Merry Mildenhall is on Thursday 3 December 2026, 4.30pm to 7.30pm, in the Market Place and Precinct. Stalls, gifts and food; stall bookings close 6 November.

Merry Mildenhall, the town’s Christmas evening, is on Thursday 3 December 2026, from 4.30pm to 7.30pm, in the Market Place and Precinct. Mildenhall High Town Council has confirmed the date and is still signing up stallholders.

The quick answer

  • When: Thursday 3 December 2026, 4.30pm to 7.30pm.
  • Where: Mildenhall Market Place and the Precinct.
  • What: Christmas stalls from food stands, small businesses and local groups, run by Mildenhall High Town Council.
  • Want a stall? Contact the council by Friday 6 November: facilities@mildenhall-tc.gov.uk or 01638 713493.
  • Not yet published: a stall list, entertainment, and whether Father Christmas or a lights switch-on is part of the evening.

What is confirmed for 2026

The town council’s stallholders notice, posted on 25 September, gives the date, time and place: “Merry Mildenhall will take place in the Market Place and Precinct on Thursday 3rd December 4.30pm - 7.30pm.” The council says it is “looking for new faces” this year and wants food stands, small businesses and local groups. Applications close on Friday 6 November.

That is everything the council has published so far. It has not said what entertainment is planned, and nothing on its site mentions a Christmas lights switch-on or a visit from Father Christmas for 2026, so we have not listed either. This page will be updated when the council publishes the programme.

What it was like last year

The 2025 event ran on Thursday 4 December 2025, also 4.30pm to 7.30pm in the Market Place and Precinct. The council’s 2025 notice promised “great stallholders, Christmas gifts and yummy food”. The 2026 evening keeps the same slot, the first Thursday in December.

Parking: the free car park shuts before it starts

West Suffolk Council’s only listed car park in Mildenhall, Carters Yard, IP28 7ER, is free but has just 20 spaces and is open 8am to 4pm, so it closes half an hour before Merry Mildenhall begins (West Suffolk Council). Plan on walking in or parking elsewhere in town.

Any road closure for the evening would be published by Suffolk County Council; none had been advertised when we checked on 17 October. Closures across the district go on our roadworks and travel page, and Bury St Edmunds’ car parks are on our parking page.

Mildenhall’s other Christmas date

West Suffolk Markets runs a Mildenhall Winter Market in the Market Place, 10am to 3pm, with craft workshops and entertainment. Its listing gives Sunday 13 December 2026, but the operator’s own Mildenhall seasonal markets page gives the winter date as Sunday 20 December, so check before you go (West Suffolk Markets).

Christmas nearby

Frequently asked questions

When is Merry Mildenhall 2026?

Thursday 3 December 2026, from 4.30pm to 7.30pm.

Where is Merry Mildenhall held?

In the Market Place and the Precinct in Mildenhall town centre.

How do I book a stall at Merry Mildenhall?

Email facilities@mildenhall-tc.gov.uk or call Mildenhall High Town Council on 01638 713493 by Friday 6 November 2026.

Checked on 17 October 2026 against Mildenhall High Town Council’s news pages, West Suffolk Council’s Mildenhall car parks page, West Suffolk Markets and the Public Notice Portal.