Meet the Travelling Victorian Entertainers at Gladstone Pottery Museum this December
Plus catch carollers at Hanley Town Hall, fly a Spitfire at the Potteries Museum, go see Stoke Rep's production of Bleak Expectations, and Winter Penguin Trail at Middleport
WHAT’S ON/THINGS TO DO ✅
HIGHLIGHTED ⬇️ (FULL EVENTS LISTINGS BELOW)
🎅 A Victorian Christmas. 06/12; 11am-4pm; Gladstone Pottery Museum. Come and meet the travelling Victorian entertainers, Dr Melford’s Travelling Show. There’s Mr Simpkin, the world’s strongest man, Mr Marrow, the magician, and Dr Clench to diagnose your winter ailments. You can also admire the period lantern show, join some carol singing, and watch clay pipes being made, now a critically endangered craft. Normal museum admission applies, plus a small charge to make a clay pipe.
🌲 It’s Carol Time. 19/12, 6pm, Hanley Town Hall. This outdoor Carol Service will feature the Voices of The Town Hall Choir, an ensemble of singers from choirs across Stoke-on-Trent, accompanied by a brass band. Take some cash as they will be offering mince pies, hot chocolate, mulled wine, and festive treats to buy to keep you warm! Admission free, but let them know you’re coming here.
🎅 Dougie Mac Santa Dash. 06/12, register 9am, warm-up 10am, dash 10.15am, Hanley Park. Don your Santa suit for a fun 5k or 2k dash or run, walk, dance. A free Santa suit is included for participants aged 5+ as part of registration. There will be festive treats, face painting, and seasonal music to keep the fun going. Entry adults £15, 5-17 years £12, 4’s and under go free.
🛩️ Fly A Spitfire! various dates and times, Potteries Museum & Art Gallery. Always fancied yourself as a pilot? Then get behind the cockpit of the Operation Spitfire Simulator. You can book up for Pilot Training, a 30-minute 1:1 session with an instructor, or take the kids along to Flight School, a 15-minute session where they can test out the controls. £30 for Pilot Training; £6 for Flight School.
🎭 Bleak Expectations 09/12-13/12, 7.30pm, Stoke Repertory Theatre. A fabulously funny spoof of Charles Dickens’ novels based on the award-winning BBC Radio 4 series, this show sees Sir Philip Bin, the famous Victorian inventor and novelist, recount the story of his youth, from brutal boarding schools and romantic entanglements, all while trying to stop his cruel guardian from stealing the family fortune. Tickets £17.25.
🐧 Winter Penguin Trail. 06/12-04/01, 10am-3pm, Middleport Pottery. The kids will love discovering penguins around the site, learning about different types, and answering questions to complete the trail. Each participant will get a crafty treat when they finish and return to reception. Adult supervision is required for this activity, but adults don’t need a separate ticket. Tickets £3.
☕️ Join a Finance and Wellbeing Cafe. 03/12, 9.30am-12.30pm, Staffordshire Moorlands Family Hub, Biddulph. Worried about the cost of living? Get support, advice, and signposting to the relevant services, with opps to chat with the Department for Work and Pensions, Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Green Doctor, Social Prescriber, and Potteries Moneywise. Tea, coffee and mince pies available.
EVENTS LISTINGS
Parkrun, every Saturday at 9am at Hanley Park; Trentham Gardens; Cannock Chase; Lower Milehouse Lane, Newcastle; Birchall Playing Fields; Isabel Trail, Stafford
Heritage Walks with the Red Haired Stokie, various dates
Make & Bake, ongoing, Mitchell Arts Centre
Queerquest, ongoing, Staffordshire Moorlands
Open mic nights, various dates, Darcy’s + The Woodman, The Beehive Inn, The Windmill Werrington, Foxfield Arms, & The Victoria
Potteries Centre Events Series, ongoing, Potteries Centre
Throw a Pot and Pottery Painting, ongoing, Kiln at Number 12
Throw a Pot Sessions, ongoing, LoveClay
What’s In Store at the V&A Wedgwood Collection sessions, every Wednesday
Lunch at Stoke Minster, every Thursday
Guided Walks in the Peak District, Various, Multiple (Peak District)
Titanic Brewery Tour, multiple dates, Titanic Brewery
Spitfire Comedy Open Mic, multiple dates, Old Post Office, Burslem
World of Wedgwood Artisan markets, every second Sunday of the month
Electric Tentacle Electronic Music Open Mic, multiple dates, Captain’s Bar
Honeybox Live, various dates and locations
Winter Wonderland, until 04/01, Hanley Town Centre
City Songbirds Christmas Concerts; 24/11 & 25/11, Victoria Hall
Kinky Boots, 26/11-30/11, Regent Theatre
Christmas Crafternoon and Light Switch On, 29/11, Love Clay
Santa Paws Photobooth, 29/11, Middleport Pottery
Murder on the Disorient Express, 29/11, Mitchell Arts Centre
Middleport Artisan Christmas Markets, 29/11 & 30/11; 06/12 & 07/12
Christmas Wreath Workshops, 29/11, 30/11, 06/12, 07/12, World of Wedgwood
Eric’s Christmas Turkey, 01/12-13/12, New Vic
City Voices at Christmas, 03/12, Victoria Hall
Nativity! The Musical, 03/12, Regent Theatre
Finance & Wellbeing Cafe, 03/12, Staffordshire Moorlands Wellbeing Hub
Winter Penguin Trail, 06/12-04/01, Middleport Pottery
Breakfast with Elsa and Anna, 06/12, 13/12 & 20/12, the Quarter@ Potbank
Dr Melford’s Travelling Show, 06/12, Gladstone Pottery Museum
Dougie Mac Santa Dash, 06/12, Hanley Park
Lantern Parade, 06/12, Newcastle Town Centre
A Wartime Christmas, 07/12, Potteries Museum & Art Gallery
Step into Christmas with Anton du Beke, 08/12, Victoria Hall
Bleak Expectations, 09/12, Stoke Repertory Theatre
Cinderella, 12/12-04/01, Regent Theatre
The Winter Gathering, 13/12, Queen’s Park
John Kirkpatrick’s Carolling & Crumpet Christmas Show, 12/12, Fenton Town Hall
Carols @ The Town Hall, 19/12, Hanley Town Hall
James Bond Concert Spectacular, 21/12, Victoria Hall
New Year’s Eve Black Tie Ball, 31/12, Moddershall Oaks
For more events, check out our comprehensive What’s On list.
This is a great round up of events- have just shared on Facebook