Christmas events in South Wales
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in South Wales. Here's our ultimate guide to what's on for Christmas 2023.
The Nutcracker
15 Nov / Swansea Grand Theatre
A lavish ballet for the festive season, featuring a live Orchestra with over 30 musicians. Snow flurries, sweets, princes, magic and love are just some of the elements that will be brought together. A highly accessible ballet, full of familiar music such as the Waltz of the Flowers and the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.
Merthyr Tydfil Christmas Funday
18 Nov / Merthyr Tydfil Town Centre
A free fun day from 11am, kick off your festive celebrations in Merthyr Tydfil. Enjoy a whole host of seasonal attractions including real reindeer, fairground rides, Christmas Market, a giant snow globe and lots more. At 5pm Capital FMs Josh and Kally will be hosting the Christmas lights switch on.
The King and I
21 -25 Nov / New Theatre Cardiff
The multi award-winning Broadway production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King and I returns to the UK, following its critically-acclaimed sold out season at The London Palladium.
This gloriously lavish production will feature a world-class company of over 50 West End and Broadway performers and a full-scale orchestra.
Meet Santa!
25 Nov - 23 Dec / WWT Llanelli
Never one to miss an opportunity to get out of the workshop for some birdwatching, Father Christmas will be visiting Llanelli Wetland Centre to greet families in the Heron’s Wing Hide this Christmas! He’ll be there every weekend, call 01554 741 087 to book your meet and greet.
Royal Welsh Winter Fair
27-28 Nov / Builth Wells
The Winter Fair draws crowds from far and wide to enjoy two-days packed full of competitions, festivities and Christmas shopping. Along with exhibitions and displays, it’s also a great place to pick up lots of unique and original Christmas gifts. The Food Hall will be packed full of the very best Welsh producers for some tasty festive delights.
The Royal Mint Christmas Experience
25 Nov - 24 Dec / The Royal Mint Experience
A truly magical day out filled with wonder that the kids will love. Santa has been using The Royal Mint as his British base for hundreds of years and now you can discover the secret for yourself. Visit The Royal Mint Experience dusted with a blanket of snow, for a magical festive adventure that will be a highlight of your Christmas.
Katherine Jenkins - Home for Christmas
25 Nov / Swansea Arena
Global superstar, Katherine Jenkins OBE returns to Swansea for a spectacular, Home for Christmas concert. Featuring a live orchestra, band and special guests. The Welsh national treasure will perform a combination of classical crossover favourites, operatic arias and special Christmas songs in one of the most captivating concerts Swansea has ever seen.
Christmas Fair
25 - 26 Nov / WWT Llanelli
A two-day indoor festive fair with breathtaking wintry wetland views to get us all in the mood for Christmas. They’ll have stalls brimming with handmade local crafts, plenty of unique gifts from small businesses, and seasonal decorations. Plus, lots of tasty warming treats, exciting raffle prizes and festive cheer. It’s going to be even bigger and better than last year!
Father Christmas and Friends at St Fagans
December Weekends / St Fagans National Museum of History
Father Christmas and his Elves will be visiting St Fagans Museum once again this year, and you’re invited to a very special event in the festive setting at Llys Llywelyn, the Museum’s impressive reconstruction of a 13th century Princes Court. So make sure you book a place for your little ones to join in the fun.
Elf Academy
December Weekends / WWT Llanelli
They’re looking for some helpful recruits to lend a hand in the Elf Academy this Christmas! WWT elves will guide young recruits through our beautiful collection of birds to the special workshop in the Observatory for an afternoon of wildlife crafts, stories, and wrapping presents for those who need some extra gifts this Christmas. All presents wrapped will be donated to Threshold, a local charity supporting survivors of domestic violence. The families they work with often have to leave their homes with nothing, so every gift we can give will mean so much at Christmas.
Pinocchio
1 - 9 Dec / The Princess Royal Theatre
Join Pinocchio on his quest to a happy ever after. Expect plenty of laughs, incredible music, spectacular special effects and bundles of audience participation in this whale of a pantomime!
The Snowman and the Snowdog
2 - 3 Dec / National Museum Cardiff
A charming Christmas experience in the beautiful Reardon Smith Lecture Theatre. You’ll have a story from Father Christmas, then settle back to watch the family Christmas favourite ‘The Snowman and the Snowdog’ before some interactive fun at the end with the snowman.
Aladdin
7 Dec - 14 Jan / Wales Millennium Centre
Escape to a whole new world and experience this extraordinary theatrical event already seen by over 14 million people worldwide. With astonishing special effects, over 350 lavish costumes and a fabulous cast with live orchestra.
Beauty and the Beast
8 - 31 Dec / Grand Pavilion Porthcawl
The most enchanting family pantomime of all time. Beauty and The Beast has all the traditional ingredients you know and love in panto, hilarious slapstick comedy, plenty of audience interaction and marvellous musical numbers, the Porthcawl Panto is sure to be the hottest ticket in town.
Cinderella
9 Dec - 7 Jan / Swansea Grand Theatre
Swansea’s award-winning pantomime is back and this year it’s everyone’s favourite rags to riches tale, Cinderella! The show will star TV favourites AJ & Curtis Pritchard and Swansea panto legends - the hilarious and much loved Kev Johns and Matt Edwards.
Handel’s Messiah
10 Dec / Brangwyn Hall, Swansea
The annual Civic Messiah features soloists, musicians and choristers from the locality in this joyous annual performance. This year’s Messiah will be performed by the Chamber Orchestra of Wales and Chorale, conducted by Jeffrey Howard.
Jack and the Beanstalk
14 - 28 Dec / The Lyric, Carmarthen
Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum, Theatrau Sir Gâr is proud to present the magical tale of Jack & the Beanstalk. This is a full-of-beans panto, with a dastardly villain, a hapless comic, and a hilarious panto dame, as well as magical musical numbers and bags of slapstick fun. Book your tickets now.
A Christmas Carol – As told by Jacob Marley
18 Dec / Ffwrnes Llanelli
Told from the perspective of Scrooge’s deceased business partner, this award-winning stage adaptation has been hailed as the definitive telling of A Christmas Carol. Rated as one of the top Christmas shows in London, Edinburgh and around the UK.
Bublé Christmas by Candlelight
19 Dec / Brangwyn Hall, Swansea
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas with this ultimate feel good, sing-along concert, guaranteed to bring you Christmas cheer and have you dancing in the aisles. Featuring a live Big Band and the UK’s number one Michael Bublé tribute act.
Beauty and the Beast
11 - 28 Jan / Ffwrnes Llanelli
The Ffwrnes are pulling out all the stops for their annual Christmas panto. In a quiet village far, far away lies a cursed castle, where an evil enchantress has turned a pompous prince into a hideous beast. After imprisoning a young woman in exchange for her father, will the Beast learn to love Belle before the last rose petal falls? Or will he remain a monster forever?
