drink in a warm and cosy environment with views down the iconic Grey Street and surrounding areas.
The festive period is the ideal opportunity to showcase the city in its best light to a national and international audience whilst still supporting the local economy by placing local businesses at the heart of the offer. The council will again be working with NE1 to build on the success of the last three years and provide residents and visitors with first class events that are accessible to all and at a reasonable cost.
Moosenwirt, the very popular alpine pop-up Christmas bar and village will again be located on Grey Street, returning for its third year. Operated by local company EVNT Inspirations, it will complement the already vibrant and varied city centre food and drink scene.
As previously announced, the celebrations will start on Tuesday 12 November with the Christmas Lights switch on – the annual curtain raiser to the festive season. As always this promises to be a fun-filled evening for all the family, and a chance to get into the Christmas spirit.
The Christmas market will open Saturday 16 November and run until Sunday 22 December. As well as stalls returning to the area around the Monument, this will also be located on Grey Street and Grainger Street, with a selection of popular food operators on Old Eldon Square as part of the new Christmas village, alongside a bespoke range of family-focused stalls.
This Christmas village will be the home to family-friendly entertainment and activities. including the Santa’s Stories tipi, offering the perfect opportunity for little ones to meet the Elves, as well as hearing a seasonal tale from Santa himself. There will be an Elf Workshop and Rockin’ Reindeer stage, with festive films, character appearances and craft activities throughout the five weeks. And as well as the ten-metre illuminated Christmas tree, there will also be a traditional carousel, much-loved by many visitors to Christmas markets, helping to turn Old Eldon Square into a real festive wonderland. There will be a small charge for some of the activities on Old Eldon Square, although these will still be very affordable.
The focus of the market will again be local traders, supporting the council’s commitment to an inclusive economy. Last year 95% of traders were local businesses, with a number of Grainger Market traders also choosing to trade on the Christmas market. This will be mirrored again this year. And the Grainger Market itself will again play an integral role in Newcastle’s Christmas, with special Sunday openings, art and craft workshops run by local artists and a festive feel across the market.
Cllr Abdul Samad, Cabinet member for a Vibrant City at Newcastle City Council said: “Now that Cabinet has approved the plans for Christmas, we can start to look ahead to a wonderful festive season in the city.
“It will truly be a family affair in Newcastle, with something for everyone. And the new family focused Christmas village on Old Eldon Square will be a very welcome addition to the Christmas market.
“We remain committed to providing good-value accessible events throughout the year, and it is more important than ever at Christmas when people want to enjoy time together. We also know that this time of year is vital for small, local businesses, so it is fantastic that so many will be trading on the market, as well as in the Grainger Market, helping to attract visitors into the city.
“The 2023 market attracted over 1.375 million visitors to the city with a total spend of nearly £57million as a direct result of the Christmas market, so we’re hoping for similar again this year, as this benefits the wider city and all of our residents.”
Stephen Patterson, Chief Executive of Newcastle NE1 Ltd said: “It is essential that cities continue to evolve and change, and never more so than in the golden six weeks before Christmas which is such a key period for the city’s businesses.
“The Christmas market and the expanded plans for this year will attract scores of visitors into the city at this important time, and we are delighted to be working alongside Newcastle City Council to ensure Newcastle has a Christmas experience befitting of its position as the region’s capital.”
The Newcastle’s Christmas website for 2024 will launch soon, with details of all events taking place in the city centre this Christmas, including the Fenwick window unveiling, the return of the ice-rink at the Centre for Life, and much more. For more information and to book spaces at Santa Stories, the North Pole igloos, the Elf Workshop or Moosenwirt visit www.moosenwirt.co.uk