Quirky & Immersive Festive Experiences
New: Bridlington Ice Trail, East Yorkshire
Christmas on the coast will come early this year in East Yorkshire as Bridlington aims to become one of the country’s coolest seaside destinations. New for 2024, the Bridlington Ice Trail will see a series of ice sculptures take shape throughout the town. The free event will feature sculptures depicting Christmas and maritime scenes, reflecting Bridlington’s rich coastal heritage.
New: The Gruffalo Discovery Land at Twycross Zoo, Warwickshire
16 November – 24 December 2024
Twycross Zoo is launching a brand-new Christmas event for families at The Gruffalo Discovery Land with a spectacular Santa show, snowy trail through the deep dark wood and festive ranger training. Visitors are invited to step into a festive wonderland and experience the magic of The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child like never before.
Christmas at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, County Durham
23 November – 24 December 2024
From the Georgian period through to the 1950s, Beamish welcomes visitors to delight in traditional decorations, tasty yuletide treats and fun activities in the count down to Christmas. Beamish hosts daytime festive experiences, including exploring traditionally decorated homes and visiting Father Christmas’ grotto, along with special evenings offering Christmas crafts, twinkling lights and merry music.
The Light Before Christmas, Liverpool
29 November – 7 December 2024
Step into a magical journey at Liverpool Cathedral this winter for The Light Before Christmas by the acclaimed artistic collective Luxmuralis. Back by popular demand, this immersive sound and light show will transform the largest cathedral in the UK into a Christmas wonderland. Follow the star and experience the Nativity story in a new, enchanting way with dazzling projections and bespoke soundscapes.
New: Christmas Silent Disco, Lincolnshire
5 – 6 December 2024
A new festive event at Burghley House offers the chance for partygoers to dance the night away at a Christmas Silent Disco with festive food and snow flurries. A decorated marquee in the grounds of the Elizabethan country home will host the dancefloor for a feel-good night of party tunes and seasonal cheer.
Candlelit Tours at Jane Austen’s House, Chawton in Hampshire
6 & 14 December 2024
In the run-up to a very special year for Jane Austen fans, with her 250th birthday in 2025, Jane Austen’s House will be decorated for Christmas ready to host festive candlelit tours. Discover Jane Austen’s story, told by an expert guide, using the House itself and objects from the collection to set the scene. Walk through rooms Jane and her family knew and loved, discover their Christmas traditions and family pastimes, and enjoy the House dressed up for Christmas.
Bark in the Dark at ROARR!, Norfolk
8 & 15 December 2024
Back for a second year with two dates due to high demand, Bark in the Dark is a sell-out dog-friendly event hosted at ROARR!, the UK’s largest Dinosaur themed adventure park. The evening includes a private grotto experience for each pooch where Father Christmas will be waiting with a sack full of special dog-friendly presents. For those without furry friends, ROARR! will once again be transformed into a dazzling winter wonderland for the Christmas season as it hosts the family-friendly Dippy’s Christmas Celebration (30 November – 24 December) with a Candy Cane Trail, open-air synthetic ice-skating rink and live festive shows.
Illuminated light trails
Let there be light, Lantern Sculpture Trail, Derby
26 October – 31 December 2024
Eight emerging artists from Derby and Derbyshire will create 11 giant artworks for a free Lantern Sculpture Trail through the city this winter. Inspired by the theme of climate action, the World of Flowers trail will celebrate Derby’s diverse and connected communities. The giant LED-lit lanterns, made of eco-friendly or recycled materials, will appear in different locations with a trail map soon available to download.
RHS Glow, Nationwide
15 November 2024 – 5 January 2025 (Selected dates varied by location)
This festive period, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) will once again bring their gardens to life after dark with a series of spectacular RHS Glow trails. The UK’s leading garden charity will light up its five iconic gardens, RHS Hyde Hall in Essex; RHS Wisley in Surrey; RHS Bridgewater in Salford; RHS Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire and RHS Rosemoor in North Devon, with striking light installations amidst the natural beauty of the settings. Perfect for an after-dark festive adventure.
Winter Lights, The Alnwick Garden & Lilidorei, Northumberland
18 November 2024 – 1 January 2025
At Lilidorei, touted as the world’s largest play structure of its kind, nine invisible clans spend 11 months of the year preparing for the biggest event in their calendar – Christmas – so where better to immerse yourself in a festive fantasy? Two magical experiences for the price of one are on offer at Lilidorei and The Alnwick Garden this winter with an immersive experience of light and sound, complete with new installations set to a brand-new soundtrack.
New: White’s Eco Light Festival, Gilbert White’s House and Gardens, Hampshire
21 November – 21 December 2024 (Thursdays-Saturdays)
Using renewable energy sources, solar power and low-level lighting, the new Light Festival at Gilbert White’s House and Gardens aims to honour the 18th Century naturalist with a display that does not disrupt the dark skies with light pollution and tells the story of the natural world and how we can protect it today. For post trail refreshments head to the Jubilee Tap, which serves local beer from Gilbert White’s brewery made just a few hundred yards away from the bar.
Luminate Light Trails, Nationwide
21 November 2024 – 1 January 2025 (dates vary by location)
There are five Luminate Trails planned across England this winter. Choose from Arley Hall in Cheshire; Shugborough Estate in Staffordshire; Norfolk’s Sandringham Estate; Coombe Abbey in Coventry and Birmingham Botanical Gardens, all offering mile-long interactive light shows set to music in beautiful historic settings. Warm up around the fire pits along the way with a toasted marshmallow or two.
We Shine Portsmouth, Hampshire
21 – 23 November 2024
Bringing light to the winter darkness, this three-day free festival of creativity, culture and community will see Portsmouth lit up with light installations designed by local and national artists. A Pedal-Powered Kaleidoscopic Mandala and an interactive Piano Walk look set to transform the city, alongside the switch on of Christmas lights and a rich programme of performance, dance and music.
Aglow at Auckland Palace, County Durham
22 November – 31 December 2024
With some of the largest illuminations in the country, Aglow at Auckland Palace promises to light up the skies of Bishop Auckland. The trail winds 1.5 miles through the garden and grounds with 22 light displays including the longest light tunnel in the country and the chance to meet Santa and his elves in Santa’s village. The trail is part of a range of festivities at the Auckland Project, which include Christmas at the Palace, transforming 12 rooms at Auckland Palace with Christmas decorations. The Faith Museum will also be home to a giant 18th Century Neapolitan Nativity, one of the most impressive of its kind outside of Italy.
New: Immersive Christmas lights experience at the Eden Project, Cornwall
22 November 2024 – 5 January 2025 (on selected dates)
Head to Cornwall’s Eden Project during the festive season for the chance to experience the biomes coming alive after dark. On selected evenings, new lights and soundscape experiences will transform the indoor biome gardens into a twinkling nature wonderland. Plus, there’s also a new interactive outdoor experience in the planning. Entry to the Christmas lights experience is only guaranteed with a pre-booked time slot but is included in ticket entry. Visitors can also book Ice skating (from 19 October to 23 February) and a brand-new interactive theatrical Father Christmas experience.
New: Extended Trail for 2024: Tonbridge Castle Light Trail, Kent
24 November – 29 December 2024
Tonbridge Castle’s expanded illuminated trail will showcase even more of the historic grounds in 2024, alongside extra food and drink options and marshmallow toasting stations for a warming treat. Part of the Christmas at the Castle programme, visitors will also be able to enjoy entry to the Christmas Village market stalls to stock up on gifts.
New: Christmas at Westonbirt, Gloucestershire
29 November – 31 December 2024 (on selected evenings)
A brand-new illuminated trail is coming to Westonbirt, The National Arboretum this festive season. Designed by the award-winning producers behind Christmas at Kew, Christmas at Bedgebury and Christmas at Blenheim; Christmas at Westonbirt will provide the chance to see the arboretum bathed in all the colours of the rainbow. Spot colourful neon trees, sparkling tunnels of light and luminous birds and even catch a glimpse of Father Christmas.
Lincoln Castle Illuminated, Lincolnshire
29 November – 23 December 2024
With more large-scale illuminations for 2024, Lincoln Castle Illuminated includes a host of festive experiences. A highlight is the illuminated wall walk around the imposing Norman Castle for striking views of the city and the floodlit Lincoln Cathedral from the medieval battlements. There’s also fairground rides; a mini Christmas Express train and even a snow machine for White Christmas vibes.
Festive feasts and fizz
All aboard the Christmas Moorlander, North Yorkshire Moors Railway
26 – 29 November, 3 – 6, 10 – 13, 17 – 20, 28 – 30 December 2024 & 2 – 5 January 2025
Indulge in a Christmas feast whilst watching the scenic North York Moors pass by on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway Christmas Moorlander experience. In the comfort of a heritage carriage, guests will be served a three-course Christmas feast as they travel between Grosmont and Pickering and back, with mulled wine on arrival and mince pies to finish. For younger guests the railway is also launching brand-new Santa Specials for 2024, with the chance to meet Santa on board for a magical ride.
Malton Christmas Festival, North Yorkshire
7– 8 December 2024
Well-known as Yorkshire’s food capital, Malton’s Christmas Festival promises to get you into the festive spirit.
This two-day extravaganza is packed full of street food vendors and gift stalls serving up tasty treats alongside demonstrations from the likes of the North Yorkshire Rotters on how to reduce Christmas food waste. Live music and entertainment including candle-lit concerts will add to the festivities.
Festive fizz tasting, Winchester, Hampshire
30 November 2024
Kick-start the Christmas shopping at a Festive Fizz Wine Tasting event, held by Vineyards of Hampshire in the beautiful setting of Winchester Guildhall. Bringing together a collective of eight local Vineyards including Black Chalk, Hambledon, Hattingley and Louis Pommery England, the event will offer the chance to try wines and pick up tips from the experts.
Faerie Tale Christmas, Talliston House, Great Dunmow, Essex
2 December 2024 – 12 January 2025
Talliston House is not your average tourist attraction having been transformed from a three-bedroom, semi-detached ex-council house into a wonderland of different locations each set in a different time and place over the past 25 years. Christmas at Talliston House embraces and enhances this wonder through light, music, colour and sound as you tour each of the thirteen rooms. A festive candlelit afternoon tea or enchanted festive fantasy feast evening in the Victorian Watchtower add to the experience.
Castles and Stately Homes at Christmas
Christmas Experiences at English Heritage, Nationwide
Various dates
This winter English Heritage properties across the country will once again host immersive experiences, carol singing and festive light trails. Wrest Park in Bedfordshire is inviting visitors to step through the wardrobe and explore the snowy magic of Narnia at their The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe-themed winter wonderland, whilst Eltham Palace, an art-deco mansion in London’s Greenwich, will host an immersive and theatrical journey to discover the spirit of Christmas with interactive storytelling, captivating performances and photo opportunities. As the winter evening draws in, Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire, Audley End House and Gardens in Essex and Apsley House in London will celebrate the season with traditional carol evenings in stunning surroundings. Those seeking illuminated trails can see Hastings’ Battle Abbey in a whole new light with a 1066 themed sparkling display. Alternatively, for a cosy indoor experience, the neo-Classical villa of Kenwood by London’s Hampstead Heath is offering Christmas afternoon teas.
National Trust Sites Celebrate the Festive Season, Nationwide
Various dates
National Trust sites are hosting plenty of festive events this year with Christmas craft workshops including foraging for natural materials and creating your own festive wreath at Ilam Park in the Peak District’s Dovedale, to a needle felting workshop in the warmth of the Watermill Tearoom at Dunster Castle in Somerset. From the 1800s to the 1980s, visitors will be transported back to the festivities of the time with National Trust historic houses decked out for Christmas including Anglesey Abbey in Cambridgeshire; Belton House in Lincolnshire; and Speke Hall in Liverpool.
Alice’s Christmas Wonderland at Castle Howard, North Yorkshire
15 November 2024 – 5 January 2025
Alice is planning a huge Christmas party, and she invites you to follow the White Rabbit through Castle Howard’s grand halls and regal rooms with each twist and turn revealing fanciful festive surprises. Experiences include an elegant Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea, gift shopping at the Bauble Emporium, and toasting giant marshmallows by the Christmas Tree. The Chess Club is new for 2024, offering a secret adults-only dining room serving Wonderland-themed cocktails and sharing platters. Castle Howard is also hosting a Bettys pop-up shop in their historic Stable Courtyard this Christmas season. Synonymous with Yorkshire and celebrated internationally, Bettys is known for confectionary, chocolates, teas and coffees and has never before created a pop-up shop.
New: The Great Skate, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
15 November 2024 – 1 January 2025
Nestled in the Oxfordshire countryside, the grand estate of Blenheim Palace warmly embraces the festive season. New for 2024 is The Great Skate, a covered ice rink in the Palace’s Great Court surrounded by festive décor where guests can both skate and relax in rink-side seats enjoying hot chocolate and tasty treats. Visitors are also welcomed into the enchanting world of Peter Pan with ‘Neverland in the Palace’, an immersive experience set against the stately home’s opulent backdrop, which includes a Neverland-inspired afternoon tea in the Orangery. Blenheim Palace will once again host its celebrated outdoor lights trail and a festive market for gift shopping.
New: Christmas Artisan Show at Staunton Harold Hall, Leicestershire
7 – 10 November 2024
The brand-new Christmas Artisan Show is set to be a magical festive shopping experience inside the impressive Staunton Harold Hall, a Grade 1 listed Georgian mansion in Leicestershire usually closed to the public. Many of the stately rooms will host carefully selected artisans and makers from across the country, showcasing British craftsmanship at its finest.
New: Winter at Sizergh, Lake District
22 November – 24 December 2024
Winter at Sizergh is the first time this National Trust stately home has opened its doors to the public in winter. Highlights, both indoor and outdoor, will include immersive light and sound installations, creative crafting and exploring the magnificent property as it brings Christmas to life through decoration, festive food and shopping.
A Very Merry Muncaster, Lake District
7 – 8, 14 – 15 & 21 – 23 December 2024
Immerse yourself in the festive spirit at Muncaster Castle across three December weekends this Christmas. The Castle will take on a magical, festive feel with a host of activities and events including a Christmas trail, traditional carols and Father Christmas letter writing with the Muncaster Elves. There will also be a special festive menu at The Stables Café.
Christmas Markets
Bristol Christmas Market
1 November – 23 December 2024
This year a new Christmas Express children’s train ride will launch at Bristol Christmas Market, joining 35 stalls offering festive food and gifts and the popular Candy Factory Escape Room. Ski gondolas can be hired for drinks packages with new festive tipples available from the Jäger barn bar and street food stalls offering up warming treats.
Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market
1 November – 24 December 2024
Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market is the largest authentic German Christmas Market outside of Germany or Austria and is a festive favourite with locals and visitors alike. The big wheel and ice rink are regular fixtures alongside the market stalls which will offer traditional gifts and a selection of tempting food and drink. Entertainment includes Christmas carols and live music performances at the bandstand.
Manchester’s Christmas Markets
8 November – 22 December 2024
Manchester’s famous Christmas Markets will offer six weeks of festive fun and shopping, kicking off the season with Manchester’s own Festive Friday on 8 November. Now in their 26th year, Manchester’s Christmas Markets have become legendary with over 200 stalls across nine locations. Visitors can enjoy seasonal treats, mulled wine and a wonderful festive atmosphere along with handmade gifts and craft items.
Christmas by the Sea in Blackpool, Lancashire
15 November 2024 – 5 January 2025
Blackpool’s spectacular Christmas by the Sea village is returning for 2024 – and it’s going to be bigger and better than ever. The hugely popular outdoor village will return with festive family attractions including a free skating rink, log cabins, projection shows and themed rides. Christmas by the Sea will be complemented by a full Illuminations display along the Blackpool seafront.
Liverpool Christmas Markets
16 November – 24 December 2024
Liverpool’s Christmas Markets will take place at St George’s Hall with festive food and drink stalls, rides and attractions. Visitors are encouraged to come along to browse independent stalls for unique Christmas gifts, take part in funfair games and get into the Christmas spirit.
Nottingham Winter Wonderland
13 November – 31 December 2024
Bringing back the ever-popular Ice Rink and Sky Skate Ice Path, festive fun-seekers can indulge in Nottingham Winter Wonderland’s stalls and festive experiences until New Year’s Eve. With an exciting new theme, the Ice Bar invites visitors to chill out with a drink or two in a frosty -10° (gloves and coats are provided), whilst the Observation Wheel gives the best view of the city, including Nottingham’s Christmas tree.
York Christmas Festival, North Yorkshire
14 November – 22 December 2024
York’s award-winning Christmas Market is back this year bringing festive cheer to the heart of the city. With 75 alpine chalets lining Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square, the market offers local crafts, artisan gifts and seasonal treats. With 80% of the traders hailing from Yorkshire, this is a fantastic opportunity to support local businesses and enjoy the best products that the region has to offer.
New: Christmas Market at Canterbury Cathedral, Kent
15 November – 24 December 2024
Visitors to the beautiful city of Canterbury will be in for a rare festive treat this winter as a historic 600-year-old Christmas market returns to the grounds of Canterbury Cathedral. First held in the Cathedral Precincts in 1383 following a royal grant by King Richard II, the Cathedral’s seasonal markets were hugely popular and ran for hundreds of years. Reviving this centuries-old tradition for 2024, the modern Christmas market will feature German-style wooden huts, as well as delicious food and drink outlets, a vintage-style carousel ride and live music performances.
Newcastle’s Christmas Market
16 November – 22 December 2024
The bustling Newcastle Christmas Market stalls are back this winter offering seasonal gifts and treats, along with a brand-new Christmas village in Old Eldon Square, featuring family-friendly activities like Santa’s Stories tipi, an Elf Workshop and the Rockin’ Reindeer stage. Look out for the iconic North Pole igloo pods perched above the market, where you can cosy up with food and drinks while taking in views of Grey Street. Newcastle’s festivities officially kick off with the Christmas lights switch-on event on 12 November.
New: Christmas on the Square, Salisbury, Wiltshire
22November – 19 December 2024
A brand-new Gift Fayre is coming to Salisbury’s Guildhall Square this year. As part of Christmas on the Square, visitors can expect a festive shopping experience with a giant chalet featuring over 30 incredible local crafts people offering artisan products. The Gift Fayre will bring a magical festive atmosphere where visitors can support local makers under shelter, protecting them from wintery weather.
Truro Christmas Market (formerly the BIG Christmas Market), Cornwall
22 November – 24 December 2024
Running for 33 fun-filled days, Truro Christmas Market offers a coastal festive experience in Cornwall’s sole city. Discover a range of local crafts and seasonal treats, all created by skilled artisans from the region. The charming cabins are back, transforming Lemon Quay into a cosy festive village. Visitors can stroll through twinkling lights, take in the sounds of the season and enjoy the warm atmosphere.
Leeds Christmas Market, West Yorkshire
22November – 22 December 2024
In celebration of the festive season, Leeds city centre will once again be transformed into a winter wonderland. The Leeds Christmas Markets offer traditional festive street food from hog roasts to poutine, along with hot chocolate, cold beer and mulled wine. The iconic timber stalls will be brimming with artisan goods and handmade treats from international, national and local traders.
Fierce Babes Christmas Market, The Assembly House in Norwich, Norfolk
1 December 2024, 11am - 4pm
Norwich’s Fierce Babes Christmas Market invites you to find special festive gifts and support indie makers at the same time. With more than 25 creators, who identify as women, trans, or part of the LGBTQ+ community, the market offers a positive and inclusive space for festive shopping – all set within a historic Grade-I listed city centre venue.
New: Christmas Market in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
12 – 24 December 2024
Henley-on-Thames will embrace the festive spirit with a brand-new Christmas Market featuring 10 beautifully crafted wooden huts surrounding the town’s iconic Christmas tree in the Market Place. These huts will showcase a variety of local artisan traders and makers, offering everything from handmade gifts and crafts to seasonal treats and unique Christmas decorations. The regular town markets will join the Christmas celebrations alongside the huts on the 12, 14, and 19 December, bringing a diverse range of local goods and produce.
Festive set-jetting
Experience ‘A Christmas Carol’ at the Great Christmas Feast, London
1 November 2024 – 12 January 2025
Be transported back to Christmas Eve 1843 and join Dickens in a retelling of the festive classic ‘A Christmas Carol’ at an immersive 19th Century restaurant in London’s West Kensington. Whist the ghostly tale plays out across the evening, guests will enjoy a three-course menu of steaming yuletide dishes by star Exec Chef Ash Clarke along with creative Victorian cocktails.
New: Wallace & Gromit: A Cracking Christmas Experience, Bristol
16 November – 24 December 2024
With Bristol based Aardman’s feature film Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl coming to our screens this Christmas on BBC in the UK and Netflix globally, the city’s Cabot Circus will host a brand new immersive – and festive – adventure. Step into Wallace’s workshop to help him save Christmas with his latest gadget, the ‘Christmas-O-Matic’ before heading next door to the Cracking Christmas Cafe (no need to purchase a ticket for the experience, the café is open to all, including dogs, of course) where cheese sandwiches, cake, tea and puppuccinos will be served.
Take your own Jingle Jangle Christmas Journey to Norwich, Norfolk
Visitors to Norwich’s Elm Hill might recognise it as the fictional city of Cobbleton in Netflix’s Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Story. The medieval cobbled street complete with crooked houses, ancient doorways and Tudor beams feels straight from a film set and is the perfect starting point for a Christmas break in the city. Throughout Norwich there are plenty of festive shopping forays to be had with Christmas markets championing local and independent traders dotted across venues as varied as medieval churches and Georgian ballrooms and at the award-winning family-owned Jarrolds department store. Round off the day with a Nutcracker III themed afternoon tea at The Assembly House, or for a quirkier take on a Turkey Dinner complete with battered stuffing balls, head to the Grosvenor Fish Bar’s medieval undercroft restaurant.
Christmas at the Movies by Candlelight in Leeds, West Yorkshire
13 December 2024
There’s nothing more emotive than a festive movie soundtrack to get you into the Christmas spirit. The Christmas at the Movies concert by candlelight will see the London Concertante play classics from the likes of Home Alone; Love Actually and Elf, in a unique setting at Leeds Minster.
New: A Christmas Carol Drone Light Show, Bristol
19 – 21 December 2024
See Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol like never before - interpreted as an animated drone light show at Bristol’s Seat Unique Stadium. The classic story will be brought to life by the magic of drones complete with narration and soundtrack. Alongside the show, food stalls and DJs will add some extra festive cheer.
All aboard the Polar Express™, Nationwide
Various November and December dates
Fans of the festive film favourite The Polar Express can immerse themselves in their own magical journey to the North Pole with heritage railways across the country offering their own onboard theatrical adaptations, each with its own sprinkling of magic. From Churnet Valley Railway in Staffordshire and Wensleydale Railway in the Yorkshire Dales to London Euston for the first time in 2024; come armed with a Golden Ticket and your best pyjamas.
Live festive orchestra performances at iconic cultural venues, Birmingham and Manchester
Various November and December dates
Swap the sofa for a symphony hall to enjoy some cult Christmas classics in concert. At Birmingham’s Symphony Hall, a cinema screen and live orchestra will bring to life films including Love Actually (16 December) and The Holiday (18 December). At the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, see everything from Home Alone (29 November) to The Muppet Christmas Carol (8 December) with a live score for a magical immersion.
