Great Malvern Christmas Festival is back! This festive treasure trove is the perfect way to kick off the most wonderful time of the year and get the whole family in the festive spirit. From 10am on 25 November 2023 in Great Malvern festivities begin, you can get cracking with your Christmas shopping at the Arts and Craft market, grab a bite to eat at delicious food stalls or take in the music and entertainment.
Great Malvern is sure to be buzzing with yuletide activity and joy, come down to soak up the atmosphere. Warm up in one of our cosy coffee shops, get seriously started on your Christmas shopping at one of our fantastic independent businesses and stay for dinner and drinks at one of our restaurants and bars.
This year the festival is Narnia themed to celebrate the 125th birthday of C. S. Lewis, who went to school in Malvern and took inspiration from the gas lamps. Find out more about what Narnia themed events are going on below.
What’s On
Great Malvern Priory Grounds
| Time | Activity |
| 10.30am – 6.30pm | Art & Craft Market |
| 12.15pm – 12.45pm | Malvern Hills District Brass Band |
| 2.30pm – 3.15pm | Dukes Jazz Society |
Inside Great Malvern Priory
| Time | Activity |
| All day | Refreshments |
| All day | Entertainment |
| 11.10am – 11.50am | Malvern Music Centre String Orchestra |
| 2.15pm – 2.55pm | Worcestershire Youth Concert Band |
| 6.05pm | Carol Concert |
BBC Hereford & Worcester, Belle Vue Island & Outside Great Malvern Post Office
| Time | Event |
| 12.30pm – 1pm (bottom of steps) | i-sing Choir |
| 1.15pm – 1.45pm (bottom of steps) | Malvern Hills District Brass Band |
| 1.50pm – 2.20pm (stage area) | Malvern Link Youth Choir |
| 2.30pm – 3pm (stage area) | Stagecoach Malvern |
| 3.15pm – 3.45pm (stage area) | Appleyard Dancers |
| 3.50pm – 4.40pm (stage area) | Dukes Jazz Society |
| 5.00pm – 5.30pm (bottom of steps or stage area) | Malvern St James Junior Choir |
| 5.30pm – 6pm | Lead up to Switch-On |
| 5.40pm | Parade Starts off, Mark Solo Circus, BaixaBeat, Dance in Motion, Children with Lanterns |
| 6pm | Switch-on, BBC Presenter, Mayor |
Church Street and End of Church Street
| Time | Activity |
| 11.30am – 11.50am (Church Street) | Animatronic Polar Bear |
| 5.30pm – 5.40pm (end of Church Street) | Dance in Motion Performance before Parade |
| 5.30pm – 5.40pm (end of Church Street) | BaixaBeat Performance before Parade |
Great Malvern Library
| Time | Activity |
| All day | Refreshments in the café, & mobile café for families queuing for the grotto |
| All day | Story Telling, Narnia & Narnia themed stories |
| 10am – 5pm (3.45pm last admission) | Christmas Grotto in children’s section |
| 10.30am – 11pm (upstairs room) | Girl guiding arts and crafts workshop |
| 10am – 10:30am (outside) | Amelia K Academy, Dance Performance |
| 10.30am – 11am (downstairs room) | Amelia K Academy, Workshop |
| 11am – 11.30am (outside) | Holy Trinity Church Young Chorale |
| 12.45pm – 1.05pm (main foyer) | Polar Bear |
| 1.30pm – 2pm (outside) | Rock Choir |
| 2.20pm – 2.40pm (main foyer/outside) | Polar Bear |
| 2.45pm – 3.15pm (downstairs room) | Spotlight Theatre Academy – Christmas Musical Theatre Workshop (Ages 7-14yrs) – Dance in Motion |
| 3.15pm – 3.45pm (downstairs room) | Dance in Motion Academy – Christmas Dance Workshop (Ages 5-10yrs) |
Throughout Town
| Time | Activity |
| From 1pm – 6.15pm | Solo Circus Performances & Entertainment |
C. S. Lewis 125 Birthday Celebrations
It’s the 125th birthday of C.S. Lewis on Wednesday 29 November. We’re celebrating the children’s authors’ connections to The Malverns with a Gas Lamp Trail being hosted 24-30 November, a Gas Lamp window art project, as well as Narnia-themed activities at the Great Malvern Christmas Festival on Saturday 25 November 2023.
Great Malvern Narnia Gas Lamp Story Trail
Our historic gas lamps in Great Malvern are undergoing their annual refurbishment and will be ready to celebrate the 125th birthday of C.S Lewis from 24 – 30 November when you will be able to take the Narnia gas lamp story trail around Great Malvern. Find all the gas lamps and discover the tale of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.
Creatives Connect C. S. Lewis 125 Window Art Trail
MHDC are joining forces with Creatives Connect, a local artists group, to deliver an innovative arts project to mark the 125th birthday of C.S. Lewis. The acclaimed author is said to have drawn inspiration from Malvern’s gas lamps and stunning landscape when he wrote The Chronicles of Narnia.
Participating shops and businesses will receive a stencil of a gas lamp, to be displayed in their window from 24 – 30 November, working with local artists to create a display of decorated windows to commemorate one of our most illustrious and best-loved authors.
Narnia Theme at Great Malvern Christmas Festival on Saturday 25 November 2023
This years Great Malvern Christmas Festival will have Narnia themed activities:
- Narnia-themed Lantern Parade
- FREE Face Painting at The Lantern (Mount Pleasant Hotel) 11am-3pm
- Storytelling throughout the day at Malvern Library
- Art Display at Malvern Library
- Animatronic Polar Bear – see festival schedule here
- Narnia Colouring Table at Heidi’s Toys & Puzzles 10am-5pm
- Great Malvern Priory
- C.S Lewis Walk – see details below
Malvern Hills Literary Walk – Lewis Loop – 25 November 2023
Join lecturer and tour guide Dan Johnson on this guided walk around the Malvern Hills, taking in spots connected to legendary fantasy author C. S. Lewis at 11am on Saturday 25 November.
The walk is circular starting and ending at the Wyche Cutting, heading up to the Worcestershire Beacon summit, then following the Narnia has lamps past St. Ann’s Well Cafe and Lewis & Tolkien’s favourite pub The Unicorn Inn to Great Malvern. After stops at Malvern Priory (with the original gas lamp) & Malvern College (where Lewis was a pupil), the loop returns south, following more gas lamps back up to the Wyche Cutting.
The walk is accompanied by tales of literary legends and some of the best views in the West Midlands.
Find out more#ShopLocal Around Malvern (Great Malvern, Barnards Green & Malvern Link)
Supporting independent businesses located across the district is very important especially at Christmas time. Click on the links below to find the perfect gift for your friend or family member at shops located in Great Malvern, Barnards Green and Malvern Link.
