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A photo of Canterbury high street at night, lit with Christmas lights with text beneath that reads Canterbury Christmas Market - November 12th to December 24th 2021
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Canterbury Christmas Market 2021

City Centre

Canterbury's beautiful Christmas markets are open for business until Christmas Eve selling festive food, drinks, arts and crafts and gifts in the heart of Canterbury's historical city. Expect to see them lining the streets in Whitefriars, St Georges Street and Rose Lane so do go grab yourself a mulled wine and some hot food, meet with friends, listen to the live music or just take a break in between your Christmas shopping. Expect to see: A magnificent lit-up Helter Skelter Visit Santa Experience Santa Paws (just for for well-behaved dogs!) Mistletoe Selfie Booth Bars selling mulled wine, festive cocktails and craft beer Live music each Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Market opening times Monday to Friday 10 am to 6 pm Saturday 9 am to 6 pm Sunday 10 am to 4 pm Christmas Eve closes at 4 pm See Visitor Information and FAQ for further information Click HERE for the official website, listing all the details and a map Click HERE for the Facebook page where up-to date information is regularly posted, including details of live music and last-minute special festive offerings 

A photo of a Helter Skelter ride
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Festive Helter Skelter

Kids will love this! This festive fun Helter Skelter is lit up in gorgeous Christmas lights with Christmas songs playing, creating the perfect soundtrack for kids to have fun and burn off some energy while you stand by and sip a mulled wine and grab a bite to eat (the food and drink hut is right beside it). This will be there every day until December 24 and is located outside Barclays Bank in St George's Street. Find out more about the Helter Skelter and the Christmas Market HERE

Marlowe Theatre Pantomime: Jack and the Beanstalk

The Marlowe Theatre

Do stalk to this year’s fun-filled, family pantomime Jack And The Beanstalk, with West End star and pop icon Duncan James, Strictly Come Dancing’s Joanne Clifton, alongside Marlowe favourite Ben Roddy, returning villain Marc Pickering (Mother Goose, Boardwalk Empire), Milkshake! presenter Nathan Connor and Bobbie Chambers (South Pacific). Jack And The Beanstalk promises to be a giant of a pantomime, so don’t miss out, book today! Please note: Duncan James will not be appearing in the following performances: Sat 4 Dec: 10.30am, Sat 11 Dec: 10.30am, Sat 18 Dec: all performances Sun 19 Dec: all performances, Mon 20 Dec: all performances, Sat 8 Jan: 10.30am Joanne Clifton will not be appearing in any performance before Wed 1 Dec.

A poster with an illustrated Canterbury skyline with some Christmas themed Lego figures over it, with text above that reads Christmas Shopping Map & Lego Trail
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LEGO City Centre Trail

Canterbury City Centre

CHRISTMAS LEGO TRAIL From Wed 1 - Fri 24 Dec, our LEGO Trail is live! Keep an eye out for all sorts of LEGO creations in Canterbury's Christmas window displays, using the special Christmas LEGO-inspired maps available at the Beaney on the High Street. This fun trail goes hand-in-hand with the Beaney's BRICKLIVE exhibition opening 11 Dec where you can see life-size Christmas Santa, reindeer, elves and much more all made out of bricks!  LEGO Trail Maps  will be handed out to visitors to the Beaney - so visitors can step out afterwards and go explore the city for LEGO displays. Visitors can also look out for the special window stickers -a clue that there is something LEGO-inspired hiding in the window display!

Festive Family Funday at Houdini’s Magic Bar!

The festive man of the moment Santa spares an afternoon to share his magic in Canterbury -at Houdini's Magic Bar in St Peter's Street. Bring the family or your friends, grab a cocktail and sit back while Santa sprinkles his magic dust and mixes things up with a bag of tricks and delights to keep you entertained -and well watered. Great afternoon of Live Magic, Festive fun, games and a visit from the Big Man himself but you must book first. Book now on 0333 006 4151  bar@houdinis.co.uk

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Santa Paws

Whitefriars Square 14 Gravel Walk, Canterbury CT1 2TF, Canterbury

Canterbury Christmas Barket welcomes your four-legged friends to Santa Paws to visit Father Christmas, who absolutely adores all animals – obviously! Each visit includes an opportunity for your dog to tell Father Christmas how well behaved they’ve been, a Christmas gift for your dog and plenty of opportunities to take photos. This will take place in Santa’s grotto in the Marlowe Arcade. 1 dog and up to 2 human friends per booking.  7th December and 8th December only 12 noon until 6 pm.  Sessions last up to 5 minutes.  £4.00 per dog per booking. Well behaved dogs only, please. Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times. All dogs must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Human friends to wear a face mask if possible, please. Click here to book

Pantomime: Beauty and the Beast

Malthouse Theatre Malthouse Road, Canterbury

Beauty And The Beast Belle will have her Ball in December 2021 10th – 24th December 2021 Belle will have her Ball (oh yes she will) in our spectacular family pantomime ‘Beauty and the Beast’ playing at the  Malthouse Theatre from 10th December 2021! Featuring stunning sets & costumes, side splitting comedy, catchy hit songs and a dazzling West End cast, you don’t want to miss this festive treat for the whole family! Make sure to book before the last rose petal falls! Additional Information Please contact the box office on 01227 287234 to book a wheelchair space. There is a relaxed & signed performance Saturday 11th Dec @ 11am. Running Time: Inc Interval 2hrs 5 minutes

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BrickLive at the Beaney

Brickmas Exhibition and City Trail! Santa’s little helpers have heard about our ‘Elf’ and wellbeing work at The Beaney and they have decided to spend the holidays with us! Visit Santa’s workshop at The Beaney featuring BRICKLIVE Christmas models including life size Santa, Reindeer and those cheeky elves! Santa’s workshop will run from Saturday 11 December to Sunday 2 January. (Please note The Beaney is closed on Mondays and 25 December, 26 December and 1 January). Admission is free, with donations encouraged. Plus, follow the free Christmas brick trail through Canterbury City Centre that will bring our city alive with wonderful Christmas models in shop windows! Brought to you in partnership with Canterbury BID. The trail will run from Wednesday 1 December to Friday 24 December. Find out more HERE

A photo of Westgate Hall

Canterbury Postcard and Collectors Fair

Westgate Hall Westgate Hall Road, Canterbury

Enter the wonderful world of ephemera at the Canterbury Postcard and Collectors Fair. Buy and sell postcards, stamps, militaria, coins, cigarette cards, antiques, toys, books, and much more, all at a social distance in our fully Covid-secure venue. Browse dozens of stalls. Saturday 11 December 8.30am Doors open (£2 entry) From 10am free entry  Plus enjoy takeaway hot and cold drinks and snacks from our pop-up cafe.

Kent Police Safer Streets pop up hub

Outside Barclays Bank

The Safer Streets Team (Kent Police in partnership with Canterbury City Council) will be in the city centre on Saturday 11 December, with a pop-up hub outside Barclays Bank to share safety messages and marking bicycles against theft etc.

Festive Concert: The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge

Gulbenkian Theatre

The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge and conductor Graham Ross make their debut at Colyer Fergusson Hall with ‘What sweeter music’, a joyous and ravishing programme of festive choral masterpieces old and new. “What sweeter music” Hieronymus Praetorius’s Christmas Magnificat and Palestrina’s ‘Surge, illuminare’ sit alongside two exquisite Hymns to the Virgin by Pierre Villette and Benjamin Britten, James Long’s invigorating ‘Vigilate’, motets by Messiaen, Tavener, Will Todd, and John Rutter, and a beautiful selection of arrangements that tell us that Christmas has truly begun. Click HERE to book tickets

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