2nd Sep 2024
CHRISTMAS AROUND LINMERE
A big thanks to everyone who joined us to celebrate Christmas at the Farmstead recently. We hope this provided a festive start to the run in to Christmas. As we still have a couple of weeks left before the big day, it’s time for some venues around Linmere to keep that Christmas spirit going.
We’ve picked out 4 events and destinations to add to your Christmas list. All family friendly and in fact, adult friendly too. You won’t need to travel far, and they’ll give you a chance to sample some of the great attractions and venues we’re lucky to have around here. Enjoy!
Santa Paws is coming – Christmas at Whipsnade Zoo – to 24th December
6 miles from the Farmstead
Going by ZSL Whipsnade events, this will be a great day out. Visitors will enjoy a choice of festive experiences and fairground attractions. Take a trip to the Rainforest Room to join Santa and his elves on their mission to create a more sustainable Christmas, accompanied by Kahawa the Frog and Msitu the elephant with their interactive puppet show. Outdoor attractions include a festive fairground, festive walks, and a Winter Animal Talk around how wolverines, penguins and tigers adapt to the chilly weather. All of this topped off with a chance to meet Santa Claus, making it a genuinely memorable Christmas moment.
Visiting Whipsnade is subject to an entry fee, with tickets required to be booked in advance (using the link below). ZSL members and Under 3s go free. Located at Whipsnade, Dunstable, LU6 2LF. Entry tickets can be booked using the link here.
Cinderella at the Grove Theatre Dunstable – to 2nd January 2023
3 miles from the Farmstead
Nothing quite says Christmas like Pantomime. Oh no it doesn’t! Oh yes it does! We’re fortunate to have the excellent Grove Theatre just a few miles from Linmere and this year’s Cinderella is a fun-filled family treat.
Starring Strictly Come Dancing’s Joanna Clifton, CBeebies’ Mister Maker Phil Gallagher and Union J’s Jaymi Hensley, this is an ideal trip for all ages, to enjoy some festive comedy, luscious costumes, music, and plenty of laughs.
Location: Court Drive, Dunstable, LU5 4GP. There are tickets still available towards Christmas Eve and beyond, so be quick! Use the link here to start your booking.
Carols by the Hour – St Albans Cathedral – Saturday 17th December 11am–4pm
15 miles from the Farmstead (22 mins drive)
St Albans hosts our nearest Cathedral and it’s one spectacular venue any day of the year. Add a sprinkle of Christmas carols souring through its ancient aisles, it becomes on an unmissable experience.
These ‘bite-sized’ carol services give visitors a chance to enjoy a both traditional and festive moment in the run-in to Christmas. If you know the notes, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to join the choruses too. With some excellent shops, cafes, and restaurants around St Albans, this is a must for the last full weekend before Christmas.
Located at St Albans Cathedral, Sumpter Yard, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 1BY. Parking near the cathedral is very limited, so use Google Maps to guide you to one of the multi-story car parks at the Maltings or St Christopher’s place and enjoy a quick walk to the cathedral gardens. The Big Choir sings at 11am, with details of all the carol sessions here.
Christmas at Dunstable Downs – to 23rd December
4.5 miles from the Farmstead
One more for the road. We had to include Dunstable Downs, as they’re making a big effort this year and being so close to Linmere, they really deserve to be on your Christmas list. Apart from the spectacular views from the highest point in Bedfordshire, you’ll find plenty of ways to get that festive feeling.
So where do we start? Why not Festive Breakfast with the Elves from 17th to 23rd December, 9:30am each day? A hearty cooked breakfast, enjoyed in one of their festive booths, served by Santa’s Elves.
Still hungry? Enjoy a Christmas lunch (weekdays only). Again, enjoyed in one of their festive booths for a good price too.
Need to work it off? Try the Nutcracker Breakout Trail. Thankfully you won’t be sent out into the festive weather but solve the clues in an escape room. Find the stolen nuts laid out by the scheming squirrels and there’ll be a prize at the end!
Fancy an evening tipple? Festive Friday Nights on 16th and 23rd December (5–7pm) will offer late night shopping, music in the courtyard, with a glass of mulled wine or spiced apple.
Located at Whipsnade Road, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU6 2GY. All these events and menus require pre-booking. For more information, prices and entry fees, use the link here.
Wherever you spend the run in to Christmas, we hope you enjoy a safe one.
Linmere is designed to be a place for communities that embraces the natural environment, and where all generations can enjoy a great quality of life. This exciting new collection of leafy and walkable neighbourhoods, situated north of Houghton Regis Bedfordshire, located close to M1 Junction 11a. Nestled into verdant surroundings, its first homes completed and inhabited in 2021. The Land Trust will maintain and preserve these spaces on behalf of Houghton Regis Management Company.
