Burghley Christmas Fair
Thursday 26 November – Sunday 29 November 2026
Burghley House, Stamford, Lincolnshire(PE9 3JY)
Burghley House in Stamford, Lincolnshire, has been home to the family of William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer to Elizabeth I, for generations. For four days in late November its courtyards and grounds become a Christmas fair that Burghley counts as the largest in the region, with around 200 stallholders in chalets, pagodas and marquees selling artisan gifts, handmade decorations, stocking fillers, clothing and homewares. A Victorian carousel glows with seasonal lights beside a helter skelter, and on Friday and Saturday shopping runs on into the evening, with a short drone show overhead. Warm up with mulled wine, hot chocolate or crêpes, or book afternoon tea in the Great Hall. Parking is free, there is no hurry to leave, and the fair raises money for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice.
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What to expect
Date & times
Thursday 26 November – Sunday 29 November 2026
Getting there
Burghley House, Stamford, Lincolnshire (PE9 3JY for sat nav)
Dogs
Dogs welcome outdoors, on a lead
Accessibility
Available: Wheelchair accessible, Step-free access, Accessible toilets, Accessible parking / blue badge parking. Not confirmed: Accessible viewing areas.
Stalls
Stall list coming soon
Live schedule
Full timetable available when market goes live
Interactive map
Site map with GPS location available when market goes live
Live announcements
Real-time updates available when market goes live
Dogs at this market
Dogs are welcome at this market, on a lead, outdoors.
Dogs allowed in:
- Outdoor areas (on a lead)
Dogs not allowed in:
- Indoor areas
Restrictions are in place for the safety and comfort of all visitors and animals.
Notes
Burghley says the Christmas Fair is a busy event, so it does not advise bringing dogs. If you do bring one, it must be kept on a lead at all times. Dogs other than assistance dogs are not allowed in the indoor areas at the event: the Pavilion, the Marquee, The Brewhouse, the Orangery Restaurant and the Great Hall.
Assistance dogs are welcome in all areas by law.
Accessibility
Confirmed:
- Wheelchair accessible
- Step-free access
- Accessible toilets
- Accessible parking / blue badge parking
Not confirmed:
- Accessible viewing areas
Notes
Burghley says there is step-free access to all shopping areas of the Fair, but the courtyards have cobbled areas and uneven surfaces. Accessible parking is close to the Fair entrance points with no pre-booking. Disabled toilets are in the Chestnut Courtyard, The Brewhouse and the Garden Café. The Orangery Restaurant and Great Hall are reached by a ramp and stairlift. Carers can get a free Carer ticket when booking.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Burghley Christmas Fair?
Thursday 26 to Sunday 29 November 2026. Opening hours are 9.30am to 4pm on Thursday and Sunday, and 9.30am to 7.30pm on Friday and Saturday, which are the late-night shopping evenings.
Where is it?
In the courtyards and grounds of Burghley House, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 3JY (what3words for the Main Visitor Entrance: bluffing.shadow.options).
How do I get there?
By car, Burghley's directions are to leave the A1 at the Stamford junction (B1081) and follow the B1081 towards Stamford, past the Bottle Lodges gates, then turn right just past the Bull & Swan pub and continue 1 mile along Barnack Road (B1443) to the Visitors' Entrance on the right. Burghley gives PE9 3JU as its sat nav postcode but warns that some sat navs send traffic along parkland roads that are closed to visitors. Stamford railway station is about half a mile from the Parkland entrance and 1.5 miles from the House, and a Delaine bus stops opposite the Main Visitor Entrance on Barnack Road, about 600m from the House entrance.
How much are tickets, and do I need to book?
Yes, tickets must be booked in advance through the Burghley website and are not sold at the gate. For 2026, a Standard adult ticket is £15 and a Flexi adult ticket £20; a Standard child ticket (ages 3 to 15) is £5 and a Flexi child ticket £8. With a Standard ticket you book an arrival time slot to keep queues down, then stay as long as you like. A Flexi ticket admits you once, on any one date during the Fair. Re-entry is not permitted, except to return to your car without fully leaving. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. Carers can get a free Carer ticket when booking and show proof of carer status at the ticket desk.
Is parking free?
Standard and accessible parking is free, with no pre-booking needed. Priority Parking zones close to the Fair entrances can be pre-booked for £10 per car, subject to availability, by adding spaces to your basket at checkout. Most parking is on grass and may be muddy, wet or uneven, and it can be up to 500m from the entrance, so wear suitable footwear. Coach and minibus parking is fully booked for the 2026 event. The car parks are floodlit, but Burghley asks you to be mindful of lower lighting levels if you return to your car after dark.
Are dogs allowed?
Burghley says the Christmas Fair is a busy event, so it does not advise bringing dogs. If you do bring one, it must be kept on a lead at all times. Dogs other than assistance dogs are not allowed in the indoor areas at the event: the Pavilion, the Marquee, The Brewhouse, the Orangery Restaurant and the Great Hall.
What is there to eat and drink?
Burghley lists food and drink producers at the Fair, with mulled wine, hot chocolate, raclette and sweet and savoury crêpes among them. A Festive Afternoon Tea is served in the Great Hall at £49.50 per person; it is by advance booking only and needs a valid Fair ticket. Some stallholders take cash, but the Christmas Shop, the Gift Shop, the Orangery Restaurant, the Garden Café and the Carousel take card or contactless payment only.
What is there to see and do?
Around 200 stalls of artisan and unique gifts stand in festive chalets, pagodas and marquees in the courtyards and grounds. There is a large Victorian carousel, lit up for the season, and a traditional helter skelter. On Friday and Saturday evenings there is a short festive drone show at about 6.20pm, weather permitting. The House, Gardens and Adventure Play are closed for the duration of the Fair. The Fair is run in association with the Angel Committee to raise funds for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice in Peterborough.
Is it accessible for wheelchair users?
Burghley says there is step-free access to all shopping areas of the Fair, but the courtyards have cobbled areas and uneven surfaces. An accessible car parking area is close to the Fair entrance points, with no pre-booking and directional signs on the day. Disabled toilets are in the Chestnut Courtyard, The Brewhouse and the Garden Café. The Orangery Restaurant and Great Hall are reached by a ramp and stairlift.
How do I apply for a stall?
Burghley's Exhibitor Information page asks exhibitors to direct enquiries to its Events Team. Burghley has not published stall fees or an application deadline. It also says scammers have impersonated Burghley on Facebook, Instagram and Messenger, and asks anyone approached not to respond and to report the approach on that platform.
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