“Working with Sarah is nothing short of an absolute dream, her knowledge and experience in the world of events is abundant and her customer focus is paramount.”
Maddie O’Hanlon, Engagement and Amenities Executive at Milton Park
Milton Park in Oxfordshire approached Octopus Events to support them in organising a one-day Christmas Market in November 2024. The goal was to foster a sense of community among the different companies in the business park and showcase local small businesses selling seasonal products. It was a short lead time but, together, we worked our festive magic and the client was delighted with the results. A Christmas market is a wonderful way to boost morale and add value to the different organisations based in a business park. If you’d like to find out more about creating something similar, now is the perfect time to start planning – get in touch with Sarah and the team to find out more.
The Brief:
As Europe’s largest business park, Milton Park holds events for its occupiers throughout the year. They asked us to support them in organising a large, feel-good Christmas Market where all the money raised from stallholders would go to Didcot Powerhouse Fund, a local charity that tackles inequality. The market was to be held in a designated area of the car park, we were able to work with the on-site facilities team and they were keen to use local stall holders for a community feel.
Our Execution:
Initially the client was keen to have traditional wooden huts but the logistics and cost of setting these up for one day was prohibitive, so we worked with a local supplier of luxury gazebos. All the gazebos matched and the cost to hire the tents (including a trestle table in each) was kept very affordable. The company erected the gazebos before everyone arrived in the morning so that stallholders could immediately unpack and set up ready for the market to open. We set up a first aid tent for the two professional first-aiders who were on site all day due to the large visitor numbers. We also had an accessible toilet trailer on site for visitors and to make sure stall holders had every convenience needed for a relaxed, enjoyable day.
One of our biggest challenges was to create an uplifting atmosphere in the car park setting – but we love a challenge at Octopus Events! We needed to conjure up some festive spirit and we did so by bringing in a local brass band to perform, installing a giant snow globe for photo opportunities, stringing up festoon lights and working with Milton Park’s facilities team to set up a PA system playing Christmas tunes. There was a concrete bollard right in the centre of the site which we cleverly disguised by working with a local printer to create a box in the style of Christmas present to go over it!
With an open site, another consideration was how to monitor visitor numbers as there were multiple entrances to the Christmas Market. We had the idea of handing out festive candy canes to visitors as they came into the market to track how many people attended. Planning the logistics also involved working with the client to make sure the stallholders were able to access a WiFi hotspot to be able to take contactless payments – an absolute essential at any successful shopping event.
The client leveraged the talent of their occupiers and one company from the business park, Bonhams Auction House, brought along three classic cars – in festive green, red and gold – to display. Milton Park’s local caterer, Pierreponts, set up an inviting bar selling hot chocolates, teas and steaming coffees. The hot drinks were located under a stretch tent with seating for visitors, which could have doubled up as a wet weather performance area for the brass band if needed.
In the early planning stages, we researched and approached local stall holders drawing on our large network of contacts in Berkshire, Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds. We wanted to ensure high-quality products that would make unique and appealing Christmas gifts. After approaching over 70 businesses, 23 signed up to showcase a wide range of products which was a fantastic result at relatively short notice (many stall holders get booked up for Christmas at the start of the year).
Stallholders included Bringing You The Blooms, Whittards, Pipp & Co Donuts, Fly a Kite Clothing, Pucci Gang, Lesley Ford Hampers, Lords Fragrance, The Glass Duck and Hebe Homeware. Many of the stalls brought products specifically designed for the festive season with glass baubles, Christmas wreaths, gorgeous candles, luxury throws, woollen blankets, ceramics and artisan gifts all on offer.
The Results:
I thoroughly enjoyed joining forces with Sarah recently for a Christmas-themed market. I learnt so much from our time together and I shall miss our daily interaction, her attention to detail is incredible and there are no stones unturned, for she thinks of EVERYTHING! I very much look forward to working with Sarah in the near future and you absolutely must book her for your next event.” – Maddie O’Hanlon, Engagement and Amenities Executive at Milton Park
An impressive 1,000 people attended the Christmas Market over the course of the day with over £800 raised for charity. The feedback from stallholders was overwhelmingly positive with the majority expressing a keen interest to return next year. Visitors were surprised and impressed with the variety and quality of products available. The team at Milton Park were so pleased with the event that they’re planning to run it again this year.
Octopus Events’ Top 3 Christmas Market Tips:
- Have a wet weather contingency plan for a winter market – many stall holders will want the assurance that you have this in place before they sign up.
- Consider holding your Christmas Market in late November to avoid diary clashes with other festive events in December and to catch people before they finish their Christmas shopping.
- Always have the appropriate event insurance and prepare a robust risk assessment and health and safety plan for your event. This is something we do for all of our clients at Octopus. At this particular event, we also requested copies of stallholders’ and suppliers’ public liability insurance and risk assessments.
Create your own memorable Christmas Market in 2025
Spread a bit of festive magic of your own in 2025 with a Christmas Market at your business park or within your large office space. Get in touch with Sarah and the team to talk about how we can make your event a huge success.
