Bath events calendar for short-let owners: Christmas Market, Bath Half and more

The Bath dates that fill short lets fastest are the Christmas Market weeks, the Bath Half in March and the summer season. Bath visitors come almost entirely on holiday, so these dates decide much of what a short let earns.

Here is the year in order, with what each date means for your home.

Who comes to Bath?

Visit West, the tourism body for Bristol and Bath, estimates that Bath's staying visitors come almost exclusively for holidays. That is unusual. Bristol's visitors are split between holidays, business and visiting family. In Bath, leisure drives nearly everything.

Holiday demand follows weekends, school holidays and events. We look at the numbers in Bath's short-let market explained.

When is the Bath Half?

The Bath Half Marathon returns on Sunday 14 March 2027, with around 15,000 runners on a flat course through the city.

Runners usually arrive the day before, often with family or friends. The Saturday night is the key booking. Homes within walking distance of the start and finish sell best, because race-day roads close and parking is hard.

Tell guests about road closures before they arrive, and suggest they come by train or Park and Ride.

When is Bath's leisure season?

From Easter onwards, Bath fills with weekend breaks and holiday stays. Bank holidays, school holidays and sunny weekends book up first. Visitors come for the Roman Baths, the Georgian streets and the spa.

This is where steady pricing matters. Set higher weekend rates and minimum stays early in the year, then adjust as bookings come in.

When is the Bath Christmas Market?

The Christmas Market is Bath's biggest event for short lets. The council has confirmed the 2026 market runs from 26 November to 13 December 2026.

The scale is large. The council estimates 444,000 visitors came to the 2024 market, and more than 250 businesses traded at the 2025 event. The council's survey of the 2024 market put all spending connected to people attending at around £49 million.

What this means for your home:

• Weekends during the market book early. Open your dates as soon as you can.
• Use a two-night minimum on Fridays and Saturdays, so single nights do not block better bookings.
• Midweek nights are quieter, and a small discount can fill them.
• Streets in the centre are crowded. Give guests clear walking directions from the station or Park and Ride.

What does the Christmas Market survey tell hosts?

The council's survey of the 2024 market is full of useful detail for hosts:

• Around 22% of market visitors were staying overnight, and those who stayed in Bath averaged 2.11 nights.
• Staying visitors spent an average of £70.25 per person per night on accommodation.
• Staying visitors planned earlier than day visitors. Around 36% decided over the summer or earlier in the year.
• Friday to Sunday were the busiest days at the market.
• Among day visitors on holiday but staying outside the city, 21% were staying in Bristol. That is demand Bath homes could capture with the right price and availability.
• 91% of staying visitors said they would consider coming back to Bath for a short break at another time of year.

In short: open your market weekends in summer, set two-night stays, and treat every market guest as a future repeat booking.

What happens in the quieter months?

January and February are usually quieter. Price for the season rather than holding festive rates into January, and use the gap for deep cleans, repairs and maintenance, when a blocked night costs you least.

How should you price around Bath's calendar?

1. Mark the key dates each January: the Bath Half, Easter, the May bank holidays, the summer holidays and the Christmas Market.
2. Set higher prices and minimum stays on those dates before demand shows.
3. Lower prices on quiet weeknights rather than leaving them empty.
4. Review your prices every few weeks as bookings arrive.

How do guests get to your door?

Event weekends are when parking is hardest. Many central streets have residents' parking only, and visitor permits cannot be used for letting. Read parking, the Clean Air Zone and guest arrivals in Bath before your first event weekend.

Which rules matter before the busy dates?

Busy weekends bring more guests, more noise and more attention from neighbours. Our guide to planning, safety and listed buildings: Airbnb rules in Bath.

What does this mean for you?

• The Christmas Market is Bath's biggest earning window. Open and price those dates early.
• The Bath Half and the summer season add strong weekends through the year.
• Almost every Bath guest is on holiday, so weekends and school holidays matter most.

Let us plan your calendar

Our Bath Airbnb management team prices every night with demand, from market weekends to a quiet Tuesday in February. Get your free valuation to see what your home could earn across the year.

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This is general information, not legal or tax advice. It is our own interpretation of the rules and figures as they stand on the date shown above, and they can change. Speak to a qualified solicitor or accountant before you act on anything here.