Kindly sponsored by: Stooke, Hill & Walshe and The Gateway Nursery.
Explore the true magic of Christmas with us this December, delight your little ones with Hereford’s biggest immersive grotto experience.
You’re invited to a festive encounter with Santa Claus and his cheerful woodland elves!
Celebrate the spirit of the season as Elvish traditions blend with the timeless charm of Santa himself. This joyful experience promises to delight children and grown-ups alike with heartwarming memories and holiday cheer.
All you need to know
When
4th – 21st December 2026
(SEN Night & Baby Night tickets available)
Where
St Michael’s Hospice,
Bartestree, Hereford, HR1 4HA
Prices
From £22.50 per child*
(4-23m £12 | 0-4m Free)
*up to 2 adults entry included per booking
Step into a magical, immersive experience the whole family will love!
For up to an hour, wander through beautifully decorated gardens, meet singing reindeer and real elves, and hop aboard a train to the enchanted wood to visit Santa Claus himself.
Early-season Pass
Thu 4th Dec – Sun 7th Dec
£23 per child
(Discounts for multiple children, maximum 5 per booking)
Mid-season Pass
Wed 10th Dec – Wed 17th Dec*
£25 per child
(Discounts for multiple children, maximum 5 per booking)
*Excluding 13th & 15th December
Peak-season Pass
Sat 13th Dec &
Thu 18th Dec – Sun 21st Dec
£30 per child
(Discounts for multiple children, maximum 5 per booking)
Ticket Info
Each booking admits up to 2 adults, with the option to add up to 4 more adults for an additional cost.
What your magical adventure includes:
- Passport giving your little Ones entry to The Village of the Elves
- Chocolate Coin
- Sprinkle dipped chocolate coated marshmallows
- Reindeer food making activity
- Gingerbread decorating activity
- Train journey to The Village
- Visit Santa and receive a gift
- A cast of Christmas characters to interact with
- Multiple Photography opportunities
Infants tickets:
0-4m Free | 4-23m £12.00 per child
Additional info:
All transactions are subject to a £1 booking fee
Discounts for multiple children, maximum 5 per booking
Please note: SEN & Baby Nights differ from the full experience. For more details, please check the specific tickets available.
SEN Night
Tuesday 9th December
1 Child: £22.50
Including up to 2 Adults
2 Children: £44
Including up to 3 Adults
3 Children: £62
Including up to 4 Adults
No other options are available, this is intentional to ensure smaller crowds and minimal waiting, allowing the best possible experience for SEN needs.
Baby Night
Monday 8th December
£12 per baby
(4-23 months | 0-4m Free)
For single child families with a child under 23 months.
The condensed experience still includes the wonderful lights, photo opportunities, and incredible cast, but leaves out the parts that very young children might find challenging.
What awaits you at Santa’s Grotto and the Village of the Elves
After counting down the days to your visit, the whole family, big ones too, will hardly be able to contain their excitement for the fun to come. Using a vast cast and splendid set design, the hour-long experience will transport you through some wonderful adventures.
The journey begins
Begin your magical journey by collecting your festive passport and receiving your Elvish Knots, the special currency of the Village of the Elves. The cheery elves are waiting to greet you and every step unlocks a new piece of the adventure.
The Gardens
Wander down Candy Cane Lane, stop by Marshallow’s Hut for a chocolate-dipped, sprinkle-covered marshmallow before stepping into the whimsical Gonk Garden, where cheeky creatures peek from behind twinkling trees. Then stroll through the breathtaking Avenue of Light, a glowing tunnel of stars and lanterns.
All aboard
Your family will go through station security, to ensure that only those on the nice list board the train before you and your little ones journey past Snowy the Snowman and disembark at Grotto Junction, where little ones will make reindeer food to take home with them.
Village of the Elves
Walk through the enchanted wood and into the Elvish Market, a magical place where Cogs and Tinker will show you Santa’s sleigh, Sugarplum will decorate gingerbread with you and you can explore the Village, little ones and big ones alike will be able to spend their knots.
Visit Santa Claus
Having refuelled at Cocoa’s Café, the elves will take you through to see Santa Claus, where little ones will be surprised by his knowledge of their year, their friends or pets and whether they have a chimney or not. Having bid Santa goodbye, his trusty elves will take little ones to the toy store where shelves of gifts are ready to be selected. Welcome to Santa’s Grotto & Village of the Elves
The Departure lounge
Whether before or after your journey to the Village of the Elves we have hot food and drink to get you in the festive spirit. Little ones can watch Christmas tales and take on the colouring competition. Food is served between 4pm and 8pm each night.
Wander through twinkling trees, meet Santa in his cosy grotto, and discover the elves’ hidden village full of cheer.
Ticket Info
Early Season:
Thursday 4th December: 4pm – 8pm
Friday 5th December: 4pm – 8pm
Saturday 6th December: 4pm – 8pm
Sunday 7th December: 4pm – 8pm
Baby Night:
Monday 8th December: 4pm – 8pm
SEN Night:
Tuesday 9th December: 4pm – 8pm
Mid Season:
Wednesday 10th December: 4pm – 8pm
Thursday 11th December: 4pm – 8pm
Friday 12th December: 4pm – 8pm
Sunday 14th December: 4pm – 8pm
Peak Season:
Saturday 13th December: 4pm – 8pm
Tuesday 16th December – 4pm – 8pm
Wednesday 17th December: 4pm – 8pm
Thursday 18th December: 4pm – 8pm
Friday 19th December: 4pm – 8pm
Saturday 20th December: 4pm – 8pm
Sunday 21st December: 4pm – 8pm
Back-up Date:
Monday 15th December has been kept free in case any grotto nights need to be rescheduled due to weather conditions or unforeseen postponements.
What your magical adventure includes:
- Passport giving your little Ones entry to The Village of the Elves
- Chocolate Coin
- Sprinkle dipped chocolate coated marshmallows
- Reindeer food making activity
- Gingerbread decorating activity
- Train journey to The Village
- Visit Santa and receive a gift
- A cast of Christmas characters to interact with
- Multiple Photography opportunities
Ticket Prices:
Early Season ticket: £22.50
Mid Season ticket: £25
Peak Season ticket: £30
Infant ticket: 0-4m Free | 4-23m £12.00 per child
Each booking admits up to 2 adults, with the option to add up to 4 more adults for an additional cost.
Dates:
Early Season: Thursday 4th -Sunday 7th December
Mid Season: Wednesday 10th – Wednesday 17th December (Excluding 13th & 15th Dec)
Peak Season: Saturday 13th December & Thursday 18th – Sunday 21st December
Additional info:
- All transactions are subject to a £1 booking fee
- Maximum 6 children per booking
- Tickets are non-refundable
- Booking protection available for £5,
- Payment plan also available
The perfect experience for single children family with little ones under 12 months
What your magical adventure includes:
- Passport giving your little Ones entry to The Village of the Elves
- Chocolate Coin
- Sprinkle dipped chocolate coated marshmallows
- Train journey to The Village
- Visit Santa and receive a gift
- A cast of Christmas characters to interact with
- Multiple Photography opportunities
Ticket Prices:
Infant ticket: 0-4m Free | 4-23m £12.00 per child
Each booking admits up to 2 adults, with the option to add up to 4 more adults for an additional cost.
Date:
Monday 8th December 2025
Additional info:
- All transactions are subject to a £1 booking fee
- Maximum 6 children per booking
- Tickets are non-refundable
- Booking protection available for £5
- Payment plan also available
Our SEN nights aim to offer the full magical experience, with thoughtful adjustments to make it welcoming and enjoyable for children with additional needs.
Our Adjustments:
- Smaller guest numbers, creating a calmer atmosphere and minimising queues
- Lower noise levels, for a more comfortable sensory enviroment
- Gentler lighting effects in the garden, with lights on soft fades or steady glow.
- Supportive cast of characters, trained to engage with and assist children with SEN needs.
If you wish to discuss your childs needs and how we can help make their experience magical please email events@smhospicehereford.org or call…
What your magical adventure includes:
- Passport giving your little Ones entry to The Village of the Elves
- Chocolate Coin
- Sprinkle dipped chocolate coated marshmallows
- Reindeer food making activity
- Gingerbread decorating activity
- Train journey to The Village
- Visit Santa and receive a gift
- A cast of Christmas characters to interact with
- Multiple Photography opportunities
Ticket Prices:
1 Child: £22.50 (Including up to 2 Adults)
2 Children: £44 (Including up to 3 Adults)
3 Children: £62 (Including up to 4 Adults)
No other options are available, this is intentional to ensure smaller crowds and minimal waiting, allowing the best possible experience for SEN needs.
Dates:
Tuesday 9th December 2025
Additional info:
- All transactions are subject to a £1 booking fee
- Maximum 6 children per booking
- Tickets are non-refundable
- Booking protection available for £5,
- Payment plan also available
Booking info
Our booking protection allows you to change your booking or cancel with up to 72 hours notice, meaning additional school activities or unknown nativity plays won’t put you out. The £5 fee covers any eventuality and entitles you to a full refund.
Elvish Knots are the currency of the Elves. While you can still use card in the Village of the Elves, GBP is not legal tender. Each Knot is worth £1 and everything in the Village is priced in knots.
We suggest buying between 3 and 5 knots per child although even a single knot will give them a chance to pay for a go on the Bauble in a Bucket village game.
The Village is home to:
- Cocoa’s Cafe (priced at 3knots)
- Bauble in a Bucket (priced at 1knot)
- Tinker’s Gifts (priced between 2 and 4knots)
- Fudge’s Fudge (priced at 3knots)
And don’t forget – you can also keep an Elvish Knot as a souvenir.
To help spread the cost you are able to pay a deposit when booking with the rest of the balance due on or before 6th November*
*Please note any balances left unpaid at this point will be automatically cancelled with a full loss of deposit.
Frequently asked questions?
Bookings are non-refundable and non-transferable.
However, you can protect your booking for those unexpected situations by purchasing our Booking Protection.
Booking protection:
Our booking protection allows you to change your booking or cancel with up to 72 hours notice, meaning additional school activities or unknown nativity plays won’t put you out. The £5 fee covers any eventuality and entitles you to a full refund.
Deposit option:
To help spread the cost you are able to pay a deposit when booking with the rest of the balance due on or before 6th November*
*Please note any balances left unpaid at this point will be automatically cancelled with a full loss of deposit.
Yes – food and drinks will be available! 🍴☕
Here’s a sneak peek at our Christmas Café Menu 2025:
Drinks
-
Tea or Coffee (decaf available) – £2
-
Hot Chocolate – £3
-
Hot Chocolate with cream, marshmallows & sprinkles – £3.50
-
Add a Flake (+50p)
-
Add Baileys (+£1.50)
-
-
Mulled Wine – £3
-
Heartsease drinks – £2
-
Children’s drinks – £1
Cakes
-
Mince Pies (free-from available) – £1.50
-
Christmas Cake (free-from available) – £3
-
Brownies – £3
Hot Food
-
Ogleby’s 4 Chipolata Sausages in a Baguette (GF) * – £4.50
-
Ogleby’s 2 Chipolata Sausages in a Half Baguette (GF) * – £2.25
-
9” Margherita Pizza – £7.50 (pre-booked) / £8.50 (on the day)
-
9” Ham or Pepperoni Pizza – £8.50 (pre-booked) / £9.50 (on the day)
(GF) Gluten-free bread available—please request when ordering.
Yes – We have toilets within the building at the Hospice. These will be clearly signposted and we also have disabled facilities.
Unfortunately, we don’t have baby changing facilities.
There is free on-site parking for you at the Hospice. Please followed the clearly marked fluorescent signs to direct you to the visitor parking. There are also disabled bays available.
All of our pathways from the car park to the building are buggy and wheelchair-friendly.
The fully immersive theatrical experience for the whole family which lasts up to an hour and takes you on a wondrous adventure through the beautifully decorated gardens, meeting singing reindeer and real elves before boarding a train to the enchanted wood and Santa Claus.
Time slots are based on entry into the gardens, not to see Santa Claus, which will be between 40 and 50 minutes after your slot is booked. (4.30pm entry to garden would mean seeing Santa Claus at about 5.15pm and returning back to the start at 5.30pm).
The train ride on the St Michael’s Express is free! This is a open-air land-train with a carriage to carry one family at a time. It’s a really fun and magical way to finish your experience.
The train ride is included in every ticket-type.
Once your little ones have met Santa Claus, they will be taken by the Elves to the Workshop where they get to select their own gift to take home! These are unwrapped, so that children can pick something they really want. The gifts are a range of toys, games, puzzles and books for a variety of ages.
You’re more than welcome to take your own photos during the experience. However, please be careful to only photograph your own family. Should you wish to add these onto social media, we would suggest that you crop-out of distort any images of people not in your party.
Thank you to our Santa’s Grotto & Village of the Elves Sponsors:
Stooke, Hill & Walshe
Offering you a complete estate agency service from the moment your home goes onto the market until the day you move
The Gateway Nursery
Gateway is a fully inclusive nursery that welcomes everyone and can provide care and learning for all children within the local community and beyond.
Lighting Partners: Festive Lights
“As specialists in feel good lighting, we pride ourselves on being the best at what we do; offering quality, decorative lights across the globe”
Photo Gallery
Don’t get scammed!
Scammers ruin the fun for everyone. Often scammers will use fake profiles on social media to try and appear to have tickets to re-sell. These are fake, and they will takes your money and then block you and delete the account.
We will not accept re-sold tickets, even if genuine.
We will only ever accept tickets bought online directly from our website.
Stay safe by only buying tickets directly from us.
Photography Notice
We love to capture images at our events!
There will be photography and video at the Father Christmas & Light Show Experience.
These images will be used for promotional purposes, in future publications and presentations, and on our digital and social media channels, typically within a
five-year period from the event date that you attend.
If you do not wish to appear in any photographs, please inform a member of the
St Michael’s Hospice staff, and they will ensure you are not included in any images. They will aways be wearing identification, and also High Vis Vests stating
Press & Media Team.
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