Friday 5th December 2025
If you feel you could help in anyway or you would like to sponsor the event please do get in touch HERE
Since 2010 our event has provided festive fun for everyone as well as encouraging local shopping with late-night opening. Highlights have always been the children’s lantern parade and community carol singing in the Market Place, market stalls in the streets, Santa’s grotto in the Corn Exchange, live entertainment and fireworks or light displays.
Current URGENT Roles to fill:
Secretary creating and sending agenda’s and minutes for our meetings
Marshal Co-ordinator organising and communicating with the volunteer Marshalls
Stall Co-ordinator organising and communicating with stall holders
Social Media posting regular updates throughout the year
Send us an email if you can help CLICK HERE
We meet once a month on a Thursday evening in the Parish Centre (opposite the Post Office) usually 7.30pm. No previous experience is necessary.
Please email our Chair: chairman@blandford-yuletide-festival.org.uk
Like us on Facebook to see updates
STALLS
We have closed our Stall Bookings for 2025
We have been able to get more stalls into the Corn Exchange this year due to the renovation
If you would like to express interest in having a stall at 2026 event please go to our Stall Holders Page
FATHER CHRISTMAS
This year we are back in the newly renovated Corn Exchange!
Father Christmas will be bringing in the Lantern parade from 6pm. He will then be in his Grotto from approx 6.30pm. He may not stay all evening (depending on gifts and attendance), if you want to go later (for a possible quieter spot) please check in with the volunteers selling tickets earlier in the evening and they will try and help
If anyone would like to volunteer to come and help create/decorate a magical grotto please come along the the Corn Exchange 9am on the 5th December or email Sam. Shouldn’t take long, maybe an hour depending on how many volunteers we have
WHAT’S ON…
6.00pm Lantern Parade Starts
Led by Father Christmas and the Mayor of Blandford Forum followed by The Blandford Primary Schools Network, Badgers and Cadets & local Scout Group. From East Street into the Market Place.
PLEASE STAND TO THE SIDE/ON THE PAVEMENTS TO LET THE PARADE THROUGH!
6.15pm Mayor’s welcoming address and lighting of the Christmas tree
On the stage (west end of market place)
6.25pm Carol singing with Stour Valley Band
6.35pm Entertainment
Rokit Choir until 7pm
Poppy Stevens 15 minutes
Robert Stanley 15 minutes
Daisy Turner 10 songs until 8pm
Lizzy Chaisty who is on until 8.55pm
9.00pm Event Ends
(10.00pm Town Centre Roads re-open)
Please note that details are subject to change.
The Crown Hotel
Situated in West Street, DT11 7AJ
Craft Fair in the Sealy Suite
4pm – 9pm
Raising money for Treads Blandford this year
Blandford Library will be open until 8pm!
Situated in The Tabernacle, DT11 7DW
They will have a warm, safe and quieter space for people to be welcomed into. They will have Christmas crafts to make for children and adults, they will also have hot drinks available.
Blandford Town Museum
Situated in Beres Yard, DT11 7HQ
Entertainments, Stalls and Refreshments. The decorated Museum will be open for visitors, with Christmas Gifts in the shop. The West Gallery Carollers will be around 6:45 and 7:45 pm, and the Bourne Valley Morris Dancers at 7:15 and 8:15 pm.
LOCAL BUSINESSES
D.W Sweets 23a West Street
They have extended their opening hours and will be open 9am till 8pm. Pop in and see their shop – opposite the crown hotel.
Forum Cafe 34 Salisbury Street, DT11 7PR
Hannah from Pink Moon will be here with a beautiful selection of crystal gift ideas. Ange from Tropic with amazing skin care and make up gifts. Local celebrity and gardening expert David Hurrion with Norman and Vera gifts. He will also be signing his new book on the night.
The Original Factory Shop – Blandford Forum 43B East Street, DT11 7DX
Extended their opening hours for this event : they will be open 9am till 9pm. Go in and see what offers and bargains they have in store. And they may have some fun things going on instore to throughout the evening. They will be raising money for Make a Wish
Costa Coffee Blandford 7 Salisbury Street, DT11 7AU
They will be open throughout the evening rather than closing at their usual time of 5:30pm.
Dorset Blind Association Unit 1, Greyhound House, 2 Market Place, DT11 7EB
The Dorset Blind shop will be open until late for the Yuletide Festival
If any businesses would like to use pitches outside their premises for selling food and drink please let us know – we would prefer to offer locally made produce rather than have to get external stalls.
Are you open? If you are going to be open for the event it would be good to know so that we can advertise this and make sure we don’t pitch stalls in front of your business – email Sam
We have a programme booklet produced and distributed on the evening that contains the programme of events, important information and the words for carol singing. There is an opportunity to advertise your business for future events, please get in touch if you are interested.
Information Map
SPONSORS
We run the Festival using the surplus from previous year’s event and sponsorship from local businesses
A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF THEM!
Our main sponsor
Sponsoring the printing of the programmes
Other Sponsors:
If your business would like to sponsor the 2026 event please get in touch
We really would love your support for this event to continue, so if you think you could help make it better in anyway at all, every little helps, please do email us