Christmas at Dunham Massey will return for its seventh year between 17 November and 31 December 2023, with a host of new illuminations at the iconic National Trust property in Altrincham, Cheshire.
Brought to you by Sony Music, the trail is created by Culture Creative and will showcase magnificent new installations to add extra sparkle to this much-loved festive tradition.
New features include Herbum by TILT, a large-scale sculpture that evokes a tuft of wild glowing grass with its red and green strands and vibrant blue tips flaring up like a volcanic eruption and Mycelium, by Stevie Thompson of Custom Fibre Optics.
Other illuminations include three innovations from UK-based technical and creative studio ArtAV – Pixel Banners, Star Arch Walk and Pixel Tree.
Discover Studio Vertigo’s huge silver star, Nova, shrouded in mist as if just fallen from the sky; and Aether and Hemera’s Voyage, a flotilla of hundreds of colour-changing, floating origami folded boats.
Christmas at Dunham Massey is full of seasonal surprises and shimmering reflections that cast light on beautiful silhouettes of majestic trees, all choreographed to a soundtrack of festive favourites. There will also be a magical glimpse of Father Christmas along the way.
Along the trail, independent street food vendors bring a delicious twist with tasty treats on offer. Complete your walk under the stars with a spiced winter warmer or hot chocolate shared with friends and family or toast marshmallow over an open fire.
When is the trail?
Christmas at Dunham Massey 2023 will run from 17 November to 31 December (closed 20, 21, 27, 28 Nov; 4, 11, 25 Dec). Tickets are allocated by staggered trail start times and digital or printed tickets are accepted.
The trail is approximately one mile long and we’d recommend allowing 1 to 2 hours for your visit. It is open from 4.30pm, last entry at 8.30pm (excluding 24, 26, 31 Dec). Please be aware that the event closes 1.5 hours after the last allocated entry time.
How much does the trail cost and how can I book tickets?
Tickets for kids can start from £12.50 – £17 while adult tickets can cost £19 – £24.50. Family tickets are also available for 1 adult and 2 children or 2 adults and 2 children. Costs for these start from £41 – £80 depending on if it off-peak or peak season. Infants aged 0-2 years old go free. You can book your tickets here.
Points to Note:
- Guide dogs and registered disability assistance dogs are allowed on trail, however other dogs are not allowed.
- Food, drink and fairground rides are available onsite. Food and drink can be found at the beginning and end of the trail, with additional refreshments at around the midway point. Separate charges apply for all food, drink and rides.
- The event takes place entirely outdoors and appropriate clothing and footwear is essential.
- Parking £8, National Trust members can park for free if booked BEFORE the day.
About Dunham Massey
Nestled between the vibrant city of Manchester and the beginnings of rural Cheshire, Dunham Massey includes a 300-acre deer park, a historic house and buildings and all-season gardens. Outdoors, accessible paths pass roaming fallow deer and ancient trees in the parkland, while the Winter and Rose Gardens reveal the sights and scents of the seasons. Indoors, ornate rooms and servant’s quarters hold a collection that spans the history of the house, while the water-powered mill and other historic buildings add further context that beckons you into the past.
About RGL (Raymond Gubbay Limited – a division of Sony Music)
RGL/Sony Music has been delivering hugely successful illuminated trails for almost ten years. Each trail is carefully designed to showcase the natural and unique environment of its iconic setting. There are currently over 30 trails across the UK, Europe, USA, and Australia within the Christmas, Halloween, IGNITE and Lightscape portfolios.
The chosen partners for national and international heritage and prestigious venues include: Blenheim Palace; The National Trust; Forestry England; Historic Royal Palaces; The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh; Leeds Castle Botanic Gardens, Chicago, USA and Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, Australia.
About Culture Creative
Culture Creative is a creative project and production management company based in the North East of England. The Company works across a wide range of cultural fields including art, sport, heritage, tourism, festivals and events, developing projects from concept to delivery. Since 2013 Culture Creative has worked closely with Sony Music to create Lightscape and Christmas themed trails in various venues across the UK and overseas.
About National Trust
The National Trust is a conservation charity founded in 1895 by three people, Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley who saw the importance of the nation’s heritage and open spaces, and wanted to preserve them for everyone to enjoy.
The Trust has committed to achieving carbon net zero emissions by 2030, and establishing 20 million trees to help tackle climate change, creating green corridors for people and nature near towns and cities, running a year-long campaign to connect people with nature and continuing investment in arts and heritage. Ensuring everyone who visits feels welcome, and more people can access its places continues to be another key aspect of the charity’s work.
Entirely independent of Government, the National Trust looks after more than 250,000 hectares of countryside, 780 miles of coastline and hundreds of special places across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The National Trust receives more than 26.9 million visits each year to the places it cares for that have an entry fee, and an estimated 100 million visits to the outdoor places looked after by the charity. Together with 5.9 million members and more than 65,000 volunteers, they help to support the conservation charity in its work to care for nature, beauty, history. For everyone, for ever.
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Family Day Out Review: Christmas @ Victoria Park’s Ice Rink
Photo copyright: Dunham Massey/Sony Music/Richard Haughton
