ON SALE SCHEDULE
Monday 7th August, noon: Gold Members – book tickets link sent via email
Tuesday 8th August, noon: Silver Members – book tickets link sent via email
Wednesday 9th August, noon: Castle Howard e-newsletter subscribers – book tickets link sent via email
Thursday 10th August, noon: General – book tickets via the Christmas at Castle Howard page on our website
Information for Members
Gold Members can book from Monday 7th August, 12 noon. Members will receive an email with the link.
Silver Members can book from Tuesday 8th August, 12 noon. Members will receive an email with the link.
Members don’t need to pay for car parking.
How to book your Members tickets, and what you’re entitled to:
You can book tickets to Christmas in Neverland, Father Christmas in the Castle, and our other Christmas events via SeeTickets using the link from your email. You will be asked to input the lead Member’s Membership number in the booking process. For Christmas in Neverland, Gold Members receive two free visits, and Silver Members receive one.
You can’t use your free visits for:
Father Christmas in the Castle
Santa’s Grotto in the Courtyard
Wreath Making Workshop
Christmas in Neverland Guided Tour
Meet the Designers Guided Tour
There are discounted Members prices for:
· Father Christmas in the Castle in the House
· Santa’s Grotto in the Courtyard
· Wreath Making Workshop
Save the date for Special Members Events
Friends of Castle Howard Christmas Preview, Friday 10th November
Friends of Castle Howard Carol Concert, Monday 4th December
WHAT'S ON THIS CHRISTMAS
House Tickets - Christmas in Neverland
11 Nov – 2 Jan
Fly into the adventure of a lifetime bursting with fairies, mermaids, and pirates. Vast ships will cruise into our great galleries, Lost Boy-laughter will echo through our halls, and our beautiful rooms will transform into tropical lagoons.
This year is set to be our most magical experience yet, with theatrical installations created by CLW Event Design (Christmas in Narnia, Into the Woods: A Fairytale Christmas) and sound design and digital projections by imitating the dog.
Tickets for the House experience range from £19 - £32, with Children’s tickets at 50% of adult tickets. Children aged 2 and under are free, but we kindly ask you to book them a ticket, so we know how many people are in your group.
Christmas in Neverland Calm Sessions
Monday 13 November
Monday 20 November
Monday 27 November
This session is designed to create a more relaxed environment for visitors who would prefer a quieter space to enjoy our Christmas installations. Specifically, there are fewer tickets available, making for a less-busy environment in our main House, and reduced lighting and sound effects.
Christmas in Neverland Guided House Tour
November 13 – 16, 20 – 23, 27 – 30
Enjoy a Guided Tour of our magical Peter Pan inspired installations in a small group after our regular opening hours. Learn about Castle Howard’s history, stories, and architecture, and enjoy a deep dive into Peter Pan author JM Barrie’s life, world, and inspiration.
Father Christmas in the Castle – House Show
25th November – 24th December
Make magical memories, and meet Father Christmas in the Castle, Mrs Claus and jolly WonderPhil at Castle Howard this Christmas. Watch a joyful performance bursting with jingle bells and Christmas spirit, sing Christmas songs together, and enjoy a special, individual moment with Father Christmas himself. All children take home a Christmas gift*.
We recommend this experience for Children 4+. The experience lasts approx. 45 minutes.
Father Christmas in the Castle is sadly inaccessible for wheelchair users; the show location is up two flights of stairs. We understand that this is disappointing, and it’s our ambition to make adjustments in the future. We invite wheelchair users to enjoy Santa’s Grotto in the Stable Courtyard and Christmas in Neverland in the main House.
Tickets include the Father Christmas in the Castle, access to Christmas in Neverland in our main House, and access to the Gardens. Two adults are permitted per booking to help us manage capacities.
*Only paid-for Child tickets receive a gift. Children aged 12 months and under are free but must be bought with a Child ticket.
Download the full schedule here.
Santa’s Grotto – in the Courtyard
1st – 24th December
Share a laugh and photograph with Santa and the fantastic Storycraft Theatre in our Courtyard Grotto this Christmas. Enjoy a short show bursting with puppetry, energy, and Christmas joy, before that all-important meeting with the man himself. All children take home a gift.Tickets include access to Santa’s Grotto in our Stable Courtyard. Tickets do not include access to the main House or Gardens. We recommend this experience for children of all ages. The experience lasts approx. 20 minutes.
Meet the Designers – Guided Tour
November 17th, 24th,1st
Enjoy a Guided Tour of our magical Peter Pan inspired installations in a small group after our regular opening hours, led by Design Director Adrian Lillie of CLW Event Designs. Learn about how we bring our spectacular creations to life, find out about Adrian and the team’s creative inspiration, and ask questions about creating a spectacular, contemporary, and immersive experience for a beautiful heritage space. The tour lasts 75 minutes and includes access to the House and Grounds.
The Darling’s Afternoon Tea
Afternoon Tea in the Grecian Hall is available:
November 11th, 12th, 18th, 19th, 25th, 26th
December 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th
Afternoon Tea slots are 90 minutes long.
A sprinkle of fairy dust is the cherry on top of our magical festive Afternoon Tea. Tasty treats and lovely touches will fill you with childish nostalgia, as we celebrate the boy who never grew up with a timeless and fun menu.
Yorkshire Gammon & Piccalilli, Egg & Mustard Cress, Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese, and Turkey & Cranberry finger sandwiches
Cherry & Almond and Golden Sultana Scones served with strawberry jam and clotted cream
Four delightful luxury miniature cakes including a Pink Lemonade Cupcake, Toffee Apple Choux, Banana & Custard Opera Gateau and Mississippi Mud Pie
Tea and coffee
Wreath Making Workshop November 27th & 28th
Spend a beautiful afternoon getting crafty and creative at Castle Howard and take away your own hand-crafted Christmas wreath. This practical workshop is led by Laura Newby from Belle Blooms Florists in York, and part of our expert Christmas team. Enjoy Laura’s expert guidance, and craft a beautiful wreath in time for Christmas using materials foraged from the Castle Howard Estate. A glass of Nyetimber Classic Cuvee is included to add some sparkle to your experience.
Tickets include entry to the House and Gardens, so you can take inspiration from our Christmas in Neverland installations, and from the beautiful natural colours and textures in our wintry Grounds.
IMPORTANT ACCESS INFORMATION, AND ACCESS PERFORMANCES & TOURS
Father Christmas in the Castle Access Performances
BSL Interpreted Performance: Tuesday 12th December, 5.15pm
A British Sign Language Interpreter will be signing this performance
Relaxed Performance: Wednesday 13th December, 6.30pm
This performance is reserved for children and young people with additional needs who would prefer a more relaxed environment. To book tickets for this performance, please email sales@castlehoward.co.uk
BSL Interpreted Tour: Thursday 23rd November, 3.30pm
A British Sign Language Interpreter will be signing this tour
Santa’s Grotto with Storycraft Theatre is accessible for wheelchair users. Father Christmas in the Castle is sadly inaccessible for wheelchair users; the show location is up two flights of stairs. We understand that this is disappointing, and it’s our ambition to make adjustments in the future. We invite wheelchair users to enjoy Santa’s Grotto with Storycraft Theatre and Christmas in Neverland.
Important information for wheelchair users and people who prefer or need level access
Level access to Christmas in Neverland is via the Christmas Marquee. The Marquee entrance is equipped with two sets of double doors – please note that these doors are not automatic and open outwards. Please ask a member of staff in the Gift Shop for level access assistance through to the visitor route.
Wheelchair users (under 225kg) are invited to use our House stair lift which takes visitors to the main floor of the House. Electric wheelchair / scooter users will need to transfer into a manual wheelchair to use the House stair lift, and we have plenty of manual wheelchairs which can be borrowed if required. We regret that access to the Chapel is restricted, information on these areas is available to view in portfolios from within the House.
Our Christmas Marquee is a temporary structure with ramped entry. The ramps are fitted to conform with regulatory standards, but there are some awkward thresholds in the design. Please see our Christmas access guide for full details, available from October 2023.