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
35 shops, businesses and organisations have entered our 2024 Christmas Window Competition. We have created our own Winter Wanderland map so you can come into Ringwood and 'wander' around the entries and vote for your favourites. If you want to print off a map, you can download here or pop into Ringwood Gateway for a copy from Monday 2nd December. You can vote for your top three windows here.
Voting opens on Monday 2nd December and winners will be announced in the New Year!
Help Santa find his missing Reindeer!
From Monday 2nd December, join in the festive fun with the Ringwood Reindeer Ramble around the centre of Ringwood. Santa's nine reindeer have gone missing, and he needs your help to track them down! As you explore the town, complete the activity sheet to find all of Santa’s reindeer hiding in local shops/businesses windows. It’s a great way to get into the holiday spirit!
How it Works:
Dec
The Council has a number of vacancies. Click for details and apply to join our team.
Dec
Wishing all Ringwood residents and businesses a Very Merry Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year. Click on the image for our opening hours over the Christmas period.
Dec
We have continued to work hard behind the scenes today and have received assurances that the remainder of the town’s Christmas lights will be installed tonight (5th December).
Whilst we do not expect this will draw a line under the matter—there will be important discussions to be had in the New Year—we hope that after tonight we will have a complete and festive display. Our goal remains to ensure that the town looks its best, encouraging everyone to visit and support our local businesses.
Thank you for your continued patience and understanding.
