Bishop's Stortford's carol dates: Salvation Army community carols on 28 November, Nine Lessons on 20 December and the bandstand singalong on the 23rd.

Three carol events are confirmed in Bishop’s Stortford for Christmas 2026, with more on Christmas Eve: the Salvation Army’s community carol service on Saturday 28 November, Nine Lessons and Carols at St Michael’s on Sunday 20 December, and the Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree singalong at the Castle Park bandstand on Wednesday 23 December. These dates come from the churches’ own listings and the town council’s events diary, read on 5 November 2026.

The quick answer

  • Community carols: Salvation Army, Saturday 28 November, 7pm, Holy Trinity Church, New Path, South Street, CM23 3BQ.
  • Traditional choral service: Nine Lessons and Carols, Sunday 20 December, 6pm, St Michael’s, Windhill, CM23 2ND.
  • Outdoor singalong: Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, Wednesday 23 December, 5pm to 6pm, the Bandstand, Sworders Field, CM23 2AY. Bring a torch, and cash for the buckets.
  • Christmas Eve: St Michael’s Crib Service at 3.30pm, and carols by candlelight from 10.30pm before its midnight service.

The dates at a glance

Date Event Where
Sat 28 Nov, 7pm Salvation Army Community Carol Service Holy Trinity, South Street
Sun 29 Nov, 10am An Advent Service St Michael’s, Windhill
Sun 29 Nov, 4pm Advent Carols by candlelight St Mary’s, Standon
Sun 20 Dec, 4pm Nine Lessons and Carols St Mary’s, Standon
Sun 20 Dec, 6pm Nine Lessons and Carols St Michael’s, Windhill
Wed 23 Dec, 5pm to 6pm Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree Bandstand, Sworders Field
Thu 24 Dec, 3.30pm Crib Service St Michael’s, Windhill
Thu 24 Dec, 4.30pm Crib Service St Mary’s, Standon
Thu 24 Dec, 10.30pm Carols by candlelight, then midnight service St Michael’s, Windhill
Thu 24 Dec, 11.30pm Midnight Mass St Mary’s, Standon
Fri 25 Dec, 10am Family service with carols St Michael’s, Windhill
Fri 25 Dec, 10.30am Christmas Morning Worship St Mary’s, Standon

None of these listings gives a ticket price, and none says you need to book.

Salvation Army Community Carol Service: Saturday 28 November

The Salvation Army is inviting people to join it in Holy Trinity Church at 7pm, as Advent is about to begin, for about an hour. “All are welcome,” the church’s listing says (Holy Trinity, on A Church Near You). The panto also has a 7pm show at South Mill Arts that evening.

St Michael’s, Windhill

St Michael’s lists its Christmas services on A Church Near You, and its own church calendar agrees (St Michael’s; church calendar):

  • An Advent Service, Sunday 29 November, 10am. A reflective choral service for the first Sunday of Advent, with readings, prayers, hymns, organ music and anthems from the choir.
  • Service of Nine Lessons and Carols, Sunday 20 December, 6pm. A choral service of readings, music and carols, about an hour.
  • Crib Service, Thursday 24 December, 3.30pm. The blessing of the Christmas crib, particularly for younger children and their families. Children may come dressed as a character from the Nativity.
  • Midnight service, Thursday 24 December. Holy Communion, with the choir singing carols by candlelight from 10.30pm. The church calendar puts the service itself at 11pm.
  • Parish Communion, Friday 25 December, 10am. The church calls it a family service with carols and celebration.

The calendar also shows school carol services at the church in December. Those are marked as school and primary school events rather than public services, so we have not listed them.

Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree: Wednesday 23 December

This is the big outdoor one, now in its sixth year, and the organisers bill it as the town’s “Christmas Eve Eve” celebration. “Each year, hundreds gather to sing festive favourites, shout ‘It’s Christmas!’ to the classic Slade anthem and celebrate together,” says the listing on the town council’s events diary (Bishop’s Stortford Town Council).

It runs from 5pm to 6pm at the Bandstand in Castle Park, with the venue given as Sworders Field, CM23 2AY. The organisers ask you to bring your voice, torches, light-up Santa hats and cash for the collection buckets, and to dress warmly and wear suitable shoes, as it is all outdoors. This year’s money goes to Bishop’s Stortford Food Bank and a local dementia club, in memory of one organiser’s father.

Near the town: St Mary’s, Standon

St Mary’s on High Street, Standon, SG11 1LA, flags new times on its listing this year: Advent Carols by candlelight are at 4pm on Sunday 29 November, Nine Lessons and Carols at 4pm on Sunday 20 December, and the Crib Service, where children can come in costume, at 4.30pm on Christmas Eve. Midnight Mass follows at 11.30pm, with Christmas Morning Worship at 10.30am on Christmas Day (St Mary’s, Standon).

In Sawbridgeworth, the town council’s diary lists Lights of Love for Isabel Hospice at Sayesbury Manor at 4pm on Saturday 12 December, with no other detail so far (Sawbridgeworth Town Council).

Not published yet

On 5 November, All Saints’ Hockerill, St James the Great in Thorley and Great St Mary’s in Sawbridgeworth had no 2026 Christmas services on their A Church Near You pages. We will not guess at their dates. We could not find a 2026 Christmas concert listed by the organisers for the town’s band or choirs either. Churches and groups can send their dates to hello@bishopsstortfordnews.co.uk, free of charge. We will add them here as they appear.

Getting there and parking

None of the listings gives parking arrangements. Tariffs for each council car park are on our parking page. North Street, close to St Michael’s, is under a trial that shuts it to motor traffic from Friday evening to Monday morning, which covers the 20 December service: what changes on North Street. Check roadworks and travel before you set off, and our Christmas trains page for the reduced Christmas Eve service.

For the rest of the season, see the Christmas lights and Fayre, the panto and everything on our What’s On page.