Toy robots, canal boats and Peter Pan are all heading to Birmingham this festive season. The
lights are twinkling and the city is ready for a packed programme of events to celebrate
Christmas.
Back for its seventh year, the hugely popular Frankfurt Christmas Market is the world’s
largest authentic German Christmas market to be staged outside Germany or Austria and will
be in Victoria Square from 15th November – 23rd December. There’s more than 90 stalls with
food, drink and crafts, and it’s expected to attract more than two million visitors during its
six-week run.
For gifts this side of the Channel, the Craft Market runs alongside the Frankfurt Christmas
Market, from 22nd November – 23rd December, offering unusual and unique gifts ideas on
sale for all the family.
Sports fans can get their skates on from 29th November – 13th January 2008 when the UK’s
largest ice rink, T Mobile Street Ice, is set up in Centenary Square. Enjoy open air skating
on the Olympic sized outdoor rink and text your favourite tunes to the Street Ice DJ!
The city’s network of canals will be illuminated in all their glory during the Broad Street
Canal Boat Light Parade on 9th December. Running from the NIA to The Mailbox, this
procession of stunning illuminated canal boats is not to be missed. Brindleyplace will be
providing a whole host of family fun for the event including real life reindeer, Father
Christmas and live music and entertainment throughout the day.
For a more traditional take, head back in time to meet Queen Victoria and find out more
about how Christmas was celebrated in Victorian times. Christmas craft activities and
seasonal musical add to the traditional atmosphere during the Victorian Christmas
weekend at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, 15th – 16th December.
Families can come face to face with Santa in the picturesque surroundings of the Birmingham
Botanical Gardens at Santa’s Christmas Wonderland on 2nd December. Or, if you fancy
something less traditional, head to Thinktank where Robo Challenge brings live robotic
fighting to the city’s interactive science museum at Millennium Point on 28th and 29th
December. There’s also the Robot Hall of Fame offering a rare chance to see robots on
display from TV’s hit series ‘Robot Wars’.
Birmingham’s theatreland is buzzing - it offers up to 17 million seats a year to watch
performances, and Christmas is no exception. Slava’s Snowshow returns to the
Birmingham Hippodrome 6th –10th November. This visual spectacular has won countless
awards and has performed in over 25 countries to more than one million spectators. Escape
to Neverland with the boy who never grew up with The REP's brand new musical production
of Peter Pan from 28th November - 19th January 2008. Christmas isn’t Christmas without a
panto and John Barrowman, the time-travelling friend of Dr Who, will head the cast of the
glittering pantomime spectacular of Aladdin from 10th December – 27th January at the
Birmingham Hippodrome.
Santa Claus and Scrooge ate the musical themes for the Alexander Theatre. Presented by the producer of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Santa Claus the Musical, from 7th – 30th December is a new musical comedy extravaganza that takes you on a magical journey to the North Pole
with tap dancing penguins and a flying sleigh. Laugh off the Christmas pud with Shane
Ritchie in Scrooge The Musical from the 14th – 26th January.
Dance fans will not be disappointed by the Peter Wright's award-winning production of The
Nutcracker, by the Birmingham Royal Ballet from 30th November – 13th December. Join the
award winning balletLORENT at Birmingham’s very own dedicated dance house, Dance
Xchange. Their performance of Angelmoth on 19th December invites you into a labyrinth of
secret dreams and fears.
Join one of the UK’s finest choirs, Ex Cathedra, for Sing Noël! A Baroque Christmas on
9th December in the city’s recently refurbished Town Hall. The CBSO hosts its traditional
festive fun and frolics, with broadcaster and performer Aled Jones. Festive Favourites on
Thursday 20th December at the Symphony Hall presents a selection of Christmas stories and
readings. Canal side development Brindleyplace is hitting all the right notes with the 12
Bands of Christmas, Thursday 13th December to Monday 24th December. A live band will
be playing for each of the 12 Days of Christmas from a Cathedral Choir to a modern day
covers band, each playing in different locations throughout Brindleyplace.
Birmingham is the perfect place to celebrate Christmas in style. With 1,000 shops in the city
centre including chic shopping centres The Mailbox and Bullring, there’s no excuse not to
dress to impress at the festive parties!
Christmas treats couldn’t be more magnificent this year at The Mailbox where you can
choose from nostalgic, regal or magical pieces and more. Spice up your life with Crabtree &
Evelyn’s Noel home fragrance range that features a selection of candles, fragrance sprays
and oil droppers. Thomas Pink are celebrating this season too with a special gift collection
taking its inspiration from the Royal House of Tudor offering bright jewel cuff links and black
ties adorned in Swarovski crystals.
Birmingham's Harvey Nichols Festive Foodmarket and Gift Shop is open offering
shoppers a host of ideas for a luxurious Christmas. Whether you are looking to stock up on
champagne for the office party, send a deluxe hamper to a loved one or just on the look out
for a special sauce to liven up the turkey, Harvey Nichols offers an extensive range of top
quality seasonal produce. Foodies can also enter a gourmet paradise at House of Fraser,
the largest store in the UK. Their luxurious hampers brim with hand picked delicacies, tasty
delights and every possible Christmas essential.
To make the Christmas shopping go smoothly, the Pallasades shopping centre offers a few
gift wrapping service from 15th November – 23rd December. Santa will also be making an
appearance at the Pallasade grotto from 24th November – 24th December. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without carol singers, so this year, local choirs will be filling Bullring with the sound of music to get you in the festive spirit while you shop.
For something more creative, the city’s leading contemporary art gallery Ikon is offering a
range of interesting and unusual gift ideas including cards, books and quirky merchandise.
Birmingham’s only specialist art bookshop is also offering unique gifts, created by local
artists, including handmade t-shirts and purses as well an assortment of stocking sized
delights such as hand printed notebooks and badges.
With a sleigh-ful of events and a generous helpings of festive cheer, Birmingham has
something for everyone this Christmas.
Ends
For further information and images contact Emma Ward on
tel: 0121 202 5075 or email us.
• For further details of events in Birmingham, to book tickets for T Mobile Street Ice or
arrange accommodation in the city, call 0870 225 0127 or click on to
www.visitbirmingham.com.
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