24th Victorian Christmas Market

Kelham Island Museum 24th Victorian Christmas Market Saturday 3 December (10am – 7pm) and Sunday 4 December (10am – 5pm) 2016

A warm Dickensian welcome awaits at Kelham Island Museum’s 24th Victorian Christmas Market. Gather under the gaslamps and wander our cobbled streets to enjoy over 120 bustling market stalls, festive entertainment, food and drink.

Our ambient market quarters include Festive Food, a Christmas Shop, All That Glitters Gifts and Sheffield Made goods where you’ll find everything from those perfect stocking fillers to that unique surprise gift.

Our market is unique in that it is in keeping with the ethos of Sheffield Industrial Museums, we place emphasis on ‘Sheffield, Made’ goods and the promotion of traditional crafts and skills and local creatives, artisans and performers.

Alongside demonstrations from the  Sheffield Lacemakers, The Hallamshire Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers, Ecclesall Woods Sawmill, our Blacksmith Forge and resident Little Mesters, Stan Shaw and Pete Goss, you’ll find an eclectic mix of local makers and artisans include sculptors, glassworkers, ceramicists, photographers, printmakers, potters, jewellers, silversmiths and metalworkers, illustrators and artists of Sheffield scenes. We support Freeman College and the Academy of Makers and we also welcome community and charity stalls and host a young enterprise zone for aspiring business people.

Our Dickensian themed entertainment offers thrills for all ages with a traditional fairground with Flying Chairs, a Victorian Music Hall Stage with brass bands, choirs, folk singers and variety acts and wandering living history Dickensian characters plus Upshot Circus Snow Queen on stilts, the Sheffield Giants, Five Rivers Morris and mischievous Victorian pickpockets!

See the mighty River Don Engine in steam on the hour, every hour and new displays telling the fascinating story of steam power as part of our Heritage Lottery funded project – Sheffield 1916: Steel, Steam and Power.

Our ‘Santa Industries Co.’ entertains youngsters as they join in the ‘industrial’ processes at work as Santa prepares for his busiest time of year.

Design, Manufacturing and production – join Santa’s Elves in Santa’s Workshop to help make decorations for his Grotto and see the Blacksmith making reindeer ‘shoes’.

Administration, Transportation and Export – write a letter to Santa to hand deliver to Santa’s HQ (Grotto) taking in Santa’s reindeer on the way!

Children visiting Santa receive a traditional ‘gold’ chocolate coin and orange.