Christmas Events for Kids in Gloucester (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

4 min read

For 2026, we confirmed 6 Christmas events for kids in Gloucester. The season opens on 20 November with Open Air Ice Rink at Gloucester Quays and runs until 10 January with Cinderella at the Everyman Theatre. 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 Gloucester and Cheltenham: 6
  • First: Open Air Ice Rink at Gloucester Quays, Gloucester, 20 November
  • Free events: None confirmed yet

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 Gloucester

Kids’ Christmas events
6 confirmed for 2026
Areas
Gloucester and Cheltenham
Season
20 November to 10 January
Free events
None confirmed yet
Last checked

Christmas events for kids in Gloucester

Listed soonest first: 5 confirmed events in Gloucester.

Christmas lights

Open Air Ice Rink at Gloucester Quays

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The rink sits among the old warehouses of Gloucester Docks and runs from Friday 20 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. Guide prices are £12 for a child and £15 for an adult, and tickets are booked online.

The Quays describes it as open to families, groups and anyone who would rather watch with a hot chocolate. Check the booking page for session times on your day. The site is signed from Junction 12 of the M5.

Parent tip: Pick your session on the booking page before you travel, to check times and age rules.

Host
Gloucester Quays (opens in a new tab)
Where
Gloucester Quays, St Ann Way, Gloucester GL1 5SF (opens in maps)
Booking
Recommended
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Gloucester Quays (opens in a new tab)

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Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 5 more Gloucester 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 Gloucester.
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Coming up on this page

  • 3 Santa
  • 3 Shows
  • 1 Lights
  • 1 Breakfast and treats

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Panto or Christmas show

All the Small Things

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Four shows run at the Guildhall on Thursday 10 and Friday 11 December 2026, each from 10 to 11am or 1 to 2pm. It is a new take on fairytales with singing, puppetry and physical comedy.

A stranger lost in a blizzard visits the Story Collector, who helps them see the value of small moments. Tickets are £10 for a child, £12 for an adult and £36 for a family. If you are unsure about a toddler, ask the box office on 01452 503050.

Parent tip: Weekday sessions mean school groups may be in, so book early for the 10am shows.

Host
Gloucester Guildhall (opens in a new tab)
Where
Gloucester Guildhall, 23 Eastgate Street, Gloucester GL1 1NS (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Gloucester Guildhall (opens in a new tab)

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Breakfast with Santa

Breakfast with Santa at The King Edward VII

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The King Edward VII, an Ember Inns pub in Gloucester, holds its Breakfast with Santa on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December 2026. The child package is £12.99 and covers a kids' breakfast (classic or veggie), a Fruit Shoot, a festive activity pack, a Christmas gift and a meet and greet with Santa.

Every booking needs at least one adult classic breakfast, and accompanying adults get a free tea or black coffee. Booking is required through the pub's table booking page.

Parent tip: Ask the pub at booking about highchairs and pushchair space, and mention any allergies before ordering.

Host
Ember Inns (opens in a new tab)
Where
The King Edward VII, Old Cheltenham Road, Gloucester (opens in maps)
Booking
Essential
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Ember Inns (opens in a new tab)

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Santa’s grotto

Hatherley Manor Christmas Fireworks, Santa's Grotto and Real Reindeer

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Gates open at 5pm on Sunday 20 December 2026. Santa and the real reindeer are there from 5 to 7pm and leave before the fireworks, while the funfair, food, sweets and stalls run until 8pm. The firework display closes the evening at 8.30pm.

Tickets must be pre-booked through Eventbrite and start at £18.63. Parking at the hotel is free and accessible spaces are provided. It is a family-focused event.

Parent tip: Arrive early if the reindeer matter most, as they go home before the fireworks start.

Host
Hatherley Manor Hotel & Spa (opens in a new tab)
Where
Hatherley Manor Hotel & Spa, Down Hatherley Lane, Gloucester GL2 9QA (opens in maps)
Booking
Essential
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Hatherley Manor Hotel & Spa (opens in a new tab)

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Meet Santa

Santa & Snowball

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Santa & Snowball has two sessions on Sunday 20 December 2026 (1.30pm and 3.30pm) and two on Monday 21 December (11am and 2pm). Each session lasts an hour.

Tickets are £11 for a child, £13 for an adult and £40 for a family. Check with the Guildhall box office about ages before booking for very young children.

Parent tip: Choose the Monday 11am session if you want to avoid weekend crowds.

Host
Gloucester Guildhall (opens in a new tab)
Where
Gloucester Guildhall, 23 Eastgate Street, Gloucester GL1 1NS (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Gloucester Guildhall (opens in a new tab)

New events in Gloucester every week

Rally looks for new Christmas events in Gloucester 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 Cheltenham

Listed soonest first: 1 confirmed event in Cheltenham.

Panto or Christmas show

Cinderella at the Everyman Theatre (Cheltenham)

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Cinderella is the Everyman's 2026 pantomime, running from Friday 27 November 2026 to Sunday 10 January 2027 with songs, comedy and classic panto mischief. It is a festive show for all ages, and booking early is advised.

A family ticket offer using the code PANTOFMLY26 applies on selected dates between 27 November and 18 December and between 4 and 10 January. The basket needs at least two full-price and two under-16 tickets. Performance times vary, so use the box office on 01242 572573 or the theatre's website.

Parent tip: The theatre is in Cheltenham, about 15 to 20 minutes' drive from Gloucester, so check the show time before planning the journey.

Host
Everyman Theatre (opens in a new tab)
Where
Everyman Theatre, Regent Street, Cheltenham GL50 1HQ (opens in maps)
Booking
Recommended
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Everyman Theatre (opens in a new tab)

New events in Gloucester every week

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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 Gloucester: questions parents ask

What are the 2026 Christmas events for kids in Gloucester?

For 2026, we confirmed 6 Christmas events for kids in Gloucester, each on its host’s own page: Cinderella at the Everyman Theatre (Cheltenham), Breakfast with Santa at The King Edward VII, All the Small Things and 3 more. Each one is listed above with times, cost and a link to the host.

Where can kids see Santa this year in Gloucester?

Where to see Santa: Breakfast with Santa at The King Edward VII, Hatherley Manor Christmas Fireworks, Santa's Grotto and Real Reindeer and Santa & Snowball. 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 Gloucester

William the Conqueror spent Christmas 1085 in Gloucester, and the order that followed became the Domesday Book. Centuries later Beatrix Potter set a Christmas Day story in a house in College Court. Read on for the story, and for what families enjoyed in 2025.

Christmas 1085 at Gloucester and a tailor's coat for the mayor's wedding

William the Conqueror spent Christmas 1085 in Gloucester, where, English Monarchs notes, he decided on a far-reaching survey of the land. He then sent agents to every shire to record who held what land and livestock, and that survey became the Domesday Book, completed in 1086. Gloucester's best-known Christmas story is a children's one. Beatrix Potter wrote The Tailor of Gloucester as a Christmas present in 1901 for Freda Moore, the daughter of one of her tutors, and Frederick Warne published it in October 1903. In the tale, a tailor is making a coat for the mayor's wedding on Christmas Day.

Father Christmas, five schools and a Tree of Light in November 2025

Gloucester's lantern parade ran on Saturday 15 November 2025, starting at 4.50pm behind Father Christmas and the Gloster Gladiators Scout Band. Five primary schools made lanterns on the theme Communities in Nature, joined for the first time by three community groups, and the Tree of Light was switched on at 5.35pm. Gloucester Food Dock lit its lights on 13 November, free, from 5 to 7pm. The Quays ice rink ran from 20 November 2025 to 4 January 2026. For 2026, the Open Air Ice Rink opens on 20 November and Santa & Snowball plays the Guildhall on 20 and 21 December.

A shop on Westgate Street and a house in College Court

Beatrix Potter first heard the tailor's tale in May 1894, while staying with her cousin Caroline Hutton at Harescombe Grange, about five miles south of Gloucester. The next day they visited tailor John Pritchard's shop at 45 Westgate Street, and Potter sketched several buildings, including 9 College Court beside St Michael's Gate, which became the story's setting. Frederick Warne bought that house in 1978 and closed the attraction in 2005, then a local campaign raised funds to buy it and it reopened in 2007. The museum is free and open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm.

Traditions today

  • Lantern parade and Tree of Light: A November evening parade of school-made lanterns led by Father Christmas, ending with the Tree of Light switch-on.
  • Ice rink and markets at Gloucester Quays: An open-air rink in the historic docks, with weekend Christmas markets in November and December.
  • Cathedral family trail and visits: A free family trail through December and Saturday visits from Father Christmas and St Nicholas.
  • Guildhall Christmas shows: Family shows at Gloucester Guildhall each December, in 2026 All the Small Things and Santa & Snowball.
  • Winter Windows at the Museum of Gloucester: Window displays made by pupils from five local schools, shown through the festive season.
  • The Tailor of Gloucester shop: A free museum in College Court, open Monday to Saturday, dedicated to Beatrix Potter's Christmas story.

A fact for kids

Beatrix Potter first wrote The Tailor of Gloucester as a Christmas present for a girl called Freda Moore in 1901.

Questions about Christmas in Gloucester

Besides the Open Air Ice Rink and the Guildhall shows, what can kids do at Christmas in Gloucester?

In 2026 families can skate at Gloucester Quays from 20 November, see All the Small Things at the Guildhall on 10 and 11 December, have Breakfast with Santa at The King Edward VII on 12 and 13 December, or meet Santa and real reindeer at Hatherley Manor on 20 December.

When does the Gloucester Quays ice rink open in 2026?

The Open Air Ice Rink at Gloucester Quays runs from Friday 20 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. Guide prices are £12 for a child and £15 for an adult. Check the booking page for session times on your day before you travel.

How do we get to the Gloucester Quays ice rink with a pushchair?

The rink is at Gloucester Quays, St Ann Way, Gloucester, postcode GL1 5SF, and drivers leave the M5 at Junction 12. The National Waterways Museum is about 0.27 miles away. For pushchair access, ask the Quays on 01452 338933 before you set out with a baby.

When is Santa & Snowball at Gloucester Guildhall in 2026?

Santa & Snowball plays Gloucester Guildhall on Sunday 20 December 2026 at 1.30pm and 3.30pm, and on Monday 21 December at 11am and 2pm. Each session lasts an hour. Tickets are £11 for a child, £13 for an adult and £40 for a family. The Guildhall is at 23 Eastgate Street, GL1 1NS.

What is All the Small Things at the Guildhall?

All the Small Things is a fairytale show with singing, puppetry and physical comedy. A stranger lost in a blizzard visits the Story Collector, who helps them see the value of small moments. It plays Gloucester Guildhall on 10 and 11 December 2026 at 10am and 1pm, with child tickets at £10 and family tickets at £36.

Where can we meet Santa and real reindeer near Gloucester in 2026?

Hatherley Manor Hotel & Spa on Down Hatherley Lane, GL2 9QA, hosts Santa and real reindeer on Sunday 20 December 2026. Gates open at 5pm and the reindeer are there from 5 to 7pm, before the fireworks end the night at 8.30pm. Tickets must be pre-booked and start at £18.63.

Can we have breakfast with Santa in Gloucester in 2026?

The King Edward VII, an Ember Inns pub, serves Breakfast with Santa on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December 2026. A child's package costs £12.99 and includes a kids' breakfast, a Fruit Shoot, an activity pack, a gift and a Santa meet and greet. Each booking needs one adult breakfast, and booking is required.

Which pantomime is on in nearby Cheltenham this Christmas, 2026?

Cinderella is the Everyman Theatre's pantomime in Cheltenham, a nearby town, running from Friday 27 November 2026 to Sunday 10 January 2027. The theatre is on Regent Street, GL50 1HQ. A family ticket offer applies on selected dates when a basket holds at least two full-price and two under-16 tickets. Show times vary, so check the box office.

When was the Gloucester lantern parade in 2025?

The 2025 lantern parade was on Saturday 15 November. The day began at 3.45pm in Kings Square, a community carol service followed at Gloucester Cathedral at 4pm, and the parade started at 4.50pm, led by Father Christmas and the Gloster Gladiators Scout Band. Christmas lights shone along the route.

Who made the lanterns for the 2025 Gloucester parade?

Pupils from Beech Green, Calton Road, Hillview, Kingsholm C of E and Upton St Leonards primary schools made the lanterns, and three community groups joined for the first time: Folk of Gloucester, Bridge Training and Gloucester Children's Centre. Artist Ally Goff also ran half-term workshops at The Folk using recycled materials, on the theme Communities in Nature.

What time did the Tree of Light go on in Gloucester in 2025?

The Tree of Light, a Rotary Club fundraiser, was switched on at 5.35pm on 15 November 2025, after the parade. Music carried on until 6pm, with the Salvation Army Band, Gloucester Dementia Choir and Gloucestershire Youth Wind Orchestra playing during the evening. The 2026 date has not been announced yet.

Is there a Christmas market in Gloucester in 2026?

Gloucester Quays Christmas Markets run on weekends from 7 and 8 November to 19 and 20 December 2026, with Saturdays from 10am to 6pm and Sundays from 10am to 5pm. Entry is free. Visit Gloucester describes it as a day out for the whole family, with over 120 traders across the Quays and the historic docks.

What did Gloucester Food Dock do for Christmas lights in 2025?

Gloucester Food Dock held a free Christmas lights switch-on on Thursday 13 November 2025, from 5pm to 7pm, at 23 to 29 Commercial Road, GL1 2EP. Check the Food Dock or Visit Gloucester for the 2026 date before planning a trip.

Where can we spend Christmas Day with kids in Gloucester?

Christmas Day opening for 2026 has not been announced yet. In 2025 Gloucester Cathedral held Family Carol Services at 2.30pm on 23 and 24 December and a Christmas Day Eucharist at 10.15am. The ice rink at Gloucester Quays runs to 3 January 2027, so check whether it opens on Christmas Day.

What does Gloucester Cathedral offer families in December?

In 2025 the cathedral ran a free Good Tidings Family Trail throughout December and a free visit from Father Christmas and St Nicholas on Saturdays 13 and 20 December, with no booking. Cathedral Christmas Experience at Night tickets were £8.50 for adults and £5 for children. Check the cathedral for 2026 dates.

What can children do at the Museum of Gloucester at Christmas?

In 2025 the museum showed Winter Windows, cardboard window displays made by over 1,000 pupils from five local schools, and ran Cracker Creations on 20 December 2025. At Cracker Creations, children aged 5 and up designed their own Christmas cracker for £3.50 each, and parents went free. The 2026 programme has not been confirmed.

Did William the Conqueror really spend Christmas in Gloucester?

Yes. English Monarchs and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle place William at Gloucester at Christmas 1085, where he decided to survey his kingdom. He then sent agents into every shire to record landholdings, which led to the Domesday Book, completed in 1086.

What is The Tailor of Gloucester?

It is a Beatrix Potter story about a tailor making a coat for the mayor's wedding on Christmas Day, with the story ending on Christmas morning. Potter wrote it as a Christmas present dated Christmas 1901 for Freda Moore. It was privately printed in December 1902, and Frederick Warne published it in October 1903.

Can we visit the Tailor of Gloucester shop and museum?

Yes. The Tailor of Gloucester shop and museum is at 9 College Court, beside St Michael's Gate, and is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm. Volunteers largely run it, and the museum experience is free. It closed in 2005 and reopened in 2007 after a local campaign raised funds to buy the building.

How did Beatrix Potter find the tailor's story?

In May 1894 Potter stayed with her cousin Caroline Hutton at Harescombe Grange, about five miles south of Gloucester. Hutton told her the tale of tailor John Pritchard, and the next day they visited his shop at 45 Westgate Street. Potter sketched several Gloucester buildings, including 9 College Court, which became the story's setting.

Sources

  1. Christmas lantern parade and Christmas lights, Gloucester City Council
  2. Open Air Ice Rink (2026 season), Visit Gloucester
  3. 25 Festive Things in Gloucester, Visit Gloucester
  4. Discover tidings of Comfort and Joy at Gloucester Cathedral this Advent and Christmas, Visit Gloucester
  5. History of the Tailor, The Tailor of Gloucester shop and museum
  6. The Tailor of Gloucester, Wikipedia
  7. The Domesday Book, English Monarchs
  8. Santa & Snowball, Visit Gloucester
  9. All the Small Things, Visit Gloucester
  10. Hatherley Manor Christmas Fireworks, Santa's Grotto and Real Reindeer, Explore Gloucestershire
  11. Breakfast with Santa 2026, The King Edward VII, Ember Inns
  12. Cinderella, Everyman Theatre Cheltenham
  13. Gloucester Quays Christmas Markets, Visit Gloucester
  14. Christmas Lights Switch On, Gloucester Food Dock, Visit Gloucester
  15. Cracker Creations, Museum of Gloucester
  16. Winter Windows, Visit Gloucester
  17. Outdoor Ice Rink, Gloucester Quays
  18. Gloucester Quays Open Air Ice Rink (2025 season), Visit Gloucester
Kelsey Cecil
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