Festive family fun: 13 ways for the whole gang to get out and celebrate Christmas
The Winterval Festival 2024 is now open every weekend until December 23rd. Photo Patrick Browne.
One of these years, as we set off on our annual festive pilgrimage to Waterford, I’m convinced Google Maps will adjust our final destination to ‘Winterval’.
The annual Christmas festival, now in its 13th year, sees the city transformed. It’s as though Waterford no longer exists for six weeks every year.
In its place? Winterval.
It began as a local initiative to boost festive tourism. Today it can take its place as a piece of marketing genius right up there with the Wild Atlantic Way.
Last year an incredible 1m people visited the festival, bringing much needed business and a festive atmosphere to a bustling city.
On the surface, it hosts many of the same offerings as Cork or Dublin — an ice rink, a Ferris wheel, and festive markets.
Bubbling over the surface is pure Christmas spirit. If it followed the plot of a traditional Christmas movie, where people just needed to believe to get Santa’s faltering sleigh back up and running, Waterford would have him soaring through the sky.
It’s as though the whole city has come together to get behind the festival.
There are Winterval signposts everywhere, pointing you in the direction of every festive event imaginable, with branded maps to guide you, and cheery staff in shops and cafes smiling and sending Christmas goodwill.
At its core, the people of Waterford central to Winterval’s success.
It helps too that this is a compact city, meaning everything is within walking distance.
You can stroll from the mini express train, to the vintage carousel, to a VR sleigh ride, pop over to Carters for their legendary hot chocolates (ask for Lisa), drop your letters to Santa in the disco post box.
There’s Glow, a magical garden illuminated with fairy lights, and of course our highlight, Winterval Illuminates.
Returning to its original location on Cathedral Square, the wall of the Museum of Silver is transformed with animation, music and a heart warming finale of falling now.
Last but not least, there are visits to Santa — so real we can tell he’s flown in from the North Pole — deep in the vaults of the Medieval Museum.
As always, there are new additions to the programme this year.
And sometimes it’s the simple things that show how much the people behind Winterval understand kids — and their frazzled parents.
Three times a day there are free screenings of Elf at The Reg. Just what little feet (and big ones too) need after an exhausting day walking the city.
Or there’s the Snow Play dome, which does exactly what it says on the tin, where kids can pelt pretend snowballs at each other for hours on end. Tina Darrer, owner of Dooleys, in her family for three generations, says the festival has brought a new lease of life to the city.
Thanks to Winterval, November and December bookings are through the roof, especially now that Thursdays have been added to the festival programme.
And her team are there for it — decked out in festival jumpers and ties, they might as well be working in the North Pole.
The ripple effect is felt throughout the city — atmospheric restaurants like the Bodega on Apple Market have queues for tables, and Lisa from No 9 Barronstrand and Carters Chocolate Cafe echoes the sentiment: This, she says, is a city transformed.
Winterval is Waterford’s stroke of marketing genius, the feeling of Lapland without stepping on a plane.
It runs each Thursday to Sunday until December 23 with 54 events across the city, including 22 brand-new experiences.
With its takeover at Dublin’s RDS and Galway, Elf Town is the festive destination for 2025.
After a sell-out year in 2024, Elf Town returns bigger than before, with expanded builds, longer opening hours, new story chapters, and even more immersive sets.
Now in its seventh year, €3.7m has been invested into this year’s experience. Expect 90 minutes of theatrical storytelling, passing through hand-built, film-set-quality rooms including Jack Frost’s Ice House, Santa’s Reindeer Stables (with live reindeer), the Elf Post Office, Mrs. Claus’ Kitchen, and The Towering Toy Shop, where each child chooses their own gift.
Meanwhile check out Dublin Loves Christmas also at the RDS with an ice rink, markets and more.
The Alpine Skate Trails have returned to Cork, Dun Laoghaire, and Blanchardstown.
The Cork rink has a new location at Centre Park Road. And there’s a clever new addition.
Looking for a photo memento? There’s no need to chase down the photographers on skates anymore — instead there’s an on site camera with a countdown so you can perfect your pose.
The viewing area is another bonus — now you can see the full trail from the sidelines.
Plus, there’s a mini market with hot chocolates, crepes, and coffees.
Wonderlights has returned to Fota House, Cork, Marlay Park, and Malahide Castle.
In Cork there are large scale glistening woodland animals along the route.
The experience culminates with an animation on the walls of Fota House, as the animals come to life in a festive scene.
This year’s show features over 1m lights and sculptures — complete the 1km sensory trail and finish the evening at the Alpine Food Village.
As you’d expect at Ireland’s National Sport and Science Centre, this isn’t just any ordinary visit to Santa.
At Explorium you ride the virtual reality elevator to his secret hideaway where you can create your own decoration to take home.
And the best part of it all? You might just spot the real deer roaming around the grounds.
Dublin Zoo glows again for Wild Lights.
This year’s theme is the Wild Kaleidoscope — 13 zones of shining colour, including the largest lantern ever featured at Wild Lights.
From peacocks to sea creatures, it’s a month-long opportunity to see the zoo by night.
A new addition for 2025 is the festive food market with wood-fired pizza, mulled wine, and crepes.
Visit Beyond the Trees at Avondale for a celebration of winter and, as they describe it, “a night time forest fantasy”.
The fully accessible Treetop Walk and viewing tower is a breathtaking experience, climbing high above the forest floor via a looping boardwalk to a sweeping panorama of Wicklow.
In winter though, continuing until February you can experience it by night, with 3km of night lights, 12 forest animals, 16 large baubles, a Christmas tree, and other surprises along the way.
Thanks to advanced LED technology and minimal light emissions, the experience uses less than 4KwH of energy, ensuring minimal impact on nature and wildlife.
The Winter Woodland also hosts Wicklow on Ice.
And for younger kids, there’s the Smurfs Christmas Experience, an indoor adventure with storytelling, music, games, and crafts with the Smurfs, cookie decorating in Mrs. Claus’s kitchen, and a personal visit with Santa in his grotto.
The Big Freeze will transform the Marina Market into a Scandinavian-inspired winter wonderland, complete with icy forests, ice caves, an animatronic polar bear, and a snow village serving up seasonal sweet treats, before visiting Santa in his cosy log cabin.
Best of all, dogs are welcome too, so the whole family can visit Santa this year.
Meanwhile over at the Cork International Hotel, Santa will be visiting during Sunday lunch throughout December.
He’ll have sweets and take selfies, while the playroom on the mezzanine floor will be decked out for kids while parents enjoy dessert.
Jingle Fest has returned for Christmas 2025.
Guests begin their journey at Emerald Park with a stroll through the Festive Fairy Woods Light Tunnel, a walkway of twinkling lights.
New for this year, visitors can experience Ireland’s largest light-up horse and carriage, while the Enchanted Entertainment Tent has meet-and-greets with holiday characters.
Plus there’s gingerbread decorating, and arts and crafts. The highlight is the Merry Mayhem Live Show, a 25-minute mini panto.
Santa Claus, the ultimate Bainisteoir of Christmas, is swapping snowy pitches for sacred turf this festive season as he brings his North Pole GAA team to Croke Park.
The GAA Museum will transform into Santa’s festive training camp — right in the shadow of the Cusack Stand.
Families are invited to tog out and join the action, from Elf Dressing Rooms to festive Skills Zones, and finally to a meet-and-greet in Santa’s Croke Park cabin.
From Aladdin in Cork Opera House, to Cinderella in the Everyman, and Beauty and the Beast at the Gaiety, you can take your pick of favourite fairytales this year in venues nationwide.
In a masterclass of marketing, the Christmas celebrations in the Real Republic are now labelled Corkmas.
The opening parade, only in its second year and already becoming a tradition, launched the festivities last month.
The festive markets, Ferris wheel and Santa experience are all open for business too every weekend, right up Christmas.
This year also marks the introduction of two major festive hubs: The newly reopened Bishop Lucey Park and the newly developed Counting House Plaza on South Main Street.
These two locations will host free family-friendly events over three weekends, running from today to Sunday, December 21.
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