Clarborough & Welham Community
near Retford, Bassetlaw
North Nottinghamshire
United Kingdom
We are united!

Our website is funded & managed by
Clarborough & Welham IT Group

Version 4.8

Retford’s Christmas Markets completed the season with it’s Big Market on Saturday, 20^th, December, like this...

Sunday 23^rd November 2025 saw our Christmas Lights Switch-on benefitting from much better weather than last year! ►
Read RBF’s press release here...

Retford turned out on Sunday 24^th November, 2024 to support its Christmas Market & Lights Switch-On despite Storm Bert - for a full press release describing how organisers coped with such damaging weather here...

◄ Retford Town Hall illuminated at 2024 Christmas Tree Lighting event.

[Right] BDC Cllr Sue Shaw, Chair of BDCD, speaking outside Retford Town Hall on November 24th, 2024 with Cllr David Naylor (Retford Mayor) posing as one of the Father Christmases!

The Retford Christmas Market opened at 10:00 on Sunday 26^th November 2023 and, after a fantastic programme of entertainment on stage and around the town, switched the lights on at 17:00. Then Eltonesque launched into “Step into Christmas” before continuing to wow the crowds until 17:45. The event closed at 18:00 with thousands of happy people having had a great day out in Retford.

Read the full post-event press release here... plus 14^th December Retford Winter Festival of Light Late-Night Shopping

These photos give a bit of a feeling for this fabulous event...

◄ left to right: Cllr Gillian Freeman Deputy Chair of Bassetlaw District Council, Revd Ben Clayton Rector of St.Saviours Church, Cllr Dan Henderson Mayor of Retford, Cllr Debbie Merryweather Chairman of Bassetlaw District Council.

[Right] Rattlejag Morris Sword Dance.

[Left] Santa's Little Helper gives interview before switching on the lights.

[Left] The Ice Queens meet the Stormtroopers

[Left] The Performance Hub’s young stage performers.

Retford’s 2023 Heritage Open Day took place on Saturday 9^th September and Christmas Lights Switch-on on Sunday, 26^th November.

2021 following Covid closures saw Retford ‘getting back to normal’ with run-up-to Christmas events including :

Click on posters for bigger and fuller views... and on links below for reports on the successes of these events...

RBF Christmas Market 2021 post-event press release.

Can-dles of Hope Thanksgiving/Illuminate 2021 post-event press release.