An Ice Rink, Santa’s Grotto, visiting Christmas characters and an exclusive meet and greet with Paddington™ will sprinkle Derby with festive cheer this year.
Family-friendly entertainment, including ice king and queen stilt walkers, naughty elves on motorised sleighs, gingerbread men and a visiting snow globe, has been funded by the Cathedral Quarter and St Peters Quarter Business Improvement District (BIDs).
Gemma Pindard, Deputy Manager for the Cathedral Quarter BID and St Peters Quarter BID said she is delighted to bring a full programme of activities to the city in the run up to Christmas.
She said: “We have worked really hard to create a family-friendly Christmas atmosphere in Derby during November and December and we have some wonderful entertainment for shoppers coming to Derby.”
What’s on:
Irongate
Walk through Irongate’s Ceiling of Light – a display of thousands of lights glowing above one of Derby’s iconic streets – and enjoy the welcome return of the Cathedral Quarter ice rink.
The ice rink is being sponsored by the Cathedral Quarter BID and opens on Saturday, November 29, until New Year’s Eve.
Last year, more than 12,000 people donned their skates and enjoyed the Cathedral Quarter Ice Rink but there’s so much more to enjoy this Christmas in Derby.
Brad Worley, Manager for the Cathedral Quarter BID and St Peters Quarter BID, said: “Our ice rink is always very well attended, and we know how many families love to come skating. We have kept prices as low as possible so people can enjoy some festive fun.”
Christmas Lights
Enjoy the city’s dazzling Festive Derby Light Trail, a display brought to you by the Cathedral Quarter and St Peter’s Quarter Business Improvement District (BIDs) and Derby City Council.
Explore the city centre and find your picture-perfect moment at every turn as the trail leads from St Peter’s Cross to Irongate. The trail begins under the Rudolph reindeer arch (complete with his red nose!) at St Peter’s Cross.
In Osnabruck Square, you can sit among twinkling gonks, reindeer, and a polar bear, before heading into Derby Market Hall, walking beneath the towering golden star. You can snap a selfie with the giant teddy bear overlooking the Ice Rink, before walking through the light-up presents on the Market Place.
Derby Market Hall
Santa makes a welcome return to the Cathedral Quarter Grotto in November – and this year you’ll find him in the Derby Market Hall. Santa’s magical grotto opens on Saturday, November 29, and each child will receive a special gift from Santa. Families can take their own photographs with Santa and his elves and afterwards, why not take a stroll and visit all the new and independent stalls in Derby Market Hall.
Tickets cost £4.50, which includes the booking fee, and prices have been kept to a minimum so families can enjoy some special time together before Christmas.
Santa’s Grotto opens every weekend from Saturday, November 29, to Sunday, December 21. It will also open on Friday, December 19, from 10am to 12pm, Monday, December 22, Tuesday, December 23 and Wednesday, December 24. Times do vary on the weekends.
Saturday, November 29
Adding to the festive entertainment, visitors will find a selection of Christmas characters walking around Derby on Saturday, November 29.
In the Market Place and Derby’s Cornmarket, look out for the Christmas gonks, grinch, the mirror men and the ice king and queen, who will be strolling around the city on stilts.
From 1.15pm, these walk-round Christmas themed characters will be visiting both BID areas and make sure you also look out for the candy cane stilt walkers and the stunning winter fairies. In the St Peters Quarter BID area, characters will be based around the St Peters Cross, which is near to St Peter’s Church on St Peters Street and East Street.
Golden Ticket Prize Draw
Derby shoppers could win a share of a whopping £2,000 this Christmas by entering the Golden Ticket Prize Draw.
Thanks to the Cathedral Quarter and St Peters Quarter Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), tickets will be available in shops across Derby, until December 20. To enter, shoppers must fill out a golden ticket and post it in one of the 20 post boxes located in participating businesses across the two BID areas. Four lucky entrants will each win £500 of shopping vouchers to spend in businesses in the Cathedral Quarter and St Peters Quarter area.
It is the fifth consecutive year that the Cathedral Quarter Business Improvement District (BID), and the St Peters Quarter Business Improvement District (BID) have launched their Golden Ticket Prize Draw and last year more than 4000 people took part.
The deadline for Golden Ticket Prize Draw entries is Saturday, December 20, and the draw will take place during the first week of January. Four winners will be picked at random – and entries are limited to one per person.
Locations of the postboxes are listed on the back of the tickets, or can be found by visiting www.derbycathedralquarter.co.uk and www.stpetersquarter.co.uk
Saturday, December 13
A free, one day Christmas Market will be held in St Peter’s Church, on St Peter’s Street in Derby, from 12pm.
More than a dozen local crafters and artists will bring their unique gifts to the city so shoppers can pick up presents for their friends and family.
The Christmas market forms part of a series of Christmas entertainment planned by the St Peters Quarter Business Improvement District. On the same day, look out for novelty characters including Stitch, Fae and her highly realistic dragon puppet.
Meanwhile, in the Cathedral Quarter, enjoy some festive tunes next to the Waterfall, the Market Place and on the Cornmarket. Musical Merry Christmas will entertain you from 11-4pm.
Saturday December 20
If you love Paddington™ – you’re going to love this. The very special bear will visit St Peters Quarter from 11am, and you can meet him – for free. Come along and say hello to everyone’s favourite bear from Peru and don’t forget to bring your camera as there will be plenty of opportunities to take photographs.
The event will take place in Potters House Church, 2-3 St Peter’s Churchyard, near to St Peters Church. To book a slot, visit XX
As well as seeing Paddington™ in the St Peters Quarter, visitors will find a selection of Christmas characters walking around Derby’s Cathedral Quarter too.
The popular snow globe is back by popular demand and will be situated at the Waterfall – but the fun doesn’t stop there. Look out for the elf on a shelf from 12pm, the ice king and queen stilt walkers from 1.30pm and two walking snow globes and a gingerbread man!
