Christmas Events and Attractions in the North East – are you looking for ideas for festive days out in the North East this Christmas?
Whether you want a traditional Christmas, a spectacular light trail or to take the kids to visit Santa, we have a great list of suggestions to make your Christmas sparkle!
What’s on at Christmas in the North East?
The Twelve Days of Christmas at Bamburgh Castle
Bamburgh NE69 7DF
Breathtaking Bamburgh Castle’s interior will be transformed into a spectacular festive experience inspired by The Twelve Days of Christmas.
Set to be the largest indoor Christmas event in the north east, visitors will be transported into an enchanted, whimsical world inside the castle. Sets will include lords-a-leaping, swans-a-swimming, gold rings, a partridge in a pear tree – and more – in the Northumberland castle’s wonderland installation which celebrates the lyrics of the famous Christmas carol and its festive traditions.
Opening to the public of Saturday 12 November, admission to the Christmas spectacle is included with general admission tickets, which are now on sale via the Castle’s website – www.bamburghcastle.com
The Christmas Kingdom at Bamburgh Castle Highlights
Meet Father Christmas experience – 18 November – 23 December 2023
An enchanting and truly magical opportunity for children to meet Father Christmas himself at Bamburgh Castle in his fairy tale grotto – £19.95 per child (in addition to general admission ticket).
Christmas Wreath Making 21, 24, 27 & 30 November
Festive wreath making at Bamburgh Castle (10.30am – 12:30pm and 1.30pm – 3.30pm)
Our Wreath Making classes are back and will be hosted by Sharon Wright from Wild With Love, local award-winning florist – Wildwithlove.co.uk
Sharon is a born and bred Northumbrian lass and has lived in the Alnwick area for several years now. She has a passion for the natural world and this is reflected in her wreath making and her floral arrangements.
You will be making living wreaths made on a frame of moss and wire. They are very traditional and incredibly long-lasting, brighten up your door and bring a smile to people’s faces
We will be using a variety of foliage including local ivy, seasonal greenery, twigs and festive colour.
Details of further Christmas events will be added to the website. Visit www.bamburghcastle.com for more details and to book tickets.
Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at Christmas
Newcastle Cathedral Thursday 21 December 2023 – Time: 7:30 p.m. – 9:15 p.m.
Hear Vivaldi’s stunning Four Seasons live. Exceptional classical performances from the Piccadilly Sinfonietta. The perfect way to celebrate the festive season
Age requirement: CityMusic Promotions events are not suitable for children under the age of 5 years old (babies will not be admitted)
Concert Details
Musicians
- The Piccadilly Sinfonietta
- Warren Mailley-Smith (Piano)
- Violin soloist to be confirmed
Book tickets for Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at Christmas.
Christmas at The Alnwick Garden
Waiting for details for 2023
The North East’s biggest and brightest Light Trail is back at The Alnwick Garden! Immerse yourself in a glittering carnival of light and sound where magic awaits you around every corner. Receive a magical warm welcome from Santa and his mischievous elves as you visit him in his festive Treehouse Grotto. Share your wish list and collect an early Christmas treat, but only if you’ve made his good list!
How about a Festive Afternoon tea? Relax into the holiday season and share a moment of fine dining with friends or family when you book Festive Afternoon tea in The Pavilion.
Christmas at Beamish
What could be more lovely than visiting Beamish at Christmas?
Christmas Daytimes at Beamish
Come along to the museum for Christmas at Beamish daytimes from 25th November to 24th December 2023 and enjoy the wonder of Christmas through time!
From Georgian merriment to 1950s festive fun, be immersed in traditions from the past. Start your own special family traditions as you enjoy the Christmas season with us!
Christmas at Beamish daytimes are included in admission and are free to Beamish Unlimited Pass holders and Friends of Beamish members so make the most of your pass and create treasured Christmas memories with us!
Christmas Evenings at Beamish
Join us for a magical evening of traditional festive celebrations with Beamish Christmas Evenings – To be announced
Please note: Christmas Evenings are separate ticketed events. Beamish Unlimited Passes and Friends of Beamish memberships are not valid for evening events. Christmas Evening Tickets are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged for an alternative date or event.
Further details on booking Christmas Evening tickets will be announced closer to the time, please check our website and social media for updates.
Kielder Winter Wonderland, Northumberland
Kielder Forest Park, Kielder Waterside, Leaplish Waterside Park NE48 1BT
19th, 25th and 26th November and 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th, 16th, 17th, 21st, 22nd, and 23rd December 2023
Kielder Winter Wonderland is a full day experience packed full of festive activities to keep you and your little ones entranced all day. Your full day will include everything from helping Mrs Christmas get ready for Christmas to helping in the elves workshop to walking through the forest to find Father Christmas plus lots more! With the forest home to Father Christmas and his festive friends you never know who you could bump into!
Embark on your very own fairytale adventure this Christmas as you make unforgettable memories on a full day festive adventure through the heart of Kielder Forest.
Begin your journey as you arrive and let the excitement build as you look forward to roaming around and venturing deep into the enchanted forest – with charming lodges set amidst tall trees, reindeer and other woodland neighbours; the scene is set for a magical festive day.
Discover Father Christmas, Mrs Christmas, the Beavers and a whole host of their festive friends who are ready to share an array of activities and exciting adventures with you.
Designed to captivate visitors of all ages, Kielder Winter Wonderland is a delightful authentic experience for the whole family and all you need to bring Christmas to life this festive season.
Fairytale of New York
Coming Home for Christmas at The Sage Gateshead
Direct from the West End and after two sell out tours, the ultimate feel good Irish-inspired Christmas show is back with an even bigger production for 2023.
‘What a show! 5 stars’ – BBC
From the producers of Seven Drunken Nights-The Story of The Dubliners and featuring an international cast of singers, musicians and dancers Fairytale of New York brings you all of your favorite Christmas songs including Driving home for Christmas, White Christmas, Oh Holy Night, Winter’s Tale, Silent Night and of course The Fairytale of New York.
‘5 stars’ – WhatsOn
……and just when you think the party couldn’t get any better, this world class show also features some of the greatest Irish sing-a-long songs of all time including The Galway Girl, The Irish Rover, Danny Boy, Dirty Old Town and The Black Velvet Band this magical Irish-inspired Christmas show will have people of all ages singing, laughing and dancing in the aisles.
A Christmas Carol
24 Nov 2023 and 25 Nov 2023 at Durham Cathedral
Chapterhouse Theatre Company is proud to bring you A Christmas Carol, Charles Dicken’s timeless tale of hope and redemption, this Christmas. A Christmas Carol follows the miserly Ebeneezer Scrooge as he embarks upon a journey through his past, present, and future, learning along the way to appreciate the true meaning of Christmas.
With dazzling musical sequences and authentic period costuming, this production promises to be the perfect accompaniment to the festive season. Join family and friends at the most magical time of the year and be swept back in time nearly two centuries to the world of Scrooge’s London.
Believe Christmas
Hardwick Hall Hotel Sedgefield TS21 2EH
Waiting for details for 2023
Come and discover all the exciting magic and unwrap some hidden adventures in this outdoor, immersive, interactive, spectacular! New this year we are delighted to announce that Believe Christmas will be a FULL-day adventure!
It is an outdoor Christmas experience taking you on a journey through ‘live’ performances and interactive activities. It is an experience creating memories with your loved ones to treasure for a lifetime! Joining Elf Guide’s to lead you around the Elf Tipi Village, you will meet all the Elves who are there to entertain you and bring fairy tales to life!
This adventure is based in the grounds of Hardwick Hall Hotel County Durham. A Magical Christmas Adventure for the whole family.
Come to our Elf Tipi Village and meet our Reindeer too! Visit our Elf School, new this year “Mrs C’s Ministry of Elfin”, for an exciting insight into Elf training. Take a walk through the mystical woods to discover the hidden magic!, join us for a brand new Crimbo pantomime EXTRAvaganza, as well as visits to all the most loved favourite’s…Make a lovely Christmas treat to take home in the Elves Workshop, write your letter in the official North Pole Post Office with Elf Post Stampalina, and an exciting visit to the jolly man himself…..Santa in his Laplandish Tipi next to his fire where he magically knows info about each child! Take your well-earned lunch break between activities to visit any Street Food you may fancy and relax to refresh for the remainder of your adventure.
Read more about Believe here or book tickets direct on the Believe website.
