Exeter Christmas Market 2025 opens as crowds celebrate start of festive season

Exeter’s Christmas Market opened today (20 November), drawing large crowds to Cathedral Green as stallholders, families and visitors marked the start of the city’s festive season. 

The market, which runs until 22 December, features dozens of traders from Exeter and across the South West selling gifts, decorations, street food and handmade crafts.

The atmosphere on opening day was busy but relaxed, with choirs performing near the cathedral entrance, lights strung along walkways and the smell of mulled wine drifting between the stalls. Families, students, tourists and local residents filled the paths soon after the early afternoon opening.

Many stallholders said the Exeter market remains one of the most important on their festive calendar.

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Exeter Gin stallholder, Karen Skerratt, aged 65, from Exeter commented that she has had both locals and tourists from abroad come to visit her stall, purely for the reason that her business was there. Selling gin, rum and tequila, with sloe gin as a festive product, Karen added that she does this every year. 

She said: “It’s a lovely time of year where everyone comes together. For many, they feel lonely and isolated, they come here to have a chat and make friends. It’s great to see how the markets can bring people together in a time of loneliness.”

Cornish Cheese Co. stallholders, Duncan Huxley (aged 48 from Shropshire) and Sam Mullen (aged 34 from Plymouth) told Exeter Today that they have had a healthy mixture of locals and those from outside of Exeter to try their homemade cheese. Duncan said that they have many coming from Cornwall to try their Cornish cheese. 

Adding to this, both Duncan and Sam said that this is the company’s seventh year at the Christmas markets and that they “enjoy it, it has a really great vibe every year.”

Stallholder of Merry Manor, Jessica Farthing, aged 34, from Plymouth sells Christmas fleeces, gloves, socks and hats. She told Exeter Today that: “We love Exeter, we love the people, it has such a friendly vibe and also has amazing footfall for the business. We have a lot of people coming from coach and tourists come here.”

 Visitors also travelled in from across Exeter and beyond. Tom and Rebecca Walton, aged 27 and 25, had come from St Thomas. “We come every year,” Tom said. “We always get our first mulled wine of the season here. It feels like the start of Christmas for us.”

Others had come from further afield. “We drove down from Taunton,” said Sarah, 52, who was visiting with her mother and two children. “It’s bigger than our local one, and the atmosphere around the cathedral makes it feel really special.”

Despite the crowds, many described the market as easy to navigate, with clear signage and plenty of space around the cathedral paths. Dogs were a common sight too, with several visitors stopping to offer festive treats to participating pet-friendly stalls.

Among the early favourites were a new Belgian waffle stand and a handmade wooden toy stall that attracted queues from families. 

Stallholders said staffing and stock supply remained challenges this year, especially for those travelling long distances or relying on handmade production. But most said opening day had given them confidence.

The Christmas Market is expected to draw thousands of visitors in the coming weeks, with live performances, extended shopping hours and additional weekend stalls planned. 

Local businesses around Cathedral Green said the market typically brings a boost in footfall, with cafes and shops reporting steady trade throughout the day.

For many residents, today marked the unofficial start of Christmas in the city.

“It’s the decorations, the crowds, the lights, it just feels like Exeter comes alive again,” said visitor Hannah, 33, from Heavitree. “It’s busy, but in the best way.”

Exeter Cathedral will host carol services and festive events alongside the market throughout December.