• Layer Marney Tower

Step into the enchanting world of A Christmas Carol, the classic tale of Scrooge's transformative journey guided by the ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Future. Delight the senses with a delicious three course Christmas dinner. Woven through the three course Christmas…

• Cudmore Grove Country Park

Pick up* or download a free Animal Mysteries Trail this festive season. Find and count the animals hiding in the park and discover the magic number to enter our prize draw to win an Explorer Pass! Wrap up warm and enjoy a run around in the fresh air, take our winter…

• The Minories Galleries

Winter Exhibition The Minories, 74 High Street, Colchester, CO1 1UE 21 November - 22 December 2024 Thursday - Sunday 10-4pm (NB Closed on Sunday 24 November)

• Colchester Castle Museum

Colchester Castle Museum is set to showcase a remarkable artefact with deep ties to the city's medieval past: the Bodleian Bowl. This historical object, associated with the medieval Jewish community in England, will be on display from 27 September to 27 January.

Celebrating 10 Years of the Firstsite Collectors' Group Bursary Awards We're thrilled to mark a decade of the Firstsite Collectors' Group Bursary Awards with our second exhibition this year that celebrates East Anglian artists who have received or applied for these…

A Colchester hot air balloon ride is a truly memorable experience. Your ballooning adventure will start from the Ardleigh Showground where you'll have the opportunity to help prepare the balloon for flight, by helping to inflate the balloon, before taking to the skies…

• Firstsite

'Finding The Hand of Kindness' is inspired by Jane's own life, reflecting on her roles as a caregiver, the impact of patriarchal expectations, and the everyday moments of kindness. Through her art, Jane invites us to see how creativity can be a source of comfort and…

Marking 50 years since the English translation of 'The Hearing Trumpet', Leonora Carrington's 1974 novel, was published, this exhibition offers a fresh exploration of her extraordinary life, career and travels. What to expect Featuring over 50 artworks and objects by…

This festive season, Santa’s sleigh is making a special stop in Colchester, and he’s setting up his magical grotto in the heart of Lion Walk Shopping Centre. From Wednesday 13th November onwards, you can trade in your wish lists for facetime with Santa himself. This…

• Firstsite

Nicola Burrell is a Colchester-based artist and sculptor who creates three-dimensional artworks that reflect her fascination with built environments and artificial spaces. Her creative process often begins with drawing and mapping out various locations, allowing her to capture…

Our brand new pop-up bar, Popina at The Courtyard, will be opening its doors on Wednesday 13th November until the end of December. Join us throughout the festive season for the ultimate Christmas Aurora experience. Enjoy Christmas under the lights while indulging in locally made…

✨ Don't miss the magic of Culver Square's Grotto! Santa is back and ready to welcome you and this time, he's greeting visitors from his very own Christmas cabin. Opens 30th November Tickets just £10 Check our website for times to enjoy a chat with Santa, and a…

Get into the festive spirit as you travel to Santa’s workshop to meet Ivy the new Head Elf. She is busy preparing everything for Santa in time for Christmas Eve. There are presents to wrap and reindeer to feed, so she needs your help to get it all done before the big night…

Take flight with Peter Pan in an epic pantomime adventure! Neverland is in chaos! The dastardly and devilish Captain Hook is back and seeking vengeance… With Peter Pan and the lost children in mortal danger Tinkerbell heads back to Colchester to get help. On arrival she…

• Firstsite

Noble & Webster have created a remarkable group of anti-monuments in their 24-year career, mixing the strategies of modern sculpture and the attitude of punk to make art from anti-art. Their work derives much of its power from its fusion of opposites, form and anti-form, high…

• Colchester Castle Museum

Colchester Castle's enchanting Nursery Grotto returns for 2024! This December, Father Christmas has set aside times specifically for nursery and pre-school groups to come and meet Father Christmas. Designed specifically to give its youngest visitors the chance to share their…

Christmas Exhibition Open Saturdays and Sundays 11am-4.30pm Open Evening Friday 29th November 6-8pm Late Night Shopping Friday 6 December 3-8pm Cassie Downes, Mae Kandoo, Chrissie Richards, Rachel Richards Ropework Nicky Sheales, Marlies White, Margaret Winter.

Join Firstsite this joyous season for a wreath making session where you will learn how to make an eco-friendly wreath to adorn your front door throughout the festive period. We will have a talk about what materials we are using and the best way to source them sustainably. Your…

• Fingringhoe Wick Nature Discovery Park

Join us for a morning perfecting your Duck ID skills.  We'll start with an hours 'classroom' time to introduce you to the birds we are aiming to see and arm you with the knowledge to identify them out and about.  Then we'll head out onto the reserve to…

• Colchester Zoo

Experience a whole host of illuminations along a designated route, featuring an immersive blue ice tunnel, magical rainbow light bridge and life-sized animal illuminations. Plus, you can control the magic with special interactive light zones, all put together by our creative…

• Castle Park

Enlightened, a spectacular light trail in Colchester Castle Park is returning to the city this Christmas. Perfect for all the family, this specially crafted route through Colchester's picturesque Castle Park will be a real highlight of the festive season. Book in advance…

• Markshall Estate

For the very first time, the highly anticipated illuminated phenomenon is making its way to the magnificent Markshall in Coggeshall this winter. Just a brief drive from Braintree, Witham, and Colchester, Enlightened at Markshall promises to be an enchanting experience not to be…

• Fingringhoe Wick Nature Discovery Park

Weave your own wreath from willow and decorate it with all the greenery and berries we have collected for you! We also have a selection of decorations, such as ribbons and cinnamon sticks. We will get into the festive spirit tucked away in the centre with some tea, coffee, or…

• Firstsite

Join us for late cocktails and strange happenings in our late night lounge. Ambient DJ's create a sonic backdrop to a bizarre, surreal and at times truly mystifying collection of performances. Relax and enjoy our bar, our building and amazing music and performances throughout…

Get ready to dance, jive, and have the time of your life at Lion Walk’s  Mamma Mia! ABBA Sing-Along & Tribute  event! Join us at The Courtyard for an unforgettable night of ABBA’s greatest hits, featuring live vocals and a fantastic DJ spinning all your…