4th June 2013
Harrogate Christmas Market wins Best Achievement of the Year Award!

Harrogate Christmas Market has been recognised by two separate awards bodies in Yorkshire.

Judges at the Harrogate Advertiser Business Awards chose the four-day event for their Tourism Award, despite strong competition from other, more established and long-running events.

Meanwhile, Welcome to Yorkshire has announced Harrogate Christmas Market has been shortlisted in the Best Event category of the White Rose Awards, which will be handed out in a glittering ceremony this autumn.

As well as this year’s recognition, which was for the November 2014 event, the Harrogate Hospitality & Tourism Awards judges gave a similar honour two years ago, following the first ever Harrogate Christmas Market in 2012.

Brian Dunsby, who leads the organising committee along with his wife, Beryl, said: “We were absolutely thrilled when our name was read out for the Harrogate Advertiser Tourism Award, and so proud to have been recognised again in the White Rose Awards.

“Unlike many Christmas Markets, Fairs and Festivals, ours is a not-for-profit event organised by a team of volunteers. Any surplus made is ploughed back into the local community to support the tourism trade.

“The award is not just for the success we have enjoyed so far, but also for the many hours of hard work put in by the volunteers, and for the non-commercial basis on which it is organised. It does a lot of good for the community and we have a great deal of support from nearby businesses who all benefit from so many happy visitors coming into Harrogate in the run-up to Christmas.”

Meanwhile, bookings have opened for the fourth annual Harrogate Christmas Market in 2015 – and two thirds of the spaces have now sold. An estimated 52,000 people came to the event last year and many traders have become regulars, enjoying the high footfall as well as the outstanding organisation.

As in previous years, the 2015 Christmas Market will focus on products and produce from around Yorkshire, with an emphasis on home-made, hand-made and fairly-traded items. There will be a mix of stalls selling food, gifts, home decorations, accessories and more.

The popular Food & Drink and Craft & Gift marquees will return, and for the first time this year, a Health & Beauty Marquee will be introduced. There will also be children’s fairground rides, live music from local buskers, and Santa in his grotto with real reindeer outside.