Cheshire's Christmas 2026: What's On Sale Now?

Lanterns and Light, Chester Zoo

13 November 2026 – 3 January 2027

Chester Zoo's after-dark trail is back for another winter, and with more dates than ever before, there's even more magic to discover. Teaming up with Sony Music again this year, the zoo has brought in a fresh set of installations to walk through, including suspended glowing jellyfish, fibre optic tunnels and drifts of floating glistening feathers, all designed to surround you in colour, movement and light. Keep going and you'll find a cathedral of light, fire gardens and laser-lit trees, alongside a cast of illuminated animal characters brought to life by performers, some old favourites and a few new faces this year. Expect fairground rides and festive food along the way too, so it's as much a night out as it is a walk through the lights.

For those who'd rather not commit to a fixed time, an Anytime Ticket lets you turn up whenever suits within your chosen date, and a new Anytime Any Date Ticket takes that flexibility even further by opening up any date and time slot you like. There's also a quieter hour at 4pm on selected dates, with reduced visitor numbers for a calmer, more accessible visit.

Every ticket sold helps fund the zoo's conservation work, so a night under the lights does a bit of good too.

• Tickets from £12, entry slots between 4.30pm and 8pm
• Popular time slots sell out quickly, so it's worth booking ahead
• Book at chesterzoo.org

Land of Lights, Gulliver's World, Warrington

Selected dates from 24 October 2026 – end of January 2027

Warrington's Land of Lights trail is back for another year, and organisers are promising it'll be bigger, brighter and even more magical this time round. Wander through a trail of glowing scenes, from majestic illuminated monuments to roaring dinosaurs and fantastical dreamworlds, all brought to life in colour along the way. There are photo points dotted throughout the trail, food and drink to keep you going, and it's dog-friendly on selected nights too, so the whole family (four-legged members included) can join in.

Get in early: Super Early Bird tickets, with the lowest prices of the season, go on sale on 1 September, so it's worth signing up for the alert if you want the best deal before they're gone.

• Free parking
• Dog-friendly nights available
• Sign up for ticket alerts and book at warrington.landoflights.co.uk

BeWILDerwood Presents Christmas

Selected dates, 28 November – 23 December 2026

Tucked into the woods near Whitchurch, BeWILDerwood Cheshire swaps its daytime treetop adventures for an evening of sparkly lights and a mini pantomime once the sun goes down. Follow the trail past giant candy canes and Christmas puddings, catch the show, and keep an eye out for Father Christmas along the way (children take home a BeWILDerwood Christmas book as they leave).

There's a dedicated Toddlewood ticket for the smallest explorers, priced at £12.50, alongside standard tickets for the wider family.

- Book at bewilderwood.co.uk/cheshire

The Magical Woodland at Christmas, Blakemere Village

20 November – 24 December 2026

Blakemere's 15-acre woodland trail is marking ten years of festive magic this Christmas, and it's bringing real reindeer and owls into the mix alongside its usual cast of live characters. Follow the guided trail through twinkling lights and immersive sound as you cross paths with Santa, Mrs Claus, a certain grumpy green guest and a good few mischievous elves along the way, each with their own little story to tell. There's a fire pit for toasting marshmallows under the stars, and a Christmas market-style food court serving mulled wine, hot chocolate and seasonal treats to warm up with in between.

Worth knowing before you go: the woodland ground can be uneven and muddy depending on the weather, so it's not the easiest for wheelchairs or prams with small wheels, and dogs aren't able to join this one as the lights and sound can be overwhelming for them.

• Tickets from £17.50pp
• Car park tickets required separately, £5 pre-booked or £15 on the night
• Book at magicalwoodland.com

Christmas at Dunham Massey, National Trust

20 November 2026 – 2 January 2027

Dunham Massey's light trail is celebrating its tenth year, and 2026 brings a fresh set of light installations and projections onto the historic house alongside old favourites. The mile-long route winds through the deer park grounds, taking in a cathedral of light, laser-lit woodland and a sweeping sea of light along the way, with Father Christmas making an appearance somewhere en route. There's a fairground, seasonal food and drink, and quieter sessions on selected dates for a calmer visit.

• Tickets from £19 adult, £13 child, under 3s free
• Dog-friendly on most nights, assistance dogs only on quieter session dates
• Book at nationaltrust.org.uk

Rapunzel, Storyhouse, Chester

4 December 2026 – 3 January 2027

After a sell-out run of Beauty and the Beast, Storyhouse is bringing back writer Anne Odeke for this year's panto, a big-beat, big-hair retelling of Rapunzel. Expect the usual Storyhouse glow-up: fast, funny, packed with dance and an irresistible soundtrack of hits, with plenty of mischief woven through the fairy tale.

- Tickets on sale now, from £16.20 for Storyhouse Members

- Book at [storyhouse.com](https://www.storyhouse.com/whats-on/rapunzel/)

For the full spread of pantomimes and festive theatre across the county, from Crewe Lyceum's Sleeping Beauty to family shows in Northwich and Runcorn, our Pantomimes and Christmas Performances page has the lot, and it's worth a bookmark as more casts and dates are confirmed over the coming weeks.

The Magic Lamp in the Hidden Garden, Bents Garden & Home

20 November - 30 December 2026

This year's trail through Bents' Hidden Garden takes on an Aladdin-inspired retelling, with theatrical light installations, immersive soundscapes and storytelling touches woven through the twinkling route. Afterwards, warm up at the Winter Food Market or in the Outdoor Christmas Teepee, both serving festive treats and winter warmers, or stop at the trailside drinks hut for a hot chocolate and a go at the marshmallow roasting station.

• Adult from £18.95, child from £12.95, under 2s free (family tickets also available)
• Entry between 4.30pm and 7.30pm
• Quiet sessions with reduced capacity on 23 and 30 November, 7 and 14 December
• Free parking, dogs not permitted on the trail (assistance dogs excepted)
• Book at bents.co.uk

Worth knowing: LaplandUK Manchester

Held in the grounds of Capesthorne Hall since 2025, LaplandUK's north west outpost has become one of the hardest festive tickets in the country to get hold of, selling out within hours each year it's run. Tickets for 2026 have already sold out, but it's worth signing up for updates in case any dates are released, and a good reminder to be quick off the mark for 2027.

Book early, it's worth it

Cheshire's Christmas calendar only gets busier from here, with Chester's Christmas Market (18 November – 22 December 2026), parades, grottos and more. But for the ticketed light trails, panto and family experiences above, the early dates and early bird prices are already moving. Grab your tickets now, and let the countdown begin.