Beer's Victorian Christmas Fayre & Craft Fair: Dates, Stalls & What to Expect

For one weekend a year, the fishing village time forgot goes back a bit further than usual. Fore Street fills with stallholders in bonnets and waistcoats, a penny-farthing wobbles past the Dolphin, and somewhere near the church hall there is, reliably, an alpaca.

This is the Beer Devon Christmas Fayre — two days of craft stalls, carols and Victorian theatre that turn the village into the most charming place in East Devon to finish your Christmas shopping. If you're wondering what actually happens, when, and how to time your visit around the dark and the crowds, here's the lot.

When is the Beer Devon Christmas Fayre

The weekend runs across two consecutive days in early December. The village of Beer in East Devon will host two days of Christmas celebrations, beginning with a craft fair and carol singing on Friday, December 4, followed by a Victorian Christmas Fayre on Saturday, December 5.

So think of it as a warm-up and a main event. Friday is gentler — carols, a craft fair, mulled wine weather. Saturday is the full Victorian spectacle, with the whole village in on the joke.

Friday: craft fair and carols

Festivities begin at St Michael's Church on the Friday, where a Christmas craft fair runs from 3pm to 7pm. Expect local makers, handmade gifts and the kind of stalls you won't find in any shopping centre — the sort of thing worth getting there early for if you've got anyone fussy to buy for.

Carol singing rounds off the evening, and honestly, carols outdoors in a Devon village in December hit different to carols anywhere else. Wrap up. The wind off the sea doesn't know it's meant to be festive.

Saturday: the Victorian Christmas Fayre itself

This is the headline event, and it spreads right across the village. Other attractions are based around the Dolphin pub, its car park and the Congregational Church Hall. If you only have time for one day, make it this one.

On the day you can expect:

• A fortune teller, lace making and have-a-go crafts
• Friendly alpacas, a skittles alley, hoopla and activities involving Beer Men's Shed
• Characters roaming the village streets, including a rider on a traditional penny-farthing bicycle
• A free drop-in Circus School for children, plus ghost walks, lace making, Victorian themed stalls and even fortune tellers
• A proper programme of live music, with tunes from Oliver! at 11am and 1pm, Honiton Brass Band at noon and the Beer Wurlitzer at 2pm

Shopfronts along Fore Street get dressed for the occasion too — think decorated windows and the odd shopkeeper in full Victorian costume, which somehow never feels naff here. The whole thing combines Christmas shopping, community carols, family entertainment and Victorian-themed attractions across the village.

Getting the timing right

December days in Beer are short, and the light starts dropping mid-afternoon. If you want to see the stalls properly before it's torch-and-mulled-wine territory, aim to arrive early — late morning gives you the brass band at noon and first light music set, with plenty of time left to wander.

Parking fills up fast on event days, more so than a normal winter weekend, because locals from Seaton and beyond come down for it too. If you're staying over, you've already solved that problem — if not, come early or consider parking a little further out and walking the last stretch down into the village.

Pushchairs and little legs cope fine with the pavements, but Fore Street does get busy with people stopping to browse, so budget more time than you'd think for the same distance. If you're bringing the family, our guide to visiting Beer with children has useful notes on buggies, toilets and keeping everyone fed.

Where to shop between the stalls

The fayre stalls are only half the story — the village's own independent shops are part of the charm, and most stay open late on fayre weekend. Chocolate & More is an easy stop for stocking fillers, The Cream Shop will sort out anyone wanting something sweet to eat while they browse, and Woozie's deli is worth a detour for local produce to take home.

Beer Village Store covers the practical gaps — forgotten batteries, a bottle of something for later. And if you've got someone on your list who likes thoughtfully chosen clothing over mass-produced gifts, Umma Gumma in the Village is exactly the sort of shop this village does well. For the full run of Fore Street's independents, our guide to Beer's shops is worth a read before you go.

Warming up afterwards

Once the Wurlitzer's packed up and your hands have gone cold holding mulled wine, duck inside somewhere proper. Barrel of Beer is as local-friendly as pubs get, and a good bet for thawing out with a pint. For the full lowdown on which pub suits which mood, our guide to the best pubs in and around Beer will steer you right, and if food's the priority, where to eat in Beer covers everything from quick bites to a proper sit-down dinner.

If the weather's kind and you fancy blowing the cobwebs off after all that browsing, the walk to Branscombe is glorious in low winter light, even if you only manage the first stretch before turning back for tea.

Staying over

December in Beer is quiet, cosy and a very different village to the summer crowds — if you'd rather not rush home after dark, Sea Holly House makes a comfortable base just a short stroll from all the fayre action.

For more of what's on through the rest of the year, our full 2026 events calendar covers everything from the summer regatta to the Grizzly Run.

FAQ

What dates is the Beer Devon Christmas Fayre in 2026?

The village hosts two days of Christmas celebrations, beginning with a craft fair and carol singing on Friday, December 4, followed by a Victorian Christmas Fayre on Saturday, December 5.

Is the Victorian Christmas Fayre free to attend?

The fayre is a community event spread across the village streets, church hall and pub car park rather than a ticketed venue, so wandering the stalls and watching the entertainment costs nothing — though you'll naturally want cash or a card for stalls, food and the odd raffle along the way.

What happens at Beer's Victorian Christmas Fayre?

Across the weekend you can expect friendly alpacas, a skittles alley, hoopla and activities involving Beer Men's Shed, a fortune teller and lace making, characters roaming the streets including a penny-farthing rider, plus live music from Oliver! and the Honiton Brass Band, with the Beer Wurlitzer performing later in the day.