Something Special is Coming to Longton

Check out Longton's Winter Gathering, enjoy some festive tunes at Stokeminster and embrace local heritage by booking a walk or two with the Red Haired Stokie…

WHAT’S ON/THINGS TO DO ✅

HIGHLIGHTED ⬇️ (FULL EVENTS LISTINGS BELOW)

🥳 Rock Up to Longton’s Winter Gathering. 14/12, 11am-5pm, Longton town centre. Arts organisation Urban Wilderness is prepping this special festive event with an Arabian Nights theme, and you can expect music, performers, storytelling and fire shows all happening around the town centre. In keeping with the Arabian theme, there’s even a special appearance from a camel. Admission free.

Catch a fire show in Longton on 14/12. Pic: Urban Widerness

🎻 Festive Vibes at Stokeminster. 12/12, 6pm & 8.30pm. Enjoy classic Christmas tunes including White Christmas and the theme from Home Alone plus a cast of ballerinas performing The Nutcraker and much more at Christmas Greetings LIVE! Violinist Matt Glossop and other musical soloists will be providing the music for this 70-minute show. Tickets from £18.24.

🚶Heritage Walks with the Red Haired Stokie. various dates. The Knot’s resident history expert has a whole raft of fabulous walks coming up, starting with Exploring Longton’s Past (14/12), followed by a Burslem Phone Photography Walk (12/01), Exploring Trentham’s Past (18/01) and Fenton DSLR and Mirrorless Photography Walk (26/01). In February, there’s Exploring Kidsgrove’s Past (08/02), a Stoke Night Photography Walk (12/02) and Exploring Newcastle-under-Lyme’s Past (22/02). Moving into March and April, look out for Exploring Tunstall’s Past (08/03) and Exploring Mow Cop’s Past (12/04). View all walks and book your spot here.

⏱️ Browse for Bargains at Castle Artisan. 15/12, 10-3pm. Newcastle Town Centre. Castle Artisan is back with its usual mix of local makers, bakers, creators, live music, free kids activities, drinks and street food. Best of all, Santa will be there from 11am-2pm, and you can also enjoy Keele University Brass Band, Infusion Dance Troupe, Live Music by Dawson Dean and some free fun craft activities at the Kids' Craft Corner.

🫘 He’s Behind You! Various locations, dates and times. Not got your pantomime tickets yet? Jack and the Beanstalk will be showing at Stafford Gatehouse (tickets from £23) and at Lichfield’s Garrick Theatre (tickets from £15). As previously reported, there’s Dick Whittington at the Regent Theatre, too (tickets from £13).

🚂 Twilight Trains at Rudyard. 13/12 & 20/12, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm, 7pm & 8pm. Enjoy a festive ride on an illuminated Victorian style narrow gauge steam railway, with a Story and Grinch appearance on board. Tickets £7 adults, £6 children.

All lit up: the Illuminated Arboretum in Burton is on until Chtistmas Eve…

☃️ Find Frosty’s Friends. 12/12-03/01, 10am-3pm. Middleport Pottery. Let the kids join in a festive treasure hunt to find Frosty the Snowman's friends, who are hiding around every corner. Once the kids have completed the trail, there’s a festive treat waiting at reception. Tickets £3. Closed 24/12-26/12 & 30/12 & 01/01.

🕯️ All Lit up in Burton. now until 24/12, 4.30pm-7.30pm, National Memorial Arboretum. Head over to Burton for the annual Illuminated Arboretum, a winter light trail accompanied by sound and hands-on elements along a mile long route around the Arboretum's gardens, memorials and woodlands. Tickets £25 adult, £15 child, under 5’s go free. Entry every 15 minutes from 4.30pm.

EVENTS LISTINGS

• Heritage Walks with the Red Haired Stokie, various dates

• Potteries Centre Events Series, ongoing, Potteries Centre

• Throw a Pot Sessions, ongoing, LoveClay

• Maurice Wade – A Painter from No. 57, until 26/01/25,
  Potteries Museum & Art Gallery

• 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

• Electric Tentacle Electronic Music Open Mic, Multiple Dates, Captain’s Bar

• The Three Musketeers, until 25/01, New Vic

• Leek Live Advent Calendar, every day until 24/12, various locations in Leek

• Illuminated Arborteum, until 24/12, National Memorial Arboretum

• Jack and the Beanstalk, until 05/01, Stafford Gatehouse

• Jack and the Beanstalk, until 12/01, Garrick Theatre Lichfield

• North Pole Express at Foxfield, 14, 15, 21, 22, 23 & 24/12, Foxfield Railway

• Christmas Greetings LIVE! 12/12, Stoke Minster

• Absurd Person Singular, 10/12-14/12, Stoke Repertory Theatre

• Abdulrzak Gurnah reading and book signing, 11/12, Keele University

• Christmas Greetings Live! 2024, 12/12, Stoke Minster

• Find Frosty’s Friends, 12/12-03/01, Middleport Pottery

• Dick Whittington, 13/12-05/01, Regent Theatre

• Twilight Trains at Rudyard, 13/12 & 20/12, Rudyard Lake

• Sam Ryder, 13/12, Victoria Hall

• Christmas Carols at the Brewery, 15/12, Lymestone Brewery

• Castle Artisan Market, 15/12, Newcastle town centre

• The Lion, the Witch & The Wardrobe, 15 & 16/12, Stoke Repertory Theatre

• Fron Male Choir, 21/12, New Vic

• Finney, 21/12, The Sugarmill

• Spode Museum Holiday Craft Club, until 22/12

• The Snowman & The Snow Dog, 23/12, Mitchell Arts Centre

• Churnet Valley Polar Express, until 23/12, Froghall station

• Christmas Eve Afternoon Tea, 24/12, World of Wedgwood

• Winter Light Trail, until 31/12, Trentham Estate

• Luminate, until 31/12, Shugborough Estate

• Magical Days Out, until 05/01, Alton Towers

• Bat out of Hell, 30/06-05/07, Regent Theatre

• Russell Watson, 24/10, Victoria Hall

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