Christmas 2026 in Worksop and Retford: lights, markets and festive days out

North Notts BID has confirmed the Worksop Christmas Lights for Saturday 28 November 2026. It's free, and in recent years it has been held in the Old Market Square in the town centre, with festive stalls from local businesses, food and drink, street entertainment, a stage and a visit from Santa, ending with the big switch-on as it gets dark. The 2026 running times and line-up haven't been announced yet, so check North Notts BID's pages and socials closer to the time.

If your crew is finishing the week in Worksop, it's an easy Saturday evening out. It's an easy night out from our Worksop homes, so the vans can stay parked up at the house.

The next day it's Retford's turn. Retford Business Forum lists the Christmas Market and Lights Switch-On for Sunday 29 November 2026, from 10am to 6pm on the Market Square and Carolgate, with the lights going on at 5pm. Organisers expect almost 100 stalls, street food and drink, live music on the stage all day and Santa in his grotto from 12 noon, and many of the town's shops, pubs and cafes will be open.

Retford keeps going into December. The Illuminate Winter Festival of Light parade is planned for Wednesday 9 December, 4pm to 7pm, with a lantern parade into the Market Square, and the last Retford Big Market Day of the year is on Saturday 19 December. The organisers say all dates are subject to change.

Clumber Park, the National Trust estate just outside Worksop, is a proper breath of fresh air after a long week on site. From Saturday 21 November to Sunday 3 January there's a free Peter Rabbit sculpture trail of 12 sculptures around the park (park admission applies, and National Trust members get in free).

Father Christmas is in the Old Parsonage on selected weekends from 28 November and on 21 to 23 December, and booking is essential. For grown-ups there's a free Heritage and Horticulture Amble on Monday 21 December, a Christmas Eve 10k trail run, a December 10k on Sunday 27 December and the free Tinsel Trek on Tuesday 29 December, a 6-7 mile volunteer-led walk that meets under the Clock Tower at 10.30am. Family lantern walks follow on 2 and 3 January. Book through the National Trust website, as some bookings hadn't opened yet when we checked.

Plenty of projects keep going right up to the Christmas break. If your team is on a job in Worksop, at West Burton or near M1 J31, our homes give you a proper base rather than a row of hotel rooms.

Each home has a full kitchen, a washing machine, fast Wi-Fi and a Smart TV with Netflix, and bills are included. Our Abbey Park homes in Worksop have gated parking with no height limit, so vans fit. Our two Albert Road flats in Retford are in the same building, so a crew of up to 6 can stay, park and eat together, about a 15-minute drive from West Burton. Our house in South Anston, near M1 J31 and a short drive from Rotherham, sleeps 10 and has a walled garden. Solar crews have stayed with us in both Worksop and South Anston.

Check-in is from 4pm, with 24/7 lockbox access for a convenient self check-in. For longer stays we include a free mid-stay clean and linen change, and companies get one booking, one invoice and one point of contact. We can invoice monthly with your PO number, and you can pay by bank transfer or card. See our pages for contractor accommodation in Worksop, West Burton, near Rotherham and M1 J31 and solar farm and power project crews.

If a flood, fire or leak has put your household out of your home this winter, we can help with that too. Stays can run from a few weeks to a year or more, and we can invoice your insurer, loss adjuster or agent directly.

Coming over to see the lights, catch up with family or get a group together? With 8 homes that sleep 37 between them, we can keep a group close together, and every home has its own kitchen, so you can cook your own Christmas dinner. Book direct and you can ask for a free early check-in or late check-out, subject to availability. Request it in advance and our team will confirm.

Best price guaranteed when you book direct, and there are no booking fees. See all our homes and check availability, or call our team on 01909 300 135.

When are the Worksop Christmas lights switched on in 2026?

The Worksop Christmas Lights event is on Saturday 28 November 2026, organised by North Notts BID. It's free, and it has usually been held in the Old Market Square. The running times hadn't been announced when we checked in October, so check North Notts BID closer to the time.

When is the Retford Christmas Market 2026?

Retford Christmas Market and Lights Switch-On is on Sunday 29 November 2026, from 10am to 6pm on the Market Square and Carolgate, with the lights going on at 5pm. Organisers say dates can change, so check before you travel.

What's on at Clumber Park for Christmas 2026?

From 21 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, Clumber Park has a free Peter Rabbit sculpture trail (park admission applies), plus Father Christmas visits on selected dates, which need booking, festive walks and runs, and family lantern walks on 2 and 3 January.

Can our crew stay with you while working through December?

Yes. Our homes in Worksop, Retford and South Anston have kitchens, washing machines, fast Wi-Fi and free parking, with 24/7 lockbox access for self check-in from 4pm. Companies get one booking, one invoice and one point of contact, and we can invoice monthly with your PO number. Check availability on our website or call 01909 300 135.