I visited my favourite Birmingham Christmas market and found £5 'tornados' and freeze-dried sweets

The sun was shining over the festive Helter Skelter when I arrived at Pigeon Park on Wednesday, November 11. The red and cream feature has become as much a symbol of Christmas in Birmingham now as the big wheel or Chris Moose and, as a huge fan of the Christmas on Cathedral Square craft market, I was chuffed to see it.

Last year, I harped on at some length about how the marshmallow toasting hearth had added an extra layer of magic to proceedings, the smell of toasty treats and sweet wood smoke making everything feel cosy, and so I was chuffed to see it back for 2024. There are two now, for twice the magic.

It's no surprise to see what feels like more food vendors than ever this year. The Colmore BID, famous for its annual food festival, runs the market in partnership with Danter Attractions, Birmingham City Council and the Birmingham Cathedral and they've given space to local restaurants to bring their goodies to the people for 2024. Zambrero has a burrito chalet (£10.50 for a burrito or bowl) and sophisticated steak specialists Gaucho will do you a steak sandwich for £14.

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The carvery truck is back again, roasting turkey for rolls and constructing £12 Yorkshire pudding wraps that smell just like Christmas. They've got big bags of pork scratchings for £3.50 this time too.

Bab's Tap bar is back, serving up mulled wines, spiced toffee cider, gingerbread gin and hot whiskey among other treats, all £6 a pop. The pleasing Pigeon in the Park pop-up pub has returned as well, with all pints (Carling, Blue Moon, Staropramen, Aspall, Madri and Guinness) £7 a pint.

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Attic Brewery, that wonderful brewery in Stirchley, has them beat on price, with a pint of fan favourite Forward lager just £6.30. You'll be hard pushed to find a fresher, or cheaper, pint anywhere, on any other stall in town this year.

On and on the huts fan out from the cathedral, with glass markers, jewellers, balti bowls and Brummie artwork on offer. I found myself drawn to some stands that I don't recall seeing last year, including Mr Tornado's £5 'tornado' spiralised potatoes, seasoned and spread on a skewer so all the goodness gets in the cracks before the whole thing is crisped up in the fryer. They're a fiver.

At Roo Roo's Chocolate and Sweet Emporium I saw something I've only ever seen on TikTok. Freeze dried sweets, inflated and crispy, are £7.50 for a bag. I imagine those will sell fast!

Fried chicken, hand-made cutting boards, coconut cakes, balti chips, paintings of Villa Park, piles of fudge, scarves, gifts and loads more, every inch of Pigeon Park is being used up this year and it makes for such an excellent time.

Sometimes walking the length of the German Market can feel like a scene from Scooby Doo; I'm moving but the background is just the same thing, over and over again. On Cathedral Square, I found myself nosying on every single stall because everything feels special.

Some of the wooden huts were closed when I arrived the minute it opened, but I know they'll be filled with rotating vendors in the coming weeks. The market is open from now until Sunday, December 22, from 11am until 9pm Monday to Wednesday, from 11am until 9:30pm Thursday to Saturday and from noon until 9pm on Sundays. Don't miss it.