The Great Christmas Carnival at Newbury Racecourse is home of the gravity-defying attraction Flying Father Christmas. The Carnival is brought to Berkshire by the producers of the acclaimed Edinburgh’s Christmas, Christmas in Leicester Square, and Christmas in Trafalgar Square.

Newbury Great Christmas Carnival Review

This was a fantastic start to our Christmas, really brings the Christmas vibes! It lived up to its claim of being the biggest Christmas wonderland style in the South.

There were over 20 rides and attractions that suited all the family, including a big wheel, vintage carousel, and fun house. For the more adventurous there was also a spinning coaster ride and a Giant Rollercoaster.

We started our afternoon with a walk to the bar to warm up with a mulled wine. There were a large variety of different flavours to choose from, I had Amaretto and it was delicious, just what you need on a cold day!

Then my son had an appointment with Santa at his Grotto. This was lovely, so well organised, and beautifully presented. Santa was so well dressed, and told the children a story before talking to them individually and receiving a present. Lots of photo opportunities. It really was a Christmas wonderland in there, somewhere all children’s dreams could come true.

Then we walking through the different food stands, bars and rides. My son is only a toddler but there was still plenty for him to do. He enjoyed the trampoline soft play, the merry-go-round, the ‘hook a duck’ game, bumper cars, and of course all the sweet treats! He particularly loved the toasting marshmallows stall with a real fire.

Next we headed to the Christmas tree maze, which was really big! My son absolutely loved this! It was magically presented with twinkling lights and there was a nice children’s game where they had to find different letters and stamp them off on a card. My son loved running around, finding the dead ends and shouting ‘boo’ at us.

After we had run off our sweet treats we headed for the circus tent. The Great Christmas Circus, from the creators of Circus Extreme and Circus Berlin, runs multiple times during the day and lasts 45 minutes. My son really enjoyed this, especially the dancers/gymnasts/contortionists who were incredibly flexible. The show also featured a trapeze artist, who was incredibly talented, a gymnastic tightrope walker and of course the ringmaster who was very funny. The final act was a motorcycle stunt act; I have been told this is often called the ‘globe of death’ it certainly appeared risky! I was a bit worried the circus would be too loud or too scary for my son, but he really enjoyed it.

The Great Christmas Carnival is run by the world leading entertainment company, Underbelly, which is known for Edinburgh’s Christmas, Christmas in Leicester Square, and Christmas in Trafalgar Square.

There is free parking at the racecourse; it’s not too far to walk across to the carnival. It is easy to push a buggy around, very child friendly. Although, I would say the plastic covering the put down was sometimes a trip hazard. Entry starts from £5 and includes a complimentary hot chocolate and the incredible Flying Father Christmas attraction. You can then buy all tickets for the individual attractions on site.

When is the Newbury Great Christmas Carnival?

Running from 27^th November until 2^nd January at the iconic Newbury Racecourse, the festive winter wonderland is a brand new large scale Christmas extravaganza for 2022. Tickets are on sale at greatchristmascarnivalnewbury.com.

What is the Newbury Great Christmas Carnival?

Once inside the Carnival site, customers will have a veritable feast of things to do.

This one sleigh stop will feature a whole host of family friendly attractions, including incredible theme park rides such as the The Greatest Hits Radio Big Wheel, the Vintage Carousel and the Fun House. For thrill seekers, the Carnival will feature the spine-tingling Spinning Coaster and the exhilarating Giant Rollercoaster.

Ticket holders are set to be wowed by the Great Christmas Circus. From the creators of Circus Extreme and Circus Berlin, the big top will most multiple performances each day for this family friendly and sensational circus show, featuring an array of world class performers. Performances are only 45 minutes long so there’s plenty of time to enjoy the rest of what the Carnival has to offer.

Get lost in the twists and turns of the enchanting Christmas Tree Maze, and younger guests are set to be captivated by Father Christmas’ wonderous Grotto, where children can meet the man himself and be read a special Christmas story.

Additionally, guests are invited to pull on their skates and glide across the sparkling Ice Rink. Surrounded by glistening lights, the rink is suitable for the whole family, with skates available to hire and aids to help younger skaters and those taking their first steps on the ice.

The Great Christmas Carnival will also include an expansive Christmas Market, featuring the Nordic Nook bar with a cosy fire pit and the Apres Alpine bar, an Alpine style beer hall. Everything from European produce and traditional festive refreshments will be on offer, including mulled wine, mince pies and raclette, as well as delicious festive street food.

How Much are Tickets?

Carnival goers will need to purchase an entry ticket to access the Carnival, with the first 200 pre-booked tickets to be free. Tickets include a complimentary hot chocolate, as well as the incredible Flying Father Christmas outdoor show which will take place on the hour, ever hour that the site is open. Look up to the sky and watch as Santa literally flies over the Carnival site in his sleigh, accompanied by a wonderful festive soundtrack. The magical and jaw dropping event can only be seen at The Great Christmas Carnival and will make for a very special and ‘one of a kind’ Christmas moment for families.

Extras

Entry tickets and tickets to the attractions and shows are available to purchase in advance online or on the day via the box office. We recommend booking in advance as much as possible. For a limited time, visitors who spend £25 or more on rides and attractions by purchasing in advance online will receive 20% off the price of their purchase. There are also fantastic discounted packages available for those who wish to plan their whole day in advance. These can be found at greatchristmascarnivalnewbury.com.

Free parking is available at Newbury Racecourse and included in the Carnival entry ticket, and the site is easily accessible via the M4 Junction 13, National Rail and from Newbury Town Centre, with a free shuttle bus service available for ticket holders.

The Great Christmas Carnival at Newbury Racecourse will see one of the county’s most iconic landmarks transform into a magical winter experience and host the biggest festive event in the South outside of London. Having accommodated a wealth of successful events on the track over the past decade, Newbury Racecourse is the perfect spot to welcome The Great Christmas Carnival, with excellent transport links to wider Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, London and other surrounding areas. Welcoming children and adults alike, the major festive event promises a safe and family friendly day out and is guaranteed to be the South’s must visit attraction for the holiday season.

 The Great Christmas Carnival at Newbury Racecourse will run from Sunday 27^th November until Monday 2^nd January 2023, with Friday 25^th and Saturday 26^th November open following the racing action as an exclusive sneak peek for Newbury Racecourse’s Coral Gold Cup ticket holders.

Find all the best Christmas Events in Newbury and all around Berkshire for 2022.