Things to do in Nottingham this Christmas and NYE

The NET Nottingham Winter Wonderland. Saturday 19 November - Sunday 8 January in Old Market Square

Enjoy ice skating surrounded by the Christmas lights and trees
Get unlimited group travel for 2 adults and up to 3 children on NCT buses for just £4.50 with the Grouprider ticket

Wollaton Hall – Red Robin Trail. 19 December - 2 January

Find the Red Robins of Wollaton Park around the formal gardens and courtyard - catch them all to win a prize! Trails are available in the Courtyard Shop
Trails are £1

Nottingham Castle - Christmas Pudding Trail. 10 December - 3 January at Nottingham Castle

Christmas holiday fun for little ones
Grab a trail sheet from the Castle Shop, follow it for the chance to win a prize
Along with events across the city, there should be something for everyone at our eight Play & Youth Centres and 18 Children’s Centres across the city. They offer a range of free and low-cost services and activities for families and their children.

This year, one of the highlights is a citywide Play and Youth event called “Being Healthy” on Wednesday 21 December at the new Harvey Hadden Centre, Wigman Road, Nottingham. Suitable for ages 8 to 17 years, there are lots of exciting activities on offer including swimming, basketball, football, dance, team games and skatebase. There is limited space only – please contact your local Play and Youth team for further information and to book call 0115 8763888.

Councillor David Mellen, Portfolio Holder for Early Intervention and Early Years, said: “At this special time of year, it’s really important that we do what we can to give local families fun and inexpensive things to do during the festive break. Our libraries, play and youth clubs and children’s centres across the city are great places to go to socialise, play and discover new interests and they offer families lots of choice to keep youngsters active during the school holidays.”

Services at Children’s Centres can vary according to the needs of the local community but all centres provide links to childcare, family support and a range of parent and toddler activities. All of the centres also have family support teams who work with children and young people from birth to 19 and their families. They offer play and youth activities and support in areas including disability, mental health, emotional well-being and school attendance.

Full details about the whole range of Christmas holiday activities on offer can be found at www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/christmas

Find your nearest children’s centres here - http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/childrenscentres

Join Widow Twankey and Aladdin on their magic carpet for a ride full of family fun and frolics!

Aladdin promises to be a sensational show, dazzling with wit, shimmering with glitter and sparkling with song, dance and magical costumes.

Follow our hero as he attempts to win the heart of the beautiful Princess Jasmine. But the evil magician Abanazar has other plans for Aladdin and will stop at nothing to get his hands on the magic lamp – the source of all power.

Can his mum Widow Twankey and her son Wishee Washee help save the day? Will Aladdin marry his true love?

Prepare to boo, cheer and sing at the legendary Nottingham Playhouse panto! It doesn’t take a genie to work out that Aladdin will make the perfect festive treat.

This year’s GIANT family-friendly panto adventure stars the legendary comedy-duo The Chuckle Brothers as Paul and Barry Trot, Benidorm’s Tony Maudsley as Dame Trot, and The X Factor finalist Chico as Jack, the hero of our tale.

jack and the beanstalk

This unmissable production carries the Theatre Royal pantomime hallmark of outstanding entertainment for all ages and features laugh-out-loud comedy, stunning costumes and scenery, and amazing special effects as the audience and cast enter the Giant’s castle in spectacular 3D!

Santa's got a special treat in store for Nottingham! Book a skating session from 21 - 23 December, and you'll also get to visit Santa’s reindeer. You'll get to pet, feed, and take pictures with the reindeer.

Delicious hot drinks and mince pies will also be served out on Bolero Square, and special reindeer merchandise will be available to purchase – it’s the perfect treat for the family before the big day!

Take part in a live interactive performance for all the family which was the smash-hit of the GameCity festival.

Recently featured on BBC Click, the show invites players onto the stage as the audience become a part of the game! Zapping barcodes, becoming power-rangers with wifi-belts and shouting at hedgehogs to make them jump - by the end of the show the whole audience will be helping each other to crack hidden codes.

This is gaming unlike anything you've seen before!

Visit the Tennis Centre from 4 - 6pm this Wednesday. You can play football, archery, tennis with the coaching team, and Santa too!

If you're a Nottingham Tennis Centre member and their family, there is no charge - it's £5.00 for non-members.

Deep in the forest, in a wintry land, lives a gorgeously grizzly Beasty Baby. Mayhem and laughter await around every corner as three people embark on a wild adventure to bring up this very mischievous and totally loveable child.

Using an inspired mix of puppetry and live music, Theatre-Rites create a funny and magical shared experience for the whole family to warm up those cold winter days.

Performance dates are excluding Mondays, Christmas Day/Boxing Day

Please Note: There will be no posting of Beasty Baby tickets after 21 December to accommodate Christmas and New Year postage collections.

Once upon a time the rather spoilt Princess Fenella stole a beautiful golden ball to play with in the palace gardens. Then suddenly – ooops – she dropped and lost it! Thankfully, Filbert the Frog came to help her, but on one condition: he wanted to be allowed into the palace. And so began their most unlikely friendship…

The Princess and the Frog is a magical re-telling of the classic Brothers Grimm tale about friendship and the making and breaking of promises. Brought to you by the same team who created 2015’s Hare & Tortoise, the show is packed full of action, music, songs and a chance for everyone to get involved.

Join us for the perfect introduction to theatre for children between the ages of 4 and 8.

Nottingham City Council will hold a FREE public New Years Eve Celebration & Fireworks Displays from the Nottingham Castle Grounds, The area around the Gate House and Bandstand will feature entertainment and the Castle Green will host the Firework zone. The Rockery will be illuminated with coloured lights to add to the experience and food stall and bars will be available in the grounds

The Castle Grounds will be open to the public at 8pm

Entertainment

The Bandstand will feature music from 8pm until ten to midnight (approx).

The Half Eight - 8:10pm - 9:10pm

Energetic Pop/Rock – catchy melodies, soaring harmonies and punchy rocky guitar

Ready Steady 60’s - 9:50pm - 11:50pm (inc interval)

From Merseybeat to Carnaby Street – reproducing the iconic sounds of the 60’s

The Gatehouse area & Castle Place paved area will feature Fire Jugglers/street performers, busking and close up magic from 8pm.

Fireworks

The fireworks are being provided by Pains Fireworks

The Children’s Fireworks display at 21.15 and will be choreographed to a musical soundtrack ( Superhero’s Themes) and is designed for a younger audience within the Castle grounds

The Main display will take place from 12midnight to approx 00.10am and will feature a New Year’s Eve themed soundtrack along with popular chart hits, and other special effects

It will be visible in the grounds and surrounding area and from vantage points across the City.

Road closures

Friar Lane and Castle Road will be closed to vehicles during the evening to facilitate public viewing of the entertainment and firework displays from these areas

Admission

Entry to the event will be free but will be limited to a maximum capacity of 2500

There is no public parking on site