The Folkestone Harbour Arm Festive Marketplace 2026: a local's guide

The Festive Marketplace on Folkestone Harbour Arm runs from Friday 13 November to Christmas Eve 2026. Until 20 December it’s open on Fridays and Saturdays from 11am to 7pm and on Sundays from 11am to 6pm. From Monday 21 December it opens every day, 11am to 6pm, right up to the 24th.

The Harbour Arm says there are over 50 fisherman’s style huts, filled with independent makers and street food stalls. It’s Folkestone’s Christmas market, a short walk from Harbour Inn and London & Paris Hotel on Harbour Street. Here’s how we’d plan a visit.

Opening times and key dates

These are the times the Harbour Arm lists for 2026:

• Friday 13 November: opening night and the Christmas Lights Switch-On, 4pm to 8pm. The tree goes on at 7pm.
• Saturday 14 November to Sunday 20 December: Fridays and Saturdays 11am to 7pm, Sundays 11am to 6pm. It’s closed Monday to Thursday in these weeks.
• Saturday 19 December: the Folkestone Christmas Tractor Run, with tractors covered in lights coming through Densole, Hawkinge, Capel and Folkestone to finish at the Festive Marketplace. The marketplace is open 11am to 7pm that day, and entry is free. Times for the run itself have not been published yet.
• Monday 21 to Thursday 24 December: every day, 11am to 6pm.
• Christmas Eve: a showing of The Muppet Christmas Carol at 12pm.
• Saturday 26 December to Sunday 3 January: Crimbo Limbo at the Goods Yard, with street food traders open 11am to 4pm and films on The Harbour Screen.

Times can change, so check the Folkestone Harbour Arm Festive Marketplace page before you set off.

What’s on the Harbour Arm

The huts are the main event. The Harbour Arm describes independent makers selling everything from handmade jewellery to rubber ducks, with festive food from the street food stalls.

Beyond the stalls, the Harbour Arm lists a festive glow-up of its 12-hole Glow Golf, sessions at Sea Scrub Sauna, and darts and shuffleboard at The Board Room. These are run by the Harbour Arm, not by us, so book them direct.

The market starts at the Goods Yard by the harbour. From there the Arm runs out to sea, and you can walk on to the lighthouse at the end. On a clear afternoon, look back for the view of the town.

Lunch or dinner nearby: Harbour Inn

24 to 26 Harbour Street, Folkestone CT20 1QN

Harbour Inn is the closest of our places to the market, about a five-minute walk from the Goods Yard. The dining room windows look out over the water, and it’s known for mussels and fish from the local boats. Have a look at the Harbour Inn menu before you go.

On market days the timings work nicely:

• Fridays and Saturdays: lunch is 12 to 3pm and dinner 5pm to 9:30pm. The market shuts at 7pm, so you can shop first and eat after.
• Sundays: food is served all day until 8pm, with the Sunday roast from 12 midday.

Starting early? Breakfast is 10am to 12, walk-in only, and brunch dishes are served until 3pm.

Dogs are welcome in the bar areas, though not in the restaurant. There are water bowls and treats for them.

For more on the fish, see our guide to seafood in Folkestone.

Make a night of it: London & Paris Hotel

28 Harbour Street, Folkestone CT20 1QN

London & Paris Hotel sits next door to Harbour Inn, less than five minutes’ walk from the Harbour Arm. It’s an adults only hotel of 11 rooms, many of them looking over the harbour, so the walk home after the market is a short one.

Check-in is from 3pm to 10pm, which leaves time for an afternoon at the huts first. Dinner is at Harbour Inn next door. In the morning, breakfast is served in the hotel’s own breakfast room from Harbour Inn’s menu.

There’s no lift and no guest parking, so it’s worth knowing that before you book. Read more in staying at London & Paris Hotel.

A Sunday plan: roast in Sandgate, market in the afternoon

65 Sandgate High Street, Sandgate, Kent CT20 3AH

On Sundays the market runs from 11am to 6pm, so there’s time for a proper lunch first. The Ship Inn in Sandgate serves its Sunday roast from 12 midday. The restaurant looks out to sea, and the beach is just across the road.

The Sunday menu has beef topside, lamb, chicken supreme, roast pork belly, a mixed roast and the vegetarian mushroom roast slice. Every roast comes with roast potatoes, a homemade Yorkshire pudding and proper gravy. The full list is on The Ship Inn menu, and the same roast is served at Harbour Inn and The Pullman.

The Ship Inn is about 40 minutes’ walk from the Goods Yard, or a short drive. Finish lunch by about 3pm and you’ll still have a couple of hours at the huts before they close at 6pm.

Coming from town

From the Old Town it’s about a ten-minute walk down to the Goods Yard. The Pullman on Church Street and Panataria on Rendezvous Street are both about that far away. Panataria is open from 9:30am to 4pm for coffee and toasted croissants, and it’s walk-in only.

Getting there

The Festive Marketplace starts at the Goods Yard, at the harbour end of the Harbour Arm. Walking times to the Goods Yard, worked out on OpenStreetMap walking directions:

• London & Paris Hotel: less than 5 minutes
• Harbour Inn: about 5 minutes (300m)
• The Pullman, Panataria and Rendezvous Street: about 10 minutes (700m)
• The Ship Inn, Sandgate: about 40 minutes (3.1km)

There’s street parking and public car parks near each of our places. London & Paris Hotel has no guest parking, but Tram Road public car park (CT20 1QR) is about three minutes’ walk from the hotel. On December evenings it’s dark well before the market shuts, so wrap up warm.

Booking

Book lunch, dinner or Sunday roast at Harbour Inn, The Ship Inn or The Pullman with the Book a table button, and please tell us about any allergies when you book. Rooms at London & Paris Hotel are booked on the London & Paris Hotel page.

Planning a Christmas meal as well? Our Christmas menus are out now, and everything else is on What’s on.

Questions

When is the Folkestone Christmas market 2026?

The Festive Marketplace on Folkestone Harbour Arm runs from Friday 13 November to Thursday 24 December 2026. It opens on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until 20 December, then every day from 21 to 24 December.

What are the Festive Marketplace opening times?

Fridays and Saturdays 11am to 7pm, and Sundays 11am to 6pm. From Monday 21 December to Christmas Eve it's open every day from 11am to 6pm. On the opening night, Friday 13 November, it's open from 4pm to 8pm.

When is the Folkestone Christmas Tractor Run?

Saturday 19 December 2026. The tractors come through Densole, Hawkinge, Capel and Folkestone and finish at the Festive Marketplace. Times have not been published yet, so check the Harbour Arm's website nearer the day. Entry is free.

Where can I eat near the Harbour Arm?

Harbour Inn at 24 to 26 Harbour Street is about a five-minute walk from the Goods Yard. Its dining room looks out over the harbour, and dinner is served until 9:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays. On Sundays food is served all day until 8pm, with roasts from 12 midday.

Where can I stay near the Festive Marketplace?

London & Paris Hotel at 28 Harbour Street is less than five minutes' walk from the Harbour Arm. It's an adults only hotel with 11 rooms, many of them overlooking the harbour. Book on the London & Paris Hotel page.

Do I need to book a table?

It's worth booking dinner at Harbour Inn or a Sunday roast at The Ship Inn. Use Book a table on our website, and mention any allergies when you book.