Christmas Events for Kids in Bournemouth (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

5 min read

For 2026, we confirmed 8 Christmas events for kids in Bournemouth. The season opens on 12 November with Bournemouth Christmas Market and runs until 3 January with The Festive Trail Bournemouth. Of these, 2 are free. Every listing links straight to the host. This page is part of our guide to Christmas events for kids in the UK.

The short version

  • Kids’ Christmas events confirmed for 2026 in Bournemouth and Christchurch: 8
  • First: Bournemouth Christmas Market, Bournemouth, 12 November
  • Free events: Bournemouth Christmas Market and The Festive Trail Bournemouth

Below is every event we could confirm, grouped by area, with the date, time, price and the small things parents ask about (booking, ages, what is included).

At a glance: Christmas events for kids in Bournemouth

Kids’ Christmas events
8 confirmed for 2026
Areas
Bournemouth and Christchurch
Season
12 November to 3 January
Free events
2
Last checked

Christmas events for kids in Bournemouth

Listed soonest first: 7 confirmed events in Bournemouth.

Christmas marketFree

Bournemouth Christmas Market

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The Bournemouth Christmas Market opens on Thursday 12 November 2026 and the stalls run to Thursday 31 December. The chalets sit in The Square, Commercial Road and Old Christchurch Road, and the Alpine Lodge bar is part of the site. Stalls trade from 11am to 8pm, or 7pm on Sundays, and the food stalls stay open until 10pm.

Entry to the market and the stage shows is free. Costumed characters appear on weekends from 11am to 1pm and from 2pm to 4pm, and Santa tells a free story on the Square stage at 5.30pm. The Festive Trail through the Lower Gardens starts from the market and leads down to the seafront.

Parent tip: Weekend late mornings and early afternoons are when the characters are out. Rink, golf and tree maze tickets are separate.

Host
Christmas in Bournemouth (opens in a new tab)
Where
The Square, The Square, Commercial Road and Old Christchurch Road, Bournemouth BH2 5AU (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Christmas in Bournemouth (opens in a new tab)

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Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 7 more Bournemouth events researched for you.

  • New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Bournemouth.
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Coming up on this page

  • 2 Santa
  • 2 Lights
  • 1 Shows
  • 1 Crafts
  • 2 Free

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Christmas lights

Festive mini golf at The Festive Trail

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Glow Golf is a festive mini-golf course set among the lights of the Festive Trail in the Lower Gardens. The Visit Bournemouth calendar gives 12 November to 24 December 2026.

It is one of the paid extras on the site, alongside the tree maze and Story Time with Santa. The trail itself is free to walk.

Parent tip: Check the Festive Trail site for prices and slots before you go.

Host
Christmas in Bournemouth (opens in a new tab)
Where
Lower Gardens, Bournemouth BH2 5AU (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
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Family Christmas event

SKATE Bournemouth

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SKATE Bournemouth is the outdoor ice rink in the Lower Gardens. It runs from 12 November 2026 to 3 January 2027.

Book sessions and check ticket prices on the rink's own website.

Parent tip: Book sessions on the rink's own website, where the prices are shown.

Host
Christmas in Bournemouth (opens in a new tab)
Where
Lower Gardens, Bournemouth BH2 5AU (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
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Christmas lightsFree

The Festive Trail Bournemouth

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The Festive Trail runs from 12 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 through the Lower Gardens, from the town centre to the seafront. Walking the route is free. It has thousands of lights, animated displays, photo spots and a Christmas Tree Walkway, and the organiser describes it as suitable for the whole family.

There is a maze of 300 illuminated trees, and the Great Festive Kids Trail is new this year: children collect clues around the site and completed passports go into a prize draw. Paid extras include the tree maze, Glow Golf, Santa's Express, the big wheel and Story Time with Santa in Santa's Workshop.

Parent tip: Walking the trail costs nothing, so pay only for the extras you want. Check the organiser's site before you go, as details can change.

Host
Christmas in Bournemouth (opens in a new tab)
Where
Lower Gardens, Bournemouth BH2 5AY (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
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Family Christmas event

Christmas by Candlelight at the Russell-Cotes

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The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum on East Cliff Promenade is open daily from 10am to 5pm from 17 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, and closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. It describes itself as a history house in Victorian splendour and offers a festive trail for families.

Father Christmas visits on 12 and 13 December cost £17.50 per child and must be pre-booked. Victorian Christmas Tours from 4 December cost £6 plus museum admission, and a Victorian Christmas Evening on 17 December, 6pm to 8.30pm, is £15.

Parent tip: Book Father Christmas ahead. Admission and afternoon tea prices are not given, so ring the museum.

Host
Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum (opens in a new tab)
Where
Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, East Cliff Promenade, Bournemouth BH1 3AA (opens in maps)
Booking
Essential
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum (opens in a new tab)

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Panto or Christmas show

Aladdin Pantomime

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Aladdin is the 2026 pantomime at Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre on Westover Road, running from 5 December 2026 to 3 January 2027. James Cartwright from Coronation Street plays Abanazar, Jamie Steen is Widow Twankey and Noel Brodie is Wishee Washee.

Tickets are from £18. It is a family pantomime, and performance times are on the theatre's own booking page.

Parent tip: Performance times vary, so check the booking page for your date.

Host
Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre (opens in a new tab)
Where
Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre, Westover Road, Bournemouth BH1 2BU (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre (opens in a new tab)

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Breakfast with Santa

Breakfast With Santa on Bournemouth Pier

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Bournemouth Pier hosts Breakfast with Santa at its Key West Coastal Restaurant on Saturday 12, Sunday 13, Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 December 2026.

Times, prices and what is included are on the pier's ticketing page.

Parent tip: Use the booking link on the pier's page to see times and prices.

Host
Bournemouth Pier (opens in a new tab)
Where
Key West Coastal Restaurant, Bournemouth Pier (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Bournemouth Pier (opens in a new tab)

New events in Bournemouth every week

Rally looks for new Christmas events in Bournemouth every day and adds them to this page. Enter your email for one weekly update with the latest finds.

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Christmas events for kids in Christchurch

Listed soonest first: 1 confirmed event in Christchurch.

Meet Santa

Christmas with Santa at Discovery Village (Christchurch)

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Christmas with Santa at Discovery Village runs from 2 to 24 December 2026 on Merritown Lane, Christchurch. A paid child ticket covers a two-hour play session with a live adventure led by Mrs Claus, a letter to write to Santa, about 45 minutes with Father Christmas and a gift from him. It also includes access to all nine role play areas and a reserved table in the woodland cafe.

The experience suits babies, toddlers, preschoolers and children meeting Father Christmas for the first time. Babies in arms are free. Parking on site is free.

Parent tip: Book ahead because popular dates sell out. Food and drink in the cafe are extra.

Host
Discovery Village (opens in a new tab)
Where
Discovery Village, Merritown Lane, Christchurch BH23 6BA (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Discovery Village (opens in a new tab)

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More Christmas events for kids in the UK

A story for the trip home

Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents. It is a cosy story to share on the way home after a big day out.

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolour corgi peeking from a red train

A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in real watercolour. Ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon.co.uk (opens in a new tab)

Christmas events for kids in Bournemouth: questions parents ask

What are the 2026 Christmas events for kids in Bournemouth?

For 2026, we confirmed 8 Christmas events for kids in Bournemouth, each on its host’s own page: The Festive Trail Bournemouth, Bournemouth Christmas Market, Christmas with Santa at Discovery Village (Christchurch) and 5 more. Each one is listed above with times, cost and a link to the host.

Are there free Christmas events for kids in Bournemouth?

Yes, 2 of the 8 events here are free: The Festive Trail Bournemouth and Bournemouth Christmas Market. Some free events still ask you to register, so check each listing.

Where can kids see Santa this year in Bournemouth?

Where to see Santa: Christmas with Santa at Discovery Village (Christchurch) and Breakfast With Santa on Bournemouth Pier. Check the listings above for times and booking.

How do you confirm these events?

We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city, library or tourism calendar. We last checked every listing on 5 November 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.

Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.

The story of Christmas in Bournemouth

Bournemouth's Christmas centres on the Lower Gardens, where a light trail that was once called Christmas Tree Wonderland now leads from the market in The Square to the seafront. Christchurch adds a tree festival and a Santa play village of its own.

Santa's Phone Box, a helter skelter and a 300-tree maze

The Lower Gardens run from the town centre down to the sea, and Bournemouth has turned them into its Christmas centrepiece. The light trail there was called Christmas Tree Wonderland until it became the Festive Trail. In 2025 the Wonderland page listed Santa's Phone Box for calling the North Pole, a helter skelter, a mini golf course and a Light Control Experience where families change the colour of the lit trees.

The Festive Trail in 2026 still has a maze of 300 illuminated trees. The market in The Square is the start of the route.

A 13 November start in 2025 and a Christchurch tree festival

In 2025 the council's Christmas list called the Christmas in the Square market the largest ever in the town centre, and the 2025 season ran from 13 November to 31 December, with wider festivities to 4 January 2026.

The Pavilion's panto was Cinderella from 6 December to 4 January. Over in Christchurch the Christmas Tree Festival ran 5 to 23 December, and the Living Advent Calendar was in its fourth year.

A rink billed as the UK's longest and a house on East Cliff

The Festive Trail bills its ice rink as the longest in the UK. A Victorian house on the East Cliff, the Russell-Cotes, opens for Christmas and has been running a Victorian Christmas since at least 2025, when it listed Father Christmas visits and Candlelight Nights.

The Pavilion's 2026 panto has Aladdin's Abanazar played by a Coronation Street actor, James Cartwright.

Traditions today

  • The Festive Trail: A free walk through the Lower Gardens from 12 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, with a 300-tree maze and a new kids' trail.
  • The Square market: Alpine-style chalets from 12 November to 31 December 2026, with weekend costumed characters and a free Santa story at 5.30pm.
  • Aladdin at the Pavilion: The family panto runs from 5 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 on Westover Road, with tickets from £18.
  • Victorian Christmas at the Russell-Cotes: A family trail from 17 November 2026, and pre-booked Father Christmas visits on 12 and 13 December.
  • Breakfast with Santa on the Pier: Key West on Bournemouth Pier hosts it on 12, 13, 19 and 20 December 2026.

A fact for kids

Santa's Phone Box on the 2025 trail let children call the North Pole, and the trail's tree maze has 300 lit trees.

Questions about Christmas in Bournemouth

When does the Bournemouth Christmas Market open in 2026?

The Bournemouth Christmas Market opens on Thursday 12 November 2026 in The Square, Commercial Road and Old Christchurch Road. The stalls run to Thursday 31 December. They trade from 11am to 8pm, or 7pm on Sundays, and food stalls stay open until 10pm. Entry is free.

Was the Bournemouth Christmas market bigger in 2025?

The council's 2025 Christmas list described Christmas in the Square as the largest ever Christmas market in the town centre. The 2025 season ran from 13 November to 31 December, with the wider festivities going on to 4 January 2026. No visitor numbers were published for that season.

What was the Festive Trail called before?

The Festive Trail in the Lower Gardens used to be called Christmas Tree Wonderland. The 2025 Wonderland ran from 13 November 2025 to 4 January 2026. In 2026 the trail runs from 12 November to 3 January 2027 and is free to walk, with paid extras.

What can kids do on the Festive Trail in 2026?

Children can wander a maze of 300 illuminated trees, join the new Great Festive Kids Trail and collect clues for a prize draw, or play Glow Golf. Santa's Express, a big wheel and Story Time with Santa are also on site. Walking the trail itself is free.

Is the Bournemouth Festive Trail free?

Walking the Festive Trail through the Lower Gardens is free in 2026. Tickets are needed only for selected extras such as the tree maze, the mini golf course, the ice rink and Santa's Workshop. Each paid extra has its own booking, so you can walk the lights and spend nothing.

SKATE Bournemouth ice rink: what are the 2026 season dates?

The outdoor rink in the Lower Gardens opens on Thursday 12 November 2026 and runs to 3 January 2027. Book sessions and check prices on the rink's own website.

Where can young children meet Santa in Bournemouth in 2026?

Options include Santa's Workshop on the Festive Trail, Breakfast with Santa at Key West on Bournemouth Pier on 12, 13, 19 and 20 December, and Father Christmas at the Russell-Cotes on 12 and 13 December at £17.50 per child.

What does the Santa session at Discovery Village include?

A paid child ticket at Discovery Village in Christchurch covers a two-hour play session with a live adventure led by Mrs Claus, a letter to Santa, about 45 minutes with Father Christmas and a gift. It runs 2 to 24 December 2026. A child ticket is £31.45 and babies in arms are free.

Can we see a Christmas panto in Bournemouth in 2026?

Yes. Aladdin plays Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre on Westover Road from 5 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, with tickets from £18. James Cartwright from Coronation Street plays Abanazar. Check age guidance before booking for very young children.

Which panto did the Bournemouth Pavilion stage in 2025?

In 2025 the Pavilion staged Cinderella from 6 December to 4 January. The 2026 show is Aladdin from 5 December 2026 to 3 January 2027. Over in Christchurch, The Regent Centre had Beauty and the Beast from 13 to 28 December 2025, if you want a second panto to compare.

Does Christchurch have a Christmas tree festival?

In 2025 the Christmas Tree Festival in Christchurch ran from 5 to 23 December, and the town's Living Advent Calendar was in its fourth year. 2026 dates for both are still to come, so check with the organisers or the BCP Council Christmas pages before you set out with the children.

Do we need to book Breakfast with Santa on Bournemouth Pier?

Breakfast with Santa at Key West Coastal Restaurant is a ticketed event on 12, 13, 19 and 20 December 2026, from 9am to 12pm. The pier's page links to its booking page rather than stating prices or what is included, so read that before you go. The Russell-Cotes Father Christmas visits are pre-booked too.

What is the Russell-Cotes doing for Christmas?

The Russell-Cotes museum on East Cliff Promenade is open 10am to 5pm from 17 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. It runs a festive trail for families, Victorian Christmas Tours from 4 December at £6 plus admission, and pre-booked Father Christmas visits on 12 and 13 December.

Where can we spend Christmas Day in Bournemouth with kids?

Several attractions close on 25 December. The Russell-Cotes is closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and Discovery Village's Santa sessions end on 24 December. The market stalls run to 31 December. The Festive Trail, listed as running daily to 3 January, is the most likely free outing, so check opening on the day.

What are the best Christmas activities for kids in Bournemouth?

Many families start with the free Festive Trail and its 300-tree maze, then add the ice rink or the mini golf course. The Pavilion's Aladdin panto, a Santa session at Discovery Village and Breakfast with Santa on the pier are the other big options in 2026, each with its own ticket.

Where should we go for Christmas with a toddler in Bournemouth?

Discovery Village in Christchurch suits babies, toddlers and preschoolers, with a play session and Father Christmas, and babies in arms are free. The Festive Trail walk costs nothing, which helps with short attention spans. The Russell-Cotes also runs a festive trail for families from 17 November 2026.

Are there free Christmas things for kids in Bournemouth?

The Bournemouth Christmas Market, the stage shows and the Festive Trail walk are free in 2026. Costumed characters walk the market on weekends from 11am to 1pm and from 2pm to 4pm, and Santa tells a free story on the Square stage at 5.30pm. Rides, mini golf and skating cost extra.

Which Festive Trail extras finish before Christmas Day in 2026?

The glow mini golf course on the Festive Trail runs from 12 November to 24 December 2026, so it closes before Christmas. The trail itself and the ice rink both run to 3 January 2027. Discovery Village's Santa sessions also end on 24 December. Each paid extra needs its own ticket, and the trail walk stays free.

Will Santa's Grotto return to Boscombe or Southbourne?

In 2025 Boscombe had a Santa's Grotto from 6 December and Southbourne Green hosted Santa on 13 December, with Westbourne lights switched on 29 November. 2026 dates for those local events are still to come, so check with the Bournemouth Coastal BID before travelling.

What is the Christmas story competition at the Bournemouth Christmas Market?

The 2026 market runs a Christmas story competition for primary schoolchildren. Two winning stories are read out by Santa on the Square stage. Santa's free story on that stage is at 5.30pm. Ask at the market or check the official site for the closing date for entries.

Sources

  1. Christmas in Bournemouth: official guide, Visit Bournemouth
  2. Bournemouth Christmas Market 2026: opens Thursday 12 Nov, Bournemouth Post
  3. List of events and activities for Christmas 2025 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, BCP Council
  4. Christmas Tree Wonderland, Let's Go Out Bournemouth and Poole
  5. Christmas with Santa at Discovery Village, Discovery Village
  6. Christmas by Candlelight at the Russell-Cotes, Visit Bournemouth
  7. Bournemouth Christmas Panto 2026: Aladdin, Let's Go Out Bournemouth and Poole
  8. Breakfast With Santa on Bournemouth Pier, Bournemouth Pier
  9. Bournemouth Christmas Market 2026, Christmas Markets UK
  10. Christmas Events Bournemouth & Poole 2026, Let's Go Out Bournemouth and Poole
Kelsey Cecil
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