How to kick off your Christmas in Stoke-on-Trent 2023!

It's the most wonderful time of the year! So, grab your mistletoe, dust off your baubles, hang up the stockings and start celebrating the festive season in Stoke-on-Trent!  Here's your starter guide to begin feeling festive!

Trentham Estate Christmas Lights Switch On

Everyone loves a good Christmas lights switch on to kick off the festive season! The Trentham Estate’s seasonal festivities will start on 16th November with their Christmas Launch night at the Trentham Shopping Village. You’re guaranteed for an unmissable evening of twinkling lights, festive delights and spectacular sights as Christmas arrives at the Trentham Shopping Village!

Immerse yourself in festive wonder with dazzling discounts and offers at Trentham Shopping Village. All the while, you can enjoy a live music and much more that will be fun for the whole family - make your night merry and bright at Trentham!

The Nutcracker: A Christmas fairy-tale

Classic stories, spectacular adventures and lots of fun are the hallmarks of a New Vic Christmas show, and this year will be no exception with The Nutcracker. The New Vic are bringing another classic story to life in their stunning trademark style in 2023! Join Marie as she ventures with the enchanted Nutcracker Prince through spun-sugar snowflakes, gingerbread elves and chocolate drops to the Kingdom of Sweets at the top of the Christmas tree. A magical place where toys come to life, can Marie help end a long feud between the Mouse Queen and the inhabitants of the Kingdom and break the enchanted spell? Or is it all just a dream? Find out from the 17^th November – 27^th January.

Middleport Christmas Festival

What better way to get into the Christmas mood than to enjoy a heart-warming Christmas festival?

Join Middleport for their new Christmas Festival at Middleport Pottery, 6pm to 9pm. Come & see their site beautifully lit for the festive season, enjoy a selection of festive food & drink, Christmas music, Artisan market stalls, Children's activities, Late night shopping for all those Christmas gifts and so much more to fulfil all of your Christmas needs.

A Victorian Welcome to Christmas

Your Christmas in Stoke-on-Trent City Centre officially starts with a host of lively Victorian themed street theatre and interactive performances, brought to you by Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID and Appetite. Plus, the ever popular continental and artisan markets will be back! Don’t miss out on this Christmas special, one the family will not forget!

Makers’ Markets

Join us here in Stoke for 2 very special Makers’ Markets for the whole family to enjoy. Trentham Estate invite you on the 18^th-19^th of November to enjoy a special Christmas themed Makers’ Market showcasing award-winning local food & drink, art, craft producers, and vintage artisans! Have the most festive fun and find fantastic gifts for everyone!

After the success of the first-ever Makers’ Market at the Gladstone museum in February the ceramic event is making a much-welcomed return ahead of the main Christmas shopping period this November! The festive market will take place on Saturday 18 November between 11am and 4pm, with a pop-up café too! With over 50 local and national ceramic makers confirmed to attend, with past contestants from the hit television series The Great Pottery Throw Down, including Jennifer Cobb, Vithushanan Karunakaran, Miles Johnson, Henry Moore, Tom Demeranville, Lucinda Lovesey, and Adam Johnson; this day will not be one you forget!

Meet Santa for free!

Get ready for a season of joy and wonder as Santa returns to Affinity Staffordshire for an unforgettable Christmas experience! Every weekend from November 18 until Christmas Eve meet Santa and his elves in the Grotto and receive a sweet treat if you’ve made it on the nice list. Not only that, the festive magic continues during late-night shopping on November 30, December 7, and December 14 (4 pm-7 pm) for Story Time with Santa, where each child will receive a copy of the festive tale told during this magical session. The best part? It's all for free, as Affinity Staffordshire’s way of spreading holiday cheer and making sure no one misses out on the festivities!