Christmas is coming, so whether this is your first festive season away from home or if you’ve been a student in Lancaster for a couple of years, we’ve put together some of our top suggestions for things to do to get you and your housemates in the mood for Christmas.
Lancaster Christmas Market
23rd - 25th November, Lancaster Brewery
Lancaster Christmas Market is a must-visit in the run-up to Christmas, with a huge range of stalls selling gifts and crafts, stocking fillers, and of course an amazing selection of food and drink. Lancaster Christmas Market is a great day out for you and your housemates to get into the festive spirit, and also a good opportunity to pick up some really unique and thoughtful Christmas presents for your family and friends. If you’d like to find out more information, visit their Facebook Page.
Lancaster Brewery has partnered with Kirkby Lonsdale Coach Hire to put on a totally free shuttle bus to help you get to the Christmas Market, which will run every 30 minutes (between 1 pm - 9:30 pm) from Dalton Square to Lancaster Brewery.
Lancaster on Ice
24th November - 6th January, Dalton Square, Lancaster
For the first time ever, Dalton Square is being transformed into a winter wonderland for Christmas 2018, complete with an ice rink, tipis and Christmas market. The Lancaster on Ice ice rink will be open seven days a week (excluding Christmas Day) from 10am - 10pm, with tickets divided into off-peak and peak times, with each ticket giving you access to free skate hire and 45 minutes on the ice. You must book a ticket to use the ice rink, and this can be done via the Lancaster on Ice website or from the ticket office in Dalton Square.
If you don’t feel like skating or just want to watch your friends, there’s still plenty to do, with market stalls in the square providing a huge range of food and drink, and tipis if you feel like sheltering from the cold.
Christmas at Lancaster Castle
Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th December 2018
Both Lancaster residents and visitors have been invited to go to Lancaster Castle in December for a festive fayre. Great for both students and visiting parents, the Christmas at the Castle market and courtyard features free entry, giving you the opportunity to have a festive time in one of Lancaster city’s trademark locations. During the two days, the festive fayre will be open between 10:30am to 5:00pm.
There will be 40 stalls to choose from, with both local and regional businesses showcasing their Christmas gifts with everything from tasty food to handmade crafts. There will be both hot and cold food stalls featuring things like homemade cupcakes, marshmallows, hog roasts, specialist coffee, an assortment of baked food, crepes, waffles and more! You’ll be able to find “handmade gifts and jewellery, wood crafts, aromatic candles, natural beauty products, photographic art and frames, artisan cheeses, chutneys and relishes, locally baked pies, traditional fudges and sweets, festive branded books, rare fine wines and specialist liqueurs and spirits”. Give it a try, we’re sure it’ll be a surprise and delight.
There will be festive performances all day, from bell ringers to brass bands and jazz pianists to carnival street bands - so you’re sure to be in for a dynamic musical experience. Better yet, if you want to meet Santa and Mrs Claus then you can purchase tickets to Lancaster Castle’s interactive magical winter wonderland, but hurry, last year the tickets sold out quickly.
Christmas Musical Events
December 2018 in and around Lancaster.
Feeling musical? There will be a number of events in Lancaster for the Christmas season in December. ‘A Musical Affair in Market Square’ on Market Street in Lancaster will be on the 2nd of December 2018 from 11:00am to 4:00pm. You’ll be able to see the Batala drumming band, Bay Beat, The Dreamers, Ellel St.John’s School Choir, Willow Lane School Choir, Sax Quarter, Stagecoach Choir and Steal Drums. There will also be refreshments and food during the events you can indulge. Check out their Facebook page for details and the event and more information about performers.
Alternatively, you can visit the ‘Lancaster & District Choral Society Concert: Gloria’ on Saturday the 8th of December. It’s on at Lancaster Priory in the evening. Tickets cost £15, however, students can go for £12.50, with other offers for children and the elderly in case you want to bring your family to a classical and heartwarming Christmas performance. You can get tickets here on Skiddle.
Reindeer Day on Market Street
10th of December in the Market Square
If you’re looking to do something fun and festive on the weekend then why not head over to the city centre for a free and festive show? The beautiful Cairngorm Reindeer will return to Lancaster’s city centre on Sunday the 10th of December. Sponsored by Lancaster University and organised by the famous Lancaster BID. There will be reindeer crafts taking place nearby in the Lancaster City Museum too. Better yet - you can be expecting an appearance from Santa Claus and his elves, bringing festive crafts for all to enjoy during this friendly and jolly time of the year.
If you’d like to check it out, make sure you head to Market Square between 11:00am to 3:00pm. For more information, visit their Facebook page.
Enjoy a festive evening in a cosy pub
Another great way to get into the Christmas spirit is to spend your evening in one of Lancaster’s many student-friendly pubs with your friends, whether that’s for a delicious pub dinner, a few festive drinks, or to have a go at a pub quiz or games night. Take a look at our blog post on 5 Brilliant Student Pubs to Visit in Lancaster. So sit by an open fire with a local ale or a mulled wine, gather your brainiest friends for a pint and a Christmas-themed quiz, and enjoy!
We hope that this guide has given you some helpful tips for enjoying the most wonderful time of the year in Lancaster.
