On the build up to this year’s Small Business Saturday (6 December), Cumberland Council is encouraging residents to shop local and support local businesses.
Working alongside town councils, the Council has lined up a series of festive events designed to attract visitors and showcase the wealth of shops and traders across the area.
Local traders will be taking part in a series of markets including Carlisle Christmas Markets (6 December and 13 December) alongside our regular weekly markets across Cumberland including Carlisle (Fridays), Keswick (Thursdays and Saturdays), Wigton (Fridays) and Workington (Wednesdays and Saturdays).
Carlisle Market Hall will hold a special Festive Day on Saturday 6 December, while Cockermouth will welcome the return of the Taste Cumbria Market across the weekend of 6 and 7 December.
Carlisle’s Christmas open-air themed bar will be bringing festive cheer in the city centre, open every day, until the evening of 14 December. With seasonal drinks and a cosy atmosphere, it’s the perfect spot to celebrate the season with friends and family.
On Saturday, enjoy live entertainment from Rock With, bringing the perfect festive soundtrack to your weekend celebrations. Meanwhile, outside the Old Town Hall, Carlisle Vineyard Church will be spreading Christmas magic with a Santa’s Grotto - a must‑visit for families and little ones eager to meet Father Christmas.
Cockermouth will be full of festive cheer this weekend (Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 December) as the Taste Cumbria Christmas festival returns to the town.
There will be loads of stalls packed with goodies made by local traders, live music and festive street theatre, along with expert demos, fairground rides, face painting and children’s crafts. Father Christmas will be in his grotto on the Saturday from 11am and Cockermouth’s wealth of independent shops will be lighting their doorways with lanterns, and the pubs and eateries will be serving up some great food and drink, all joining in the fun.
In support of some events, Cumberland Council provided free parking in Keswick on 21 November, Cockermouth on the 23 and 27 November and Carlisle on the 27 November.
The following car parks also provide free parking on these dates:
Keswick
Sunday 7 December - free parking in Central car park from 7am - 7pm to help promote the Victorian Fayre.
Cockermouth
Thursday 11 December - free parking from 4pm to 7pm to help promote late night shopping. The free parking will be available in long stay car parks: Bitterbeck, Riverside, All Saints, Memorial Gardens and Sullart Street.
Egremont
Sunday 7 December - free parking is available all day in Chapel Street car park to support the Christmas Winter Wonderland event.
Carlisle
To coincide with late night shopping, free parking after 3pm in the following car parks on Late Night Thursdays:
Bitts Park; Lowther Street; Castle; Caldew Riverside; The Sands; Swifts Bank; Viaduct and West Walls car parks free parking after 3pm on Thursday December 4 and Thursday December 11.
For a full list of events planned for the Cumberland area, visit www.discovercarlisle.co.uk and www.westernlakedistrict.com.
For more information on Small Business Saturday visit https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com