Ascot's 160-stall fair opens on 12 November, the racecourse fair is 28 and 29 November and Cookham's street fayre is 6 December. Nine dates, times and prices.

The Christmas fair season in the Royal Borough starts at Ascot Racecourse on Thursday 12 November 2026 and runs through to a brewery market in Windsor on 13 December. Most of the nine events below are free to walk into; the two big indoor fairs charge a few pounds on the door and less online.

The quick answer

  • Biggest: Ascot Christmas Fair, 12 to 15 November, 160-plus stalls, £9 on the door or £7 online, under 16s free.
  • In Windsor: the Christmas Shopping Fair at Royal Windsor Racecourse, 28 and 29 November, £6 on the gate, under 18s free, free parking.
  • Free village and town markets in Clewer, Maidenhead, Cookham and on Peascod Street, from 22 November to 13 December.

Every date, in order

Date Event Where Hours Entry
Thu 12 to Sun 15 Nov Ascot Christmas Fair The Pavilion, Ascot Racecourse 9.30am to 5pm; Sun to 4pm £9 door, £7 online
Sat 21 Nov Maidenhead lights switch-on and Christmas market Maidenhead town centre All day Free
Sun 22 Nov Christmas fair Taplow House Hotel, Taplow 12pm to 4pm Free
Sat 28 and Sun 29 Nov Windsor Christmas Shopping Fair Royal Windsor Racecourse 10am to 4pm £6, under 18s free
Sun 29 Nov Clewer and Dedworth Christmas Fair Clewer Memorial Recreation Ground 1pm to 4pm Free
Sat 5 Dec Christmas at the Quarter Waterside Quarter, Maidenhead 11am to 4pm Free
Sat 5 Dec Windsor Vegan Fiesta, Christmas edition Peascod Street, Windsor 10.30am to 5pm Free
Sun 6 Dec Cookham Christmas Street Fayre Cookham High Street 12pm to 4pm Free
Sun 13 Dec Christmas Market Windsor & Eton Brewery, Duke Street Not yet listed Free

Ascot Christmas Fair: 12 to 15 November

The largest fair in the area fills the Pavilion building at Ascot Racecourse with more than 160 gift, food and fashion stalls, with a food hall on the ground floor. It opens 9.30am to 5pm from Thursday to Saturday and 9.30am to 4pm on Sunday.

  • Tickets: £9 on the door, £7 online, or £5 as an online early bird. Accompanied children under 16 do not need a ticket.
  • No pushchairs or buggies inside; there is a free buggy park and baby backpacks are fine. Wheelchairs and mobility scooters are welcome.
  • No pets except assistance dogs.

Source: the organiser, UK Grand Sales.

Windsor Christmas Shopping Fair: 28 and 29 November

About 150 exhibitors of crafts, fashion, food and drink in a heated marquee joined to the grandstand at Royal Windsor Racecourse on the Maidenhead Road. Open 10am to 4pm, last entry 3.30pm.

  • £6 adults and £5 concessions on the gate, less if bought online. Under 18s go free without a ticket. Concessions cover over-65s, students, disabled people, unemployed people and carers.
  • Free parking on site.

Source: Visit Windsor.

The free local fairs

  • Taplow House Hotel, Sunday 22 November, 12pm to 4pm. Local small businesses, an artisan market and food from the hotel, just over the river from Maidenhead. Free, no booking (Visit Windsor).
  • Clewer and Dedworth Christmas Fair, Sunday 29 November, 1pm to 4pm, at the Pirate Park on Dedworth Road. The sixth year of this volunteer-run fair, with Mr and Mrs Claus, market stalls, DJs, a raffle and tombola. Free entry, with a charge to see the Clauses and for rides. No on-site parking; proceeds go to community projects in Clewer and Dedworth (Visit Windsor).
  • Christmas at the Quarter, Saturday 5 December, 11am to 4pm, at Waterside Quarter off Maidenhead High Street: a Christmas market, Santa’s grotto, mulled wine and live music (Visit Windsor).
  • Windsor Vegan Fiesta, Saturday 5 December, 10.30am to 5pm, on Peascod Street: plant-based food, cakes, skincare and eco gifts from small traders (Visit Windsor).
  • Cookham Christmas Street Fayre, Sunday 6 December, 12pm to 4pm. The High Street fills with craft and gift stalls, local produce and food and drink (Visit Windsor).
  • Windsor & Eton Brewery Christmas Market, Sunday 13 December, on the Vansittart Estate, Duke Street: local small businesses and a family fun day hosted by Once Upon a Bus. Times not yet listed (Visit Windsor).

Maidenhead’s Christmas market runs alongside its lights switch-on on 21 November; times for this year are not out yet. Details are on our Christmas lights switch-on page.

Getting there

The racecourse fair has free parking, but the Clewer fair has none. Town centre car park prices and the park and ride are on parking in Windsor, and road closures are updated weekly on roadworks and travel. For Santa and the pantomime, see our pantomime page.

Still to be confirmed

Times for the Windsor & Eton Brewery market, and any Windsor town-centre market with the Castle Hill switch-on, which has not been dated. We will check the listings again in early November.