Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without a spectacular transformation of Castle Howard.
And the stately home has just revealed what its planning for the festive season this year.
The big theme is… Christmas in Neverland!
The event will run from 11 November to 2 January and tickets are on sale this week.
Last year’s Christmas celebration, Into the Woods: A Fairytale Christmas, attracted record numbers of visitors to Castle Howard.
Christmas in Neverland aims to build on that success, and will see the 300-year-old house transformed – with floristry, installations, props, soundscapes and projections, all creating a Peter Pan-inspired festive experience.
Charlotte Lloyd Webber Event Design are creating the magical installations inside the house for the sixth year running, including a Mermaid’s Lagoon, Captain Hook’s Cabin, and the Jolly Roger.
The team are prioritising sustainability by using recycled materials, including paper and glass, in their designs.
Imitating The Dog, a theatre company specialising in digital projections, are joining the team for the first time to create projections and soundscapes.
Tickets are now available for Castle Howard gold and silver members. Those subscribed to the e-newsletter can buy tickets tomorrow (Wednesday, 9 August) and they go on general sale via the website this Thursday.
Santa’s back!
Santa loves Castle Howard (so many chimneys!) and he returns for the festive season.
Visitors can book for Father Christmas in the Castle to meet him in the main house, or Santa’s Grotto to meet him in the Stable Courtyard.
Abbi Ollive, director of marketing and visitors, said: “Christmas at Castle Howard is a special event for so many of our visitors and we’re thrilled to put tickets on sale for 2023.
“We’re excited to transform the grand Castle Howard halls into a festive treat full of creative storytelling, designed to delight and inspire our visitors.
“The Peter Pan story is a beautiful, nostalgic, and heart-warming, and we’re hoping everyone that experiences it rediscovers their inner child and leaves believing in fairies.”
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Castle Howard Christmas events and tickets
- Christmas in Neverland – in the main house, 11th November – 2nd January
- Christmas in Neverland Guided House Tour – November 13 – 17, 20 – 24, 27 – 28, 30th
- Father Christmas in the Castle – in the main house, 25th November – 24th December
- Santa’s Grotto – in the Stable Courtyard, 1st – 24th December
- Christmas in Neverland Guided House Tour: Meet the Designers – November 17th, 24th, 1st December
- Wreath Making Workshop – November 27th & 28th
- The Darlings’ Afternoon Tea – various dates in November and December
Tickets are available from the Castle Howard website
British-grown Christmas trees, and treats from both the Castle Howard Farm Shop and Gift Shop and Bauble Emporium, will add to the festive atmosphere.
Christmas afternoon teas are also available, plus a festive menu in the Courtyard Café and Christmas Marquee.
Castle Howard’s charity partner for 2023 is Great Ormond Street Hospital. Visitors can choose to add a donation when they purchase their tickets.
Peter Pan author JM Barrie gifted the rights of the story to the hospital. Castle Howard is delighted to fundraise for them this Christmas.
Castle Howard was celebrated at the Museum + Heritage Awards in London earlier in the year, winning Marketing and Communications Campaign of the Year for Into the Woods: A Fairytale Christmas.
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