Christmas at Blenheim runs 13 November to 3 January: light trail, Cinderella in the Palace, ice rink and a free market. Dates, parking at £10, dog nights.

Christmas at Blenheim Palace runs from Friday 13 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. This year’s show inside the Palace tells the story of Cinderella, and outside there is the illuminated trail, a covered ice rink in the Great Court, an observation wheel and the Christmas Market. The dates are on Blenheim’s own Christmas page, and the detail below comes from that page and from the Christmas at Blenheim FAQ run by Ticketek, which sells the tickets. The FAQ was last updated on 23 September 2026.

The quick answer

  • Dates: 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. The trail is closed on 16 and 17 November and on Christmas Day.
  • The Christmas Market is free to walk into and runs until Sunday 20 December. You pay only for parking.
  • Parking is £10 a car booked in advance, or £12 on the day, and every visitor has to pay it, including Blue Badge holders.

Dates at a glance

What Dates Times
Illuminated Trail 13 to 15 Nov, 18 Nov to 24 Dec, 26 Dec to 3 Jan Timed slots 4.45pm to 7pm daily; 4pm to 9pm on some dates
Cinderella in the Palace 13 Nov to 24 Dec, 26 Dec to 3 Jan Timed entry, allow 1 hour to 90 minutes
Christmas Market Until Sun 20 Dec 10.30am to 8.30pm; 5.30pm close on non-trail nights
The Great Skate ice rink 13 Nov to 3 Jan, closed Christmas Day 10.40am to 8pm peak, 10.40am to 7.20pm off-peak
Quiet access sessions Tue 8 Dec and Mon 28 Dec Before public opening

The event as a whole is listed as open 10am to 8pm. The market’s opening date is given two ways: Blenheim’s page says Friday 13 November, while the ticketing FAQ says Thursday 12 November. If you are going for the market alone on the 12th, check first.

The Illuminated Trail

The trail is about 2.98km long and takes around 90 minutes. Blenheim says it uses more than a million lights. Entry is by timed slot every 15 minutes. Slots from 4.45pm to 7pm run on every date; the earliest, from 4pm, and the latest, up to 9pm, are offered only on some dates. Last entry is 15 minutes after the final slot, and the FAQ is blunt that late arrivals are not refunded.

The route follows natural paths with uneven ground and some steep sections. Pushchairs are allowed. It is not covered, so wear boots and waterproofs; bad weather alone does not earn a refund.

Father Christmas is on the trail but does not do individual visits. The FAQ says he is “unable to meet children individually”, so this is not a grotto. For a sit-down Santa visit closer to home, see our Witney Christmas markets and grottos page.

Dog-friendly nights

Dogs are allowed on the trail on eleven dates only: Wednesday 18 November, Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 November, Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 December, Tuesday 8 and Wednesday 9 December, Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 December, and Tuesday 29 and Wednesday 30 December. There is no extra charge. The limit is two dogs per person, on a short lead, and never inside the Palace. Dogs are allowed in the Great Court and the Christmas Market on any day.

Cinderella in the Palace

The Great Hall opens with a Christmas tree and each State Room tells one chapter of the story, ending with a Christmas wedding and a pumpkin carriage. A Palace ticket bought as a donation turns into a 12-month Annual Pass at no extra cost. Trail tickets, infant tickets, carer tickets and group tickets do not.

Annual Pass holders get into the Palace free up to 3.45pm on weekdays and on some weekend dates, but must book a slot. They get no free entry on Saturday 5, Sunday 6, Saturday 12, Sunday 13 or Saturday 19 December, and they get £1 off a trail ticket.

Costs we can confirm

Blenheim’s own pages do not list trail or Palace ticket prices; they appear only once you pick a date in the booking system, and the FAQ says the price on the door is higher than booking ahead. These are the charges the operator does publish:

Charge Price
Car parking, booked ahead £10
Car parking on the day £12, if spaces remain
Blue Badge parking (at Hensington) £10
Coach parking £20
Booking fee £1 per ticket
Charity contribution to Oxfordshire Youth £1 per Cinderella ticket
Fairground ride tokens £12 for 4
Child skate aid £5 on site

Disabled visitors on Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance or Personal Independence Payment can book one free carer ticket.

The ice rink and the market

The Great Skate is a covered rink in the Great Court. Sessions last 30 minutes, skaters must be at least three, and under-13s need an adult (16 or over) on the ice with them. You do not need a trail or Palace ticket to skate, but you still pay for parking.

The Christmas Market fills the Great Court with wooden chalets. It is free to enter without any other ticket; parking charges apply after 10am. Card is preferred at the market and is the only payment taken at the trail’s own food stalls.

Getting there from Witney

The address is Blenheim Palace, Oxford Road, Woodstock, OX20 1UL. Parking has to be booked with your tickets, including by Anytime ticket holders. A 20mph limit applies across the estate. For roadworks on the way, check our Witney roadworks and travel page before you set off; for leaving the car in town instead, see parking in Witney.

Still to be confirmed

  • Ticket prices for the trail and the Palace, which Blenheim shows only in the booking system. We will add them when we next check.
  • The market’s first day, 12 or 13 November, where Blenheim’s two pages disagree.
  • A PDF accessibility guide, which the FAQ says is being written.

Frequently asked questions

When is Christmas at Blenheim 2026? Friday 13 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. The trail is closed on 16 and 17 November and on Christmas Day.

Is the Blenheim Christmas Market free? Yes. You do not need a ticket to enter; you pay only for parking, which is charged after 10am.

How much is parking? £10 a car booked in advance or £12 on the day, if spaces are left.

Can you meet Father Christmas? Not one to one. He appears on the trail but does not hold individual visits.

Can I take my dog? Only on the trail on the eleven dog-friendly dates listed above, and in the Great Court and market on any date. Never inside the Palace.

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