⛸️🎢🎅 Winter Wonderland Hits Hanley ⛸️🎢🎅
Plus step aboard the North Pole Express, get tickets for Cinderella at the Regent, snap your dog in a festive costume, and join the Christmas Light Switch on at Longton Exchange…
WHAT’S ON/THINGS TO DO ✅
HIGHLIGHTED ⬇️ (FULL EVENTS LISTINGS BELOW)
🎅 Festive Fun. 21/11-04/01; Mon-Thurs: 4pm-10pm; Fri: 4pm to 10pm
Sat 11am-10pm; Sun 11am-9pm Lichfield Street, Hanley. The annual festive fairground, Winter Wonderland, is back with ice skating on a proper rink, a funfair, a new-look Alpine Bar and more seasonal food stalls, plus Santa’s Grotto with a Santa Express Experience and gift for each child. Various pricing options: £46.08 for a family ice skating ticket (save 20% with the code ICE20); ultimate thrills wristband £24.40 for unlimited riding.
🚂 All Aboard the North Pole Express. weekends from 22/11-24/12, Foxfield Railway. Relive the glorious days of steam with the little ones, with Santa on board, festive treats for children and adults, and live children’s entertainment. First Class tickets include additional time with Santa, a specially decorated compartment, and complimentary Christmas crackers. Tickets from £49.95 for a table of four.
🎄 Longton Christmas Switch-on. 23/11, 11am-6pm, Longton Exchange. There are plenty of festive firs getting illuminated soon – but we like the sound of this one, with a Snow Kingdom theme led by snow king and queen stiltwalkers, a Christmas trail with chocolate prizes, live music performances, and artisan stalls. There’s a fairground, too. Admission free.
🥿 It’s Panto Time! 12/12-04/01, 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Regent Theatre. Will Cinders make it to the ball? Billed as ‘the fairy godmother of all pantos’, Stoke-on-Trent’s very own Jonny Wilkes will star as Buttons this year in Cinderella. Joining him will be panto favourite Kai Owen as Dandini, with Kirsty Ingram as Cinderella, Ben Oatley as Prince Charming and Rhiane Drummond as the Fairy Godmother. Tickets from £15.
🐶 Snap a Festive Photo of Your Pooch. 29/11 & 30/11, Middleport Pottery. Create a lasting memory of your furry friend in the Christmas Santa Paws photo booth with professional photographer elf. The 15-minute time slot includes use of festive props, a dog-friendly Christmas treat and photo. You’ll receive one print (additional ones £4 each) and a digital copy; up to two dogs allowed. Tickets £10.
🍸A Sonic Tribute to 007. 21/12, 7.30pm, Victoria Hall. The most critically acclaimed tribute to the music of the iconic secret agent, the James Bond Concert Spectacular focuses not only on theme songs but also the chase music, incidental cues and suites from across the series. Tickets from £33.
🚖 Taxi Driver on the Big Screen. 21/11; refreshments from 6pm, screening 7pm, Potteries Museum & Art Gallery. Join Stoke Cult Film Club for a showing of this iconic film, with Robert De Niro as unhinged New York cabbie Travis Bickle, haunting the streets nightly, growing increasingly detached from reality as he dreams of cleaning up the filthy city. Tickets £5.
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
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
Upstart at V&A Wedgwood Collection: Clay Careers Workshop, 15/11, World
From Flames and Ash: Diploma Students’ Exploration of Wood-Firing, until 23/11, Clay College Gallery
Trentham Christmas Street Party, 13/11, Trentham Estate
Step into Christmas, 14/11, Victoria Hall
Nastee Chapel, 14/11, Fenton Town Hall
Ceramic Makers Market, 15/11, Gladstone Pottery Museum
Grace, 15/11, Stoke Minster
The Australian Pink Floyd, 18/11, Regent Theatre
The Psychopath Test, 20/11, Regent Theatre
Taxi Driver, 21/11, Potteries Museum & Art Gallery
Stand-up Comedy night, 21/11, Fenton Town Hall
Legacy and Continuity Ceramic Symposium, 21/11 & 22/11, Stoke Town Hall
Taylormania, 21/11, Victoria Hall
Free Tree Giveaway, 21/11, Apedale Country Park
Taxi Driver, 21/11, Potteries Museum & Art Gallery
Winter Wonderland, 21/11-04/01, Hanley Town Centre
Santa’s Sleigh, 22/11, Potteries Museum & Art Gallery
Longton Exchange Christmas Light Switch On, 23/11, Longton Exchange
The Dinosaur That Pooped A Rock Show, 23/11, Regent Theatre
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
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
Breakfast with Elsa and Anna, 06/12, 13/12 & 20/12, the Quarter@ Potbank
Lantern Parade, 06/12, Newcastle Town Centre
Step into Christmas with Anton du Beke, 08/12, Victoria Hall
Cinderella, 12/12-04/01, Regent Theatre
John Kirkpatrick’s Carolling & Crumpet Christmas Show, 12/12, Fenton Town Hall
James Bond Concert Spectacular, 21/12, Victoria Hall
For more events, check out our comprehensive What’s On list.