Father Christmas is at Kenilworth Castle on the three weekends from 5 to 20 December 2026: £12 a child, seven sessions a day, booked ahead. Times and booking.
Father Christmas is at Kenilworth Castle on the weekends of 5 and 6, 12 and 13, and 19 and 20 December 2026. Tickets are £12 a child, or £9.50 for English Heritage members, and must be booked in advance. On the same six days the castle runs Festive Fun, seasonal activities from 10am to 4pm that come with an ordinary entry ticket. Both are on English Heritage’s own pages for Father Christmas and Festive Fun.
The quick answer
- Dates: Saturdays and Sundays only, 5 to 20 December 2026. Six days in all.
- Father Christmas sessions: 10.20am, 11am, 11.40am, 12.20pm, 1.40pm, 2.20pm and 3pm.
- Price: £12 per child, £9.50 per child for members. Non-members pay castle entry on top.
- Adults: one accompanying adult per child.
- Festive Fun: 10am to 4pm, included in standard entry, free for members.
- Where: Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden, Castle Green, off Castle Road, CV8 1NG.
Father Christmas: what you get
English Heritage describes a group storytelling session in which Father Christmas reads some of his favourite seasonal stories. After it, each family meets him, with time for photographs, and every child is given a traditional present to unwrap.
The details that catch families out:
- One adult per child. The castle limits places to one accompanying adult for each child, to keep room for everyone. Two parents with one child will need to decide who goes in.
- Arrive 15 minutes early. The page asks you to be there at least 15 minutes before your session because Father Christmas starts promptly.
- Bring the confirmation. Members also need their membership card, and the member rate only covers people on that membership.
The cost for a family
The Father Christmas ticket is a supplement, not an entry ticket. Non-members pay £12 per child and also need admission to the castle. English Heritage does not print a flat admission price: it is shown in the booking calendar for the date you pick, in Standard, Saver and Super Saver bands, and the castle says booking early saves up to 15%. Check the price for your weekend before you commit.
Members pay £9.50 per child and get in free. English Heritage says membership starts from £44 and lets up to six children in free with each adult member, so families planning several visits may find it pays for itself.
How to book
From the Father Christmas page, press Buy tickets, pick your date, then add the Father Christmas ticket under “enhance your visit”. It is easy to miss: if you only book castle entry, you have not booked Father Christmas. With seven sessions a day over six days there are 42 sessions in total, and English Heritage does not sell them on the door.
Festive Fun, 10am to 4pm
The Festive Fun page promises a festive day out with seasonal activities around the castle on the same weekends. It does not list the activities. The rules are clear, though:
- It is included in the standard entry price and members go in free.
- Booking ahead guarantees entry and takes 15% off the ticket.
- Father Christmas costs extra.
After 20 December
On 5 October English Heritage listed nothing at Kenilworth after the 20 December weekend. We will add any Christmas week or New Year event if one appears.
Getting there and parking
The castle is on the west side of Kenilworth, off Castle Road, CV8 1NG. Its phone number is 01926 852078. In December the town centre car parks that CJ’s Events names for Kenilworth’s Christmas events are Abbey End (CV8 1QJ), Abbey Fields (CV8 1BP) and Square West (CV8 1EN).
Our parking page has charges across the district, and the roadworks and travel page carries closures on the roads into Kenilworth.
More Christmas near Leamington
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Friday 27 November | Kenilworth Christmas lights, lights on at 6pm, then the Abbey End Festive Hub with Santa on Saturday 28 November |
| From Saturday 21 November | Christmas at Warwick Castle, with Stories with Santa in the Great Hall from £29 including entry |
| Weekends in December | Father Christmas near Leamington: every grotto we have checked, with prices |
| Sunday 6 December | Leamington Lantern Parade, Pump Room Gardens, 4.15pm |
The month’s full list is on what’s on in Leamington.
Have your say