Ringwood’s Winter Wanderland is a series of events and activities in the Town to mark the festive period and to encouarge visitors to come into the town to view our wonderful lights, Christmas tree and support our fabulous shops, bars and restaurants. This year's festivities start on Sunday 1st December with our popular event.
Ringwood came alive on Sunday 1st December 2024 during its much-loved annual Christmas event. Despite unexpected rain showers, locals and visitors from near and far turned out in droves to enjoy a festive market, live music, a grotto, circus walkabouts, and more.
Every year, Ringwood Town Council curates its unique “Winter Wanderland”—a series of festive-themed activities that celebrate the town’s community spirit and encourage visitors and shoppers to explore the area. The name “Wanderland” is intentional, promoting movement and discovery throughout the town.
This year, the High Street was buzzing with over 70 market stalls offering unique gifts and seasonal treats. An unusual and captivating art installation filled Gateway Square, adding an extra touch of magic. Crowds eagerly awaited the arrival of Father Christmas on his grand red sleigh, and he certainly didn’t disappoint. Hundreds of delighted children, joined by their families, embraced the festive spirit and shared the magic on social media. The event also featured a performance by the remarkable Steamship Circus, whose stilt-walking fairies, giant unicycle-riding toy soldiers, and tinsel-clad acrobats brought wonder and excitement to the day.
Speaking about the event, Cllr Rae Frederick, Town Mayor, expressed gratitude to the community: “We want to thank our volunteers from across the community and our sponsors for your support. We could not do it without you!”
Take a look at our special 2024 promotional film
We can't thank our wonderfully generous supporters enough, without whom we could not run our events.
Thank you in particular to our Headline Partner, Fretten's Solicitors
And to:
Churchill Living - Stage sponsor
The Railway Pub - Railway attraction sponsor
Key supporters:
The Furlong Shopping Centre
Ringwood Motor Company
Fred Olsen Travel Agents
Doughty Engineering
Oak Mount Care Home
Bakehouse 24
Lonsdale Wealth Management
The votes have been counted, verified, and the results are in! The annual Christmas Window Decoration competition, part of the popular Ringwood Winter Wanderland programme, saw over 800 votes cast this year.
Ringwood Fabrics has been crowned the overall winner, edging out 34 local businesses, shops, and community organisations taking part. The winners were presented with the prestigious trophy by Town Mayor, Cllr Rae Frederick.
Queen Nails claimed second place, while Little Monkeys Children’s Day Nursery at The Old Cottage came in third. BrightWater Independent Estate Agents and Champions Barbers rounded out the top five.
Angela Cork, owner of Ringwood Fabrics, was thrilled to accept the honour, especially with the shop celebrating 50 years of trading in the heart of Ringwood High Street in 2025. Angela shared the story behind their winning display: “We wanted to ensure our display involved our customers and benefited the community. We put out a call for people to knit or crochet bobble hats in shades of green with a colourful bobble on top to create a bobble hat Christmas tree. We expected around 25 hats, but we received 186, making it a truly magical and festive display!”
The hats are now being distributed to local charities, including Ringwood Foodbank, to support those in need. Any funds raised from the sale of these hats will be donated to STARF (Stronger Together Across Ringwood & Fordingbridge), which helps local families.
Cllr Rae Frederick praised the competition and Ringwood Fabrics’ efforts, saying, “Once again, Ringwood Winter Wanderland has been a huge success in supporting our wonderful local shops, businesses, and community organisations. Congratulations to Ringwood Fabrics for showcasing the incredible community spirit that defines Ringwood. I want to thank everyone who participated for their time, creativity, and hard work in making this year’s event a truly festive experience.”
For those wishing to relive the magic of the competition, all 2024 entries can be viewed in this video: Ringwood Winter Wanderland 2024 Entries.
In addition to the window competition, Ringwood Town Council also ran the Reindeer Ramble Trail, where local families helped Santa find his hidden reindeer in shop windows around town. Over 70 completed activity sheets were returned, with random winners receiving vouchers donated by local businesses, including Fred. Olsen Travel Agents, Prices Fish & Chips, Liberty's Owl, Raptor & Reptile Centre, and Lunn’s Art Shop.
Jan
As part of Hampshire Forest Partnership Tree Planting Programme, we have planted six disease resistant elm trees across the Town Council’s land, with two at Carvers (as part of the Carvers Masterplan) and four in other areas.
Jan
The results are in for the annual Christmas Window Decoration competition. Congratulations to overall winners Ringwood Fabrics, and to everyone who participated.
Dec
The Council has a number of vacancies. Click for details and apply to join our team.
