Christmas Events for Kids in Poole (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

4 min read

For 2026, we confirmed 6 Christmas events for kids in Poole. The season opens on 20 November with Illuminate Poole and runs until 3 January with Jack and the Beanstalk. 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 Poole: 6
  • First: Illuminate Poole, Poole, 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 Poole

Kids’ Christmas events
6 confirmed for 2026
Areas
Poole
Season
20 November to 3 January
Free events
None confirmed yet
Last checked

Christmas events for kids in Poole

Listed soonest first: 6 confirmed events in Poole.

Christmas lights

Illuminate Poole

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Illuminate Poole is a winter light trail at Upton Country Park, running from 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. The walking route takes between 60 and 80 minutes.

Upton Country Park is on Poole Road, Upton. Check ticket prices, opening hours and age guidance before you go.

Parent tip: Wrap up warm for a route of up to 80 minutes outdoors, and check the official listing for hours and tickets before you go.

Host
Poole Tourism (opens in a new tab)
Where
Upton Country Park, Poole Road, Upton, Poole BH17 7BJ (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Poole Tourism (opens in a new tab)

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Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 5 more Poole 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 Poole.
  • Exclusive access to free events Be first to hear about new free events in Poole.
  • 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

  • 3 Santa
  • 2 Lights
  • 2 Zoos and museums
  • 1 Story time

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Christmas parade

Poole Christmas Launch Day Parade

Details, tips and host

The Christmas Launch Day is on Saturday 21 November 2026, with the parade at 4pm. It starts at Lush HairLab on Poole Quay and ends at Falkland Square.

The parade features Santa, Bournemouth Concert Brass, choirs and a fire performance.

Host
Poole Tourism (opens in a new tab)
Where
Poole Quay to Falkland Square, Poole BH15 1HJ (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Poole Tourism (opens in a new tab)

New events in Poole every week

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

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Meet Santa

Santa's Postbox at Poole Museum

Details, tips and host

Santa's postbox is at Poole Museum from 21 November to 7 December 2026, part of the festive entertainment around the town centre.

Check the museum's opening hours before a special trip.

Host
Poole Museum (opens in a new tab)
Where
Poole Museum, 4 High Street, Poole BH15 1BW (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Poole Museum (opens in a new tab)

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

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Story time with Santa

Storytelling with Santa at Scaplen's Court

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Poole Museum holds Storytelling with Santa at Scaplen's Court from 22 November to 6 December 2026. Session times and prices are not yet confirmed, so watch the museum's ticket portal.

Poole Museum is at 4 High Street, and Scaplen's Court is part of the museum estate.

Parent tip: Check the ticket portal for session times and booking.

Host
Poole Museum (opens in a new tab)
Where
Scaplen's Court, Poole Museum, 4 High Street, Poole BH15 1BW (opens in maps)
Booking
Essential
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Poole Museum (opens in a new tab)

New events in Poole every week

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

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Meet Santa

Sail with Santa Experience

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Coastal Cruises Poole runs its Sail with Santa Experience from the Blue & White Kiosk on Poole Quay. Sailings leave at 11am, 1pm or 3pm every Saturday and Sunday from 5 December, and then daily from 21 to 24 December. There is no 3pm sailing on 24 December.

It welcomes children from tiny tots to big kids at heart, and every child receives a Christmas present from Santa. Ask the operator for prices before you plan.

Parent tip: For prices and availability, contact Coastal Cruises Poole on +44 7483 038487 or sales@coastalcruisespoole.co.uk.

Host
Coastal Cruises Poole (opens in a new tab)
Where
Coastal Cruises Poole, Blue & White Kiosk, Poole Quay, Poole BH15 1HJ (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Coastal Cruises Poole (opens in a new tab)

New events in Poole every week

Rally looks for new Christmas events in Poole 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

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Lighthouse, Poole runs Jack and the Beanstalk from Thursday 10 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. There are morning, afternoon and evening shows, including 11am and 4pm performances on the first weekend, and the show suits all the family. It runs for about two hours including an interval.

Tickets start at £20, and Saver performances also start at £20. Schools pay £17.50 a ticket with one free teacher ticket for every ten booked, and group rates apply from ten people. Access performances include a BSL interpreted show on Sunday 13 December at 4pm, a captioned show on Tuesday 22 December at 7pm and an audio described show on Wednesday 30 December at 7pm.

Parent tip: Morning and weekend slots sell fast, so book early. The relaxed performance is on Thursday 17 December at 6pm; check the booking page to confirm.

Host
Lighthouse, Poole (opens in a new tab)
Where
Lighthouse, Poole, 21 Kingland Road, Poole BH15 1UG (opens in maps)
Booking
Recommended
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Lighthouse, Poole (opens in a new tab)

New events in Poole every week

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

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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 Poole: questions parents ask

What are the 2026 Christmas events for kids in Poole?

For 2026, we confirmed 6 Christmas events for kids in Poole, each on its host’s own page: Jack and the Beanstalk, Sail with Santa Experience, Illuminate Poole 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 Poole?

Where to see Santa: Sail with Santa Experience, Storytelling with Santa at Scaplen's Court and Santa's Postbox at Poole Museum. Check the listings above for times and booking.

Where are there Christmas story times for kids in Poole?

Christmas story times on this page: Storytelling with Santa at Scaplen's Court.

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 Poole

Poole's Christmas runs from the Lighthouse, which opened in April 1978, down the High Street to the Quay. The 2026 season starts with a Santa parade on Saturday 21 November.

The Lighthouse, opened in 1978, and a parade down to the Quay

Poole's Christmas runs between two points: the Lighthouse and the Quay. The Lighthouse opened in April 1978 as the Poole Arts Centre, with a 669-seat theatre, a 1,500-seat concert hall, a 130-seat studio and a 103-seat cinema. It closed in May 2002 for an £8.5 million refurbishment and reopened that October under its present name.

In 2025 the Santa parade left the Lighthouse at 4pm and walked down the High Street to the Quay. The 2026 launch parade is on Saturday 21 November, and the town's page starts it at Poole Quay and ends it at Falkland Square.

A 14-metre tree, POOLE in lights and four choirs on 22 November

Poole's lights ran from 22 November 2025 to 1 January 2026. Launch day was Saturday 22 November, with a fire eater on the Quay after the parade. Choirs sang at set spots, from the Citrus Singers in Falkland Square at 4.40pm to Rock Choir on the Quay at 5.40pm.

The display had a 14-metre tree in Falkland Square, illuminated POOLE letters, a ceiling of lights and a light fountain. Dick Whittington played the Lighthouse from 11 December to 4 January. Santa also visited the town centre on four Saturdays from 29 November to 20 December, all free. Sail with Santa from the Quay returns on weekends from 5 December 2026.

A logboat from 295 BC and a French king on the Quay

Poole Museum shows the Poole Logboat, a single-oak boat dated to 295 BC, which is the earliest significant find from the harbour. Salt from Newfoundland was being landed at Poole by the mid-16th century.

A charter of 1248 let Poole's burgesses appoint a mayor and hold their own court, and Elizabeth I's Great Charter of 1568 gave it the title County of the Town of Poole. In 1830 the exiled King Charles X of France landed at the Quay, and in 1882 the RNLI moved its lifeboat station to Fisherman's Dock.

Traditions today

  • Christmas launch parade: Saturday 21 November 2026 at 4pm, from Lush HairLab on Poole Quay to Falkland Square, with Santa, a brass band, choirs and a fire performance.
  • Panto at the Lighthouse: Jack and the Beanstalk runs from 10 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 at 21 Kingland Road, with tickets from £20.
  • Sail with Santa: Coastal Cruises Poole sails from the Quay on weekends from 5 December and daily from 21 to 24 December, and every child gets a present.
  • Illuminate Poole: A light trail at Upton Country Park from 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, on a walking route of 60 to 80 minutes.
  • Storytelling with Santa: Scaplen's Court at Poole Museum lists sessions from 22 November to 6 December 2026.
  • Santa's postbox: Children can post letters to Santa at Poole Museum from 21 November to 7 December 2026.

A fact for kids

Poole Museum has a boat made from a single oak that dates to 295 BC, found in the harbour.

Questions about Christmas in Poole

What did the Poole Museum Storytelling with Santa session include in 2025?

It was a one-hour session at the renovated Scaplen's Court, with crafts, helpers and a story. It was aimed at ages 4 to 11, though all ages were welcome. Each child got a gift and could have a photo with Santa, and museum admission was free afterwards. Tickets were booked online.

How old is the Poole Logboat at Poole Museum?

The Poole Logboat is a single-oak boat dated to 295 BC, which makes it the earliest significant archaeological find in Poole Harbour. It is displayed at Poole Museum on the High Street. Older children who like boats may enjoy seeing something that old before or after a Christmas visit to the museum.

How tall was the Christmas tree in Falkland Square in 2025?

The 2025 tree in Falkland Square was 14 metres tall. It stood alongside illuminated POOLE letters, a ceiling of lights and a light fountain along the route from the Lighthouse to the Quay. Poole BID funded the lights, which ran from 22 November 2025 to 1 January 2026.

When did the Lighthouse in Poole open?

The Lighthouse opened in April 1978 as the Poole Arts Centre. It closed in May 2002 for an £8.5 million refurbishment and reopened that October as Lighthouse, Poole's Centre for the Arts. Its theatre has 669 seats and its concert hall has 1,500 seats, and the Christmas pantomime runs there each winter.

When is the Christmas launch parade in Poole in 2026?

The Christmas Launch Day is on Saturday 21 November 2026, with the parade at 4pm. It starts at Lush HairLab on Poole Quay and ends at Falkland Square. Santa, Bournemouth Concert Brass, choirs and a fire performance are all part of it.

Which dates does Jack and the Beanstalk run at Lighthouse Poole in 2026?

Jack and the Beanstalk plays Lighthouse, Poole from Thursday 10 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. The venue is at 21 Kingland Road. It is listed as suitable for all the family and lasts about two hours including the interval, with matinee and evening shows through the run.

How much are tickets for the Poole panto?

Tickets for Jack and the Beanstalk at Lighthouse, Poole start at £20, and Saver performances also start at £20. Schools pay £17.50 a ticket and get one free teacher ticket for every ten booked. Group rates are available from ten people on selected shows, and the Ticket Office handles those enquiries.

Does the Poole panto have signed, captioned or relaxed shows?

Lighthouse, Poole lists a BSL interpreted show on Sunday 13 December at 4pm, a captioned show on Tuesday 22 December at 7pm and an audio described show on Wednesday 30 December at 7pm. A relaxed performance is listed for Thursday 17 December at 6pm, but the booking page should confirm the time.

Is there a panto on Christmas Day in Poole?

Jack and the Beanstalk at Lighthouse has two shows on Thursday 24 December, then two on Saturday 26 December, with none so far on 25 December. More dates may be added, so check the box office before planning around Christmas Day.

What is the Sail with Santa Experience at Poole Quay?

Coastal Cruises Poole runs the Sail with Santa Experience from the Blue & White Kiosk on Poole Quay, BH15 1HJ. Every child receives a Christmas present from Santa. It welcomes children from tiny tots up. Contact Coastal Cruises Poole for prices and ticket details.

When can we sail with Santa from Poole Quay in 2026?

Sailings run every Saturday and Sunday from 5 December 2026, then daily from 21 to 24 December. Departures are at 11am, 1pm or 3pm, and there is no 3pm sailing on 24 December. Families who want a Christmas Eve option should look at the 11am and 1pm times.

When does Illuminate Poole open in 2026?

Illuminate Poole is a winter light trail at Upton Country Park, listed from 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. The walking route takes between 60 and 80 minutes. Upton Country Park is on Poole Road, Upton, BH17 7BJ. Check ticket prices and hours before you go.

Can children meet Santa at Poole Museum in 2026?

Poole Museum lists Storytelling with Santa at Scaplen's Court from 22 November to 6 December 2026, and its ticket portal carries the event. Nothing was on sale when the portal was checked, so session times and prices are not confirmed. The museum is at 4 High Street, Poole BH15 1BW.

Can kids post a letter to Santa in Poole?

Yes. There is a Santa's postbox at Poole Museum from 21 November to 7 December 2026. In 2025 the museum also drew names from the letters for a voucher prize. The museum is at 4 High Street.

Where could families see Santa in Poole town centre last year?

In 2025 Santa made four free Saturday visits: 29 November from 2pm to 4pm on the High Street, 6 December from 12pm to 2pm around the Old Town and Quay, 13 December on the High Street, and 20 December around Falkland Square and Kingland Crescent. For 2026, Santa visits are planned on December Saturdays, with dates to follow.

What was on at Upton Country Park around Christmas in 2025?

Upton Country Park listed a free Christmas market on 6 and 7 December, rustic wreath making on 12 and 13 December, a Santa Experience on 20 and 21 December and a daily Ice and Snow Trail from 19 to 24 December. For 2026, the park hosts Illuminate Poole from 20 November.

Is the Poole Christmas window competition on in 2026?

The Christmas Window Display Competition is listed for 5 to 21 December 2026 across Poole town businesses, though the dates are still to be confirmed. Voting is online and free, and there is a £100 prize draw. In 2025 families followed a window trail of letters to spell a festive phrase.

Who landed on Poole Quay in 1830?

The exiled King Charles X of France landed at Poole Quay in 1830 after fleeing the Second French Revolution. In 1882 the RNLI moved its lifeboat station to Fisherman's Dock on the Quay. Families walking the Quay on launch day, Saturday 21 November 2026, will be on the same waterfront.

Besides the panto, what can kids do at Christmas in Poole?

Beyond the Lighthouse panto, families can join the Santa parade on 21 November, sail with Santa from the Quay, walk the Illuminate Poole trail at Upton Country Park or post a letter at Poole Museum.

Where should we spend Christmas Day in Poole with children?

The Poole events on this page pause around 25 December. Sail with Santa ends on 24 December, and the panto dates shown skip 25 December. Illuminate Poole runs to 3 January 2027, so check whether it opens on the day.

Sources

  1. Christmas in Poole (updated 14 October 2026), Poole Tourism
  2. Jack and the Beanstalk (Panto 2026/27), Lighthouse, Poole
  3. Santa Experience, Poole Tourism
  4. List of events and activities for Christmas 2025 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, BCP Council
  5. Poole launches festive light trail, Bournemouth One
  6. Lighthouse (Poole), Wikipedia
  7. History of Poole, Wikiwand (Wikipedia text)
  8. Santa is coming to Poole town, Poole Tourism
  9. Poole Museum & Scaplen's Court, Poole Tourism
  10. Upton Country Park, Poole Tourism
Kelsey Cecil
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