And it’s Chriiiiissssstttttmmmaaaassss! Yes, it is actually December on Monday. Oh no it isn’t, oh yes it is! Are you ready? I’m definitely not… Whether you’re someone who did all your Christmas shopping in July, waits until Christmas Eve, or is somewhere in between, Croydon is getting in the mood for Chrimbo, so it’s time to take a look at some of the things we can do locally to get festive…

A Very Croydon Christmas: Friday 5 to Sunday 7 December

A Very Croydon Christmas returns next Friday to Sunday, bringing a packed weekend of music, outdoor arts, workshops and family activities across Croydon Town Centre, centred around Croydon Clocktower. The festivities blend tradition and contemporary creativity, from carol concerts and mulled wine in Braithwaite Hall to playful outdoor performances and interactive installations.

The programme features the Dutch interactive fry-making installation DJ Frietmachine, the lively spectacle of Miss Murphy’s Pantomime Ponies, and the kinetic roaming sculpture Matt Pang’s Curiosity Christmas Tree. Outdoor dance-theatre comes from Sonia Sabri Company with Mughal Miniatures: The Elephant & The Drummer, alongside the enchanting walkabout piece The Living Snow Globe and the towering presence of The Giant Elf.

Families can enjoy craft workshops, including rosette-making and sessions with artist Chantelle D’Souza (who created the promotional illustrations for the event), plus storytelling from Andy Copps. Music highlights include uplifting family concert Baby Gospel, featuring singers from CK Gospel Choir, and festive folk from The Wandle Ceilidh Band at the Friday evening Braithwaite Hall carol concerts. We loved this early festive weekend last year, so are ‘Very’ much looking forward to this year’s lively programme.

Further info and times on the Culture Croydon website.

CEZ ‘Made by Croydon’ Christmas market: Wednesday 26 November to Wednesday 24 December

We headed to the launch of the new CEZ creative space in Centrale on Wednesday, and were treated to a first browse around the ‘Made by Croydon’ festive pop-up market that CEZ is hosting until Christmas Eve. Visit for a fantastic selection of independent brands and unique local finds, making it a great place for some holiday shopping.

Further info on the CEZ website.

There’s double trouble in Croydon’s panto-land with not one but two Croydon-based pantos.

Fairfield Hall’s Beauty and the Beast: Friday 12 December 2025 to Sunday 4 January 2026

Fairfield Halls is hosting a new production of Beauty and the Beast, which promises West End-level flair, lavish sets, glittering costumes and high-energy choreography.

The cast is led by Ellie Dadd as Belle, joined by Charlie Guest as Louis La Plonk and Croydon favourite Jamie Steen as Polly La Plonk. The line-up also features West End performer Sorelle Marsh as Fairy Bon Bon, Will Haswell as Hugo Pompidou and Samuel John Taylor as The Prince.

Created by writer Jon Monie, director Sarah Redmond and choreographer Anthony Whiteman, the team behind several hit pantomimes, this production blends humour, romance and show-stopping musical numbers.

Having seen local actor Charlie Guest in previous Fairfield pantos, he alone will make this year’s show a must-see.

Further info on the Fairfield Halls website.

Stanley Arts’ Cinderella: Saturday 13 to Sunday 28 December 2025

Stanley Arts is unveiling a brand-new 21st-century take on Cinderella – a lively, imaginative panto packed with magic, music and laugh-out-loud mayhem. Written by Liv Morris, known for her sharp, satirical musical work, this reimagined story follows Cinderella, who dreams of launching a sustainable fashion boutique. With the charming Duke Rizz hosting a grand ball at none other than Crystal Palace, and a delightfully forgetful fairy godmother stepping in, Cinderella seizes her chance to stitch herself a new future.

Directed by acclaimed theatre-maker Emily Aboud, the production blends bold theatricality, Caribbean-influenced creativity and classic panto traditions. Expect sparkle, sass, Croydon charm and a story that champions kindness, creativity and being unapologetically yourself.

From seeing previous Stanley Arts pantos, this will be original to the max.

Further info on the Stanley Arts website.

We’ll be off to Fairfield Halls and Stanley Arts in a couple of weeks to see both shows, so they’ll be more to come on Croydon’s panto season…

Centrale & Whitgift festivities: Saturday 29 November to Wednesday 24 December

Centrale & Whitgift will kick off their Christmas festivities this Saturday, bringing a mix of family fun, creativity and community spirit to Croydon. Santa’s Christmas Skyride returns to Centrale, offering a virtual trip to the North Pole in the enchanted elevator opposite House of Fraser. Families can enjoy the immersive adventure, meet Santa, and take home a reindeer soft toy. We did the Skyride last year, and it was a great twist on the usual visit to Santa. New for this year are group bookings, with discounted child tickets for groups of four or more.

Over at The Whitgift, visitors can step inside a brand-new Giant Christmas Pudding installation – a free festive photo spot complete with a plush red throne and neon “sugar or spice” sign. The pudding also hosts the 12 Days of Christmas Crafts, offering free creative workshops such as gingerbread biscuit decorating and pudding-spoon crafting, plus live performances and drop-in activities.

The centres’ popular Giving Tree Appeal also returns on Saturday, now expanded across Croydon in partnership with Croydon BID. With ten Giving Tree locations, residents are encouraged to pick a gift tag and donate presents for vulnerable children supported by Reedham Children’s Trust.

Finally, a new Christmas Carolling Programme invites local schools and community groups to perform at Whitgift and raise funds for their chosen charity, with applications open until Christmas Eve.

Further info on the Centrale & Whitgift website.

And before we rush off to decorate our own Christmas tree, we must just mention two more Croydon organisations who have their festive hats on early…

For film lovers, the David Lean Christmas Quiz returns on Monday (yes Monday) 1 December at 7pm at Clocktower Café. With BAFTA-winning patron Joanna Scanlan and actor Archie Madekwe as special guest hosts, this festive fundraiser promises a night of cinema trivia and fun. Tickets are now waitlist only, but it’s well worth keeping an eye out.

Join here if you’re interested.

Meanwhile, our town centre is already aglow with Christmas lights, thanks to Croydon BID, marking their 18th year of seasonal sparkle. The display spans 71 decorations across ten streets, features the North End Christmas tree, includes two festive selfie installations, and seasonal lighting projections across the town centre. It definitely gets you in the Christmas shopping mood.

So is that enough for now to get you in the festive mood? Keep an eye on our Instagram in the coming weeks where we’ll be sharing other Christmassy events as we see them.

All images courtesy of the respective organisations. Header image: Living Snow Globe as part of A Very Croydon Christmas.

Posted by Julia