Christmas is just around the corner, so here we present a few of the highlights of the coming festive season.

14 November

Make your own Bath Bombs at East Thirsk Learning Resource Centre. YO7 1DN. Measure and mix the ingredients to make bath bombs and select your own fragrance. Make a pretty box ready to give your bath bombs to someone special. Free, 10am to noon. For tickets, email Helen.Jefferies@northyorks.gov.uk

15 November to 23 December

Scarborough will sparkle and shine with many light installations and events across various venues in the town for Scarborough Lights. There will be a combination of free and ticketed events at 14 locations with more than 60 installations, including Scarborough Sparkle and Lantern Parade.

17 to 19 November

Whitby’s Christmas Festival and Market will take place on the Front Marina Car Park, Langbourne Road.

18 November

Sessay Christmas Fayre at Sessay Village Hall, 10am to 2pm, free admission.

19 November

The Station, Richmond, begins its Christmas celebrations early with a Glass Fusing For Christmas Workshop on November 19. Throughout the Festive period The Station will come alive with a variety of festive fairs and workshops.

20 November

The Leyburn Gurkha Band Concert 2023, 7pm to 9.30pm at the Garden Rooms at Tennants, Leyburn. The Gurkha Band returns for another performance at the Garden Rooms at Tennants. The concert will include a lively mix of Western and Nepali music, a selection of rousing military tunes, and traditional Gurkha songs. Prices vary.

24 to 26 November

Scarborough Sparkle is a magical and enchanting Christmas wonderland on the North Bay at the Open Air Theatre. Head over to the Tipi for a glass of mulled wine, Christmas music, log fires and a toasted marshmallow. There’s plenty to keep the kids active from a traditional Ferris wheel, teacups, hook a duck, MEGA fun house or take a ride on the illuminated land train. More than 35 themed stalls offer handmade gifts, Christmas cards, chocolates, speciality liqueur, clothing and jewellery. There are also gourmet food stalls. The event runs from 5pm to 9pm on the Friday, 11am to 9pm on the Saturday and 11am to 4pm on the Sunday. 

Thirsk Christmas Fayre at Thirsk and Sowerby Town Hall, Westgate, Thirsk, offers stallholders, a cafe and Santa, from 10am to 3pm. 

25 and 26 November

Christmas Tree Festival at Thirsk Methodist Church, St James Green. Entry is free but donations welcome, in support of Herriot Hospice, Saturday 10am to 4pm, Sunday noon to 4pm.

26 November

The Christmas Fair at the Old Girl’s School in Sherburn in Elmet takes place from 11am with craft stalls, tombola, mulled wine, mince pies and Santa’s grotto.

Husthwaite Village Market at Husthwaite Village Hall, 11pm to 2pm. A mix of seasonal indoor and outdoor stalls, including locally produced food and goods. Free entry.

28 November

A free soap making workshop at East Thirsk Learning Resource Centre, 10am to 1pm. To book your place, email charlotte.ripley@northyorks.gov.uk

30 November to 3 December

The Country Living Christmas Fair at Harrogate Convention Centre offers a chance to shop in style with a glass of prosecco in hand from an abundance of artisan designers. This Christmas it features a food and drink emporium, tutors who will host craft workshops to create baubles and bunting, and an interactive Christmas Table, where visitors can learn how to make cocktails, canapes, and perfect their tablescaping skills. The fair offers hands-on workshops, tailored tasting sessions, a vibrant food hall and a huge array of unique gifts from the UK’s leading crafters, designers, and artisans.

1 December

The annual switch-on of the Richmond Christmas lights will take place in Friary Gardens at 6.30pm. There will be a small selection of fairground rides in the Market Place, and complimentary mulled wine and mince pies can be enjoyed in the Market Hall from 6pm.

1 to 17 December

Harrogate Christmas Fayre runs from December 1 to 17. Harrogate’s famous Christmas Market returns to the town centre for 17 days of festive shopping. Among the many stalls and entertainments will be arts and crafts from artisan creators, mouth-watering treats for customers to sample or buy, festive decorations and unique gift ideas.

2 December

Repair your stuff at Thirsk Library, Meadowfields, 10am to 1pm. Be greener by avoiding waste and save money by letting a team of dedicated and talented volunteers try to repair your broken or “worn-out” items. The cost is a voluntary donation. For further details or to volunteer, email thirskrepaircafe@gmail.com

Selby Christmas Market and lights switch-on takes place in the Market Place from 10am to 5pm, with entertainment from local school choirs and bands and more than 40 stalls. Selby Abbey Christmas fair takes place on the same day.

The Station, Richmond, hosts its popular Hand Made Christmas fair. Throughout December the Station Cinema will show classic Christmas Films, as well as the brand-new 2023 Christmas show from André Rieu.

The popular Riccall Dickensian Fayre returns to Riccall village green from 4pm to 7pm. Discover more than 20 stalls with stall holders dressed in Dickensian attire and selling seasonal gifts. The village band and village choirs will both be performing and there’s plenty of fun for children including pocket money games and a raffle with some wonderful prizes on offer.

2 and 3 December

Bay Victorian Weekend at Robin Hood’s Bay, 10am to 5pm. Dress up and go to see the Christmas decorations and lights. Windows will be dressed for the festive season.

Whitby Krampus Run started in 2013 as a lone Krampus, joined by friends in 2015 and then became a full public event in 2017. The costumed street parade is an interpretation of the Alpine winter tradition with inclusion of local folklore and history to infuse a unique take on the Krampus legend and lore.

Knaresborough’s popular Christmas market weekend offers visitors a Yorkshire Christmas experience. Centred around the imposing Christmas tree in the town’s Market Place, the market opens at 10am on Saturday, December 2, when the town centre will be filled with stalls selling seasonal goods, decorations, cards, gifts and the best of locally sourced produce. Performances by local dancers, brass bands and choirs will add to the festive atmosphere. The market weekend will close at 4.30pm on Sunday 3 December with a firework finale.

Malton Christmas Festival is a two-day shopping event with a huge amount of festive food, non-food stalls and present ideas. Expect a fabulous weekend of festive fun in and around Malton’s picturesque Market Place, with delicious food, festive gift stalls, street food, live music and family entertainment. Free entry.

2 to 23 December

The Knaresborough Christmas Tree Festival returns to St John’s Church, Vicarage Lane, with 70 Christmas trees decorated by local groups and businesses. Refreshments will be served each weekend. Admission is free, but there will be the opportunity to donate to the church and the chosen charity.

3 December

Thirsk Farmers' Market at Thirsk Market Place from 9am to 2pm. Find details of this and other farmers’ markets.

Easingwold Christmas market takes place from 9am to 2pm at the Galtres Centre, organised by Easingwold Town Council.

5 December

Free Festive Ribbon Wreath Workshop at East Thirsk Learning Resource Centre. Make your own Christmas wreath using colourful ribbons tied around a wreath ring, 10am to noon. Booking is essential. Book by texting Helen on 07977 599564 or emailing helen.jefferies@northyorks.gov.uk

Until 30 November

Discover the history of North Yorkshire’s railways in an exhibition at North Yorkshire County Record Office in Northallerton. From the 1830s, railways had a huge impact, significantly improving travel and allowing people to travel further than ever before for business, transporting goods, and daytrips to the coast. See the original plan for Whitby and Pickering Railway from 1832, as well as historic photographs, railway maps, posters, timetables, anniversary magazines and much more.  On Friday, November 24, Wensleydale Railway representatives will give a lunchtime talk about the Wensleydale Railway and its Heritage Programme and will bring to life the story of the 1920s station master's wife, Elizabeth Newton. Discover more about the exhibition.

And there’s more…

We can’t include everything that is happening, but you can find more events on these websites:

• Discover Yorkshire Coast
• Heart of Yorkshire
• Find more events in the Selby area
• Visit Harrogate
• Discover Hambleton
• Visit Pickering
• Find more events in the Thirsk area
• See what’s on at the Ritz cinema, Thirsk

If you are organising a major event in North Yorkshire, please tell us and we’ll do our best to include it in a future issue. Just email yny@northyorks.gov.uk. The next issue is scheduled to be published on 8 December.