In Christmas, xmas, Events, cinema, market, seasonal

You’ve got your advent calendars out at home now, but how about a Visit Leicester Advent Calendar. Fill your December with events, activities and days out with our day by day guide to Christmas around Leicester and Leicestershire!

Monday 2 December – Book a kids show at Curve

Book your tickets for Curve’s Christmas kids show Pirates Love Underpants. Opening today, it’s a rip roaring laugh a minute family show and will be playing until the schools go back in January. Book your tickets right here!

Tuesday 3 December – Ride the Wheel of Light

Take a ride on Leicester’s Wheel of Light! See the city from a new angle as you ride a carriage to the top of the 35m wheel and experience a bird’s eye view of the town. Best seen after dark as the festive decorations light up Leicester. No need to book, just turn up and on you go!

Wednesday 4 December – Visit the Christmas Market

Visit Leicester’s Christmas Market after dark and get into the spirit of the season with hog roast, German Sausages, Cheese, Sweets, Yorkshire Pudding Wraps and loads of fantastic gift ideas. Check out our blog for more info on who’s there.

Thursday 5 December – Skate throughout Christmas

Leicester’s Real Ice Rink opens today! New for 2024 are 20,000 LED lights under the ice, a new festive village with arcades, food and drink and more! Ice Skating is the perfect way to get into the spirit of the season, and with loads of opportunities to take to the ice right through to the 5 January make sure you get your tickets booked!

Friday 6 December – a folky parade through Old Town

Come and experience a procession through Leicester’s Old Town as the Mediaeval Baebes lead a torchlit parade through the city streets ahead of their concert at Leicester Cathedral that evening. The parade will begin at 6.55pm on Friday, December 6, with a Lighting of the Chalice ceremony in Peacock Lane before the musicians carry the chalice and their torches to the cathedral. You can get tickets for the show here.

Saturday 7 December – Christmas in Melton

This weekend sees the Melton Mowbray Christmas Market come to the town! Bringing the spirit of the season to the Rural Capital of Food, it’s the perfect place to get your pork pie for Christmas morning and explore the Christmas Tree Festival in St Mary’s Church and Christmas Wreath festival at St John’s Church. Check all the events here.

Sunday 8 December – Santa at Highcross

Visit Santa’s Grotto at Highcross! This enchanting Scandinavian-style retreat for shoppers promises to capture a cosy, ‘hygge’ atmosphere. It’s free to get in with no pre-booking required. Shoppers are encouraged to make a donation to the centre’s charity of the year, Shaw Trust. Every Saturday and Sunday up until Christmas (plus Monday 23 December).

Monday 9 December – My Fair Lady

Curve’s big Christmas show is the classic musical My Fair Lady. The Oscar-winning film adaptation is a key part of festive telly viewing with tunes including The Rain in Spain, Wouldn’t It Be Loverly and I Could Have Danced All Night and you can catch this incredible on-stage adaption right through to the 4th January! Book your spot right here.

Tuesday 10 December – Visit the Christmas Yarn Bomb

Cosby is a beautiful village in South Leicestershire and their summer Yarn Bomb has become a thing of legend. This year they’ve created an amazing festive Yarn Bomb around The Nook, and it has to be seen to be believed. Then pop into the Tithe Barn or the Cook in the Nook for a warming meal!

Wednesday 11 December – Oh no you didn’t!

This year’s De Montfort Hall pantomime is Snow White and stars Drag Race finalist Divina Di Campo, CBeebies fave Gyashi Sheppey, X-Factor winner and local lass Sam Bailey, comedian Jarred Christmas and Jack Ballard as the Dame. It opens on 13 December and runs to the 5 January. Book now for this perfect family outing.

Thursday 12 December – Christmas by Candlelight

A spectacular West End Cast and incredible live band perform your favourite Christmas Hits by Candlelight at Leicester Cathedral. There are two performances and tickets are still available so make sure you get yours now by clicking here.

Friday 13 December – Festive Jams

Every Friday and Saturday in the run up to Christmas you can fill your festive season with music, as BID Leicester presents Festive Jams; a series of free, pop-up musical performances in the city. Today’s is King Brasstards bringing their big band sounds to St Martin’s Square from 7pm, but you can see the full line up here.

Saturday 14 December – Christmas at the Castle

Take a trip to Belvoir Castle and experience their festive Retail Village. With a beautiful traditional Santa’s Grotto, festive treats from the Farm Shop and the perfect gifts from the Duchess collection, plus a Christmas Market, and festive trail through the adventure playground, it’s the perfect day out! Find out more here.

Sunday 15 December – Christmas Movies at the Guildhall!

Christmas comes to the city’s oldest building with showings of some absolute classic festive films on offer. The Muppets Christmas Carol and Die Hard (yes it is) are this year’s fantastic selections.

Monday 16 December – Meet the Gruffalo’s Child

Twycross Zoo have something extra special this year as their Gruffalo Discovery Land welcome the Gruffalo’s Child to the Deep Dark Wood. With characters from the story, real animal encounters and a touch of magic throughout, it’s the perfect treat for your little ones. Book your tickets here.

Tuesday 17 December – Make it a Bitsy’s Christmas

Bitsy’s Emporium of Awesome is legendary for its cakes and epic cheese toasties and this Christmas there’s loads on offer, from the Emporium of Christmas on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 December to the famous Dog (and kid) Santa on 21 and 22 December. Plus of course, festive cakes that will blow your mind (and belly). Details and bookings here.

Wednesday 18 December – Late night shopping in Leicester

Every Wednesday all the way to Christmas there’s an opportunity for light night shopping in the city centre so that you can get all those Christmas gifts as it suits you, while you enjoy Leicester’s Christmas lights.

Thursday 19 December – Arcade, market and Santa at the Rink

There’s more than ever on offer around the Ice Skate Leicester Real Ice Rink this year. Visit Santa and his elf in the Grotto at Jubilee Square every day this Christmas. Have a go on the range of great arcade games, and get some festive treats and drinks from the winter village! More info here.

Friday 20 December – Movies at Phoenix

The Phoenix Christmas movie season runs right throughout December, with its four screens there are now more chances than ever to catch that classic on the big screen, plus a festive pyjama party on Christmas Eve! It’s a Wonderful Life, Elf, Home Alone, Polar Express, The Grinch, they’ve got it all! Full listings are here.

Saturday 21 December – Enlightened Leicester

Taking over Abbey Park in the run-up to Christmas, this magical light trail transforms the city park into a winter wonderland filled with stunning installations, holograms and displays for you to explore. The perfect way to get yourself in the festive mood. Get your tickets here.

Sunday 22 December – A Christmas Carol with Gerald Dickens

As much a part of the Leicester Christmas experience as our 40,000 lights is the annual performance of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens’ Great Great Grandson Gerald. In front of a roaring fire in the historic Guildhall, he brings the classic story to life. Tickets sell fast so get them now!

Monday 23 December – Skate into the New Year

The Leicester Real Ice Rink is here until the 5 January and you can get on the ice every day until then (with the exception of Christmas Day. Make your new year extra special with a date night on the ice or a family outing to experience the joy of skating! Book your tickets now.

Tuesday 24 December – Pop Into Town For Those Final Bits

Leicester Market will be open for your bags of sprouts and spuds, cheese for the table, chestnuts and of course your Christmas morning pork pie (but make sure you pre-order!) You can then take in the Christmas lights, Christmas market and Nativity scene in Town Hall Square. Pop into Leicester Cathedral at 3pm for the family friendly blessing of the Crib service.

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