Christmas in Brighton 2026: What's On and What's Not

Christmas in Brighton 2026 looks a little different, so here is the honest version. The Royal Pavilion Ice Rink is not running this year. Burning the Clocks, the city's winter solstice lantern parade, returns on Monday 21 December 2026 after a pause in 2025. Brighton Dome has its strongest December in years, from The Snowman with a live orchestra to Circa's Duck Pond, the Theatre Royal has Six, Brighton Little Theatre has Peter Pan, and Saltdean Lido reopens for winter swims on 1 December. Every date below is one we saw published by the organiser when we checked in October 2026. If we could not confirm it, we have said so.

No ice rink in 2026

Let's get the bad news out of the way. The Royal Pavilion Ice Rink says it will not take place in 2026, and is set to return in 2027 in a brand new location in the centre of Brighton. Its last run was from 25 October 2025 to 4 January 2026. If skating is non-negotiable, you will need to look beyond the city this year.

Burning the Clocks, 21 December

The best night of the Brighton winter is back. Burning the Clocks paused in 2025 and returns on Monday 21 December 2026, according to the Visit South East England listing, with its lantern procession through the city centre ending in a grand finale on Madeira Drive. Wrap up, get there early and bring something warm in a flask.

Brighton Dome in December

Brighton Dome has published a packed December programme:

• The Purcell Singers, Britten's A Ceremony of Carols, Corn Exchange, Sunday 29 November.
• Etsy's Christmas Fair, Saturday 5 December, plus Crafty Christmas workshops for 3 to 11 year olds on several December weekends.
• Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra, Antarctica, Sunday 6 December.
• Brighton's Big Drag Pageant (18 plus), Thursday 10 December.
• Brighton Gay Men's Chorus, A Merry Christmas Murder, Concert Hall, Saturday 12 December.
• Brighton Festival Chorus with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sunday 13 December.
• Ceilidh the Musical, Corn Exchange, 15 to 20 December, and the Choir With No Name's Big Christmas Singalong, 15 December.
• ORGANOKE, a singalong on the Concert Hall's pipe organ, Friday 18 December.
• The Snowman with a live orchestra, Concert Hall, Saturday 19 December.
• The Adventures of the Little Red Hen (ages 3 and up), 22 to 24 December, and Circa's Duck Pond (ages 5 and up), 23 to 28 December.

Six and Peter Pan

The Theatre Royal has the musical Six from Tuesday 1 to Saturday 5 December. We could not find a Theatre Royal panto listed for 2026. For something cosier, Brighton Little Theatre stages Peter Pan, adapted by Evan Placey with songs by Vikki Stone, from 12 to 19 December 2026. Komedia runs Christmas parties on 3, 4 and 5 December if your work do needs a home.

Christmas at the Royal Pavilion and Preston Manor

The Royal Pavilion holds an after hours Christmas shopping evening, Frost, Fire and Fizz with Roebuck Estates sparkling wine, on 2 December 2026. Over the holidays the Pavilion closes from 2.30pm on 24 December and all day on 25 and 26 December and 1 January; winter hours are 10am to 5.15pm, last entry 4.30pm. At Preston Manor, the Victorian Cookery Club does a Christmas Special on 5 December. Hove Museum is closed from 24 to 28 December, on 31 December and on 1 January.

A winter swim at Saltdean Lido

For the brave and the slightly bonkers, Saltdean Lido runs its winter season from Tuesday 1 December to Tuesday 5 January, open 7am to 10am every day. The 40 metre outdoor pool is heated to roughly 19 degrees in winter, which still takes your breath away on a December morning. Swim at dawn, breakfast after, smug for the rest of the day.

Starlings and a market by the cliffs

The pier's starling murmurations usually run from November to late February, with the biggest displays at dusk, and are a lovely free thing to do between Christmas shopping trips. Out at Seven Sisters Country Park, the Christmas Market is pencilled in for 5 and 6 December 2026, though the park's own page still calls it a hold the date, so check nearer the time.

What we could not confirm

• The city centre Christmas market at St Peter's: we found no published 2026 dates from the organiser when we checked, only third party guesses.
• Christmas Day itself: the Breeze buses to the Downs do not run on 25 December, so plan any festive walk for Boxing Day.

Before all that, CINECITY, the Brighton Film Festival, runs from 6 to 15 November 2026, which is a fine way to start the season.