Christmas in Southampton

About Christmas in Southampton

By the ULTIMATE Brighton Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Southampton’s Christmas centres on its shopping streets and the Mayflower Theatre. A Christmas market runs through the city centre, Santa’s grotto sits by the medieval Bargate, a free trail of snowy shop windows leads families around the centre, and in 2026 the Mayflower pantomime is Robin Hood, from 12 December to 3 January.

Southampton dresses for Christmas around its old gate and its new shopping streets. The medieval Bargate, once the main entrance to the walled town, looks down on the market stalls, and the theatres and arts venues put on their busiest weeks of the year.

The Mayflower pantomime

The Mayflower Theatre’s 2026 pantomime is Robin Hood, from 12 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, with Ashley Banjo and Diversity as Robin Hood and his Merry Men, the comedian and ventriloquist Max Fulham as Will Scarlett, Nic Greenshields as the Sheriff of Nottingham, Amelia Walker as the Spirit of Sherwood and Kirsty Ingram as Maid Marion. The sets and costumes come from the London Palladium.

Pair the Mayflower panto with an afternoon on the Snow Windows trail.

The Christmas market

Southampton’s annual Christmas market fills the city centre from November into the New Year, with stalls, food and drink and rides, joined through the winter by a series of makers’ markets, and Santa’s grotto stands beside the Bargate. Visit Southampton publishes the full dates and locations closer to the season.

The Snow Windows trail

One of the city’s best-loved festive traditions is free: the Snow Windows trail, which returns to the city centre each winter. There are two new routes every year and more than 20 snowy window displays of festive scenes, Christmas characters and winter wildlife to find.

More to see

Southampton’s other theatres and arts venues put on their own Christmas shows, among them an adults-only pantomime at The Stage Door, and the SeaCity Museum, beside the Civic Centre, tells the story of the port and of Titanic’s crew.

Our advice: Southampton is under two hours from Brighton by train; book the Mayflower first, then plan the day around the markets.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Christmas in Southampton before you go.