The afternoons may be dark and the chill may be biting, but with the opening of the Christmas markets in the heart of the city, midwinter in Newcastle is anything but bleak.
The festivities were launched with pomp and circumstance at 10am on Saturday 16th, in the shadow of the great Grey’s Monument. When leader of Newcastle City Council cllr Karen Kilgour cut the ribbon and declared the Christmas markets officially open, cheers sounded, pictures were posed for, and a tour of the attractions commenced. The Courier was invited along to be among the first to see everything the markets had to offer, from old favourites to new experiences. Here, we’ll give you a run-down of what you can find.
The main stage this year is Grey’s Monument, where a raised platform houses rentable igloos. We climbed the steps to the raised platform, which looks out over the Grey and Grainger Street market stalls. If you rent an igloo, you could spend a beautiful evening enjoying drinks in the luxurious, cosy booths (we’d certainly love to), but they are also beautiful to look up on from below, as they call attention to and light up the Monument itself.
The main stage this year is Grey’s Monument, where a raised platform looks out over the Grey and Grainger Street market stalls.
But it wouldn’t be a Christmas market without stalls – we explored the classic wooden huts, each with an authentic vendor, selling everything from street food to luxury goods. The stalls extend down Grey Street and Grainger Street, the prior centring on Moosenwirt, the Alpine Bar back thanks to popular demand. In our interview with Ben from NE1, we found out that there’s been a stall reshuffle this year, to highlight newcomers and freshen up the markets, as firm favourites will have a queue no matter what. Don’t ignore the markets because you think you saw it all last year - you’d be missing out.
We wandered over to the Christmas village in Old Eldon Square. This was developed with families in mind, with an Elf Workshop, Santa storytime sessions, and a performance stage where Christmas films and specials will also be screened. New this year is a vintage-style carousel. If you think this is just for kids, think again! We had a great time whizzing around, and Old Eldon Square really calls on the Christmas magic you felt as a child. We were like big kids!.
Old Eldon Square really calls on the Christmas magic you felt as a child. We were like big kids!.
Ben also spoke to us about NE1’s 24 Doors of Christmas, running again this year. They represent an amazing opportunity to have a free day out with your friends, exploring more of the city, and there really is something for everyone. The range of venues is vast, and there is a guided tour and activity running every single day of advent. Whether you go for the festivities, to learn more about your favourite places, or just take the opportunity to see a venue you’d not normally visit, it’ll be a great day. View the full list of events and reserve your free space here.
There is plenty to do in Newcastle this Christmas, between the 24 Doors and stunning, refreshed markets. So, don't feel like you need to go to another city to chase the festive feeling – this year we’ll be shopping, eating, drinking and carouselling in our very own Winter Wonderland.
