Back in the summer we revealed how the 2023 ‘Ruddington Christmas Market’ would be building on last year’s hugely popular event by expanding to three days. Now, as this most festive of village events draws near, organisers Ruddington Village Community Partnership (RVCP) are revealing more details about what’s in store this year.
RVCP previously announced the dates and times as Thursday 30th November 4pm to 9pm, Friday 1st December 4pm to 9pm and Saturday 2nd December 11am to 5pm – with the final day including additional stalls on High Street and Church Street plus the usual road closures in place.
Now we have more details! Supported by William Davis Homes, this year’s Ruddington Christmas Market will feature over 170 indoor and outdoor stalls of food, drink and gifts, festive bars, street food, live music, children’s entertainment, and much more. There’ll be the ‘Christmas Village on The Green’ during all three days, featuring a large covered stage and Blitzen’s Bar sponsored by Castle Rock Brewery. Other participating venues will be St Peter’s Church, Ruddington Methodist Hall, the Framework Knitters’ Museum, St Peter’s Rooms and, of course, Ruddington’s impressive array of resident village centre retailers and hospitality businesses.
The festive highlights over the three days of the 2023 Ruddington Christmas Market are as follows…
Thursday 30th November 4pm-9pm: Acoustic duo Chai and Ben, Newstead Brass Band and Christmas carols from Ruddington Community Choir lead the musical feast, hosted by BBC Radio Nottingham’s Sarah Julien and Verity Cowley. There’s street food galore at the Street Food Feast-Up area, festive shopping in the food and makers marquees, and plenty to keep the kids happy with Circus Wunderbar and arts & crafts in the Children’s Big Top sponsored by Ridge Clean Energy.
Friday 1st December from 4pm – 9pm: Three Indoor Makers Markets join the event, hosted by St Peter’s Church, Ruddington Methodist Hall and the Framework Knitters Museum. The festivities continue at Christmas Village on The Green, with party vibes delivered courtesy of DJs The Big Faces and Osborne Daniel, and there’s more festive food and drink to enjoy at Blitzen’s Bar and the Street Food Feast-Up. Friday adds another chance to catch Circus Wunderbar in the Childrens Big Top, and more Christmas shopping in the food and makers marquees.
Saturday 2nd December 11am-5pm: Ruddington comes alive with its one-day Festive Street Market on High Street and Church Street, complete with street food zone, Bottle Top Christmas bar, and live music thanks to The Cellotapes, Mark James and Ellie’s Cats. Indoor Makers’ Markets continue at St Peter’s Church, Ruddington Methodist Hall, the Framework Knitters Museum and St Peter’s Rooms; where the WI will also have their ‘Craft and Bake’ stall. There’s even more Christmas shopping at a pop-up market on the west side of the village green. Over at the Christmas Village, there’s more shopping in the food and makers marquees, and it’s a festive knees-up at Blitzen’s Bar and Street Food Feast-Up, with live music from Deep Down Brass, Express Office Portico, Klezmer Tanz, another chance to see Ruddington Community Choir, and Thomas the Dance Engine DJing us out. Stepping inside the Big Top, children can take in a special Christmas production from the Handmade Theatre Company, and a science show courtesy of Nottingham’s Gizmo Lab.
Mark Pinks, vice chair of RVCP, says: “Last year’s Christmas Market was such an amazing event, but no-one expected just how busy it would be! The volunteer team have worked incredibly hard throughout the year, taking on board all the valuable feedback we received, and adapting the event to ensure its our best Christmas market yet. We’ve halved the number of stalls at our one-day street market finale so it’s easier to get around, used more venues around the village to help spread things out, and extended the event across three days so there’s plenty of time to visit.”
RVCP has also welcomed the support of award-winning housing developer William Davis Homes, currently building new homes at ‘Lace Fields’, which is sponsoring this year’s Ruddington Christmas Market as well as the Radcliffe-on-Trent Christmas Fair.
The company’s Head of Marketing, Sarah Adul, says she hopes the William Davis sponsorship will help to bring some festive cheer to villagers: “These are wonderful events for the local communities and we are proud to give our support to help make them a success.”
Mark adds: “We’re very grateful for the support of William Davis Homes, which will help to make this year’s event bigger and better than ever before.”
Whilst it’s hoped most villagers will be able to walk to the event, and many others come by bus, RVCP has also arranged additional parking: “With lots of visitors expected from further afield, we’re lucky to have the support of Tramlink this year; opening up Clifton Park & Ride especially for the market finale on the Saturday, with shuttle buses between the sites all afternoon for just £1 per person” reveals Mark.
To accommodate the biggest, final day, road closures will take effect from midnight on Friday 1st December, on High Street between Kirk Lane and Church Street, and Church Street between Vicarage Lane and High Street, both re-opening at around 10pm on Saturday 2nd December.
Nottingham City Transport advises that from approx 23:30 on Friday 1st December until the end of service on Saturday 2nd December its Navy 3 bus will miss our village centre completely, operating via Wilford Road and Clifton Road in both directions.
The Green 10 will not serve Ruddington village centre either. Buses will operate as normal to Rufford Road then divert via Easthorpe Street and Loughborough Road to terminate on Mere Way (Rushcliffe Country Park). The nearest stop for the Village Market will be on St Mary’s Crescent.
If possible, we will reveal further details of specific stallholders attending the Ruddington Christmas Market via RUDDINGTON.info/events a few days in advance.
