Waterford Winterval Festival, Ireland

The special magic of Christmas in Ireland will come alive at the end of November as Waterford’s Winterval Festival returns fora fifth consecutive year from 25 November. People of all ages can enjoy 30 different fun events and activities at Ireland’s biggest, brightest and best Christmas event, which saw over 500.000 people from at home and abroad attend last year.

The sparkling programme includes a multitude of free events as this year Winterval will shine brighter than ever with fun for families, couples and groups of friends looking to start their Christmas experience off in the best way possible.

Visitors can enjoy a horse drawn sleigh ride through the Mall, the Viking Triangle and John Robert’s Square or take the Winterval Express Train for a tour of all the festival’s attractions including the Carousel and the Giant Postbox – where those all-important letters to Santa can be dropped off.

Pay a visit to Reginald’s Tower for some enchanting storytelling marvel at the beautiful Christmas market where you can savour top class food and find unique gifts for family and friends, and take a ride on the spectacular Vintage Ferris Wheel.

Winterval Illuminates in Cathedral Square is another unmissable stop on the Christmas adventure. The now famous light show projects onto the Deanery Building and will see the Square burst into life and light. This year promises to be better than ever thanks to a whole host of new features and 3D animation which will transform the area into a magical place of light and colour. This spectacular show is absolutely free and is sure to be one of the highlights of the festival.

Ireland’s oldest city also plays host to Waterford on Ice, the National Reptile Zoo and twice daily screenings of How the Grinch Stole Christmas at Movies at The Reg.

Of course, the man himself will be in attendance throughout the festival. Santa’s Grotto at the Medieval Museum is a real treat for all the family with the awestruck amazement in every child’s eye a thing of pure magic. En route to see Santa Claus, families will be able to explore the Enchanted Gardens and the elves’ living quarters before they visit the jolly man in red who will have a chat, present a gift and pose for a photo that will live long in the memory.

The free Toy Museum is always worth a visit at Winterval. This year’s theme is “Gaming Through the Ages” where visitors will be able to see and play some of the first video games ever invented. It’s a journey back to where gaming started and offers a chance to see up close how gaming has evolved over the years – fascinating for children and sure to be a fun trip down memory lane for their parents.

There’s so much to see and do for everyone at Winterval and Waterford is once again the place to be this Christmas. We recommend booking tickets in advance so weekends can be spent exploring this interactive medieval city to the fullest. The Winterval Festival takes place from 25-27 November, 2-4 December, 8-11 December and 15-23 December.