The winter market will be made up of 30-40 quality arts and crafts stalls, selling those last minute stocking fillers including handmade jewellery, fine ceramics, wooden Christmas crafts and other Christmas decorations, leather goods and other beautiful handcrafted accessories.  There will also be several outlets selling festive food to keep you warm and a main bar serving mulled wine and ale.

In celebration of the history of the area and the fairs that took place on a frozen Thames hundred of years ago, referred to as the Frost Fairs, the festival opens with a Frost Fair-themed lantern parade on Friday 12^thDecember at 4:30pm.  With approximately 270 local school children taking part, the parade will bring to life aspects of the Frost Fair with lanterns the shape of ice-skaters, dancing bears and roasted chestnut sellers and much more. Families will be able to download instructions to make their own lantern from www.visitbankside.com and join the parade.

On Saturday at 11am there will also be celebratory procession of Traditional Thames Cutters carrying Frost Fair flags on the River Thames. Visitors should watch the boats from the best vantage point on the Millennium Bridge.