Chester BID launch Santa’s Enchanted Grotto

Set to launch on Friday 26nd November, with the last visit to Santa available on Christmas Eve, the team at Chester BID will bring a little bit of North Pole magic to the city centre over the festive season.

The grotto, manned by fairies and elves promises an immersive experience, where families can walk through a magical forest, leaving Chester far behind, to find Santa at his home in the North Pole. 

Santa will be situated in the expansive space of a shop given to Chester BID courtesy of the Grosvenor Shopping Centre. In the true spirit of Christmas, the shopping centre gifted the store over the Christmas period so children in the city could enjoy a Santa experience. The fairies and elves are played by local actors, supporting Chester’s thriving creative community. 

Children will walk through the doors of the grotto, to be welcomed by woodland creatures who will guide them down a path towards the North Pole. These creatures include a penguin, a polar bear, an owl, a robin, and a husky. 

Emily Ghazarian, marketing and events manager, Chester BID, said: ‘Chester’s community of children are just amazing – they have shown spirit and resolve over the pandemic and continue to keep our city the cheerful, family-friendly place we love to spend time in. We wanted to make sure this Christmas is more magical than ever before, which is why we launched Santa’s Enchanted Grotto – our biggest ever Santa experience.’ 

She added: ‘While making a visit to the grotto, there will be plenty of activities to make a weekend or day in Chester even more magical – including the ‘Roving Moon’ a dramatic light installation which will hop from location to location across the city’s skyline and the city’s acclaimed Christmas markets. The shopping in the city is wonderful at Christmas time, with our covered rows protecting us from the weather, a selection of high street retailers staying open late and plenty of brilliant food and drink stops along the way to keep you toasty.’  

To book a place at Santa’s Enchanted Grotto, please visit:

www.experiencechester.co.uk/event/santas-enchanted-grotto/