Apply to trade at our festive indoor marketplace

A new Christmas tradition is coming to WWT Slimbridge this December, and we'd like you to be a part of it.

Dates: Saturday 5 & Sunday 6 December, Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 December, Saturday 19, Sunday 20, Monday 21, Tuesday 22, Wednesday 23 December (9 days total)

Location: WWT Slimbridge wetland centre, just 30 minutes from Gloucester, 40 minutes from Bristol, and a short drive from M5 junctions 13 or 14.

Times: Stalls will be open 9:30am to 4:00pm. Set up from 8:30am, and take down by 5:00pm. 

Cost: £25 per day, or save £25 by booking five days for just £100

Apply now

We're inviting families to experience the magic of wetlands in winter, with a new Christmas tradition launching in 2026. As part of our family-friendly Wetland Wonderland experience, we're creating a cosy indoor marketplace and inviting local artisans to share their creations with our engaged audience.

There will be just 10 carefully curated stalls per day, so visibility for each maker will be strong. Historically we have received thousands of visitors across this period, and expect increased footfall with the launch of our new event appealing to a wider range of audiences.

The stalls will be set up in the Visitor Centre, where there is a high level of footfall coming through from the Admissions desk. The event will be marketed across our platforms and through local advertising to adults with children, as well as adults and couples who are keen birders or wish to get outdoors this winter.

With the draw of hot drinks and food as well as local choir performances twice daily, we hope that our new marketplace will be a popular alternative to outdoor Christmas markets this festive season. Learn more about the event here.

What we're looking for

Locality: We'd love to showcase local makers and creators. Please let us know where you're based and where your materials come from when applying.

Quality: We’re particularly interested in handmade products or those that use traditional or artisanal methods of manufacture. We want all of the products available to bring joy for years to come with minimal impact on our planet.

Ethics: All products must be ethically sourced, sustainable, and fair trade. If your products are made abroad, please provide evidence and details on this when applying.

Appeal: We take into consideration the product range you wish to sell and how they feed into the wider market and appeal to our target audience. Please make sure you describe your products accurately when applying.

Application process

1. Via the form linked on this page, we will ask for the following information from you:
   1. Details of company and applicant
   2. Description of your business and products
   3. Details of how your products are made and where your materials are sourced
   4. Sustainability/ethics
   5. Stall requirements
2. As long as adequate imagery is provided, samples will not be required.
3. This is not a first-come first-served application process, but as stall spaces are very limited we highly recommend applying before the 30th of September 2026.
4. All applications will be considered equally based on the information provided. As there are just 10 stalls available per day, we will be taking retail mix and price range into account to ensure a wide variety of products available per day. We may not be able to accommodate all requested dates, as we hope to spread product types across the festive period to encourage repeat visitation and even purchase coverage.
5. We will start to contact successful applicants from the 1st of October 2026. Please be aware that if a high volume of applications is received, we regret that we may not be able to contact all unsuccessful applicants.
6. Dates and terms will be confirmed via email. We will then provide a stallholder agreement form and invite you to make payment in full via our online ticketing portal by the 1st of November 2026. In the event you cancel your booking any later than the 1st of November 2026, WWT regret we will be unable to refund your fee.

Important information

Stall sizes and facilities

All stalls are the same size and design, with a table top size of 2ft by 4ft. The stalls have a rustic wooden design.

Please let us know at the time of application whether you will require electricity.

Decorating your stall

Fixings and decorations can be screwed into the wooden frame of each stall. We would prefer for you to use warm white lighting if you are using spotlights or fairylights. Whilst you are responsible for the decoration of their chalets, we reserve the right to request any changes to the decorations. 

Any questions? Please email shop.slimbridge@wwt.org.uk.