There’s something particularly lovely about getting your Christmas shopping started before the December rush begins – especially when you can turn it into a day out.
This October, the Cheltenham Christmas Gift & Fashion Fair returns to The Centaur at Cheltenham Racecourse from Thursday 15th to Sunday 18th October 2026, bringing together more than 150 hand-picked stalls filled with gifts, fashion, homeware, artisan food and plenty of Christmas inspiration.
If you’re looking for a Christmas shopping event in Cheltenham or planning a festive day out in the Cotswolds, here are 10 reasons to put the Fair in your diary this year.
1. Discover more than 150 hand-picked exhibitors
One of the best things about the Cheltenham Christmas Gift & Fashion Fair is just how much there is to discover under one roof.
More than 150 carefully selected exhibitors will be joining us at Cheltenham Racecourse, with a mixture of returning favourites and exciting new businesses to explore.
Rather than spending the day visiting the same shops you see on every high street, you can wander from stall to stall discovering independent brands and products you may never have come across before.
2. Find Christmas presents that are a little bit different
We all have at least one person on our Christmas list who is almost impossible to buy for.
The Fair is a treasure trove of gift ideas, with everything from handcrafted decorations and beautiful homeware to fashion, accessories, artisan food, chocolates and seasonal treats.
Whether you’re shopping for parents, partners, friends, children, grandparents – or the person who already seems to have everything – there’s plenty of inspiration.
3. Support independent businesses this Christmas
Shopping small can make your Christmas presents feel that little bit more special.
Many of the businesses you’ll meet at the Fair are independent brands, makers and family-run companies from around the UK.
You’ll often have the chance to meet the people behind the products themselves, hear their stories and find something that hasn’t been mass-produced or picked from the shelves of a large chain.
Christmas shopping feels very different when you know exactly who you’re buying from.
4. Get ahead of the Christmas rush
Our Cheltenham Fair takes place in October, which makes it a brilliant opportunity to make a serious dent in your Christmas list before December arrives.
You can start thinking about presents, stocking fillers, decorations and Christmas food while there’s still plenty of time to enjoy it.
And there is something extremely satisfying about reaching November knowing that you’ve already ticked several names off the list!
5. Stock up on delicious festive food
It’s not all about presents.
Food has always been a popular part of our Christmas Fairs, and Cheltenham will once again have plenty for food lovers to discover.
Expect everything from British cheeses, sausages, Christmas puddings, chutneys and preserves to nuts, chocolates, handmade flapjacks and other sweet treats – ideal for the Christmas table, foodie gifts and stocking fillers.
You may want to arrive with a little extra room in your shopping bags.
6. Stop for lunch, coffee – or cake
Christmas shopping is much more enjoyable when there’s time for a proper break.
Both the Hall of Fame and Istabraq cafés will be open during the Fair, serving tea, coffee, sandwiches, salads and cakes.
For something more substantial, the Gold Cup Restaurant will also be open for a buffet-style lunch, so you can stop, put the shopping bags down and refuel before heading back into the Fair.
It’s one of the reasons we recommend treating the Fair as a day out rather than simply a shopping trip.
7. Enjoy complimentary parking at Cheltenham Racecourse
Nobody wants to start a day of Christmas shopping by driving around looking for somewhere to park.
Visitors to the Fair can enjoy complimentary on-site parking at Cheltenham Racecourse, including accessible parking.
Park up, head into The Centaur and you can spend the next few hours concentrating on the important bit – the shopping.
8. Turn your Christmas shopping into a day out with friends
There are some things that are simply better with company, and Christmas shopping is one of them.
Gather a friend, your mum, sister, partner or your favourite shopping companion and make a day of it.
Browse the stalls, compare present ideas, stop for coffee or lunch and perhaps allow each other the occasional Christmas present for yourselves.
With everything in one place, it’s an easy way to combine catching up with getting organised for Christmas.
9. Experience Christmas shopping in the heart of the Cotswolds
Cheltenham is a wonderful place to begin the festive season.
The Fair takes place at The Centaur at Cheltenham Racecourse, bringing a huge selection of independent Christmas shopping together in one location in the heart of the Cotswolds.
So whether you’re local to Cheltenham or travelling from elsewhere in Gloucestershire or the surrounding Cotswolds, it’s an easy addition to your autumn calendar.
10. You can book your ticket now
Best of all, you can get your visit in the diary now.
The Cheltenham Christmas Gift & Fashion Fair 2026 takes place:
Thursday 15th October: 9.30am–5pm
Friday 16th October: 9.30am–5pm
Saturday 17th October: 9.30am–5pm
Sunday 18th October: 9.30am–4pm
Standard online tickets are currently £7 per person, compared with £9 on the door, and your ticket can be used on any one day of the Fair.
Accompanied children under 16 don’t require a ticket.
BOOK YOUR CHELTENHAM CHRISTMAS FAIR TICKETS HERE
Start your Christmas shopping in Cheltenham
If you’re searching for Christmas shopping in Cheltenham, looking for a Christmas Fair in the Cotswolds or simply fancy a festive day out with someone you love spending time with, we’d love to welcome you this October.
With more than 150 hand-picked exhibitors, independent brands, delicious food and plenty of inspiration, you might arrive with a Christmas list – but we’d be surprised if you left with only the things that were on it.
Cheltenham Christmas Gift & Fashion Fair 2026
Thursday 15th – Sunday 18th October
The Centaur, Cheltenham Racecourse
Find out more about the Cheltenham Christmas Gift & Fashion Fair
BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE
We look forward to welcoming you!
