Sheffield Christmas Market: City turns out in numbers as Sheffield embraces festive run-in

Sheffield Christmas Market was packed for its first weekend of the year - with some top entertainment on the side.

Friday and Saturday evenings were reported to be packed with visitors as the first weekend of the annual festive offering took place.

Some visitors praised the atmosphere too.

Pictures taken by The Star show the streets packed on Saturday evening, and traders echoed that feeling on Sunday afternoon, when we visited again.

One trader selling fruit liqueurs told us they had seen a busy few days since opening.

And decorations stallholder, Gary, from The Glass Forest decorations, told The Star: "It's been excellent. There's been a great atmosphere down here and the people have been really nice. With the cost of living thing, people are not spending as much, but they're doing their best to look after their kids."

Jay, from the Hot Roasted Chestnuts stall, said: "The opening weekend is always the most exciting weekend.”

Regarding Saturday, he agreed it had been a busy night. He said: "It was indeed very busy. There were a lot of people out enjoying themselves.”

Sam, from the Yorkshire Print Company stall, said: "We were really busy on Saturday."

He said the best-selling products had been their pubs of Sheffield prints, the Yorkshire periodic table, and Sheffield Monopoly.

Visitors to the market on Sunday had to contend with the rain, and traders believed it may have put some off visiting.

For those who did make the trip, there was entertainment on the streets. On Pinstone Street, a duo dressed like Victorian street traders performed balancing skills, to the accompaniment of an accordion.

Further down towards The Moor end of the Christmas market, we found an unexpected sneak preview of the Manor Operatic Society's City Hall pantomime. Actors from the show were performing songs in front of the main entrance to The Moor Market.

The cast were attracting a crowd, and encouraging audience participation in the pantomime tradition, with sing-a-longs, and plenty of cries of 'oh yes they are' and ‘oh no they're not'.

Shoppers gave their approval of the market.

Ryan Bradley, from Parson Cross, said: "I'm enjoying it today. It's a shame about the weather but it's better now they've incorporated it down to The Moor so we can look at some of the other shops."

Jade Benniston was visiting from Nottingham. She said: "I think it's lovely. It's massive. You literally go down all different avenues. It is all there. I think it's lovely and Christmassy."

Dawn Badger, from High Green, said she liked the market and the pop up bars. She added: "I think it's the niche-ness of the little gifts you can buy as well."

Scott Claxton, from Jordanthorpe, was heading for The Moor. He said he was a fan of the Christmas market. He said: "It's good. It's always going to bring extra business in and extra people in, spending money. It can only be good for Sheffield really. We've just had something to eat, and now we'll go and see how it is down there."