Everything You Need to Know About: Winter Wonderland Newcastle

What is Winter Wonderland Newcastle?

Organised by The Big Wish Ltd, it’s a Christmas extravaganza taking place throughout the festive period that features funfair rides, food and drink, entertainment and even the chance to meet Santa himself.

Where is it?

Winter Wonderland Newcastle is located in the car park at Utilita Arena.

When does it start?

Winter Wonderland Newcastle opens on Friday 5th December and will be in place until Sunday 28th December, but is closed on Christmas Day. Opening times vary, so check the Winter Wonderland Newcastle website before planning your visit.

What can I expect?

There’s plenty of fun to be had with a whole host of fairground rides including dodgems, waltzers and a huge Ferris Wheel, plus several thrill seeker rides perfect for all you daredevils out there.

There’ll be fairground games too and stalls selling a wide range of tasty festive treats and street food alongside an Alpine Bavarian Lounge Bar where visitors can enjoy drinks like mulled wine, spiced cider and German beers.

As if that wasn’t enough fun, there’ll also be roaming entertainers (including the Grinch!) on certain days, a magical ice rink where you can show off your skating skills (or lack thereof!) and a Santa's Grotto in place from 5th December to 24th December where little ones can meet the man himself and get an early Christmas present… if they’ve made the nice list, that is!

How much does it cost?

Entry to Winter Wonderland is £3 per person but NHS staff get in for free - just present your NHS ID card on arrival. As an extra-special festive treat, all visitors get free entry on 9th, 10th, 16th and 17th December between 5pm and 9pm too!

Rides cost extra and tickets are also needed for the ice rink and Santa's Grotto. Ice rink tickets cost £16 for adults and teens and £13 for kids 12 and under. Family tickets are available too, as are discounts for students, pensioners and carers with a valid ID.

Tickets for Santa's Grotto cost £9.99 per child but kids under 1 year old get in for free. Adults also get in for free but everyone visiting Santa needs to book a ticket.

Is it family-friendly?

It certainly is! Alongside Santa’s Grotto, there are loads of kid-friendly rides and games to enjoy and even free face painting!

Winter Wonderland’s roaming entertainers – which include festive stilt walkers and the Grinch – will keep little ones happy too with meet-and-greets and photo opportunities.

Where can I buy tickets?

Tickets for entry to Winter Wonderland can be pre-booked via TicketSource but visitors can also pay on the day.

For more information and to book tickets to meet the Big Man in Red or go ice skating, visit the official Santa's Grotto page and the official Winter Wonderland Ice Rink page.

Where can I park?

There are plenty of places to park within walking distance of Winter Wonderland including the Times Square Car Park, Stephenson Quarter Car Park and Grainger Town Car Park.

If you’re travelling into the city by Metro, Central Station is the closest station and around a 15-minute walk to Utilita Arena.

Whether you're looking for a family day out, some breath-taking fun on a daredevil ride or some delicious food and festive drinks, Winter Wonderland Newcastle is a must-do in the city's Christmas calendar.

Winter Wonderland is open in the Utilita Arena car park from Friday 5th December to Sunday 28th December 2025, except on Christmas Day. For more information, visit The Big Wish website and follow Winter Wonderland on Facebook for updates.

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