What’s On This Weekend In Nottinghamshire: 1 - 2 December

Winter Family Fun Day at the National Ice Centre
 

National Ice Centre 
Saturday 1 December 2018 | 11am - 4pm
Tickets: Adults £8.50, Under 16's £7.50, Under 5's Free, Family of three £21, Family of four £27, Family of five £33

Get your skates on for a fabulously festive, fun-filled family day out at the National Ice Centre. After a turn on the ice to show off your skating skills there’s a host of fun, free activities to enjoy, including face painting, craft activities, festive film screenings, hockey shootouts and on the spot surprises. There’ll be some very special guests to meet too, with Frozen’s Olaf, Poppy from Christmas Trolls, My Little Pony’s Twilight Sparkle, Nottingham Panthers’ mascot, Paws and more. Be sure to bring your camera to snap some fun Christmas (s)elfies with the silly props in the photo area. Adults can pick up expert tips on how to create the perfect seasonal decorations with tutorials from Brookfields Garden Centre, who’ll also be bringing along a fabulous range of Christmas gifts, plus singers from Loughborough Student Union ‘Sing’ society will be singing Christmas carols throughout the day to make you feel extra festive.

For more information, please click here. 

Craft Fairs & Christmas Markets
 

Various Locations 

Small Business Saturday takes place on the first Saturday of December each year, a grassroots campaign to support and celebrate all things independent. For one day, why not boycott the big brands and bring genuine joy to someone by supporting their enterprises and pick up some great gifts or a treat for yourself in the process. In addition to Nottingham’s amazing array of specialist shops offering original and unusual finds, quirky bars and charming cafes, there are three independent art and design fairs taking place in Nottingham this weekend. Nottingham Contemporary’s Craft Fair features a host of unique independent designers and makers, selling hundreds of wonderful bespoke gifts that you almost certainly won’t find anywhere else. Prepare to be wowed by the array of gorgeous items on sale; beautiful handmade jewellery, funky prints and textiles, colourful ceramics, quirky stationery, cute greetings cards and so much more. Meanwhile, Nottingham Trent University’s Art and Design department, recognised as among the best in the world for nurturing creative talent, will be showcasing the work of their gifted students and alumni at their annual Art and Design Christmas Fair. A perfect opportunity to pick up great gifts and support emerging artists in the process. Visitors on Saturday should be sure to stop by the Students Union to peruse the stalls of handmade gifts, tasty treats and vintage goods at Nottingham’s Etsy Made Local Christmas Craft Market. For more on these great fairs, please click here to read our blog.

For those who prefer a more traditional Christmas market, Nottingham has you covered! If you’re in the city, be sure to wander the stalls of the Bavarian style outdoor market at the Winter Wonderland. Head to Kelham Hall for a truly atmospheric celebration of Christmas in the magnificent Victorian house set within 88 acres of gardens and parklands. Collect your free Hot Chocolate and wander through the charmingly decorated stands with a diverse range of festive merchandise, soak up the uplifting sound of Christmas carols, or join in the craft workshops to make your own special gifts. 

Pantomimes 
 

Various locations 

Get ready to get ready to cheer the heroes, boo the baddies and get your festive fix of slapstick and all-round silliness with the opening of Panto season. A local legend comes to life at the Nottingham Playhouse this year with Robin Hood & The Babes In The Wood running from the 30th of November 2018 until the 19th of January 2019. Written by Kenneth Alan Taylor, the story of our favourite outlaw’s battle against the evil Sheriff of Nottingham is sure to bring the laughs, alongside a dose of good old Nottingham folklore. Nottingham Arts Theatre are bringing the classic tale of a beautiful bookworm trapped in an enchanted chateau with a mysterious beast to the stage with a magical retelling of Beauty and the Beast, running Saturday 1st to Sun 16th December.

For more information on pantomimes and festive theatre in Nottinghamshire, please click here. 

Christmas Murder Mystery Evenings
 

National Justice Museum
Saturday 1, Friday 7, Thursday 13, Thursday 20, Friday 21 & ​​​​​​Saturday 22 December
Tickets: £39.99

Budding sleuths and literary lovers who like interactive theatre and love getting hands-on with their investigations will adore these Murder Mystery Evenings with a Christmassy twist. After warming up with a delicious mulled wine, don your detective hat and tour the historic Shire Hall and old County Gaol, picking up clues to solve the mystery of who murdered Charles Dickens, interviewing iconic characters from his tales along the way to build your case. Sit down for a sumptuous three course meal before celebrating a job well done and a mystery solved with music and dancing until midnight.  

For more information, please click here.

Festive Concerts

Various Locations 
Saturday 1 & Sunday 2 December 

Celebrate the start of advent with a choice of inspiring classical Christmas concerts. The annual performance of Handel’s Messiah by the Nottingham Harmonic Choir at the Royal Concert Hall, this year taking place on Sunday 2 December, has become an unmissable fixture in the Christmas calendar.

Exquisite solo arias such as I know that my Redeemer and thrilling choruses like the joyous Hallelujah come together to create a masterful, musical retelling of the biblical account of the birth, life and death of Christ, well-loved by audiences for almost three centuries. Over at the historic St Mary’s Church in Nottingham’s Lace Market, on Saturday 1 December, superb baroque collective Solomon's Knot make their much-anticipated return with their heart-warming Christmas in Leipzig concert. Performing seasonal music from three famous composers, each called Johann and associated with the renowned Thomaskirche in Leipzig; Schelle, Kuhnau and Bach, their euphoric rendition of Bach’s jubilant Magnificat is not to be missed.