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You'd expect nothing less; but Mag North has had confirmation that Southport is rolling out the red carpet for Christmas this year, with the most magical ideas for celebrating the festive season it has ever planned. A collection of special experiences mean that your visit to Southport can sparkle with an illuminated trail, be enchanted with a carriage ride, be full of jolly jingle with an elf party and much more.
To enjoy the atmosphere and the Christmas decorations, as well as create lasting memories, a horse and carriage ride will delight all of the family. Won't it? You can take in The Promenade, Pleasureland, Victoria Park and Lord Street boulevard in a fairy-tale carriage just for you. There are dates available until 23 December and bookings can be made HERE, with a charity donation of £20 for each group (up to 6 people).
Two different trails also offer exciting ways to explore the town. With clues to follow, the Gingerbread Family Trail features the shops around the Lord Street area, so is great to combine with some Christmas shopping. Illustrate Illuminate will light up the dark winter days with eight new light decorations created from the artwork of young people from Southport, each depicting a different letter to create a word. Both the trail maps are available HERE.
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To shake things up with festive frolics - younger children will all want to go to an Elf Party where dancing, games and sparkly face decorations will get the party going. And in preparation for Santa’s visit there will be the chance to make your own reindeer snacks for Rudolph and pals. Elf Parties take place in Wayfarers Arcade on Sundays until 18 December, with each lasting about an hour and bookable HERE with a charity donation of £10 for each child.
Of course there is a very special certain someone that every child is looking forward to meeting (and we don't mean the Grandmother who makes you eat sprouts). Santa will be visiting Southport each Saturday until 17 December so you can tell him all your Christmas wishes. He’ll also have a sack bursting full of Christmas gifts to share with little ones. You can book a ticket to Santa’s Grotto in advance HERE, with a charity donation of £10 for each child.
Two classic Christmas pantomimes are being shown at the town’s theatres. Little Theatre Southport is showing a production of Sleeping Beauty “packed to the brim with comedy and laughter”. The show opens on Friday 16 December and runs through to the new year with tickets available HERE. Film star Patsy Kensit will be treading the magic carpet at The Atkinson with an action-packed production of Aladdin. The boos and hisses start from Thursday 8 December with dates throughout December and tickets available HERE. Mag North understand that both Jim Kerr and Liam Gallagher are heading to see the show, each with a bus full of kids from the Detached Youthwork Projects that both lead when not touring. Let's hope it's not the same evening.
The line up of Christmas films showing at independent cinema Bijou promises to scatter the festive magic and create a warm glow of anticipation. Ooozing in nostalgia - there are showings of It’s a Wonderful Life, The Bishop’s Wife and White Christmas, modern classics like Home Alone, Elf, The Holiday and How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and much more all bookable HERE.
For a different cinematic experience, taking over Victoria Park from 9 to 18 December is the Moonlight Drive In. Here you can indulge in the big screen action from the comfort of your car. There is family fun in the form of titles like Frozen, (which you will be if your battery dies), Nativity and Polar Express and fun for the big kids with screenings of Love Actually, Die Hard and Die Hard 2 (that's the one that Bruce doesn't get the Lego set he asked for). Booking details are HERE.
A town full of independent shops, beautiful historic buildings and a big heart for Christmas, Southport is the perfect place to spend a seasonal break. Whether you are planning a day out or a mini-get away Visit Southport will help you to create an experience full of festive magic. VisitSouthport.com