It’s Always Ice Cream Weather at The Ice Cream Farm!

Quiet fireworks, pumpkin picking, potion making and free indoor play will launch The Ice Cream Farm’s upcoming fun for families this autumn.

The award-winning, rural Cheshire attraction is proving summer isn’t the only time for ice cream, with a calendar of events appealing to visitors throughout the chillier months.

“Our visitors are diverse, and so the team has worked hard to make our autumn and winter schedule as inclusive as possible,” said CEO and owner of The Ice Cream Farm Jonathan Fell. “We’ve got a ‘no bangs’ fireworks display for parents with younger children; free entry to our indoor sand and water attraction for families on a budget; dedicated SEN Santa’s Grotto sessions for little visitors who need a quieter festive experience; and new events at the world’s first Ice Cream Drive In next door.”

Kicking everything off will be Pumpkin Picking at The Ice Cream Drive In and The World of Wizardry at The Ice Cream Farm – the latter including a Special Educational Needs (SEN) session. In celebration of Disney’s 100^th anniversary visitors can have Lunch with Mickey Mouse at Sticky Paws on 16^th October. To celebrate Bonfire Night there are Fireworks & Fun on 4^th November – a sold-out event! Then the run up to Christmas begins at the end of November with The Ice Cream Farm’s biggest ever calendar of festive events, including: Santa's Grotto and Elves' Workshop, Bottomless Breakfast with Santa, a Winter-themed Escape Room, Cookie Making with Mrs Claus and Storytime with Santa.

“While I’m so pleased we’ve been able to add these fantastic events to our offering, I’m conscious that funds are stretch for some families this year,” added Jonathan. “That’s why we’ve made Honeycomb Canyon indoor play area free to enter this winter; have a late afternoon reduced Entry Ticket price of £1; kept our annual Family & Friends Membership at just £30 for four people; and organised a shuttle bus for the school holidays from Chester Train Station. We’ll also have a drop-off point at Admissions for the KidsBank Christmas Appeal for anyone wanting to donate gifts to this very worthwhile cause.”

The Tattenhall attraction, home to the Guinness Book of Records ‘World’s Largest Ice Cream Shop’, has opened new coffee outlets in recent months within two of the existing play areas thanks to a partnership with The Lost Barn near Malpas.

“The Coffee Barn, at our softplay, and The Coffee Pot, at the indoor sand and water play, have been developed to give parents and carers a treat for themselves while the kids burn off some energy on the indoor play attractions,” said Managing Director Katie Lewis. 

“Our hope is that by making the latter (Honeycomb Canyon) free this winter, and offering complimentary WiFi in The Fun Factory, parents will find a trip to The Ice Cream Farm more affordable, and consider us as a ‘third place’ to work while the kids are entertained.”

What’s on at The Ice Cream Farm? 

World of Wizardry - Selected dates in October and November

Explore an interactive multi-room experience led by our Professors, including: Potion Making, Herbology, Dark Arts and Creepy-Crawlie Crafting.

October SEN Session - 15^th October

Expect all the usual inclusive fun of The Ice Cream Farm with reduced numbers, plus an exclusive SEN Session at the World of Wizardry event!

Lunch with Mickey Mouse - 16^th October

Everyone’s favourite mouse will be in Sticky Paws for dancing and games. Tickets include a lunchbox containing a selection of tasty treats.

Pumpkin Picking - 14^th-15^th and 21^st-31^st October

Choose a Halloween pumpkin at The Ice Cream Drive In! No need to book. Plus for every purchase receive a discount code for orders at The Ice Cream Drive In.

Fireworks & Fun – SOLD OUT! - 4^th November

For the first time The Ice Cream Farm is hosting a low-noise, family-friendly firework spectacle! Tickets include Entry anytime from 2pm, two Plays and Entry into the Fireworks Finale at 6pm.

Santa’s Grotto & Elves’ Workshop - Selected dates in November and December

It’s back for 2023 and bigger and better than before! Visit Santa’s Grotto to meet Santa and his Elves in his cosy winter lodge. Choose a gift from the Elves Emporium, make reindeer food, and finish with 2 scoops of ice cream served in a collectable Christmas character mug.

Santa’s Grotto & Elves’ Workshop SEN Sessions - 25^th and 26^th November

All the fun of our Santa experience, but with limited numbers, a quieter space and reduced queuing to create a more inclusive environment for SEN children and their families.

Cookie Making with Mrs Claus - Selected weekends in December

Mrs Claus will be leading a cookie making class at Sticky Paws for children to make festive treats to take home in a special presentation bag.

Winter Escape Room - Selected dates in November and December

For just £10 for four people, crack the codes set by The Ice Cream Farm’s in-house Escape Room expert in this family-friendly experience.

Breakfast with Santa - Selected weekends in December

Santa is visiting Sticky Paws restaurant for a festive feast and photo opportunities, including a cooked breakfast, bottomless hot drinks and fruit juices, and a gift for each child.

Storytime with Santa - Selected dates in December

Santa will be at The Ice Cream Farm to read stories while his little listeners enjoy a snack box of treats. Afterwards he’ll hand out gifts and pose for photos.

Story starters

Free Play – Offering better value for winter 2023, an Ice Cream Farm Entry Ticket will now include free admission to one of the site’s most popular attractions; Honeycomb Canyon. Europe’s largest indoor sand and water play area is an interactive space for children to build sand castles, splash in shallow pools, traverse the wooden climbing frames and discover through play with the water channels and dams. Usually £4.50 to enter (reduced to £3 with a Play Pass), visitors this winter can play at Honeycomb Canyon, as well as Daisy’s Garden outdoor playground; all included with their £2.50 Entry Ticket.

NB Entry is free for Members in winter, and reduced to £1 after 3pm.

The Ice Cream Drive In – The world’s first ice cream drive in is hosting its own schedule of events in the coming months. During the autumn this will see the unique site host a Pumpkin Picking experience, followed by festive lighting in the run-up to Christmas.

Kids Bank Christmas Appeal - The Farm Entrance will be a drop-off point for Chester Kids Bank’s Christmas Appeal, supporting the local community to donate to this worthy cause.

Ice Cream – The Ice Cream Farm boasts the Guinness World Record for the largest ice cream shop in the world. At The Parlour there are more than 50 flavours of award-winning Cheshire Farm Ice Cream, created by the same family behind The Ice Cream Farm - who have been producing ice cream onsite since the mid-eighties. This year’s specialty flavours include:  Cherry Cola, Stem Ginger, Raspberry Pavlova, Cointreau & Orange, Christmas Pudding, Mince Pie, Orange Sorbet and Champagne Sorbet.

The Impulse Emporium – Championing local suppliers where possible, The Impulse Emporium has new stock, including Take Home Tubs of Cheshire Farm Ice Cream; popular TY Toys; and new Christmas Jellycat soft toys.

Free Return – Last summer The Ice Cream Farm re-launched its free return ticket offer; so those who came in school holidays could visit again in winter... absolutely free. It also has a year-round Rainy Day Promise, meaning free return tickets if bad weather spoils the fun.

An affordable day out – The Ice Cream Farm is committed to giving families a low cost day out. There are tips on our website about how to get the most out of a day with us, including coming after 3pm (when entry is £1 per person); bringing a picnic to our dedicated picnic area; using our water refilling stations; and booking a place on our shuttle bus in school holidays.

Working at The Ice Cream Farm – Committed to supporting its local workforce, The Ice Cream Farm is building on its reputation as one of the area’s best employers. Recent introductions have included online training for all, with team members receiving a certificate as evidence of their professional development; supporting the team’s fundraising towards their own charitable goals; and an in-house, levelling up programme for team development. The Ice Cream Farm is one of a handful of places in Cheshire to be licensed to employ under-16s.

A family business – Did you see The Ice Cream Farm on BBC Breakfast News in September? Or perhaps you heard our CEO on a business podcast? With nearly 40 years behind us, we’re a family farm with a story to tell. The Ice Cream Farm welcomes interviews on all topics; from inflation and tourism trends to best-selling flavours and the rural economy.

Marketing Cheshire Awards – The Ice Cream Farm is thrilled to be shortlisted in 2024’s Marketing Cheshire Awards for: Team of the Year and Visitor Attraction of the Year.