Worcester Cathedral's Christmas Tree Festival runs 27 November to 5 January and charges adults £5 for the first time; under-18s free. Concerts, carols, hours.
Worcester Cathedral’s Christmas Tree Festival returns from Friday 27 November 2026 to Tuesday 5 January 2027, and for the first time it will charge for entry: £5 per adult, with children under 18 and carers free. Tickets are timed and booked online, and the Cathedral says they will be released “late in the autumn”.
The quick answer
- Christmas Tree Festival: 27 November to 5 January, closed Christmas Eve afternoon and Christmas Day. £5 adults, under-18s free, timed tickets online.
- Christmas Eve: open for visiting 9am to 12 noon, then Crib Services at 1pm and 3pm. Christmas Day: services only.
- Big concerts: G4 Christmas on 19 November, Nutcracker and Rachmaninov by candlelight on 9 December, and Handel’s Messiah on 12 December.
The Christmas Tree Festival
The Cathedral’s festival page gives the dates as Friday 27 November 2026 to Tuesday 5 January 2027, “subject to change”, excluding Christmas Eve afternoon and Christmas Day.
What is new for 2026 is the charge. The Cathedral says it is “introducing a small admission fee for the 2026 festival” to help sustain the event:
- Adults £5. Children under 18 and carers go free.
- Tickets are timed entry slots, booked online in advance, released late in the autumn.
- A festival ticket includes the Cloisters, café, shop and facilities. General entry to the rest of the Cathedral stays by donation.
- School groups can still visit free if they pre-book.
The booking calendar shows first slots at 10am on weekdays and Saturdays, 12.30pm on Sundays, 9am on Christmas Eve, and no Christmas Day slots at all.
Sponsoring a tree
Tree bookings for businesses and groups are open now. Prices include VAT:
| Who | Cloister tree | Chapter House tree |
|---|---|---|
| Company, organisation or group | £320 | £420 |
| Registered charity or school | £160 | £210 |
New this year are Community Trees at £50: wooden trees made by Men’s Shed Worcester that individuals, families and schools decorate at home and bring in. Sponsorship enquiries go to the Cathedral’s festival contact, listed on the festival page.
Opening times over Christmas
Normal visiting is Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, last entry 4.30pm, and Sunday 12.30pm to 3pm, last entry 2.30pm. Entry is by the North Porch in College Yard, opposite the High Street; there is currently no entry off College Green (Worcester Cathedral, opening times).
The planned closures before Christmas:
| Date | What changes |
|---|---|
| Saturday 14 November | East End only from 12 noon (graduation) |
| Friday 20 November | East End only after 1.30pm (Lights of Love service in the Nave) |
| Tuesday 24 November | East End closed 1pm to 3.30pm (Mothers' Union service) |
| Tuesday 1 December | Closed to visitors 12 noon to 2.30pm (school carol service) |
| Thursday 24 December | Open 9am to 12 noon; Crib Services at 1pm and 3pm |
| Friday 25 December | Open for services only |
The Cathedral says the list is updated regularly, so check it before a special trip.
Christmas concerts
All from the Cathedral’s what’s on listing, checked 25 September 2026:
- A Christmas Carol, Wednesday 18 November, 3pm. A one-act adaptation by This Is My Theatre, with carols.
- G4 Christmas, Thursday 19 November, 7.30pm.
- Nutcracker Suite and Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 by Candlelight, Wednesday 9 December, 7.30pm. Piccadilly Sinfonietta with pianist Warren Mailley-Smith.
- Handel’s Messiah, Saturday 12 December, 7.30pm. Worcester Festival Choral Society’s 140 voices with the Meridian Sinfonia Baroque orchestra, conducted by the Cathedral’s director of music Samuel Hudson. It is the society’s annual benefit concert for local children’s causes.
The Cathedral’s full Christmas service list, including carol services, has not been published yet.
The same week in the city
The Victorian Christmas Fayre fills the city centre streets from Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 December (Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre). See our Victorian Christmas Fayre and Christmas lights pages, and Worcester pantomime for the Swan Theatre’s show.
Getting in by train over the holiday is harder than usual this year; see our Worcester Christmas travel page. Parking is on parking in Worcester.
Still to be confirmed
- Festival ticket release date and daily closing times: “late in the autumn”.
- The carol service and Christmas service times.
- Any change to the festival dates, which the Cathedral marks “subject to change”.
We will check again in late October and update this page.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Worcester Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival free? Not for adults in 2026. Adults pay £5 and children under 18 and carers go free. General entry to the rest of the Cathedral remains by donation.
When is the Worcester Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival 2026? Friday 27 November 2026 to Tuesday 5 January 2027, except Christmas Eve afternoon and Christmas Day.
Is Worcester Cathedral open on Christmas Day? For services only. On Christmas Eve it is open for visiting from 9am to 12 noon, with Crib Services at 1pm and 3pm.
When is the Messiah at Worcester Cathedral? Saturday 12 December 2026 at 7.30pm, performed by Worcester Festival Choral Society.
Sources
- Worcester Cathedral, Christmas Tree Festival 2026, checked 25 September 2026
- Worcester Cathedral, opening times and planned closures
- Worcester Cathedral, what’s on
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