11 photos as ‘Crackers for Christmas’ event officially launches Sheffield’s magical Christmas markets

It is the opening weekend of Sheffield’s annual magical Christmas markets, which kicked off on Thursday, November 14.

Hundreds of people could be seen delving into the start of the countdown to Christmas, and browsing more than 60 log cabins selling tasty food and drink and gifts which can be found this year lining the street from The Moor to the town hall.

The ‘Crackers for Christmas’ event, organised by Sheffield City Council and Percival Markets & Events, saw hundreds of people flock to the city centre for the official launch of the city centre festivities.

The event, taking place on November 16 - 17, was put on as a replacement for the annual light switch-on event which has been cancelled two years in a row.

Instead, a range of family entertainment was organised to take place across the city centre, from bands, choirs, and dance performances, to storytelling, crafts, and street entertainers.

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Millennium Square saw live music performances from Woodhouse Prize Band and Funky Dance Fever on the Saturday which attracted many families. Elsewhere, Chesterfield’s youngest band Little Rock, made up of 10-year-old Brooklyn and seven-year-old Rowan,  entertained those waiting to get their hands on a Yorkshire pudding wrap by the town hall.

Santa’s Grotto has also returned to Sheffield in a new location of Barker’s Pool. Families were seen gathering here as children eagerly waited their turn on the carousel and the helter skelter. The classic big wheel can also be found on The Moor, which was packed with people on Saturday as it coincided with the outdoor market.

It will be a relief for many traders to have seen it so busy over the first weekend despite the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, and the lack of official Christmas lights switch-on.

Councillor Martin Smith, chair of the economic development committee, said the council’s decision to cancel the event “wasn’t made easily” - but it had to be made on the grounds of health and safety.

It comes amid the ongoing £33.6million project on Fargate, which began 18 months ago. It has seen workmen place fencing and barriers in sections on the shopping street as they replace the cobblestone with smoother and more accessible paving.

This year has seen Fargate left out of much of the festivities, which Elaine Medlam, store manager of Age UK on Norfolk Row, just off Fargate, said will mean they will “miss out on customers and footfall”.

Sheffield’s Christmas market will take place until December 24. To find out more about the opening hours, please click here.