Winter in the West End
8 – 21 December 2025
Opening hours 11am-6pm Sun-Wed, & 11am-7pm Thurs-Sat
Introduction
Winter in the West End 2024 worked well as a proof of concept – a longer-running Christmas Fair in Edinburgh. This allowed us to gauge footfall, demographics, advertising effectiveness and plan changes to make Winter in the West End 2025 even more successful.
By making slight changes to the layout, adjusting the marquee positioning, and using the hall more efficiently, we will be able to increase the number of stalls, and by doing so will be able to lower the cost of all stalls to you, our Exhibitors. This will result in approximately a 15% reduction in costs to you across the board.
We’ll also be focusing our advertising on avenues that we know work, having undertaken extensive customer research of those attending the event. This will allow us to drive more traffic to the event.
Finally, we’ll be pushing a heavy rebranding as a “Christmas Market”, rather than an Art, Craft & Design Fair. This is more appropriate branding for this time of year and should help bring more people into the the event.
Winter in the West End will be located on the Upper Terrace of St John’s Church and extend into the Church Hall, at the west end of Edinburgh’s busiest shopping street, Princes Street. A large, heated marquee will be erected on the Upper Terrace, with stalls running along both the North and South sides. In the Church Hall stalls will be located all around the large windowed room with great views towards the castle. Access will be from both the Princes St and Lothian Road gates. Winter in the West End starts immediately after the Assembly Rooms event. To make it as easy as possible for you, we will provide a bookable complimentary shuttle service to help move your items from the Assembly Rooms to St John’s.
There will be pop-up food stalls on the Upper Terrace, in addition to the permanent cafes at St Johns, open throughout the day.
No admission charge is applicable.
Dates
The event runs from 8 December until 21 December and is split into two time blocks.
Week 1: 8 December to 14 December
Week 2: 15 December to 21 December
The Weeks are bookable separately or in combination.
Types of Stalls
There are several types of stalls available.
Medium Width, Deep Screen Stalls: These stalls are built with wood walls (as used at West End Fair). Each stall is 1.65m deep and 2.15m wide.
Medium Width, Narrow Screen Stalls: These stalls are built with wood walls (as those used at West End Fair). Each stall is 0.9m deep and 2.15m wide.
Medium Width, Deep Open Stalls: These stalls are open space only and each stall is 1.65m deep and 2.15m wide.
Small Width, Deep Open Stalls These stalls are open space only and each stall is 1.2m deep and 2.15m wide.
Medium Width, Narrow Open Stalls: These stalls are open space only and each stall is 0.9m deep and 2.15m wide.
Small Width, Narrow Open Stalls: These stalls are open space only and each stall is 0.9m deep and 1.5m wide
The height of the walls of the Screen Stalls, is always 2.0m. These shell units are very sturdy constructions with sides and backs made from solid wood and plywood panels. The stalls are stained a tasteful dark blue.
Exhibitors are encouraged to incorporate lighting into their displays. Access to electricity is free of charge. Exhibitors must also “dress” their stall - Screen walls can’t be painted so the solution is to bring drapes, fabric, lining paper etc in order to give the display a particular professional look and to generally enliven the appearance of the stall. Open stalls need to incorporate their styling into their display - nothing can be attached to the marquee or Church hall walls. No heaters of any type may be used on the electrical systems - they are temporary supplies and are designed for lighting, not heating.
Overnight security is provided through “Dalek” monitoring systems (similar to those used at West End Fair). Exhibitors do however leave their items on site, entirely at their own risk.
Confirmation of Your Booking
Payment & Confirmation. Once you have been allocated a space you will receive confirmation in the form of an invoice(s). There are two payment options, which you choose from when booking: Either one invoice for paying in full or two invoices with 50% deposit and the remaining 50% to be paid by 22 Oct. Please note all prices include access to electricity and are inclusive of VAT at 20%. For those opting for 2 invoices, please note the date for the future payment and ensure payment is made promptly. When you complete your application form online you will see a note at the end saying you have submitted the application. You will also receive a copy to the email address you provided on the application form.
Cancellations
Full refunds will be given (less a cancellation fee of £50) if you cancel up to six weeks before the event. Our standard T&Cs apply at all times.
Note: If you have booked Assembly Rooms Christmas and Winter in the West End, and you cancel your booking for Assembly Rooms, your Winter in the West End booking will be cancelled automatically, incurring another £50 cancellation fee.
Tables and Chairs
You can request – free of charge - up to two tables as long as you can fit yourself and the tables and any other props into your floor space. Specify the quantity and sizes on the Application Form in the ‘Tables Requirements’ box. Trestle tables are available in four lengths: 3ft, 4ft, 5ft and 6ft long (0.9m, 1.2m, 1.5m & 1.8m). Table widths and heights may vary, but most are 2’ 6” wide (76cm)
When considering your stall layout and table requirements, remember to allow an extra 1ft minimum (0.3m) for access around your table if it’s going to go to the front of your stall. If you book a narrow stall allow 2ft to the side of your table for a chair.
Unloading / Setting Up
You will receive details nearer the time. If you are exhibiting from 8 December, unloading / set-up will be on the Sunday night (7 December) and from 8am Monday (8 December). (Vehicle offloading only after 9.30am on Monday morning). A complimentary shuttle service will be available from Assembly Rooms to Winter in the West End, on Sunday night, 7 December. This must be booked at time of applying for this event.
If you are exhibiting in Week 2 only, unloading and set-up will be on Sunday night, 14 December from 18:30- 20:00
Shared or Group Stalls
3D2D has no problem with two or more people sharing a stall equally. Consequently, the ‘group’ members don’t all have to be there every day. It will be best to contact the office to discuss how the Application Form is filled in. All people sharing must all have been approved to exhibit by the Selection Panel.
Publicity
The Fair will be extensively featured in online listings and social media. Press releases are sent out far and wide. Invitations will be emailed and posted from various mailing lists. Posters/Flyers will be distributed widely to attract local people and visitors. Advertising will be placed in various publications, online, on the backs of Lothian buses and in other media in the lead-up to the event.
The Fair will be highly visible to passers-by and to motorists, with our “Toblerone” gateways as used at the West End Fair with Christmas lights, decorations, and bunting, lots of signs on railings, and other illuminations to catch the public’s eye. St Johns is at one end of Princes Street, on the corner of one of central Edinburgh’s busiest junctions; the Fair will attract a lot of passing trade.
NOTES
No dogs/pets are permitted.
You must be fully set up and ready to sell 15 minutes prior to the event opening. You may not close up early.