The winter market will be made up of 40-50 quality arts and crafts stalls, selling those last minute stocking fillers including handmade jewellery, fine ceramics, wooden Christmas crafts,  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 winter market opens with a Frost Fair-themed lantern parade on Friday 12^th December 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.  The lantern parade will end outside Tate Modern, where a Frost Fair lantern scene will be assembled and will remain on display for the entirety of the festival.

Families can download instructions on how to make your own lantern here and join in the parade.

At 11.00am on Saturday 13^th December there will be celebratory procession of Traditional Thames Cutters carrying Frost Fair flags on the River Thames between Southwark and Blackfriars Bridges. Visitors should watch the boats from the best vantage point on the Millennium Bridge. 

A series of Frost Fair guided walks focusing on Bankside's connection with the river and its rich theatrical history as London's original West End will take place on:

• Saturday 13th December at 2.30 pm
• Sunday 14th December at 10.45am
• Saturday 20th December at 2.30 pm.
  

They'll all go from Mansion House tube, exit 1, cost £5 per person and are run by London Walks.  Private tours can be arranged upon request. Please contact vf@betterbankside.co.uk.

Finally, for a touch of the Arctic those amazing creatures that are Siberian Huskies will be back to give sled rides to under 12s (£5) and for everyone else who still wants to get close to these beauties have a "Hug a Husky" photo (£4): Friday 12^th - Sunday 14^th December and Friday 19^th - Sunday 21^st December. !

Download the Bankside Winter Festival leaflet here.

The Bankside Winter Festival is a great day out for everyone and can be added to a visit to the area's many attractions:

• Shakespeare's Globe to find out more about Shakespeare, his plays and Elizabethan London
• Shop for your festive dinner items at Borough Market, where guest choirs including the BBC3 Choir of the year will accompany you whilst you browse the 'food glorious food'. Look out for their special opening hours in the run up to Christmas!
• Take the unique opportunity of seeing the site of the Rose Theatre (not usually open to the public) and book tickets to the performance of Shakespeare's poem The Rape of Lucrece.
• Tate Modern to see a range of modern art as well as an unprecedented exhibition of Mark Rothko's works including the Seagram murals
• Vinopolis for a tour around the world's wine producing regions with tasters along the way
• Bankside Gallery to pick up a small artwork to take home with you from their Mini Picture Show.
  
• Pick up some original contemporary gifts direct from their creators at the Menier Gallery's Craft & Design Fair
• Enjoy a series of Christmas concerts and carol services at Southwark Cathedral
• Visit Santa's Christmas Grotto or join a Christmas guided tour at the Golden Hinde
• Enjoy an alternative Christmas show with tickets to ‘A Little Night Music' by Stephen Sondheim and directed by Trevor Nunn at Menier Chocolate Factory
• Celebrate the New Year with the Lions Part's Twelfth Night festivities

And enjoy something tasty to eat at one of Bankside’s many welcoming bars and restaurants.

If you are a trader, there are no more stalls available at this year's winter market.