Christmas Events for Kids in Peterborough (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

3 min read

For 2026, we confirmed 5 Christmas events for kids in Peterborough. The season opens on 20 November with Peterborough Christmas Lights Switch-On and runs until 6 January with Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival. 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 Peterborough: 5
  • First: Peterborough Christmas Lights Switch-On, Peterborough, 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 Peterborough

Kids’ Christmas events
5 confirmed for 2026
Areas
Peterborough
Season
20 November to 6 January
Free events
None confirmed yet
Last checked

Christmas events for kids in Peterborough

Listed soonest first: 5 confirmed events in Peterborough.

Meet Santa

Peterborough Christmas Lights Switch-On

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The city's main switch-on takes place in Cathedral Square with live music from 5pm and the lights coming on at 7pm. It finishes at 7.30pm, so younger children can be home at a sensible hour.

Father Christmas and Mrs Claus are listed as part of the evening. St John's Church is open until 9pm as a quiet space with refreshments and toilets.

Parent tip: St John's Church is open until 9pm if a child needs a quiet break.

Host
Peterborough City Council (opens in a new tab)
Where
Cathedral Square, Peterborough (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Peterborough City Council (opens in a new tab)

New events in Peterborough every week

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Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 4 more Peterborough 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 Peterborough.
  • Exclusive access to free events Be first to hear about new free events in Peterborough.
  • Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
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Coming up on this page

  • 3 Lights
  • 2 Santa
  • 1 Shows

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Meet Santa

Father Christmas in the Cathedral Library

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Father Christmas receives visitors in the Cathedral Library on selected dates between 21 November and 24 December 2026.

Check times, prices and ages on the cathedral website before you book.

Parent tip: Tickets are sold through the cathedral website.

Host
Peterborough Cathedral (opens in a new tab)
Where
Peterborough Cathedral Library, Cathedral Square (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Peterborough Cathedral (opens in a new tab)

New events in Peterborough every week

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

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Christmas lights switch-on

Queensgate Christmas Lights Switch-On

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Queensgate holds its switch-on the day after the city council's event in Cathedral Square. Activities start at 11.30am and the lights go on at 4pm.

Check with the centre to see what the activities are before you go. Queensgate also offers free evening parking from 5pm throughout December.

Parent tip: Free evening parking from 5pm all December.

Host
Queensgate Shopping Centre (opens in a new tab)
Where
Queensgate Shopping Centre, Queensgate, City Centre, Peterborough (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Queensgate Shopping Centre (opens in a new tab)

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Panto or Christmas show

Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival

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The cathedral's tree festival runs from 26 November 2026 into January 2027 and shows over 100 decorated trees.

Opening hours, any entry charge and group bookings are not on the council listing, so use the cathedral website for those.

Parent tip: Check the cathedral website for opening times.

Host
Peterborough Cathedral (opens in a new tab)
Where
Peterborough Cathedral, Cathedral Square (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Peterborough Cathedral (opens in a new tab)

New events in Peterborough every week

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

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Christmas lights

Christmas Carnival at Ferry Meadows

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Nene Park runs the Christmas Carnival at Ferry Meadows on selected dates from 26 November to 23 December.

Tickets are on the Nene Park website, so check times, prices and which evenings are on before you book.

Parent tip: Tickets are sold through the Nene Park website.

Host
Nene Park (opens in a new tab)
Where
Ferry Meadows, Ferry Meadows, Nene Park, Peterborough (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Nene Park (opens in a new tab)

New events in Peterborough every week

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More Christmas events for kids in the UK

A story for the trip home

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

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Christmas events for kids in Peterborough: questions parents ask

What are the 2026 Christmas events for kids in Peterborough?

For 2026, we confirmed 5 Christmas events for kids in Peterborough, each on its host’s own page: Peterborough Christmas Lights Switch-On, Queensgate Christmas Lights Switch-On, Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival and 2 more. Each one is listed above with times, cost and a link to the host.

Where can kids see Santa this year in Peterborough?

Where to see Santa: Peterborough Christmas Lights Switch-On and Father Christmas in the Cathedral Library. 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 Peterborough

Peterborough's Christmas starts in Cathedral Square, where the council puts up a tree that was 42 feet tall in 2025. The lights go on in November, with Father Christmas and Mrs Claus on stage.

A 40ft Norwegian spruce, mascots and a first DJ set in 2024

Peterborough's city centre switch-on is run by the council in Cathedral Square, and it says hundreds of families and visitors come each year. In 2024 the evening began at 5pm on Friday 22 November, with the lights going on at 7pm.

A 40ft Norwegian spruce was the centrepiece. Father Christmas pressed the button with Cheryl Fergison, who played Heather in EastEnders, and the Mayor. Princesses, mascots and Daleks wandered the crowd, and Eddie Nash gave a DJ set, a first for the event. Lights also went up on Long Causeway and Bridge Street.

A 42ft tree from Rowington and Mrs Claus with two elves in 2025

The 2025 tree stood 42 feet tall, hand-picked at a farm in Rowington near Warwick, and the lights came on in Cathedral Square on Friday 21 November. Steven Woodcock, an actor from Only Fools and Horses and EastEnders who was in the Cresset panto Beauty and the Beast, switched them on.

The stage had the Cathedral Choir, Peterborough Rock Choir and Lucy's Pop Choir, plus Father Christmas and Mrs Claus with elves Coco and Chanel. The council needed £58,000 to pay for it all and had raised £4,000 of it by September.

Eight tree boards and four sponsor levels

Peterborough's tree and lights are paid for by sponsors. In 2025 the council offered Bronze at £1,000, Silver at £3,000, Gold at £5,000 and Headline at £10,000, and put up eight tree boards where sponsors' branding could appear in photos. In 2024 it raised £56,000, with Peterborough Family Hubs as headline sponsor.

For 2026 the switch-on is Friday 20 November, with Queensgate lighting up the next day at 4pm. The council has not yet announced when the tree arrives. The Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival opens on 26 November and runs into January.

Traditions today

  • City centre lights switch-on: Cathedral Square, Friday 20 November 2026. Music from 5pm, lights at 7pm, with Father Christmas and Mrs Claus.
  • Queensgate switch-on: Saturday 21 November 2026, with activities from 11.30am and the switch-on at 4pm.
  • Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival: Over 100 decorated trees from 26 November 2026 to 6 January 2027.
  • Father Christmas in the Cathedral Library: Selected dates from 21 November to 24 December 2026, tickets from the Cathedral.
  • Giving Tree for Barnardo's: Pick a gift tag at Sand Martin House from 3 November to 4 December 2026.

A fact for kids

In 2025 the Cathedral Square Christmas tree was 42 feet tall, and Mrs Claus came to the switch-on with two elves called Coco and Chanel.

Questions about Christmas in Peterborough

When is the Peterborough Christmas lights switch-on in 2026?

The city council's switch-on is on Friday 20 November 2026 in Cathedral Square. Live music starts at 5pm, the lights go on at 7pm and it finishes at 7.30pm. Father Christmas and Mrs Claus are listed as part of the evening.

Where can I park for the Peterborough switch-on?

The council says Bishops Road, Car Haven, Riverside and Pleasure Fair Meadow car parks are free after 3pm, Monday to Friday. The switch-on falls on Friday 20 November 2026, so those four car parks are free that evening. Queensgate also offers free evening parking from 5pm throughout December.

Is there a quiet place for a child who finds the Cathedral Square crowd too much?

St John's Church is open until 9pm on switch-on night as a quiet space, with refreshments and toilets. The council lists this alongside the Friday 20 November 2026 event. It is a good fallback for toddlers who tire of the music and the crowd before the 7pm countdown.

When does Queensgate switch on its Christmas lights?

Queensgate's switch-on is on Saturday 21 November 2026, the day after the council event in Cathedral Square. Activities start at 11.30am and the lights go on at 4pm. That makes it an easier slot for families with young children who will be in bed by the time of the 7pm Friday countdown.

How tall was the Cathedral Square Christmas tree in 2025?

The 2025 tree was 42 feet tall. It was hand-picked at a farm in Rowington, near Warwick, and arrived in Cathedral Square ahead of the switch-on on Friday 21 November 2025. A council announcement in 2024 described a 40ft Norwegian spruce, so the tree has stayed close to that height.

Who switched on the Peterborough lights in 2025?

Steven Woodcock, an actor known from Only Fools and Horses and EastEnders, switched on the 2025 lights. He was appearing in Beauty and the Beast at The Cresset that Christmas. Father Christmas also took part, and Teddi the Drag Queen appeared as Mrs Claus with two elves, Coco and Chanel.

Which choirs and performers appeared at the 2025 switch-on?

Peterborough Rock Choir, Lucy's Pop Choir and Peterborough Cathedral Choir sang. Other acts included Thomas Dunleavy, Chanel Hughes, Peterborough Performing Arts and the Cresset panto cast. Eddie Nash performed with the Get Down. The stage was in Cathedral Square and Bridge Street.

Who switched on the Peterborough lights in 2024?

Father Christmas switched them on, joined by Cheryl Fergison, who played Heather in EastEnders, and the Mayor, Councillor Marco Cereste. Presenters from PCRFM hosted. The evening began at 5pm on Friday 22 November with the switch-on at 7pm. Eddie Nash gave a DJ set, a first for the event.

Who pays for the Peterborough Christmas tree and lights?

The council relies on sponsors. In 2024 it raised £56,000 for the tree, lights and switch-on, with Peterborough Family Hubs as headline sponsor. For 2025 it said it needed £58,000 and had £4,000 by September, from City Group Security and Persimmon Homes, and planned to cover the gap with advertising income.

What are the sponsorship levels for the Peterborough tree and lights?

For the 2025 event the council offered four packages: Bronze at £1,000, Silver at £3,000, Gold at £5,000 and Headline at £10,000. Eight tree boards gave sponsors photo opportunities with their branding. The money goes towards the tree, the lights and the switch-on evening.

Besides the lights, what can kids do at Christmas in Peterborough in 2026?

Families can visit the Christmas Carnival at Ferry Meadows on selected dates from 26 November to 23 December, see Father Christmas in the Cathedral Library on selected dates from 21 November to 24 December, or walk through the Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival.

Where can I see Father Christmas in Peterborough in 2026?

He is at the Switch-On in Cathedral Square on Friday 20 November, and in the Peterborough Cathedral Library on selected dates from 21 November to 24 December, with tickets from the Cathedral website.

What is the Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival?

It is a display of over 100 decorated trees inside Peterborough Cathedral, running from 26 November 2026 to 6 January 2027. The council lists it among the city's Christmas events. Check the Cathedral's website for opening times and any entry charge before you set out with children.

Are there Christmas markets in Peterborough in 2026?

Yes, several. The council lists Christmas stalls in the city centre from Friday to Sunday through late November and December, alongside the Secret Seamstress Christmas Markets. The Cathedral Craft and Gift Market runs 20 to 22 November with 140 stalls. Check each host for times.

Is there anything for children at Ferry Meadows at Christmas?

Nene Park's Ferry Meadows hosts the Christmas Carnival on selected dates from 26 November to 23 December 2026. Tickets are sold through the Nene Park website, so check times, prices and the dates you want before you set out with children.

Is there a Christmas film for families in Peterborough?

Peterborough Positive is hosting a Christmas family film at the Odeon LUXE on 21 November 2026. Check the start time and the film with the cinema or Peterborough Positive before you go.

What is the Giving Tree at Sand Martin House?

It is a Barnardo's appeal at the main reception of Sand Martin House, open from 3 November to 4 December 2026. You pick a tag, buy a gift from the wish list and return it unwrapped to reception. It is a simple way for children to choose a present for another child.

Which pantomimes were on in Peterborough in recent years?

The 2024 council announcement named Snow White at the Key Theatre and Cinderella at The Cresset. In 2025 the Cresset's pantomime was Beauty and the Beast. Panto casts have also appeared on stage at the switch-on, so children may recognise the characters when they go to the show.

What can I do in Peterborough on 24 December?

The 2026 events on this page include Father Christmas in the Cathedral Library on selected dates up to 24 December, and the Christmas Carnival at Ferry Meadows on selected dates up to 23 December. The Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival runs to 6 January 2027.

Where can I spend Christmas Day with kids in Peterborough?

No Christmas Day events have been announced for 2026. The last Father Christmas date is 24 December, and the Christmas Carnival ends on 23 December. The Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival continues until 6 January 2027, so check the Cathedral's opening times for the days after Christmas.

Sources

  1. Christmas in Peterborough (updated 4 November 2026), Peterborough City Council
  2. Peterborough's Christmas tree arrives in Cathedral Square, Peterborough Telegraph
  3. 31 of the best photos that capture the magic of Peterborough's Christmas lights switch on, Peterborough Telegraph
  4. Step into Christmas with Peterborough, Peterborough City Council
  5. Revealed: date Christmas lights will be switched on in Peterborough's Cathedral Square, Peterborough Telegraph
Kelsey Cecil
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