Christmas Events for Kids in Cambridge (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

4 min read

For 2026, we confirmed 5 Christmas events for kids in Cambridge. The season opens on 2 November with Talking Letterbox and runs until 3 January with Jack and the Beanstalk. One of these is 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 Cambridge: 5
  • First: Talking Letterbox, Cambridge, 2 November
  • Free events: Christmas Crafts

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 Cambridge

Kids’ Christmas events
5 confirmed for 2026
Areas
Cambridge
Season
2 November to 3 January
Free events
1
Last checked

Christmas events for kids in Cambridge

Listed soonest first: 5 confirmed events in Cambridge.

Meet Santa

Talking Letterbox

Expand to see the parent tip

The letterbox sits on the first floor between the Polarn O. Pyret and Raspberry Pi shops. Letter templates are available next to it from 2 November, and children post their letter to Santa in the North Pole Express box.

Entrants who leave contact details on the back of the letter go into a draw for a Polarn O. Pyret outfit worth £100. The draw closes on 24 December 2026 and the winner is contacted in January 2027.

Parent tip: Write your contact details on the back of the letter if you want to enter the draw.

Host
Grand Arcade (opens in a new tab)
Where
Grand Arcade, First Floor, St Andrew's Street, Cambridge CB2 3BJ (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Grand Arcade (opens in a new tab)

New events in Cambridge every week

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

Free. Unsubscribe at any time. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 4 more Cambridge 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 Cambridge.
  • Exclusive access to free events Be first to hear about new free events in Cambridge.
  • Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
  • Rally’s Christmas Eve Express and a free advent calendar Get early access to Rally the corgi’s Christmas Eve tracker, plus a free digital advent calendar to count down to Christmas.
  • One-tap add to calendar Save any event to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendar so you never miss it.

Coming up on this page

  • 2 Shows
  • 2 Crafts
  • 2 Zoos and museums
  • 1 Santa
  • 1 Free

Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Cambridge every week.

Free. One email a week with new events in Cambridge. Unsubscribe at any time. Privacy policy

Panto or Christmas show

Christmas Celebrations at Grand Arcade

Details, tips and host

Grand Arcade holds its Christmas Celebrations on Sunday 15 November from 11:30am to 4:30pm. Local singers, choirs and dancers take turns on a stage next to the John Lewis entrance.

The centre's new Christmas decorations are revealed from 3 November, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is on the ground floor from the same day. Syd the Sprout is on the first floor.

Host
Grand Arcade (opens in a new tab)
Where
Grand Arcade, stage by the John Lewis entrance, St Andrew's Street, Cambridge CB2 3BJ (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Grand Arcade (opens in a new tab)

New events in Cambridge every week

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

Free. Unsubscribe at any time. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

Christmas lights

Cambridge Botanic Lights

Expand to see the parent tip

Cambridge Botanic Lights is an after-dark walk through the Garden, which describes it as a trail of light, colour and sound that celebrates the world of plants. It runs on 17 evenings in 2026, starting on 27 November and finishing on 23 December.

Doors open at 4:30pm and entry slots run every 15 minutes, with the last at 7pm. The Garden begins closing at 8:15pm and the gates shut at 8:30pm. Children aged 4 to 15 pay £13.50 off-peak or £17 standard, and under 4s are free. Groups of six or more get 10% off. Tickets are sold through Cambridge Live.

Parent tip: Off-peak tickets are cheaper and cover most dates, and on 3 and 10 December every slot is off-peak.

Host
Cambridge University Botanic Garden (opens in a new tab)
Where
Cambridge University Botanic Garden, 1 Brookside, Cambridge CB2 1JE (opens in maps)
Booking
Essential
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Cambridge University Botanic Garden (opens in a new tab)

New events in Cambridge every week

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

Free. Unsubscribe at any time. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

Panto or Christmas show

Jack and the Beanstalk

Expand to see the parent tip

The Trott family sell their cow, Daisy, for a handful of magic beans, and a giant beanstalk shoots up outside Jack's window. Jack climbs into the clouds to take on a giant and save Cambridge, with music, comedy and magic along the way.

The run goes from 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, and the theatre says the show is suitable for all ages. There are two relaxed performances, on 5 and 27 December, both at 11am. Tickets start at £10.

Parent tip: The box office takes phone bookings on 01223 503333. If paying online by Mastercard gives you trouble, book by phone instead.

Host
The Arts Theatre Cambridge (opens in a new tab)
Where
The Arts Theatre Cambridge, 6 St Edward's Passage, Cambridge CB2 3PJ (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with The Arts Theatre Cambridge (opens in a new tab)

New events in Cambridge every week

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

Free. Unsubscribe at any time. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

Christmas craftsFree

Christmas Crafts

Expand to see the parent tip

This is a Saturday morning craft session at the Botanic Garden. Children find out about plants and trees that matter at this time of year, then make a decoration to take home using clay, leaves and ribbon.

It is for ages 3 and over and children must stay with an adult throughout. Child tickets are free but need to be booked online, and sales open one week before the day. Adults do not need a ticket to go with a child, but they pay Garden entry when they arrive.

Parent tip: Set a reminder for a week before, as child tickets only go on sale then.

Host
Cambridge University Botanic Garden (opens in a new tab)
Where
Cambridge University Botanic Garden, 1 Brookside, Cambridge CB2 1JE (opens in maps)
Booking
Essential
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Cambridge University Botanic Garden (opens in a new tab)

New events in Cambridge every week

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

Free. Unsubscribe at any time. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

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 Cambridge: questions parents ask

What are the 2026 Christmas events for kids in Cambridge?

For 2026, we confirmed 5 Christmas events for kids in Cambridge, each on its host’s own page: Cambridge Botanic Lights, Christmas Crafts, Jack and the Beanstalk and 2 more. Each one is listed above with times, cost and a link to the host.

Are there free Christmas events for kids in Cambridge?

Yes. One of the 5 events here is free: Christmas Crafts. Check the listing in case you need to book or register.

Where can kids see Santa this year in Cambridge?

Where to see Santa: Talking Letterbox. 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.

Christmas events for 2026 are coming in late November

More Christmas events arrive in late November. We add them here as soon as we confirm them.

The story of Christmas in Cambridge

Cambridge families have a theatre charity founded in 1936 and a Botanic Garden that lights up for 17 nights each winter. The newest tradition in town is a letterbox that talks back.

A theatre charity from 1936 and a garden trail since 2023

Cambridge has two long-running Christmas habits on this page. The Arts Theatre was founded in 1936 as an independent theatrical charity, and it still stages a Christmas pantomime each winter.

The newer one is Cambridge Botanic Lights, an after-dark trail through the University Botanic Garden. The Garden calls 2025 its third year, which puts the first trail in 2023. Ticket income, once booking fees come off, pays for the Garden's conservation, horticulture and education work. In the town centre, Grand Arcade opens its Christmas season in mid-November with local choirs and dancers.

Seventeen light nights and a panto that reopened a theatre

In 2025 Botanic Lights ran for 17 nights, from 28 November to 23 December. Adult tickets were £17.60 to £23.65, ages 4 to 15 paid £13.20 to £15.40, and under 4s were free.

The Arts Theatre had been shut for a redevelopment that began in January 2025, a closure the theatre network described as nine months. Its reopening came with Sleeping Beauty, which played from 27 November 2025 to 4 January 2026. Matt Crosby, Cambridge's panto dame, was marking his twentieth year at the theatre.

A letterbox that talks and a garden with free toddlers

Grand Arcade has a Talking Letterbox on its first floor, where children post letters to Santa in an enchanted North Pole Express box. Leave contact details on the back and you are in a draw for a £100 Polarn O. Pyret outfit, with the draw closing on 24 December 2026.

The Botanic Garden lets children aged 3 and under into its light trail for free. This year's trail has 17 nights, and 3 and 10 December are priced off-peak all evening. For 2026 the panto is Jack and the Beanstalk, where Jack climbs a beanstalk to save Cambridge from a giant.

Traditions today

  • Jack and the Beanstalk: The Arts Theatre panto runs from 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, with relaxed performances on 5 and 27 December.
  • Cambridge Botanic Lights: Seventeen evening slots from 27 November to 23 December 2026, with under 4s free.
  • Grand Arcade Christmas Celebrations: Local singers, choirs and dancers on Sunday 15 November 2026, from 11:30am to 4:30pm.
  • Talking Letterbox: Post a letter to Santa on the first floor of Grand Arcade, with a prize draw closing on 24 December 2026.
  • Christmas at Wimpole: Book readings by day and an evening light trail with Father Christmas, booked through Ticketek.
  • Christmas Crafts at the Botanic Garden: A free child craft morning on Saturday 5 December 2026 for ages 3 and over.

A fact for kids

At Grand Arcade you can post a letter to Santa in a North Pole Express letterbox, and in the Botanic Garden's light trail children aged 3 and under get in free.

Questions about Christmas in Cambridge

When do Cambridge Botanic Lights run in 2026?

Cambridge Botanic Lights runs on 17 evenings in 2026: 27, 28 and 29 November, then 3 to 6, 10 to 13 and 18 to 23 December. Doors open at 4:30pm, entry is every 15 minutes and the last slot is 7pm. The gates shut at 8:30pm.

How much are children's tickets for Cambridge Botanic Lights?

Children aged 4 to 15 pay £13.50 off-peak or £17 standard in 2026, booking fee included. Children aged 3 and under are free, and groups of six or more get 10% off. Tickets are sold through Cambridge Live, and 3 and 10 December are fully off-peak.

Is Botanic Lights suitable for toddlers?

Toddlers get in free: children aged 3 and under pay nothing at Cambridge Botanic Lights in 2026. The trail is a walk after dark, with doors from 4:30pm and entry every 15 minutes until 7pm, so an early slot suits little ones best. The Garden starts closing at 8:15pm.

When did Cambridge Botanic Lights start?

The Garden described 2025 as the third year of Cambridge Botanic Lights, which means the first trail ran in 2023. The 2025 trail had 17 nights from 28 November to 23 December. Income from tickets, after booking fees, supports the Garden's conservation, horticulture and education work.

What is the Christmas pantomime at the Arts Theatre Cambridge in 2026?

The 2026 pantomime is Jack and the Beanstalk, running from 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. The Trott family sell their cow Daisy for magic beans, and Jack climbs a giant beanstalk to save Cambridge. The theatre says it is suitable for all ages.

How much are tickets for Jack and the Beanstalk in Cambridge?

Tickets for Jack and the Beanstalk at the Arts Theatre start from £10. The box office takes phone bookings on 01223 503333. If paying online by Mastercard gives you trouble, phoning is the fallback.

Is there a relaxed panto performance in Cambridge in 2026?

Yes. The Arts Theatre has relaxed performances of Jack and the Beanstalk on 5 and 27 December 2026, both at 11am. Ask the box office on 01223 503333 what a relaxed performance changes before booking.

What happened to the Arts Theatre Cambridge before its 2025 reopening?

The theatre closed for a redevelopment project that began in January 2025, described as a nine month closure. It reopened with the pantomime Sleeping Beauty, which ran from 27 November 2025 to 4 January 2026. The theatre was founded in 1936 as an independent theatrical charity.

Who plays the dame in Cambridge panto?

Matt Crosby is Cambridge's panto dame and celebrated his twentieth year at the Arts Theatre when Sleeping Beauty opened the reopened theatre in November 2025. Check the theatre's Jack and the Beanstalk page for who is in this year's show.

Is there a free Christmas craft for kids in Cambridge in 2026?

Yes. The Botanic Garden's Christmas Crafts session is on Saturday 5 December 2026, 10am to 1pm, for ages 3 and over. Children make a decoration from clay, leaves and ribbon. Child tickets are free but booked online, and an adult pays Garden entry on arrival.

When can I book the Botanic Garden Christmas Crafts session?

Ticket sales for Christmas Crafts open one week before the session, which is Saturday 5 December 2026, so booking starts around 28 November. Child tickets are free. Adults do not need a ticket to go with a child but pay Garden entry on arrival, and children must be accompanied at all times.

When is the Grand Arcade Christmas celebration in 2026?

Grand Arcade's Christmas Celebrations are on Sunday 15 November 2026, from 11:30am to 4:30pm. Local singers, choirs and dancers perform on a stage next to the John Lewis entrance.

Where can my child post a letter to Santa in Cambridge?

Grand Arcade has a Talking Letterbox on its first floor, between the Polarn O. Pyret and Raspberry Pi shops. Letter templates are there from 2 November. Leave contact details on the back to enter a draw for a £100 outfit; the draw closes on 24 December 2026.

Where are the Christmas decorations at Grand Arcade in 2026?

Grand Arcade reveals its new Christmas decorations from 3 November 2026. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is on the ground floor from that day, and Syd the Sprout is on the first floor. The centre is at St Andrew's Street, Cambridge CB2 3BJ.

When is late night shopping at Grand Arcade before Christmas?

Grand Arcade lists late night shopping from 14 to 23 December 2026, with extended hours and festive offers. The exact hours are on the centre's opening hours page, so check it before you go. The centre's normal hours were shown as 9am to 7pm.

What is on at Wimpole Estate at Christmas 2026?

The National Trust says Christmas at Wimpole 2026 has a daytime visit with decorated rooms at Wimpole Hall and Christmas book readings, plus an evening light trail with new installations and a glimpse of Father Christmas. Charges are separate and tickets go through Ticketek.

What are the best things to do with kids at Christmas in Cambridge?

Good picks for 2026 are the Botanic Lights trail, the Arts Theatre panto Jack and the Beanstalk, the Botanic Garden's free craft morning on 5 December, and Grand Arcade's letterbox and choirs on 15 November.

Where can I go for Christmas with kids in Cambridge if it rains?

Indoor options in 2026 are the Arts Theatre panto, which runs from 27 November to 3 January, and Grand Arcade, where Rudolph and the Talking Letterbox are inside. Botanic Lights and the Wimpole evening trail are walks outdoors, so dress for the weather.

Where can we spend Christmas Day in Cambridge with children?

No Christmas Day event has been announced for 2026. The last Botanic Lights evening is 23 December, and the Arts Theatre panto runs to 3 January 2027, with a relaxed performance on 27 December at 11am. Look at the theatre's page for other dates.

Which Cambridge Christmas events suit under-fives?

Children aged 3 and under are free at Botanic Lights, and the Garden's craft session on 5 December takes ages 3 and over. The Arts Theatre panto suits all ages and has relaxed performances on 5 and 27 December. Grand Arcade's letterbox is described as for little ones.

Sources

  1. Talking Letterbox, Grand Arcade
  2. Cambridge Botanic Lights 2026, Cambridge University Botanic Garden
  3. Cambridge Botanic Lights 2025, Cambridge University Botanic Garden
  4. The Arts Theatre Cambridge announces reopening 2026 season after nine month closure, Cambridge Network
  5. Jack and the Beanstalk, The Arts Theatre Cambridge
  6. Christmas at Grand Arcade, Grand Arcade
  7. Christmas Crafts, Cambridge University Botanic Garden
  8. Christmas at Wimpole, National Trust
Kelsey Cecil
Previous

Christmas Events for Kids on the Central Coast (2026)
Next

Christmas Events for Kids in Calamba (2026)