Christmas Events & Activities - Guide to Christmas in Cheshire & Beyond
Christmas Events & Activities 2026
Guide to Christmas in Cheshire & Beyond
Christmas time in Cheshire isn't just filled with Christmas Lights, Santa Visits and Pantomimes but a whole host of Christmas activities and events. From decorated stately homes and mansions, to pop up ice skating rinks. There is lots of days out and activities suitable for both adults and children
Featured and Recommended by Days Out and Meals Out
🚀 Christmas at Jodrell Bank
🎭 What Santa Sees Dome Show
📅 Weekends 14 Nov– 20 Dec , 21, 22 & 23 Dec
The sky’s inky dark, the stars all aglow, the moonlight is crisp on the fresh fallen snow. It’s Christmas Eve and Santa has an important job to do, travel the globe to deliver presents before the night is through.
Fly alongside the reindeers and discover the night sky through Santa’s eyes! From the shining moon to the changing constellations, this enchanting Space Dome Show brings together storytelling and astronomy to take you on an immersive journey in Santa’s sleigh. Tickets £5.
🎭 Goofus Theatre Puppet Show: Stars and Stones
📅 19th - 20th Dec
Presented by Goofus Theatre, Stars and Stones is a fantastical adventure of ancient magic and transformation, told with puppetry, play and music, in a landscape and time 3000 years ago. Tickets £6
🎶 Celtic Christmas Strings
📅 6 Dec
Celebrate the season with Celtic Christmas Strings, a spellbinding concert from legendary Irish harper Máire Ní Chathasaigh and acclaimed English guitarist Chris Newman, live in the Space Dome!
Tickets from £11
📍Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement, Macclesfield, SK11 9DW
Book Here and get 10% off
Featured and Recommended by Days Out and Meals Out
⛸️ Festive Skating at The Lambing Shed Knutsford
📅 27th Nov - 24th Dec
The barn has been transformed into a magical Christmas skating rink in Cheshire. You can book a 45 minute skate surrounded by sparkly lights, decorations and a festive atmosphere.
Adults - £15/ Children age 3-14 £12
🐧 Penguin skating aids are available to pre-book
Luxurious hot chocolate, mulled wine, toasted marshmallows, and a selection of delicious festive treats are available to purchase inside the barn.
🥳 The Christmas skating rink is available for private bookings, whether you're planning a school trip, a children's birthday party or an office Christmas get-together.
Email: shop@thelambingshed.com for any enquiries
📍 Knutsford WA16 8RB
🎄Christmas Pop Up Ice Skating ⛸️
⛸️ Oaks on Ice at Cheshire Oaks
📅 23rd Oct - 2rd Jan
A fully covered, fairy-lit rink of real ice, plus an outdoor ice path that lets you skate around the famous Cheshire Oak tree. You get 45 mins on the ice and marshals skate with you throughout, skate aids are £5 per person.
⛸️ Skate Manchester
📅 6th Nov - 3rd Jan
Skate Manchester is back, transforming Cathedral Gardens into the city’s premier ice rink! Fully covered and weatherproof, the rink guarantees a magical skating experience whatever the forecast. Dive into the fun with themed nights, contests, and live programming at your ultimate winter escapade in the heart of the city!
⛸️Christmas By The Sea Blackpool
📅 20th Nov - 3rd Jan
Free admission to the village and free-to-use outdoor ice skating rink (pay-as-you-ride for fairground attractions)
⛸️ Ice Skating at Warwick Castle
📅 21st Nov - 3rd Jan
Glide into festive fun at Warwick Castle’s brand-new ice rink, set against the stunning backdrop of the iconic Guy's Tower.
⛸️ Lytham on Ice
📅 28th Nov - 3rd Jan
The special 60ft by 40ft Christmas Real ice rink will be open from 12- 9pm each day, with longer opening hours at weekends, so skaters of all ages will have plenty of opportunity to take a spin and channel their inner Torvill and Dean. There is also a range of stalls on site selling festive food and drink.
45-minute skating session start from £7.99 plus booking fee
📍 Lytham Station and Sparrow Park, Agnew Street, Lytham. FY8 5NJ
🎄Christmas at National Trust🎄
🎄 Around the World in 80 days at Tatton Park Mansion NT
📅 21st Nov - 31st Dec selected dates
Travel from Victorian London to Europe, Egypt, India, China, Japan and America, discovering breathtaking festive displays, immersive themed rooms and enchanting Christmas scenes inspired by the cultures, landscapes and adventures of Fogg's incredible journey.
Young explorers can become part of the adventure with an interactive family passport trail, collecting stamps through the Mansion and interacting with fun costumed characters along the way.
🎄The World at Christmas at Lyme Park NT
📅 27 Nov – 24 Dec
Wander through beautifully decorated rooms, each inspired by diverse Christmas traditions from across the world and discover the many ways communities come together to celebrate the season.
🎄 Operation Elf: Save Christmas - Indoor top floor festive play space at Quarry Bank NT
📅 26 Nov – 3rd Jan
The top floor of the Mill has been transformed into Elf HQ, and the elves need your little ones to help complete their Christmas tasks. Stack presents on the sleigh, test your snowball skills, and even create your very own elf CV.
🎄 A trail of Tails: Christmas in the House at Dunham Massey NT
📅 20th Nov - 24th Dec
This Christmas, the circus has come to Dunham Massey, but the animals have escaped and are running wild through the house. Follow the footprints, search the rooms and track down all the missing gifts to save Christmas. Collect embossed stamps along the route, and a sticker from the visitor reception desk. Free for National Trust members.
🎄Misrule at Yule at Little Moreton Hall NT
📅 4th – 20th Dec Fri - Sun 10.30am–4pm
Join the mischievous Lord of Misrule and his playful band of fools as they find themselves mysteriously transported from the time of Henry VIII to Little Moreton Hall today. As they journey through the beautifully decorated Hall, they encounter many Christmas customs that leave them puzzled. From festive fashions and gift-giving to seasonal food and decorations, much of modern Christmas is a complete mystery to these Tudor tricksters.
🎄Inside Chester Cathedral this Christmas 🎄
🎄 Chester Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival
📅 28th Nov – 4th Jan
Chester Cathedral will be decorated with more than 80 majestic Christmas trees.
🎶 Christmas By Candlelight at Chester Cathedral
📅 3rd - 4th Dec
Join a spectacular cast of West End singers and incredible live band, as they perform your favourite Christmas Hits, as you have never heard them before! A magical evening of best loved festive music, performed live at the beautiful Chester Cathedral, by candlelight
📍St Werburgh Street, Chester CH1 2HU
🎄Decorated Houses this Christmas 🎄
🎄 Festively Floral - Movie Magic at Arley Hall & Gardens
📅 Fri 4th Dec - Tues 8th Dec
See The Hall and chapel creatively decorated with fresh flowers and foliage from the Arley gardens by local florists and Horticultural colleges. This year each room will depict a Christmas movie. There will also be a choir singing in the chapel each day for you to enjoy. The will be singing at 11am - 11.45am and 2pm - 2.45pm.
🎄 Christmas at Chatsworth - 12 Days of Christmas
📅 7th Nov – 3rd Jan
Be mesmerised at the beautifully decorated house, explore the Christmas markets and in the evening take a strole around the lit up gardens.
With a theme of the 12 Days of Christmas. From a partridge perched high in a magnificent seven-metre pear tree to delicate paper calling birds, leaping lords, and twelve drummers with a distinctly Chatsworth twist, encounter familiar characters and playful interpretations of the song as you explore the house and garden.
In the garden – entry is included with your Christmas at Chatsworth ticket
As darkness falls, follow a new light and sound trail through the garden where scenes from the festive song unfold among Chatsworth’s best-known landmarks.
🎄Breathtaking Shows 🎶
🎄 Snowstorm by Gandeys Circus: A Frozen Adventure
📅 4th Dec – 3rd Jan
At The Trafford Centre
Journey into a breathtaking frozen kingdom where a brave rescue mission unfolds, an enchanted princess awaits, and a powerful dragon guards a mysterious ice castle. Filled with excitement, wonder, and Christmas magic, this stunning production brings an unforgettable story to life on ice. £15 tickets through Wowcher
Af Link] Book Here
🎶 Concerts By Candlelight at The Trafford Centre
📅 Selected dates 5th - 23rd
Concerts By Candlelight will open a purpose-built 1,000 sq m ‘big top’ venue creating an immersive Christmas wonderland, bringing together magical candlelight, acclaimed West End stars, world-class live musicians, breathtaking production and festive atmosphere,
The ten Candlelight Arena shows are:
ABBA Christmas By Candlelight on 5th & 18th Dec
Bublé Christmas By Candlelight on 12th Dec
Rat Pack - A Swingin’ Christmas By Candlelight on 13th Dec
Motown Christmas By Candlelight on 19th December
Christmas By Candlelight on 11th, 20th, 21st, 22nd & 23rd Dec
🎄Festive Trails & Walks 🎄
🥾 Brereton Heath Local Nature Reserve Elf Hunt
📅 12th Dec - 3rd Jan
The Elves are on the loose in the park! Can you find them all and collect their names? Pick up a map from near the visitor centre and get searching around the park.
📍 Brereton, Congleton, CW12 4SU
🥾 Tegg's Nose Country Park Elf Hunt
📅 12th Dec - 3rd Jan
The Elves are on the loose in the park! Can you find them all? Purchase a map from The Nose Coffee for 50p. Once you've completed the trail come back to The Nose Coffee for 50p off your drink order.
📍 Macclesfield, SK11 0AP
🎄Christmas Markets and Light Switch On 🎄
🎁 Holmes Chapel Christmas Market
📅 Sun 6th Dec 3-7pm
With over 50 charity and local stalls selling all sorts of gifts and novelties, as well as food and drink and raising money for charity. On the stage there is entertainment from local musicians, dancers and singers ... and of course Father Christmas comes to visit!
🎁 Middlewich Christmas Lights Switch & Market
📅 Sat 28th Nov 2 -7pm
With local artisan makers, food producers, crafters and local businesses ans entertainment.
🎁 Congleton Light Switch on & Market
📅 28th Nov 2026 4 - 8pm
With live music from local bands, schools and groups. Over 40 food, craft, and community stalls, plus fairground rides
Lantern Parade: Meet at 5.15pm on Mill Street, parade sets off at 5.40pm leading Santa’s sleigh to the Christmas tree
Switch-on at 6pm. Santa waving from The Space rooftop at 7pm. Santa’s Grotto & Children’s Zone: Free festive fun in the Town Hall
🎁 Sandbach Christmas Market & Light Switch on
📅Light switch on 28th Nov
📅Christmas Market 4th Dec
Over 100 festive stalls, late-night shopping at local town centre shops, live music, brass bands, choirs, food trailers, and Father Christmas in his grotto
🎁 Christmas Craft Fair at The Lambing Shed
📅 21st & 22nd Nov 10-4pm
Local craft stalls undercover in their big barn.
They have a choir each day singing for a couple of hours
The barn kitchen will be serving hot drinks and food
Cafe and shop will be open as normal
🎁 Christmas Gift Fair at Tatton Park
📅 26th - 29th Nov
Showcasing some of our favourite local artisans this unique shopping experience is held inside The Mansion's Tenants Hall - a wing of the stately mansion house that is not usually open to the public. FREE but Parkland vehicle entry applies.
🎁 Knutsford Christmas Market
📅 5th & 6th Dec
Knutsford Christmas Market is a two-day festive street market with over 120 traders per day selling the finest foods, drinks, crafts and gifts in the area
🎁 Frodsham Christmas Festival
📅 28th Nov 2026 10am - 8pm
📍 Church Street, Main Street & Brio Leisure Centre
🎁 Ho Ho Helsby
📅 5th Dec from midday
With stalls and entertainment with festive parade at 6pm.
📍 Chester Rd, Helsby, Frodsham WA6 0DA
🎁Christmas Makers Markets at Trentham
📅 Weekends between 21st Nov - 6th Dec
A festive Christmas Makers Market is coming to Trentham Shopping Village, featuring award-winning local food and drink, along with talented artists, crafters and vintage traders.
🎁 Shopping Spectacular at Arley Hall & Gardens
📅 20th - 22nd Nov 10am - 4pm.
This event showcases the skill and work of talented artisan traders, offering beautifully handcrafted pieces, and seasonal decorations.
Tickets also include entry to the Gardens
🎁 Christmas at Bates Farm
📅 21st, 22nd, 28th & 29th Nov, 5th, 6th, 12th & 13th Dec
Join us for four weekends of festive fun as we transform the farm into our very own Christmas wonderland – complete with Christmas markets, live music, cosy food, festive drinks, farm animals and plenty of places to soak up the Christmas spirit. Think Yorkshire pudding wraps, German sausages, cinnamon buns, hot chocolates, mulled wine, spicy margs, winter Aperol spritz, Christmas shopping and jazzy festive tunes. https://batesfarm.co.uk/christmas-at-bates-farm
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