Christmas Events in and around Bristol 2024

Christmas is only a few weeks away, so now is an excellent time to start planning what you and the family are going to do over the festive holidays.

As any family knows, Christmas can be an expensive time, but as long as you stick to a budget, you should be OK. Sites like the Money Hub can be useful if you have some unexpected expenses to take care of, but if you are very short of cash this year, there are plenty of inexpensive things to do around Christmas time in Bristol. To help you plan your itinerary, here are some of the best Christmas events happening this year.

Christmas Shopping in Bristol

Bristol is famous for its shopping opportunities at any time of the year, but it is at Christmas that the city really comes to life. You might not be guaranteed snow, but thanks to miles of Christmas lights across the city, it will feel more festive than a Lapland Reindeer Sanctuary.

At Christmas, the festive markets start at Harbourside and continue all the way to the Shopping Quarter. There is a Christmas themed market on Harbourside itself, with lots of festive cabins and stalls selling gifts, mulled wine and delicious meats and cheeses. There are also Christmas markets on Corn Street, and the famous St Nicholas Christmas Market in Broadmead is the place to go if you are looking for arts and crafts.

Ho! Ho! Ho! It’s Pantomime Season!

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a trip to the panto. This year, you can enjoy a performance of Cinderella at the Bristol Hippodrome. The headline stars are Jane Torville and Christopher Dean. If Cinderella doesn’t float your boat, head to the Old Vic for a performance of The Snow Queen, a Hans Christian Anderson classic guaranteed to warm the heart over the festive season. Alternatively, you can take the kids to see A Fairytale at the Tobacco Factory.

Festive Feasts in Bristol

It wouldn’t be Christmas without some delicious food and drink, so if you want to see how the Victorians celebrated Christmas, make time to visit the Blaise Castle House Museum and see a Victorian Christmas brought to life by actors. The SS Great Britain is also hosting a traditional Victorian Christmas Dinner, where you can eat, drink and be merry, in style.

Ice Skating

Ice skating is a traditional activity at Christmas. The Millennium Square Ice Rink comes to life at Christmas, with festive decorations and fairground rides for the whole family. Take the kids along for a festive ice skating session and finish off with a ride on the Twilight Bus Tour, which takes you around the best Christmas lights the city has to offer. It’s not quite Blackpool Illuminations, but it’s pretty close!

If you prefer a more traditional Christmas celebration with some carol singing, there are festive carol services being held at Bristol Cathedral, John Wesley Chapel and St Mary Redcliffe.

What do you have planned for your Christmas in Bristol this year? Let us know in the comments!