Quick answer
Plan Santa visits around Harrogate ahead. Stockeld Park near Wetherby runs its Christmas Adventure from 21 November to 24 December 2026, and is closed from 12 to 20 November. Mother Shipton’s Cave in Knaresborough runs a Christmas Experience on selected dates from 28 November to 24 December. Harrogate Theatre’s pantomime, Sleeping Beauty, runs from 25 November 2026 to 17 January 2027. Stockeld Park is closed on 25 and 26 December, and RHS Garden Harlow Carr on Christmas Day.
Christmas closures and changed hours
- Stockeld Park, near Wetherby: closed 12 to 20 November 2026, and on 25 and 26 December.
- Mother Shipton’s Cave, Knaresborough: on 12 November the site said it was closed while it sets up for Christmas. From 28 November to 24 December it opens only for pre-booked Christmas tickets on selected dates.
- RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Harrogate: open every day except Christmas Day.
- Harrogate Theatre: on 12 November, no pantomime shows were listed on Christmas Day or 1 January 2027.
- Harrogate and Knaresborough Leisure and Wellbeing Hubs, and Starbeck Swimming Pool: closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
- Yolk Farm, near Boroughbridge: the shop and Yolk Farm Kitchen close on 25 and 26 December. On 24 December, Yard entry and last food orders end at 1pm, and the shop closes at 2pm.
- Mercer Art Gallery and Royal Pump Room Museum, Harrogate: closed on Mondays. On 12 November, neither page gave Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day hours.
Meeting Father Christmas
The Christmas Adventure at Stockeld Park, near Wetherby
Stockeld Park is an adventure park on the A661 between Wetherby and Spofforth. The Christmas Adventure runs from 21 November to 24 December 2026. Families walk through a North Pole village, and each family meets Santa on their own. The illuminations continue to 3 January 2027.
Tickets are packages, and only some include Santa. Illuminations, Forest and Maze tickets start at £18.50 per person, with no Grotto. Silver adds the Grotto, from £21 per adult and £31 per child. Gold adds a short panto on selected dates, from £32.50 per adult and £42.50 per child. The booking shop adds £2 per transaction. Add-ons cost extra.
You must book online for December weekends, and for the week before Christmas after schools break up. Tickets are non-refundable. Everyone under 16 must stay with an adult aged 18 or over.
Magical Christmas Experience at Mother Shipton’s Cave, Knaresborough
Mother Shipton’s Cave sits in woodland by the River Nidd. The Christmas Experience runs on 28 and 29 November, 5, 6, 12 and 13 December, and 18 to 24 December 2026. Children meet Santa in his grotto, with a soft toy gift and reindeer food.
Book online in advance, as tickets are not sold at the gate. A car or group of up to 5 costs £44 or £46, and babes in arms count in the 5. Each child aged 0 to 12 who wants the full Santa visit with a gift needs an extra £18 or £19 Santa ticket. A £1.50 booking fee applies per order. Tickets cannot be rescheduled, and are refunded only if the whole event is cancelled.
The Cave and Petrifying Well are reached only by three sets of steps, with no pushchair or wheelchair access. The grotto and activity huts may not suit all pushchairs. Weather can close the Cave and Well without a refund. Paths run beside the river, so keep young children close.
Pantomime at Harrogate Theatre
Harrogate Theatre on Oxford Street stages Sleeping Beauty on selected dates from 25 November 2026 to 17 January 2027. Prices on the event page range from £20 to £206, varying by performance. On 12 November, shows were listed on 24 December at 10am and 2pm, and on 26 December at 2pm and 7pm.
Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. Babes in arms under 18 months usually need no ticket on an adult’s lap, but cannot go in the boxes. There is no lift, and no room for pushchairs in the auditorium.
Relaxed performance: 11am on Sunday 13 December 2026, priced £22 to £200.
Lights after dark at RHS Harlow Carr
RHS Garden Harlow Carr, on the edge of Harrogate, runs RHS Glow on selected evenings from 26 November to 30 December 2026. The light trail opens 4.30pm to 8.30pm, with last entry at 7.30pm. Everyone, including under 5s, needs a pre-booked Glow ticket. Non-member adults pay £15.25 to £19.25.
A Glow SEN night on Sunday 6 December 2026 has fewer visitors and minimal noise, with last entry at 7.15pm. Book it only if someone in your party has additional sensory needs. The RHS asks visitors to take care around water, and paths can be muddy, steep and uneven.
Festive trails and crafts
- Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate: entry is free, and the free Festive Gingerbread Trail runs until 31 December 2026. A free Christmas Make and Take craft session runs on Wednesday 23 December, with limited places booked online.
- Royal Pump Room Museum, Harrogate: the same trail runs until 31 December 2026. The trail is free, but admission charges may apply. Museum tickets are £4.40 for adults and £2.50 for children up to and including 16.
- Knaresborough Castle and Courthouse Museum, Knaresborough: the free Festive Donkey Trail runs until 31 December, Wednesday to Saturday, 10am to 3.30pm. Admission charges may apply. Expect cliffs above the river, uneven ground and historic steps.
Festive afternoon teas
Bettys Café Tea Rooms on Parliament Street, Harrogate, linked festive menus on 12 November 2026. The children’s afternoon tea is £19.95, and the adult Festive Afternoon Tea £35.95. Bettys takes walk-ins. Christmas and New Year hours were not published on 12 November.
Ripley Castle and Gardens in Ripley serves a Festive Afternoon Tea at The Boar’s Head on 11, 12, 18 and 19 December 2026. Adults (12 and over) pay £36.75 and children aged 6 and over £21, including fees. Pre-booking is essential and non-refundable.
Swims and farm play
The Harrogate and Knaresborough Leisure and Wellbeing Hubs and Starbeck Swimming Pool charge £4.50 for a junior swim (ages 4 to 16). Under 8s must be with an adult over 16, at two children per adult, except in Active North Yorkshire swimming lessons. Pool times change in school holidays. On 12 November, their pages did not say whether the Boxing Day closure falls on 26 or 28 December, so phone first.
Yolk Farm near Boroughbridge is a working egg farm, where seeing the animals is free. The play barn costs £3.95 per child, with under 1s free, and opens 9am to 3pm daily in winter. It is unheated, so wrap up. On 12 November, the website said Father Christmas was coming, but the events page listed no dates or prices.
Frequently asked questions
Where can children meet Father Christmas near Harrogate in 2026?
Stockeld Park near Wetherby runs Santa’s Grotto from 21 November to 24 December. Mother Shipton’s Cave in Knaresborough has Santa visits on selected dates from 28 November to 24 December. Mother Shipton’s sells Christmas tickets online in advance only. Stockeld Park must be booked online for December weekends and the week before Christmas after schools break up.
When is the Harrogate pantomime in 2026?
Sleeping Beauty runs at Harrogate Theatre from 25 November 2026 to 17 January 2027. The relaxed performance is at 11am on Sunday 13 December 2026.
What is open on Christmas Day near Harrogate?
Stockeld Park, RHS Garden Harlow Carr and the three swimming pools are closed. On 12 November, no pantomime shows were listed. Check any other venue before you travel.
What can we do on Boxing Day near Harrogate?
On 12 November, Harrogate Theatre listed pantomime shows at 2pm and 7pm on 26 December 2026. RHS Garden Harlow Carr closes only on Christmas Day. Mother Shipton’s Cave aims to open for gate sales from 26 December, weather permitting.
Is anything free for children at Christmas in Harrogate?
Mercer Art Gallery is free to enter, and its Festive Gingerbread Trail is free until 31 December 2026.
Checked on 12 November 2026 against the official websites, through our Harrogate venue pages. Heading to York too? See Christmas days out in York. Prices and opening times change, so check before you travel.
Main photo: Valley Gardens, Harrogate, in the snow. Photo: C P Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped).