Christmas in Greenwich, London and Blackheath 2026: Markets, Lights, Grottos, Ice Skating and Panto

Christmas in Greenwich and Blackheath has a little of everything: a Snow Queen grotto in a royal palace, an open-air ice rink, a lantern parade, village lights, panto and some of London's friendliest Christmas fairs. This is our round-up of the festive season in 2026, date by date. We'll keep it updated as more events are confirmed. Every date and price below was checked 1 November 2026 on the organiser's own website. Before the festive season gets going, Remembrance Sunday is on 8 November: see our guide to Remembrance Sunday 2026 in Blackheath, Greenwich and Lewisham. For bank holidays, bins, opening hours and New Year's Eve, see our Christmas and New Year practical guide.

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Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust at Charlton House

Museum & Heritage · Charlton

The heritage charity that cares for the Royal Borough's historic collections and runs Charlton House & Gardens, a Jacobean manor with free gardens, tours, events and a tea room.

Christmas 2026 at a glance

Saturday 14 November to Thursday 24 December: Santa's Grotto at the Queen's House, Greenwich.

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Queen's House

Museum & Heritage · Greenwich

Inigo Jones’s white Palladian villa in Greenwich, now a free art gallery with royal portraits, seascapes, the Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I and the famous Tulip Stairs.

Sunday 15 November: Blackheath Christmas Fair at Blackheath Halls, from 10:30am.

Wednesday 18 November: Greenwich Market Lantern Parade and Christmas Lights Switch-On, 4pm to 6pm.

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Greenwich Market

Market & Community · Greenwich

Greenwich's historic covered market, trading since 1737: more than 120 shops and stalls selling art, crafts, antiques, vintage and street food, plus a riverside food market by the Cutty Sark.

Wednesday 18 November to Sunday 3 January 2027: the Queen's House Ice Rink (closed on Christmas Day).

Friday 27 November to Sunday 10 January 2027: Jack and the Beanstalk, Greenwich Theatre's pantomime.

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Greenwich Theatre

Theatre & Performance · Greenwich

An Off-West End theatre and charity on Crooms Hill since 1969, known for new work, theatre for young audiences and its award-winning pantomime, with a 400-seat auditorium and studio.

Saturday 28 November to Tuesday 22 December: Father Christmas at the Old Royal Naval College.

Saturday 28 November to Wednesday 23 December: Santa's Grotto at Woolwich Works.

Saturday 5 December: Blackheath Lights Up for Christmas, 4:30pm to 5:30pm, plus the Ladywell Christmas Market and Small Business Saturday.

Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December: Charlton House & Gardens Christmas Fair, with Santa's Grotto.

Weekends from 5 to 20 December: Father Christmas at Eltham Palace.

Sunday 13 December: Blackheath Halls Christmas Concert, 7:30pm.

Saturday 19 December: Winter Solstice Family Festival at the National Maritime Museum, 10:30am to 5pm.

Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 December: The Nutcracker at Blackheath Halls.

Santa's grottos

Greenwich's headline grotto is at the Queen's House, where an actor-led Snow Queen story ends with Father Christmas. Tickets are £30 per person (£27 for Royal Museums Greenwich Family Members, under-1s free, plus a £3 booking fee), and several dates are already sold out. There are also grottos at the Old Royal Naval College, Charlton House, Eltham Palace and Woolwich Works. Our guide to Santa's grottos in Greenwich, London has every date, price and SEND-friendly session.

Christmas markets and fairs

The season opens with the Blackheath Christmas Fair on 15 November (£3, under-16s free, in aid of Age Exchange), followed by the Charlton House fair and the Ladywell Christmas Market on 5 December. Greenwich Market is open daily from 10am to 5:30pm. Read our guide to Christmas markets and fairs for times, prices and where to eat nearby. For gift ideas from local independents, see our shop-local Christmas gift guide. And if you'd like to give back this Christmas, our local charities series introduces the charities working across the area.

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Age Exchange

Museum & Heritage · Blackheath

A Blackheath-founded arts and reminiscence charity whose village hub has a not-for-profit café, a volunteer-run community library, a monthly book sale and rooms to hire.

Christmas lights

Greenwich Market's Lantern Parade on Wednesday 18 November sees local schoolchildren carry handmade lanterns from the Old Royal Naval College through Cutty Sark Gardens to the market, with the countdown to the switch-on at 5pm. Royal Museums Greenwich says Cutty Sark's mast is also lit up as a Christmas tree. In Blackheath, the Blackheath Society lists Blackheath Lights Up for Christmas for Saturday 5 December, 4:30pm to 5:30pm, with details still to be announced. More in our Christmas lights switch-on guide.

Ice skating at the Queen's House

The Queen's House Ice Rink returns from 18 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, closed on Christmas Day. The rink's own site lists prices from £19 for adults, £16.50 for children and £49.95 for a family. Royal Museums Greenwich and the rink's own website currently give different opening times, so please check before you go on the Royal Museums Greenwich ice rink page and the rink's own website.

Panto, concerts and shows

Greenwich Theatre stages Jack and the Beanstalk from 27 November 2026 to 10 January 2027, with a running time of 2 hours 20 minutes; dates and booking are on the Greenwich Theatre website. At Blackheath Halls, the Christmas Concert on Sunday 13 December (7:30pm, £20, under-12s £10) features the Blackheath Halls Youth Choir, and the Let's All Dance Ballet Company brings The Nutcracker on 22 and 23 December (£18, under-16s £16). Full listings, including carol services and shows for little ones, are in our panto, carols and Christmas shows guide.

Free family days

The Winter Solstice Family Festival at the National Maritime Museum on Saturday 19 December runs from 10:30am to 5pm and is free. The National Maritime Museum and the Queen's House are free to enter, though Royal Museums Greenwich recommends booking. The Royal Observatory closes from 2 November for refurbishment: see our story on the Royal Observatory closure. For walks and the solstice festival, see our winter walks guide.

Where to eat and drink

In Greenwich town centre, Trafalgar Tavern and The Cutty Sark sit right on the river, Goddards at Greenwich serves pie and mash on King William Walk, and Royal Teas is a cosy café on Royal Hill. In Blackheath Village, try The Railway Blackheath, Côte Blackheath or Montpeliers. Browse more in our local guide and on What's On. Planning Christmas Day or a festive meal? See our Christmas lunch and dinner guide.

Where we checked

All details were checked on 1 November 2026. Please check the organiser's page before you travel.

Royal Museums Greenwich Christmas guide: rmg.co.uk/plan-your-visit/visit-greenwich/christmas

Queen's House grotto: rmg.co.uk

Queen's House Ice Rink: rmg.co.uk and thequeenshouseicerink.com

Greenwich Market lights: greenwichmarket.london

Blackheath Lights Up for Christmas: blackheath.org

Blackheath Christmas Fair: blackheathhalls.com

Charlton House: greenwichheritage.org

Old Royal Naval College: ornc.org

Eltham Palace: english-heritage.org.uk

Woolwich Works: woolwich.works/christmas

Ladywell Christmas Market: lewishamparish.com

Greenwich Theatre panto: greenwichtheatre.org.uk

Blackheath Halls: Christmas Concert and The Nutcracker

Winter Solstice Festival: rmg.co.uk

Small Business Saturday UK: smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com

Photos: Cutty Sark and Christmas tree by Donnchadh H, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Cutty Sark Christmas lights by Loco Steve, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Greenwich Market interior by Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; The Queen's House by Ввласенко, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.