Bring a coach full of customers to Durham Christmas Festival and they'll get to visit one of the UK’s most beautiful cities. They'll also get to shop – the Festival is regularly cited as one of the best Christmas shopping festivals in the country, with three city centre markets giving shoppers the chance to discover more than 200 small businesses.

This year the festival runs from Friday 6^th to Sunday 8^th December. Highlights include the Craft & Producers’ Marquee on Palace Green, with its one-of-a-kind backdrop of Durham Cathedral. Here you can find over 130 stalls full of gift ideas, food and drink for the festive season, hand crafted items, seasonal decorations and of course more. These are all small independent businesses, the types you won’t find on the high street, meaning shoppers find unique and perfect gifts. Please note, there is an entrance fee for the Craft & Producers’ Marquee of £5 at the door. But you can secure discounted entry by buying in advance via our website here www.durhamchristmasfestival.com

In Durham Market Place you’ll find the Festive Outdoor Market. With over 30 more stalls, visitors can shop here for jewellery, original artwork, photography, clothing, plants and so much more. They’ll also find take away food and drinks. And, just off the Market Place is Durham Market Hall.  This Victorian Market Hall is home all year round to 40 independent businesses, and always worth exploring.  From Turkish mosaic lamps to vintage toys, from vinyls to pre-loved clothing, there’s always plenty to discover in the Market Hall.

Arriving by coach is surely the best way to visit Durham Christmas Festival. Your customers will be dropped at a city centre location and welcomed on arrival.  From there they can enjoy a walk up through the stunning (and small) city of Durham, or make use of the free taxi shuttle service provided straight from the coach park to the heart of the festival.

Importantly, as well as loving the shopping, visitors are guaranteed to feel truly Christmassy as the city fills with carolling, and seasonal events. Many enjoy Carols for All in Durham Cathedral.  Or they join the Children’s Lantern Procession, an annual festival highlight, this year on the afternoon of Saturday 7^th December, when hundreds of children carrying lanterns parade with their families from the Market Place to the St Nicholas Service at Durham Cathedral.

For full details of markets, events and entertainment, visit www.durhamchristmasfestival.com

Durham Christmas Festival is proud to be a great destination for coach visitors. The only ‘BUT’ is that city centre coach park has limited numbers, so, to avoid disappointment please reserve your coach now via www.durhamchristmasfestival.com (see coach booking link on front page).

The Coach Package costs £72 (inc VAT) per coach, and includes:

• City centre coach drop off / collection
• Guaranteed city centre coach parking
• Lunch for the coach driver
• Free entry to Craft & Producers’ Marquee for coach driver
• Meet & Greet by Festival Team, welcoming pre-booked coach groups
• Festival information leaflet for coach driver and all passengers

Download the Coach Application form from www.durhamchristmasfestival.com – click the link on website home page.

Any queries, please contact Daryl Dowding by emailing info@durhamchristmasfestival.com or calling 0191 334 2887.