Santa at Stockwood runs 11 to 24 December 2026, five sessions a day, from £27.50 for an adult and child. Free Santa post box in Hat Gardens on 12 Dec.

Luton’s Santa’s grotto this year is Santa at Stockwood, at Stockwood Discovery Centre, from Friday 11 to Thursday 24 December 2026. Tickets for an adult and a child start at £27.50 including the booking fee, and there are five sessions a day. Booking is open now (The Culture Trust).

If you would rather not pay, the council’s free Christmas in Hat Gardens on Saturday 12 December has a post box for children’s letters to Santa.

The quick answer

Santa at Stockwood: 11 to 24 December, closed Monday 14 December. Sessions at 9.30am, 10.30am, 11.30am, 1.15pm and 2.15pm. Adult and child from £27.50. Stockwood Discovery Centre, London Road, LU1 4LX, free parking. The free option is Christmas in Hat Gardens, Saturday 12 December, 12pm to 4pm.

Santa at Stockwood

Run by The Culture Trust, the charity that runs Luton’s museums. The visit includes:

  • Santa’s elves in his workshop
  • making a festive keepsake to take home
  • writing a letter to Santa with a Christmas wish
  • mixing reindeer food in a Reindeer Food Maker Machine
  • meeting Santa in a private slot for your family
  • photographs, and free parking

Dates: every day from Friday 11 to Thursday 24 December 2026, except Monday 14 December. That is 13 days, including Christmas Eve.

Times: five sessions a day, at 9.30am, 10.30am, 11.30am, 1.15pm and 2.15pm. The last slot is 2.15pm.

Prices: an adult and child ticket from £27.50, including the booking fee. It is recommended for under-10s. Extra adults and under-1s have to be booked through the box office on 01582 878100, and an under-1 ticket is only sold alongside a full-paying child.

Availability on 25 September: every session was showing “Book Now” except Saturday 19 December at 11.30am, already marked “Selling Fast” (The Culture Trust booking page). The Culture Trust itself advises booking early.

Make an evening of it: Stockwood Illuminated

The same site runs its Christmas light trail, Stockwood Illuminated, on evenings from 11 to 31 December, with child tickets from £10. The grotto ends at 3pm and the light trail starts at 4.30pm, so they can be done on the same day. Every evening and entry time is on our Stockwood Illuminated page.

Free: Santa’s post box in Hat Gardens

Luton Council’s Christmas in Hat Gardens is on Saturday 12 December, 12pm to 4pm, on Bute Street in the town centre. It is free, with giant walkabout performers, local musicians playing Christmas songs, face painting, and a post box where children can write their letter to Santa and post it. The council says more details will follow closer to the time (Explore Luton).

What happened in town last year

In 2025 the council also brought a free Santa’s Sleigh to Market Hill on Saturday 29 November, 11am to 6pm, with a snow machine and elves, funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (Luton Council, 11 November 2025). Nothing similar has been announced for 2026 yet. The Christmas lights switch-on is on Saturday 21 November; see our switch-on page.

Still to be confirmed

  • Full Santa at Stockwood price bands. Only the “from” price is published.
  • Any free Santa event in the town centre, like last year’s sleigh. The council’s 2025 festive programme was announced on 31 October 2025.
  • The Christmas in Hat Gardens line-up.

Sources