Norwich is the City of Stories.
Join us this Christmas as we Journey through Christmastime.

The year is 1121 when the Christmas court of King Henry I arrives with a fanfare into Norwich, one of the few recorded visits to the city by an Anglo-Norman king. Some 900 years later through both traditional and experimental forms of storytelling including 70ft projections onto its façade, Norwich Castle presents Christmas at the Castle: The Story of the King.

Taking the story through Norwich's medieval street pattern, families will love exploring the city-wide Christmas Crown Trail finding crowns of all sizes, hidden in plain sight within decorated store windows and at iconic attractions such as Norwich Cathedral and Norwich Market.

Learn about Christmas through the decades visiting Norwich's smallest festive installation on a pop-up stall at Norwich Market; let your imagination run wild with a Narnia Afternoon Tea in an igloo; devour local food, drink and entertainment at Mysabar under the watchful gaze of Norwich Castle; immerse yourself in colour and light in the Tunnel of Light and start your shopping at Festive Fair at The Forum over 4-days showcasing East Anglian made products with live entertainment and joyful organ music to get visitors in the Christmas mood.

Culture is a huge part of Christmas in Norwich and Norfolk. And brings a 'Journey through Christmastime' bang up to date with the inaugural winter exhibition at Houghton Hall which is set to be transformed by a major solo exhibition of contemporary British artist, Chris Levine, 528 Hz Love Frequency.

Whilst at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts see exhibitions: Leiko Ikemura: Usagi in Wonderland; Grayson Perry: The Pre-Therapy Years; Rhythm and Geometry: Constructivist art in Britain since 1951 and their latest addition to the Sculpture Park- Anthony Caro's Goodwood Steps which at over 3 meters in height and over 35 meters in length is positioned in proximity to Denys Lasdun's famous ziggurats on the University of East Anglia's Norwich campus.

Christmas Food and Drink

Festive Dining in your own private Pop-Up Igloo (6-10 people)
The Assembly House, Theatre Street, Norwich, NR4 7TJ
1 November – 2 January 2022
01603 626402 | https://www.assemblyhousenorwich.co.uk/

Why not start the festive season celebrations by booking a Beforenoon Tea (£30.00pp and £18.00 for under 12s) or Narnia Afternoon Tea (£35.00pp and £22.00 for under 12s) in your own private pop-up igloo?

Beforenoon tea is breakfast cooked along with a themed traditional cake stand including a breakfast shot glass with granola, yoghurt and fruit compote and 'Fried egg' mango and vanilla cheesecake and Cruffin cinnamon roll. The Narnia tea includes delights such as 'Raspberry Snowflake Dodger', and 'Snowy Black Forest Cheesecake'. Complement the pastries and cakes with Turkish Delight cocktails, mocktails and hot chocolate.


Narnia Afternoon Tea in Georgian surrounds
The Assembly House, Theatre Street, Norwich, NR4 7TJ
£23.95 per person | £47.00 for two.
https://www.assemblyhousenorwich.co.uk/christmas-2021/christmas-menus
The Narnia afternoon tea can also be taken in the stunning Georgian dining room at The Assembly House under spectacular crystal chandeliers and festive décor.

Mysabar
Castle Quarter Gardens, Norwich
14 October – 2 January 2022: Thursday – Sunday
https://www.mysabar.co.uk/
Instagram: @mysabar_ | www.facebook.com/MysabarNorwich

The next reincarnation of Mysabar is set to re-open 14 October for their second autumn/winter experience under the lights of Norwich Castle. Norwich's popular pop-up bar and restaurant will be larger than 2020 and will include new tent configurations with decoration by local designers Smoke and Wild Wood, new floors and plenty of heaters to keep things cosy.

The centrepiece will always be the food and drink. Sip some of the best craft beer the UK has to offer, rotated on a weekly basis, alongside a carefully curated wine list and some incredibly exciting new local food from nearby traders and restaurants.

As Christmas gets underway there will be winter warmers and festive food offerings, plus some one-off special events with live music.  Mysabar will continue to operate a table-service system and bookings will be available online in 2-hour sittings for tables of 2, 4, 6 (or multiples of/large bookings welcome) plus there will be some tables available for walk-ins.

Norwich's smallest bar - Mulled wine topped up with rum or whisky
Sir Toby's Beer at Stalls 182 and 183 on Norwich Market
November & December
https://sirtobysbeers.co.uk/

Christmas in Norwich isn't Christmas in Norwich without a visit to see Toby and Dominic on their small market stall bar. Sip steaming traditional Glühwein with or without a top up, wrap up warm and swap stories with friends and family. And they also sell beer- local and otherwise!

Interactive experiences

Tunnel of Light
Hayhill, Norwich
16 November – 5 January 2022
www.visitnorwich.co.uk

The Tunnel of Light has become an iconic sight in the centre of Norwich each festive season. At 45-meters long, 4 meters high and 6 meters wide with over 57,000 LEDs the tunnel never fails to bring a smile to the faces of anyone making a journey through whilst enjoying the colourful dancing sequences.


Christmas Crown Trail
From Norwich Castle to The Tunnel of Light
16 November – 5 January
Norwich Business Improvement District and VisitNorwich in partnership with Norfolk Museum Services celebration of Christmas at the Castle: The Story of the King, brings a trail of crowns hidden in the windows of shops and businesses, and iconic sights such as Norwich Cathedral and Norwich Market. Taking you across Norwich in a quest to find as many crowns as possible. Pick up a map and get going remembering to look up, down and around along the way.

'The King's Christmas' projection on Norwich Castle
Castle Meadow, Norwich
16 November – 5 January 2022
www.visitnorwich.co.uk

In 1121 one of the most powerful medieval kings, Henry I, used Norwich Castle as the venue for his Christmas court. This Christmas, 900 years later, Norwich Castle will be adorned by beautiful 70ft projections telling the story of the royal Christmas visit, one of the few recorded visits to Norwich by an Anglo-Norman king. Norwich is the City of Stories. And this Christmas it has a very special story to tell.

Chris Levine at Houghton Hall
Bircham Rd, King's Lynn PE31 6TY
22 October to 23 December 2021; 4.30pm to 9pm, Thursday, Friday and Saturdays only
Tickets £18 inc parking, under 18s FREE, (Students £10) 
www.houghtonhall.com

Houghton Hall in Norfolk is set to be transformed by a major solo exhibition of contemporary British artist, Chris Levine, 528 Hz Love Frequency. Marking the inaugural winter show in the historic grounds of this prestigious art venue, this exhibition running between 22 October and 23 December 2021 will feature a series of new holographic artworks, print works and large immersive laser and LED installations. This is a body of new work created specifically for the unique environs of the house and grounds. Each distinctive work is characteristic of Levine's unique and cutting-edge work with the meditative and immersive properties of light and sound.


Christmas Markets

Festive Fair at The Forum
Norwich, NR2 1AW
25 – 28 November 2021 FREE entry
Thursday 25 11am to 7pm; Friday 26 and Sat 27 10am to 6pm; Sun 28 November 10am to 4pm.
www.theforumnorwich.co.uk

The Festive Fair at The Forum in Norwich will be back with a bang in 2021 having missed a year in 2020. This popular Christmas market attracts thousands every year with its Norfolk-made crafts, food and produce theme.  Shoppers really delight in buying local.

Enjoy a glass of Norfolk beer or cup of warming mulled wine while listening to Christmas carols from Norfolk's own Pavilion Brass Quintet on the Thursday and Friday and return at the weekend for festive tunes from a traditional fairground organ. Plus, there'll be all sorts of food and drink stands outside, from waffles and gourmet doughnuts to freshly roasted almond pralines.

Inside there will be East Anglian stalls galore selling everything from jewellery, pottery, plants, textiles, woodcraft, glassware, clothes, tins, art, preserves, Christmas decorations and much more.

Plus, in the spirit of Christmas, this event will also be raising funds for charity, in this instance Norwich-based breast cancer reconstruction charity, Keeping Abreast.

Events

Countdown to Christmas live street performance and music
Norwich
Sunday's – 5 weeks in the lead up to Christmas
www.norwich.gov.uk/events (dates to be released in November)

City shoppers and diners will be able to enjoy a selection box of entertainment every Sunday in the run up to the big day. From choirs and dance groups to jolly characters including Santa Claus himself, there will be something to help everyone step into Christmas in Norwich this year.

Norwich Castle
Christmas at the Castle: The Story of the King (Dates tbc)
Suitable for children and families of all ages.
https://www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/norwich-castle

This Christmas the castle celebrates the historic visit of Henry I to Norwich Castle which took place 900 years ago with The Story of the King, an exciting programme combining both traditional and experimental forms of storytelling. Join us for Christmas cheer and fuel your understanding and love of Norwich and its rich and majestic heritage. Norwich: The City of Stories.

Journey through Christmastime (in Norwich)
Pop-up stall installation at Norwich Market (Stalls 138 & 139)
17 November – 17 December, FREE, open during market trading hours

Norwich's smallest installation opens in partnership with Norfolk Museum Services celebration of Christmas at the Castle: The Story of the King. King Henry I brought his Christmas court to Norwich in 1121- some 900 years later we look at Norwich through the ages in picture form. The pop-up will be decorated with trees and fairy lights as well as Christmas stories told through images depicting family Christmases, businesses in Norwich, past events in Norwich and people enjoying the festive period.

Christmas patisserie demonstration at The Assembly House
The Assembly House, Theatre Street, Norwich, NR4 7TJ
5 December, 11.30am 
Tickets £40 inc coffee, demo, Narnia afternoon tea and a glass of fizz
www.assemblyhousenorwich.co.uk/events/2021/06/christmas-patisserie-demonstration

Christmas patisserie demonstration with Assembly House Head of Pastry Mark Mitson, followed by Narnia at the Assembly House Afternoon Tea at 1.30pm.


Christmas Made Simple: Cookery Demonstration at The Assembly House
The Assembly House, Theatre Street, Norwich, NR4 7TJ
12th December, 11.30am
Tickets £40 inc coffee, demo, Narnia afternoon tea and a glass of fizz
Watch Chef Director Richard Hughes, followed by Narnia at the Assembly House afternoon tea.

Christmas shows

My First Panto: Cinderella Rocks
The Garage, 14 Chapel Field North, Norwich, NR2 1NY
26 November – 16 January 2022
Tickets £13.50 adult / £8.50 child, under 1s go free

https://thegarage.org.uk/shows/my-first-panto-2021-cinderella-rocks-the-garage/ 

My First Panto returns to The Garage this year with a brand-new show. This telling of Cinderella is the perfect introduction to theatre for the little ones and is aimed at ages 7 and below. Enjoy singing, dancing, and all out laughter! Plus, there are socially distanced performances, relaxed performances, and performances with BSL.

Robin Good: The Politico-Panto
Norwich Playhouse, St Georges, Norwich
08 - 19 December
https://norwichtheatre.org/whats-on/robin-good-the-politico-panto/

The newly created Minister for Greed & Division wants to deport the people of Norfolk to Suffolk, build a wall around Norfolk and turn the county into a holiday resort for billionaires. But one person is determined to foil these dastardly capitalist plans and stop Norfolk becoming a playground for the super-rich: young queer socialist vegan social media influencer Robin Good.


Dick Whittington and his Cat
Norwich Theatre Royal, Theatre Street, Norwich
11 December 2021 - 9 January 2022
https://norwichtheatre.org/

Don't miss this year's panto as Norwich Theatre is delighted to announce that a host of TV stars, a lockdown Youtube sensation, a former wife of Henry VIII and the UK's youngest one-man-band musician will be joining Norwich's favourite pantomime dame for this year's much anticipated production, Dick Whittington and his Cat.

The stellar cast will be joined by Norwich Theatre Royal's pantomime favourite, Richard Gauntlett. Richard will play the pantomime dame Sarah the Cook, as well as write and co-direct the production. Incredibly, this theatre run will see Richard reach his 1,000th pantomime appearance and this is his 21st pantomime at Theatre Royal. Oh yes, it is!

Thursford Christmas Spectacular

Thursford, Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 0AS
Europe's largest and most lavish Christmas show returns
9 November – 21 December
Tickets www.thursford.com
01328 878477

Europe's largest and most lavish Christmas show returns for its most ambitious and extravagant show to date, following a hiatus last year due to Covid. Running for seven weeks only from 9 November – 23 December. Set in the midst of the world's largest collection of steam engines, mechanical organs and fairground rides, Thursford's opulent Christmas spectacular is performed by a cast of 130 professional performers, many of whom have come directly from the West End in this three-hour show-stopping bonanza featuring a wide range of music, dance and comedy, with many more surprises along the way.

This glittering, tinsel-packed variety show has been entertaining visitors of all ages from across the globe since opening its doors on Christmas Eve more than 40 years ago in 1977. Seen by nearly 6 million people, the team have been busy auditioning over 3000 performers this year, as well as installing a brand-new lighting experience to ensure that this year's beloved and highly anticipated family-run show brings bucket loads of Christmas cheer to audiences who missed out last year.

For further details and high res images contact PR & marketing manager melanie.cook@norwichbid.co.uk