Leeds Castle Christmas 2026: Wallace & Gromit From 21 Nov

Leeds Castle, near Maidstone, has published its whole winter programme. The daytime Christmas show this year is Wallace & Gromit: A Cracking Christmas Caper, running 21 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 and included in a normal admission ticket. The evening Christmas Lights trail runs from 20 November to 3 January on a separate ticket, and Father Christmas sees families from 21 November to 24 December. The castle and grounds close on Christmas Day. Here is the full season, from half term to January, with the opening hours and prices from the castle’s own site.

The quick answer

• Daytime Christmas: Wallace & Gromit, 21 November to 3 January, included with admission, with live performers at weekends and in school holidays.
• Evenings: Christmas Lights at Leeds Castle, 20 November to 3 January, separately ticketed through Ticketek; annual tickets do not cover it.
• Hours from 20 November: grounds 10am to 3.30pm (last entry 2.30pm), castle 10.30am to 3pm. Closed Christmas Day. An adult Explorer ticket is £34.50 online.

The season at a glance

Wallace & Gromit: A Cracking Christmas Caper

The story is a heist: the “Leeds Castle Diamond” vanishes before its Christmas unveiling, and visitors join Wallace and Gromit’s Anti-Theft-O team to follow clues through the castle’s rooms. The castle says familiar characters from the films turn up as suspects, including Feathers McGraw, Preston, Piella Bakewell and Shaun. It is included with a daytime admission ticket, “with live performers on weekends and school holidays” (Leeds Castle).

Christmas Lights at Leeds Castle

The evening trail returns from 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. The castle lists the Christmas Cathedral, the Fire Garden, a Laser Garden and a Water Fountain Show, with food and drink stalls and Father Christmas somewhere on the route. It is run by a third party and booked through Ticketek: Leeds Castle annual tickets and gift vouchers are not valid, and the ticket does not include the castle or daytime attractions (Leeds Castle, Christmas Lights). The castle’s page does not print prices or start times; check them on the booking page.

Father Christmas

This year’s show has Father Christmas losing his memory after a jet-pack mishap, with three elves and performers from Hoopstar Theatrical helping children put him right before they meet him. The practical details, from the castle and its booking partner Great Grottos (booking page):

• You need a Leeds Castle admission ticket for the same day as well as the Father Christmas ticket. Admission tickets last 12 months, so a visit in the past year may already cover you.
• Sessions last about 40 minutes, are shared with other families, and are aimed at children aged 3 to 10.
• Up to four children and two adults per booking. Tickets are non-refundable, but you can reschedule before your visit if there is space.
• It takes place in the Gatehouse on the Castle Island.
• On 25 September the booking calendar showed sessions on 21, 22, 28 and 29 November, 4 to 6 December, then every day from 11 to 24 December.

The booking page does not show a price until you choose a date.

Opening hours this winter

Source: Leeds Castle, opening times and directions. The same page lists the closures:

• Castle and grounds closed: the fireworks weekend, 7 and 8 November (open from 2pm to fireworks ticket holders only), and Christmas Day, 25 December.
• Castle building closed, grounds open: Friday 6 to Wednesday 11 November for the Christmas set-up and fireworks, and Monday 4 and Tuesday 5 January for the pack-down.
• The Black Swan Ferry runs at weekends and in school holidays until the end of October and then stops. Multimedia guides are not available over Christmas.

Prices

A ticket lets you return free for a year, so a half-term visit also covers the Christmas trail. The Ultimate Explorer ticket (adult £45.50 online) adds six ferry or train trips and a round of adventure golf. Visitors with a disability get a free carer. The castle also offers 20% off entry for visitors who arrive by train, bus or bike (Leeds Castle, pricing).

What is still to be confirmed

• Christmas Lights ticket prices and time slots, on Ticketek.
• Father Christmas ticket prices, shown only at booking.

For more of the season, see our Maidstone Christmas lights switch-on, Maidstone pantomime, and fireworks and Bonfire Night pages. If you are coming by train, our Maidstone Christmas train times page has last year’s festive changes.

Sources

• Leeds Castle, Wallace & Gromit: A Cracking Christmas Caper
• Leeds Castle, Christmas Lights at Leeds Castle
• Leeds Castle, Father Christmas at Leeds Castle and Great Grottos, booking page
• Leeds Castle, Horrible Histories Halloween
• Leeds Castle, Opening times and directions
• Leeds Castle, Pricing and tickets