Festivities to enjoy in and around Epping Forest this Christmas season!
Christmas in and around Epping Forest is a wonderful time of year!
With lots of festive activities and events on offer, we hope you have fun getting in the Christmas spirit and celebrating with your loved ones. We have selected some great events, and we hope to see some of you there!
Epping High Street Christmas Market
The Epping Christmas Markets have lots to offer with festive stalls, entertainment, performances from local choirs, and the official switch-on of the Christmas tree on the Piazza! Their traditional Christmas market brings festive cheer each Christmas with delicious food stalls, creative gifts, crafts to get involved with, Santa and overall festive fun. The Town Council also provide the amazing Christmas lighting in the town centre with mini trees on the high street and of course, the large Christmas tree!
Why don’t you pop down and support local businesses on the high street and mark the beginning of your Christmas celebrations! This year, the market will be on Saturday 2nd December from 10.00am – 4.00pm. There is free entry, plenty of parking options available, and public transport links nearby making your journey here a breeze! You’ll find the markets on the high street at CM16 5DN.
Epping Ongar Lights Express
If you are looking for an event to get you in the party spirit, the Epping Ongar Lights Express is one to experience! On and inside a steam train, this immersive lightshow consists of coloured lights and festive music connected to your wristband, meaning you also take part in the show! The train runs to and from Ongar Station and the experience lasts approximately 90 minutes. Hot and cold refreshments are available to purchase throughout your visit so why not treat yourself to a delicious hot chocolate!
You can purchase tickets and see event details on their website. The show does feature flashing lights so please check if this is suitable for certain medical conditions. There are several car parks near the station and the events will run from Wednesday 1st November – Wednesday 31st January 2024. Come along and sing, dance and cheer on this magical journey, and get in the Christmas spirit!
St John’s Festival of Christmas Trees
Another great event you don’t want to miss this Christmas is St John’s Festival of Christmas Trees. With over 60 beautifully decorated Christmas trees, crafts, flowers and gift stalls, there’s plenty to do and see! Amongst these stunning displays, we’re thrilled to announce that our team at Home Instead Epping Forest, have also entered a magnificent tree into the festival! We’ve put our heart into crafting a dazzling display, and we hope it brings joy to all who visit! There will be some amazing lunches on offer alongside cakes and hot drinks for everyone to enjoy. Performances from local choirs and the Epping Forest band will be bringing you Christmas classics and new music to get you in the festive spirit!
The event is free and will be running from 1.00pm – 7.00pm Friday, 10.00am – 5.00pm Saturday, 11.30am – 4.00pm Sunday and 10.00am – 2.00pm Monday. St Johns Church in Epping is located on St. John’s road, near Epping Tube Station (Central Line) and there is parking and bus routes nearby. We hope to see some of you there!
Bantham and Ongar Christmas Fair
There are some lovely Christmas fairs for you to get involved in and they are a great way to meet new and familiar faces as you celebrate the festive season! Bantham and Ongar Bowls Club are holding a Christmas fair on Saturday 2nd December where handmade gifts, cards, jewellery and plenty of other Christmas items will be on offer. There will be a tombola which sees all proceeds going towards their Dementia-Friendly Bowls Group, where their volunteers have been a pillar of support in the community for many years.
You can enjoy some delicious refreshments throughout the event from 10.30am – 3.30pm. It’s free admission and can be found on Weald Bridge Road (behind Talbot Harvester). Why not pop down and enjoy this lovely community event! For more information or to take a stall please contact Joan at [email protected] or on 07503 088961.
Carols on the Green
Another great event to get involved in is Carols on the Green, which has been loved by many for 17 years! It’s a great way to start your Christmas countdown as you can enjoy some mince pies, mulled wine and carols with your community and celebrate your Christmas Eve together. The familiar songs are sure to create a joyful experience, and everyone is welcome to sing along or simply listen and soak up the atmosphere!
The event starts promptly at 3.00pm on Christmas Eve at Church Hill in Epping. You can find more details on the website. It is free to attend, and all voluntary donations will be given towards musical education in local schools. The event will be outside so make sure you wrap up warm!
We hope you enjoy some of these Christmas outings with your loved one and that they fill you with some festive spirit!
And if you want to know more about how your loved one can be helped to stay in their own home, with some welcome company and support, we’re always here to help at Home Instead Epping Forest. Just give us a call and we’ll happily chat through the options available.