Bedford’s first WinterWonderland is back for another  magical experience including skating under the stars, amazing views from the Big Wheel, taking a walk through the magical Christmas Tree Maze, and Santa’s Grotto for that magical Christmas feeling.

Enjoy all your festive beverages and treats in Alpine Bar.

The closest car park is Queen Street but don't forget that Lurke Street car park is just down the road and free for the first four hours!

Experience the magic of Christmas at the Harpur Centre!

Santa Claus is coming to town and he is so excited to meet all of the good boys and girls of Bedford in his Grotto, every Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 10am-3pm until 15 of December.

He'll also be there Christmas Week, from Thursday 19 to Christmas Eve.

Children can meet Santa and receive a special gift on entry, as well as capturing the special moment with a photo from Event-Photos. 

There is no need to pre-book, just turn up!

Grotto prices start at £4 per child.

Bedford Central Library Saturday Festive Crafts - 11am-3pm

30 November: Letters to Santa

7 December: Decorate a bauble for the library tree display

14 December: Festive Games

21 December: Winter colouring - and Christmas Story Time with Santa 11.30am-12pm

LEGO club will be running as usual on these days.

All libraries in Bedford Borough will have free crafts for children available during the school holidays from Monday 23 December to Friday 3 January on the days they are open.

The libraries webpage will be updated soon with all the events, activities and opening hours at Bedford Borough Libraries.

The Christmas festivities, thanks to Kempston Town Council and ourselves, kick off in the Saxon Centre at 12pm. There will be local school choirs performing, building up to the grand switch-on at 5pm.

Soak up the festive atmosphere with local artisan stalls, delicious treats, and festive rides from 10am – 6pm.

There's plenty of family fun for everyone. Don’t forget to take a festive family photo under the Christmas Tree at the Saxon Centre! 

Join trained actor and teacher Toby as he engages children with immersive story reading.

He'll also help children create their own stories using puppets, drawings, songs and the artwork from the gallery.

Ideal for ages up to seven, children must bring along an adult.

Toby's Tall Tales begins at 2.30pm, please be aware, space in the gallery is limited and is offered on a first come first served basis.

Enjoy performances from local youth music groups organised by the Bedford Music Service alongside fun rides on the Love Bedford Express Land Train along Silver Street and Midland Road.

Sunday On the Love Bedford Stage in Harpur Square:

11.15am-12pm: DJ George and Solo singers and duets from Rox Vox

12-1pm: DJ Fabio, Friday Flyers Jazz Band, Girls Will Be Girls - Bedford Rock School 

1-2pm: DJ Jake, Back2Back DJs, and Monochrome - Bedford Rock School

2-3pm: DJ Guraj, Vocal Beats, Creative Beats, and LUMA Dhol Class

3-4pm: Steel Pan Academy 

The Bedford Music Service performances are Funded by UK Government and also sponsored by BedfordBID/Love Bedford.

Come along to St Paul’s Square Bedford and help celebrate Romania National Day.

Showcasing all things Romanian, you’ll find traditional food, artisanal and folkloric products and be able to meet local and surrounding vendors from the Romanian community.

You can watch the Romania flag raising in Harpur Square, followed by a traditional folk dance Hora Inirii, Hora of the Union.

This celebrates the day on which the Romanian United Principalities were formally united in 1859.

These youth clubs run during term time, 5.30-7.30pm each week:

Kempston, Hillgrounds Road - Tuesdays

Wixams, Lakeview Village Hall  - Wednesdays

Great Denham, Community Centre - Thursdays

There are games, arts and crafts, snack, projects. A perfect way for young people to spend time with friends!

The club is for young people in school years 7 and above.

This annual festival has become a firm favourite in the run up to Bedford's Christmas with something for everyone. 68 glittering trees will be decorated by local community groups, schools and firms.

A total of 42 choirs and other performers will entertain guests while on Friday 6 December a new woodwind ensemble, Amici Music, will entertain you at the evening festival concert 

Vote for your favourite tree, while children will be able to try and spot magical themes in the trees that could win them a book token.

The Bedford Pipe Band will lead visitors to the opening of the festival, followed by the first of the many school and community choirs.

Chris Brown’s first contact with Edward Bawden’s work was as a child looking at his illustrations for Andrew Lang’s book ‘Tales of Troy and Greece’.

Twenty years later his tutor at the Royal College of Art arranged for them to meet and so started a lifelong friendship.

In this talk Chris, curator of Edward Bawden & Me, will talk about their time together and Bawden’s influence on his work form 12-1pm.

This workshop focuses on key maths skills embedded into festive themed arts and crafts. If you're looking to feel festive leading up to Christmas, come along to get crafty in the Christmas spirit!

You can create paper decorations such as a Christmas star and a snowflake using numbers for precision. This is a practical course, and you can take yours home!

This course if free for women aged 19 years and over.

Come and meet the ponies from Keysoe International Limited as you browse the Wednesday market in Bedford town centre 10am-2pm.

Come and see what's happening from 9.30-11.30am.

Free advice and support for people who work for themselves offering care and support in Bedford Borough.

If you are interested in setting up a community enterprise, maybe on your own or with others, offering care and support, come along and find out more.

Junior Gym and Junior Sports Hall activities are available for 11–17 year-olds at John Bunyan Sports and Fitness. 

Activities are held Tuesday - Friday, 3.30pm-6pm, and on  Saturdays, 9am-11am, 12pm-2pm, 3pm-5pm.

Junior Basketball, Junior 5-a-side Football, Junior Badminton and Junior Table Tennis are all available to book online, on the app or in person. The sports hall is available for drops ins within these times to play with friends!

Please book places in advance.

Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity will offer weekly sessions to promote wellbeing among parents in the peri-natal period – during pregnancy and the first year of baby’s life.

The group will support the wellbeing of parents and parents-to-be by offering group nature-based activities that encompass the Five Ways to Wellbeing – Connection, Be Active, Learn, Take Notice and Give Back.

Your one-stop shop for all things flea, art and produce - you are guaranteed to find a unique Christmas gift for someone special!

Bedford Flea pride themselves on being the purveyors of quality with the emphasis on locally made, grown and sourced products, from some of our most skilled small businesses and hobbyists.

This market runs on the second Sunday of each month from 10am to 3pm.

Kickstart your Christmas season with a festive 5k at Keech Hospice Care’s Santa Run!

Whether you run, walk, or scoot, it’s the perfect way to celebrate the holidays along Bedford’s beautiful embankment.

These online sessions allow you to speak with a member of our team in an informal and relaxed environment from 7pm on Microsoft Teams.

You will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn about all things fostering.

Please book in advance so the team can send you a link to the meeting.

This workshop focuses on key maths skills embedded into festive themed arts and crafts. If you're looking to feel festive leading up to Christmas, come along to get crafty in the Christmas spirit!

Create a Christmas decoration using the macrame knotting technique and create your own Christmas cracker! You'll also explore other ideas for making Christmas gifts on a budget.

This is a practical course, and you can take your creations home!

This course is free for women aged 19 years and over..

Come and meet the ponies from Keysoe International Limited as you browse the Wednesday market in Kempston, 12-4pm.

Put on your best 40’s gear and celebrate the music of the legendary Glenn Miller with live performances from May Blossom, Vintage Songbird, during the tea dance each day.

You can also take part in free dance taster sessions, enjoy talks, tours and a display area, all in the Harpur Suite.

Outside, in Harpur Square, there will be a display of military vehicles and One Fat Hen will be providing hot drinks and homemade cakes at ‘the NAAFI’.

An event for music lovers and history enthusiasts alike!

Recapture the sounds of a bygone era as the Nick Ross Orchestra presents ‘an unmissable evening of music and song’ – the Classic Big Band Sound of the 40s & 50s with a liberal “sprinkling” of very special Christmas Big Band arrangements.

To celebrate the arrival of the Christmas holidays, Love Bedford invites the young, and the young at heart, to visit the town centre for some free festive fun!

Magical Face painting in the Howard Centre, mesmerising balloon artistry in The Arcade, festive music and more, 10.30am–3.30pm on both days. Whist you’re there, it’s a great time to visit Santa in the Harpur Centre Grotto too. 

Monthly creative activities for families to have a go at together and enjoy from 2-4pm.

Suitable for under twelves, children must be accompanied by an adult.

Please be aware that space is limited and there may be a wait to start.

Two days of fantastic free family fun in Harpur Square!

Workshop Tent

Marta Plizga will be helping children create a Christmas decorations to take home for the tree and build a cotton wool snowman.

Paint a Christmas shopping bag and design a Christmas card to take home with Art School.

Create a festive crown with Kaye Mahoney, aka Kaye Leidoskope.

Activity Tent

Laughter Yoga with Cheryl Green.

Frosty potions and make beautiful Christmas fire tiles with Little Science Lab. 

Dance and decorate, an interactive crafting movements session with Desiree Bashi

Celebrate the power of language with Desiree Bashi and the Words of the World workshop, crafting a multilingual notebook of inspiration.

Children can enjoy this special Story Time in the library with a very special guest as Santa comes to share a story!

Further details will be added to the libraries webpages nearer the time.

The kingdom buzzes with excitement as Princess Snow White’s birthday approaches. However, the festivities are marred by the jealousy of her stepmother, the evil queen, who longs to be the fairest in the land.

When the Queen’s magic mirror declares Snow White as the most beautiful, her envy turns to rage, and she banishes Snow White to the enchanted forest. 

Meanwhile, Prince Alexander, captivated by Snow White’s innocence and kindness, sets out to rescue her. With the help of the audience’s cheers and boos, the heroes overcome wicked spells, hilarious mishaps, and daring escapades to restore happiness to the kingdom.

Filled with slapstick comedy, audience interaction, and catchy tunes, “Snow White Pantomime” is a magical adventure that delights audiences of all ages. 

Join Snow White and her friends on a journey of laughter, love, and happily ever afters in this family friendly pantomime in Bedford.

Relaxed performance on Sunday 29 December at 1-3pm.

Do you find maths a bit scary or do you know someone who would like some support?

Although it can sometimes feel challenging we all use numbers every day – at work, at home and when we’re out.

These different workshops help people to:

• build confidence managing money  
• confidently use maths at home and at work
• shop for less and learn to cook to suit your lifestyle
• support your children with homework
• unlock new career and learning opportunities
• achieve an accredited maths qualification.

As part of the Government’s Adult Numeracy programme known as Multiply, Bedford Borough Council has received funding to offer courses that will help you to improve your skills and confidence with maths.

Up to four hours free parking each day at Lurke Street and Allhallows Car Park.

First two hours parking free in Queen Street Car Park.

Up to two hours every Saturday in all Council-owned town centre single and multi-storey car parks.

Free parking all day every Sunday in Council-owned town centre car parks and each day after 6pm in all town centre car parks, except for River Street.

Don't forget that bus fares are just £2, and there are plenty of places to lock your bike in the town centre.

There's also the secure cycle shelter on the corner of the Harpur Centre, email highways.helpdesk@bedford.gov.uk with your full name, address, and contact number to register an account and find details of the app to gain entry.