This year, we’ll be putting on two big Christmas events in Huddersfield and Dewsbury! Our two biggest town centres will be brought to life with light shows, live performances and Christmas markets, marking the run-up to Christmas with a bit of festive magic and fun for all the family.
Local creators, performers and vendors are also at the heart of this year’s events, and we’ve partnered with other community organisations to give you the chance to enjoy a fantastic array of festive entertainment. And best of all, everything’s completely free!
Christmas in Huddersfield
The first event will be Christmas in Huddersfield on Saturday 29 November!
We’re partnering with the Huddersfield BID to create a spectacular day of festive creativity, music and immersive experiences. With extra sponsorship from Our Cultural Heart, there’ll be a traditional Christmas market, craft workshops from the Creative Piazza, and a variety of live performances throughout the day.
The evening will kick off with a ‘Merry & Bright Moment’, where we’re all invited to come together to light up the streets of Huddersfield – followed by our unique festive garden, which will illuminate St. Peter’s Gardens well into the evening!
More information about Christmas in Huddersfield.
Christmas in Dewsbury
The following weekend it’s time for Christmas in Dewsbury!
On Saturday 6 December, the brand new space outside Dewsbury Town Hall will play host to the traditional Christmas market, and a community music stage featuring local acts all day long. More live performances and immersive spaces, creativity and craft workshops will take place right across the town centre – topped off with a Santa’s grotto, plus a fun family-friendly activity hunting out those sneaky Santa’s elves right across Dewsbury.
We’re partnering with the Arcade Group to deliver this fantastic event – that’s the community organisation set to manage the Dewsbury Arcade once it reopens next year.
More information about Christmas in Dewsbury.
There’s lots more going on across Kirklees this festive season! Visit Creative Kirklees to explore more local events.
Christmas in Huddersfield
On Saturday 29 November, Huddersfield will host a spectacular day of festive creativity, music and immersive experiences to celebrate the run-up to Christmas.
We’re partnering with the Huddersfield BID to make this year’s Christmas in Huddersfield extra special. Best of all, everything’s completely free!
Winter Worlds
During the day, from 11am to 4:30pm, a ‘Winter Worlds’ event will take place on the Creative Piazza – soon to be home to Our Cultural Heart, which is providing extra sponsorship for the event.
This will include a ride-on steam train, skating, face-painting, and creative workshops put on by some of the businesses hosted through our Creative Piazza partnership – including print-making with the West Yorkshire Print Workshop, a textiles workshop from Thread Republic and a chance to decorate your own elf at MakerWorld!
Live performances
Local children’s theatre company Tell Tale Hearts will be performing their much-loved Trunk Tales – through which children can hear stories and adventures from all across the globe – with a special winter theme, and there will be Christmas-themed puppetry from The Daves. There’ll also be walkabout performances throughout the day, including Poppy Poppins from Poppins Presents, and some fantastic music to jive to from Huddersfield Samba.
Christmas market
Meanwhile, Huddersfield’s Christmas market will be open in St. Peter’s Gardens on Byram Street from 12midday to 8pm. This traditional Christmas market will showcase lots of fabulous local traders, with tasty festive food and a tipi-style beer tent.
Lighting up the town centre
As dusk falls, Huddersfield will light up with a ‘Merry & Bright Moment’. We’re all invited to gather on New Street, where we’ll receive strings of lights and form a glowing Christmas chain through the town centre. At 5:30pm, the Huddersfield BID will illuminate these lights in unison.
You’re also welcome to bring your own festive lights on the day. CollaborARTi, another part of our Creative Piazza collaboration, are running lantern-making workshops ahead of Christmas in Huddersfield – the perfect opportunity to add your bit of creative flare to the moment.
Immediately after this ‘Merry & Bright Moment’, we’ll be igniting our spectacular festive fire garden in St. Peter’s Gardens! It’ll feature a trail of flaming beacons, a stunning mechanical fire sculpture, beautiful burning trees and more. The festive fire garden will celebrate the rebirth of Huddersfield through all its investment over the coming years. It’ll also provide the perfect magical setting for carols throughout the evening, surrounded by stunning firelit sculptures and festive cheer.
Christmas in Dewsbury
On Saturday 6 December, Dewsbury town centre will be filled with family-friendly festivities – the perfect recipe for a fun day out, with a fantastic selection of entertainment for all ages!
Christmas in Dewsbury will stem from the brand new public space out front of the town hall and across to the Princess of Wales precinct, including a traditional Christmas market, a community music stage, and even a fun Santa’s grotto.
Best of all, everything’s completely free.
Say hello to Santa
To make this event as fabulous as possible, we’re working with the Arcade Group – the community organisation set to manage the Dewsbury Arcade when it reopens next year. On the day of the event, the Arcade Group have even agreed to loan out their pop-up shop to Santa for his grotto, and have teamed up with more local businesses to hide some sneaky Christmas elves around the town centre… Do you think you can find them all?
Live performances
Our music stage will host loads of local acts throughout the day – including bhangra artist Hardeep Sahota, singer Mitchy, the Yorkshire Folk Choir and the Musica Combined Children’s Choir.
Local children’s theatre company Tell Tale Hearts will be performing their much-loved Trunk Tales – through which children can hear stories and adventures from all across the globe – with a special winter theme, along with Topsy Turvy Theatre who, in conjunction with Creative Scene, will be performing their special festive production Christopher’s Christmas.
There’ll be more walkabout performances around the town centre throughout the day, including Christmas elves ‘Ebor n Gum’, Huddersfield Samba, and a beautiful giant barn owl called Thingumajig.
Get creative and crafty
There’ll also be lots of opportunities to get crafty at Christmas in Dewsbury! ‘Make and take’ activities through WOVEN will include the chance to make your own festive rag wreath, using recycled textiles, and take it away on the day. The Creative Scene ‘Pow Space’ will provide an open space for art and creativity. And local artist Ruth Dyer is creating a giant interactive colouring wall especially for the event – come along and make your mark.